I want to tell you about my wonderful Aunt Ruby, one of my mother's older sisters. She is a crafter of all trades. When I was a child my Aunt Ruby made quilts and quilts and even more quilts. I'm privileged to have one, but it sealed and tucked away. Aunt Ruby also crocheted anything from dollies to table clothes. She can knit, sew, and I even remember her making a trash can from egg cartons. We kids loved going to aunt Ruby's because she did kids crafts and would always set us up with something to do. Later in her life she became a Christian. VBS was never the same again. She was now in charge of the crafts for VBS. Everyone loved Aunt Ruby's crafts...the children and their parents.
I did a few pictures of two of the stockings that she did for my children about 25 years ago. She also made crocheted snowflakes (not pictured) and these little cheeky guys. You squeeze their cheeks to reveal a "kiss." You would always chocolate at our house. I've had all this for about 30 years.
Okay, here's the kicker to it all. Aunt Ruby is blind in one eye and is nearly blind in the other. All these crafts she did through the years were certainly a gift from God. 
A couple of very old quilted pillow shams.
Leave a comment for the March RAK about a family member that crafts and what they craft.
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what a great story! love it and her creations r wonderful...
ReplyDeletethis story reminds me of only one person and that would be my grandma...she used to be into everything such as sewing, knitting, stitching and crowshaying...she's sopose to have surgury soon cuz she isnt feeling so well the past year so i spent alot of my evenings with her and we knit:) i love spending this time with her and also learning how to knit:)
Kris #2961
Well, I want to tell you about two wonderful people in our family who are crafters. My dear Nana does needlepoint. She does absolutely beautiful work and it amazes me because she has arthritis and it is SO hard on her hands. The most recent thing she made was a wonderful ornament for my dh and I with dogs on it (knowing we are dog lovers!). The other person I want to tell you about I have actually never met, but I treasure a hand knitted afghan that was created by him. Yes, him. Dh's grandfather used to knit. He is no longer here on earth, but Dh absolutely treasures this special afghan that his grandfather pulled together using nothing bust spools of yarn and a couple of needles! It amazes me! It is SO well made and has already stood the test of time. Thank you for reminding me to be truly grateful for these gifts.
ReplyDeleteWell, both my Mom & my sister (Kim3timemom)quilt. I am always amazed by the quilts that they create. How you can take yards of plain material & make a beautiful piece of artwork is amazing. They are ALWAYS gorgeous! For some reason though, I don't have that quilting gene in me. lol Both of them are also awesome sewers. They can create outfits for anything from teddy bears to people! kristin2timemom@yahoo.com
ReplyDeleteWow...ur aunt is such a talented lady... Most of the females in my family craft.. All my sisters (3) scrapbook, my mom sews, grama knits. We also make quilts/clothing/rugs etc-anything that we need thats sewable.... It so precious to be able to share this with family members
ReplyDeleteI was born to craft!!! My great aunt (Auntie Ed ...her name was Evelyn) was a milner. She owned a hat shop where she made the hats...I have some of her hats, her supplies, and even her business paperwork! She was a wonderful woman and I miss her dearly! My mom is also a crafter of sorts as she is a florist. She gave me my first sewing machine, or rather, I guess I heisted hers from her ;) I still have that, too! Ohh Am I a Packrat or what?! My father, yes, he crafts as well...I would bring him my crazy ideas of what I wanted to make, and he always helped me transform things from mind, to paper to reality! Thanks for letting me share Debby!
ReplyDeleteMy entire family crafts. There are so many great memories made by spending time together, scrapping, sewing and knitting. There is nothing better than spending time together with the people you love doing the stuff you love!
ReplyDeleteUggh, I typed up this really long post and I couldn't post it for some reason and LOST it!
ReplyDeleteOk, here goes... LOL
When my grandmother was alive, she was my hero. She could do anything so easily. My mom must have inherited her genes because she is the same way.. she can sew, quilt, crochet, etc. I, on the other hand, have to struggle to do those things, if at all!! My most favorite memory of my mom was back when I was about 6 years old. At that time, my mom made all my clothes... smocks, dresses, etc. For Christmas she made me barbie dolls clothes that were identical to my clothes!! She used the scraps of fabric my making my dresses and made them for my barbies too. I will never forget that and know that she must be really talented to make something so teeny tiney and they fit perfectly! I think I was the only girl on the block who had matching barbie clothes!! I love my mom! Today she is quilting and I'm glad she is enjoying her retirement!
I remember my grandma. She could crochet and knit anything, even without a pattern. I remember one time she had a slipper that everyone wanted to know how to knit yet no one had the pattern. She sat down and totally figured out how to do it. i think I inherited that trait from her.
ReplyDeleteWhen I was 12 I wanted a backpack so badly. We didn't have the money to buy one but we did have some scrap material lying around. Well I took it upon myself to make myself a backpack. Turned out wonderfully well for a 12 year old that was sewing without a pattern our instructions to go by. My baby brother still has that to this day and uses it in the house for books. It's become a plaything for them now, but I still remember making it. most recent projects have been curtains (looked at a picture, fell in love with the style and proceeded to make them.)
