Making the Memory Quilt

In October, following Calvin's death and funeral, Clayton asked Grandma if she would make him a quilt, so he wouldn't forget Calvin. Clayton is a tender young man who has a great love for others.

Grandma and Jeni thought it was a great idea, and couldn't wait to get started on a memory quilt. They split up the responsibilities so both Clayton and Cole would receive a separate, but similar quilt. For example, Jeni used photos of Calvin and the family, that we had gathered and put them on fabric. Grandma pulled out the alternate fabrics to go with the photos. All of the various pieces of material were then cut into squares. Okay, everyone, what I know about quilting is less than zero, so bare with me.

I was in Colorado for a short weekend in early November and delivered and picked up the squares Grandma and Jeni had prepared individually. In a sense, I have had a hand in these two quilts, even if it was as a delivery boy.

The time between the end of October and early December is a very busy time and JoAnn had several projects in various stages of completion - quilt for Alexis's baptism, quilt for Krissie, stocking for Joshua, and a new church calling as a Relief Society Counselor. She was mighty busy.

As the self-imposed deadline grew closer both Grandma and Jeni were talking about how far along they were, and it wasn't nearly far enough. Grandma could see all kinds of challenges looming out in the future. But, she is a late night quilter - actually, somedays, more of an all-day quilter that bleeds late into the evening. Of course, don't ask her to get up very early, and I don't.

It was finally completed and mailed to Cole. Jeni had Clayton's quilt. They had agreed to mail them on the same day. Guess what? It didn't happen. But it was mailed pretty quickly.


We got a call from Clayton a couple of days later and he wanted to know if the quilt was for him or Cole, of if there was only one quilt and they had to share? I assured him the other quilt was on the way. Clayton immediately called Jeni and asked if she could drive it over from Denver (only 12 hours and in the dead of winter), or overnight it? Jeni said it is at the post office and you should get it in a couple of days. But, as the post office works, it seems never in a timely fashion, Grandma's quilt took 2 days to get there and Jeni's quilt 5 days. Go figure?


The quilt was difficult to do because the loss of Calvin was so fresh, and still is, in our minds. I know that JoAnn and Jeni struggled with these two quilts more than any quilts they have ever done. In some ways it helped to deal with the loss and in other ways reminded us of the loss. The boys, however, will always have a reminder from their Grandma and Aunt Jeni.

The back overlaid on the front. Jeni's quilt had a green scout background.

No quilt is official until Whisper has given it her "nap blessing"