Quilting

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The intergenerational appeal of quilting

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resized_5 generations on couch 2 at Robin'sYou can’t actually see the late Ashta Johnston sitting alongside these girls from the Johnston family, but her presence is evident in their laps. Ashta created the blocks in this beautiful Dresden Plate quilt, but never completed it.

As a mom of mostly boys, Ashta grew close to all her daughter-in-laws but especially to Patricia Ann Moody (second from the left). Patricia admits this was due to their shared love of all things handmade. Besides sewing and quilting, they crocheted, embroidered, and hooked rugs.

Elder quilter

This is a photo of Ashta with her husband, also late. Remembering how Ashta had taught her to quilt, Patricia enlisted the help of daughter Deborah Sredin, (top photo far left), her granddaughter-in-law Stefanie, (far right), and great-granddaughter, Leigh, to finish it. That’s right. Five generations of Johnston’s have stitched on this quilt!

All it needs now is a binding. This is a beautiful legacy Ashta left behind. Incidentally, the youngest Johnston was so pleased by all of this, she wrote a song about the quilt, and performed it for me right then and there (after I snapped the group photo).

If you are interested in making your own Dresden Plate quilt block, get on over to Sew Happy Geek where blogger Jenna shares a free pattern you can download along with directions.

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Comments

  3. What a wonderful story! Congratulations to the family for working to complete a heirloom that is sure to be treasured for generations yet to come. I wish them the best of luck 🙂

Have you read?

In the Garden Layer Cake – A Bloom-Filled Fabric Collection for Spring Sewing

Some fabric collections feel pretty, some feel useful, and then there are those rare ones that instantly spark a dozen ideas the moment you see them. The In the Garden Layer Cake from Fat Quarter Shop falls firmly into that last category. From the moment I opened the pack, it felt like stepping into a watercolor garden—soft, romantic, full of movement, and brimming with detail that invites you to slow down and really look.

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If you enjoy sewing projects that feel light, fresh, and inspired by nature, In the Garden is a collection worth adding to your stash. It has all the qualities quilters look for: balance, versatility, gentle movement, and that spark of creativity that makes you want to start a project immediately. Whether you’re planning a gift quilt, treating yourself to a new spring project, or simply building your fabric library with a set of prints that will play nicely with others, this layer cake is a thoughtful and inspiring choice.