Grandmother's Own Quilt Block

     I found the pattern for this Grandmother's Own block in 5,500 Quilt Block Designs by Maggie Malone.  It is also known as Shepherd's Crossing and Four Square.  I drafted the pattern to make an 8" block.      
     After my grandparents married and settled into their home in October, 1917, they had three sons and a daughter - Jackson, Phil, Doug, and Eleanor.  Years later, they also had 15 grandchildren and 30 great grandchildren. 



Doug, Phil and Jackson George
Doug is my father.



Jackson, Phil, and Doug George



Foregound:  Harriet and Frank George
Background left to right:  Jackson (31 years old), Margie, and Patricia George,
Phil (29 years old) and Judy George,
Doug (27 years old) and Roselyn George, and Eleanor George (17 years old)
October 2, 1950 on Sunbyrne Farm near Lebo, Kansas
Taken by Wayne Miller, Life Photographer

 Grandma George

                    Grandma had two tables,

                    There was the dining room table,

                         set with her crystal,

                         and the apple dishes we loved

                    that was the table where she served her guests

                    And then there was the kitchen table

                    It was a very functional thing,

                         a wooden frame painted white

                         and a porcelained steel top

                    At that table she entertained her grandkids

                    At the kitchen table Grandma did her work,

                    It seemed her hands were always busy

                    kneading bread

                         cutting cookies

                              churning butter

                                   slicing apples

                                        putting up preserves

                    and wiping the dishes clean again

                    Grandma's hands

                    must have had minds of their own

                    Because while they were busy

                         preparing the day's next meal

                    Grandma would tell us stories

                         of days long ago

                    Stories about the people

                         that passed through her kitchen

                    Stories about Great-Grandma's kitchen,

                         where she learned to cook

                    And animal stories:

                         Great Granddad's dog

                              Uncle Bob's lamb

                                   and the horse Mom rode to school

                    Grandma's kitchen was warm,

                         because that's where her stove was

                    Grandma's kitchen was cozy

                         because that's where Grandma was

                    And though we were Grandma's guests

                    we knew that Grandma's kitchen

                    was the place where we belonged.   

                                                                                      George R. Pasley, 1995
                                                                                                 


Left to right:  Roselyn (my mother), Uncle Jackson, Cousin Patricia, Aunt Margie,
Aunt Eleanor, Grandma (Harriet), and Aunt Judy
October 2, 1950 in the kitchen of Sunbyrne Farm, Lebo, Kansas
Taken by Wayne Miller, Life Magazine

You might also enjoy reading my previous blog post:
http://www.starwoodquilter.blogspot.com/2012/09/new-home-quilt-block.html