Again no pics, yet another story. My first mother in law was Vesta Lyons. She was the kindest soul I'd ever met. I was too young when I married my first husband. Vesta took me right in. She was an older lady in her late 60's. Her eyes were bright, and beamed with goodness. I love her so! She taught me gardening, cooking, and took me everywhere with her like I was her own daughter. She also took my quilting to the next level.
Vesta taught me to make string quilts. We would take old sheets, some purchased at yard sales, and tear them into 6 inch strips lengthwise. Once again, double knits came into play. Old pant suits, shirts, and what ever we could get our hands on would be cut into 2 inch strips. She showed me how to lay the strips on a diagonal, and we'd zigzag the strips into place. Once we covered those long strips with colorful doubleknits, we'd then alternate them into a zigzag pattern and sew them together. Old blankets served as batting, and a new sheet or a used one in good shape would be the backing. Now I learned about tacking and tying. She taught me about binding. There wasn't a lot of money back then, but let me tell you, the quilts we made one year, enough for all her kids, grandkids, including myself and my husband, were beautiful and warm.
Vesta used to tell me all the time,"If a person was to make one quilt a year, every year, she would never have to worry about her family needing covers." . So true, so true! Love you Vesta!
