Tuesday, January 3, 2017

Comfort of a Quilt

by Shanna Hatfield

On cold, snowy days like we've had here recently, there is nothing I like better than snuggling beneath a quilt by the fire and reading a good book.

There is something comforting, not just in being tucked away from the blustery storm outside, but also in being wrapped in something made with such love.

Both of my grandmothers made quilts, although my Granny was the one who truly loved to quilt. Many times I went to her house and played beneath a quilt set up on a frame in the middle of the living room while Mom and Granny worked on quilting beautiful stitches.

My mom also made several quilts over the years. With a house full of busy, active family, though, it made it hard to have a quilt frame stretched across a room while she made the tiny, even stitches that I absolutely cannot duplicate no matter how much I try.

But I do love quilts. In fact, I'm the happy owner of quite a few.

wedding ring
This wedding ring quilt was a wedding gift we received from friends of my mother-in-law. 

quilt grandma nell roses
This beauty Captain Cavedweller’s Grandma Nell made for us one year for Christmas. She knew how I love roses so.
quilt roses grandma nell one block
Especially pink roses. The stitching on this is incredible and I treasure it even more since his Grandma is no longer with us.

quilt sunbonnet sue
Granny made this quilt for me when I was a little girl. It graced my little twin-sized bed in my very pink bedroom for years and years. The pattern is Parasol Lady.
quilt grandma jackson
My Grandma Elsie started this Tulip Basket quilt for my mom back when she was in high school. Mom told Grandma she didn’t like the colors, so Grandma never finished the quilt. One day we were at Grandma’s helping her clean and found a bag with the quilt blocks. Grandma gave them to me, so Mom put the top together and quilted it. When she get all done, she couldn’t remember why she thought it was ugly in the first place.
quilt grandma nell's mom
The blocks for this quilt came from CC’s Grandma Nell. Her mother made the squares goodness only knows when but it had to be a long time ago. No one ever finished the quilt. She gave them to me and when we needed one more block to make the quilt work, Mom did the one with the pink rose (pictured top left of the above photo). Mom sewed the top, then did all the quilting.  I should mention that Mom and both of my grandmas did their quilting by hand. No fancy machines for them. 
quilt mrs henry purple
This is a quilt my beloved auntie gave me that her mother-in-law made. Love the vintage fabrics and colors in this one.
quilt wedding ring mrs henry
My auntie also gave me this one her mother-in-law made. Classic Wedding Ring, it again has great vintage fabrics and blends of bright colors on a creamy white background.
quilt rose of sharon full
This is the quilt my Granny made for our wedding. She let me pick the pattern and the colors then she and my mom pieced and quilted it.
quilt rose of sharon
There was a lot of piecing and a lot of quilting and a lot of love that went into this Rose of Sharon variation quilt.
When I decided to join ten other authors for a project that centered around quilts, I knew immediately this was the quilt I wanted to use on the book cover and the pattern I would include in my story.

If you have a love of quilts and sweet romance, be sure to check out Grandma's Wedding Quilts. The stories span several decades and cover eleven cousins, all of whom receive a special quilt from their Grandma Mary.
 My contribution to the series is Tad's Treasure (Book 12). It releases Jan. 20, but you can pre-order it now for only 99 cents! http://a.co/2b97MgE

Tad's Treasure is also the prequel to the Baker City Brides series, so if you've enjoyed those stories, you'll want to be sure to read this sweet novella. 

  He never intended to fall in love with her

     Tad Palmer makes a promise to his dying friend to watch over the man’s wife and child. Years later, he continues to keep an eye on Posey Jacobs and her precocious little boy. The only problem is that he’s not sure his heart can withstand the vow he made when he falls in love with the widow and her son.
     Posey Jacobs misses her beloved husband, but her wrenching grief has given way to hope for the future as she finds herself falling deeper and deeper in love with Tad Palmer. However, the infuriating man doesn’t seem to notice her interest and treats her as he would his sister.
     Throw in a goat who thinks she’s a dog, a town full of quirky characters, and this widow has her work cut out for her if she wants one handsome cowboy to give her his heart.

Also, be sure to read The Prequel. That's my octogenarian mom on the cover. http://a.co/fbaF6UC
Be sure to join us today for a Facebook party. Each author will give away prizes and you can find out more about the project! https://www.facebook.com/events/389526298059972
The party runs from 3-6 p.m. (Mountain Time - 2-5 p.m. PT, 4-7 p.m. CT, 5-8 p.m. ET).
***


USA Today Bestselling Author Shanna Hatfield writes character-driven romances with relatable heroes and heroines. Her historical westerns have been described as “reminiscent of the era captured by Bonanza and The Virginian” while her contemporary works have been called “laugh-out-loud funny, and a little heart-pumping sexy without being explicit in any way.”

Convinced everyone deserves a happy ending, this hopeless romantic is out to make it happen, one story at a time. When she isn’t writing or indulging in chocolate (dark and decadent, please), Shanna hangs out with her husband, lovingly known as Captain Cavedweller.

Find Shanna’s books at:
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3 comments:

Andrea Downing said...

You've shamed me into admitting I inherited a quilt my great-grandmother made for my parents' wedding, but I gave it away. It was all rosettes--had a satin sheet that went under it to cover the bed. But it was so delicate, I feared it would just be falling apart and was better off with someone who could care for it. My bad....

Laura S Reading said...

Quilts warm us physically and with the memories.
I am not good at making them but I love to view them and snuggle underneath.

My Grandmother, who passed before I was born, made two quilts passed down to my sister and myself. However our mother loved them so much we never got to use them.
My opinion is that wear and use makes quilts even more special.

Shanna Hatfield said...

Oh, Andi! I bet that quilt was gorgeous!

And Laura, I agree, quilts need to be used and loved. <3