Thanks grandma for being such a great influence and teaching me that I can make anything I set my mind to.
What an awesome Aunt you have. She is truely a gifted woman.
ReplyDeleteI believe that the only person in my family that crafts (besides me) is my grandmother. I can remember her sewing, crocheting and knitting. She always made the prettiest hats, scarfs and gloves for us girls to wear every winter. This year I surprised her with a hat and scraf that I made. I taught myself to crochet this year and now I have yet another crafting hobby that I'm consumed by! I wish that I was able to spend alot of time with my Grams now to learn how to knit and sew as well. Unfortunately she is living in NY in a retirement community that she absolutely loves and refuses to leave overnight. I can't spend more than a weekend at home (school, and kidos) So I guess, I'll have to teach myself those things too.
my twin sis and me spend hours scrap booking together. its awesome to have another persons input right when putting together a new lo
ReplyDeletegrandmother and great aunt both crocheted. I only have one from each before they passed. I cherish them. I never learned to crochet.
ReplyDeleteMy grandfather in law is a mad crafter! I tell him I want his basement (his workroom) in his will, lock stock and barrel, just lift the thing up and move it down to Raleigh! His house is covered in things he's made. Plastic canvas, wood crafted boxes, every card or piece of paper anyone has ever sent him has been preserved in one way or another. And one of the coolest things down there? His collection of handmade jigsaw puzzles...like made using an actual jigsaw. He and his dad used to make them to sell at the department stores for a dime (they were paid a nickel). He's the coolest! (Come to think of it, maybe I should actually tell him so!)
ReplyDeleteI really used to love to visit my Great Aunt Esther. She crocheted. She had spinal problems and wasn't supposed to live past 4 years. She passed at 80. She was wonderful!!!!
ReplyDeleteCicly #1835
It is purely a miracle that your aunt could do so much with such poor eyesight. Some people have that gift...and she is obviously one of them!
ReplyDeleteI remember crafting with my mom when I was really little. She had 3 kids and worked full time and still took us to church on Wednesday nights, Sunday mornings, Sunday nights and any other time the church was open. It used to make her a little crazy that there were 15 minutes between Sunday School and the church service during which the kids would run wildly through the church halls. So she started a club called "Busy Bees" where she would corral all of the kids into a sunday school room and do a craft before church started. Every Sunday she did this with no help. No matter how many kids showed up, each went to church with a completed craft after only 15 minutes. Now how come I can't get my crafting done with only 1 child and no job???
ReplyDeleteAngela # 3100
My crafting relatives I want to tell you about are actually 2 people I never met! On my wedding day, we received gifts from my hubby's 2 grandmothers - both handmade quilts. But they both passed away long before I met my hubby - his mother had saved their old quilts, and gave them to each of her 6 kids as wedding gifts! Karen #3441
ReplyDeleteI of course am a scrapbooker and do all sorts of papercrafting. My boys enjoy scrapping with mom occassionally - usually on a theme album like a trip to Disney.
ReplyDeleteOne of my sons who is 15 has a real creative streak and loves to design. As a matter of fact he thinks he may want to be an architect.
Debbie, I am just down the road from you in Hartsville. If you keep an e-mail list for crops, would you add me to it? Send to angie_ymca@yahoo.com
I sent you PeaMail about this, too.
I can totally relate to this one because I only have the one eye to see with. Aunt Ruby sure does wonderful projects.
ReplyDeleteThank you for sharing about your Aunt Ruby....My Dad's mom taught me the basic crochet stitches when I was a little girl...She passed away from Cancer when I was in maybe 2nd or 3rd grade. I am so thankful that she took the time to teach me at a young age and I never forgot it. It wasn't until I was an adult that I started to read patterns and make things. Thank you Dabby for the chance...
ReplyDeleteCandy #3015
That is a wonderful story Debby. My grandmother was very crafty as she knitted, made quilts and crocheted. Mostly for warmth and used everyday. This story brought back some nice memories for me. Thanks for sharing....patti smith fiskateer #1442
ReplyDeleteAhh Debbie, I love your story. I have a couple of crafters in my family. My mom, the same one Kristin (in Ohio talked about) is a quilter. It's so funny cuz she's not "happy" unless shes either working on a quilt..or has one in mind itching to make. I believe she's made a quilt for everyone of her grandchildren (19)and I also believe shes made us kids (5) each at least one. She has a hard time picking out colors when she's first starting quilts..and I love the fact that she asks me to help her. It's such a joy to have a small part in her beautiful creations. My daughter is also a crafter (23) she's going to school full time now, so her crafting days aren't as many as when she isn't in school. She loves to scrapbook, and she's so good at it, she's going to school for interior design, so I'm sure all her crafting will come out in that field. Last, but not least my sister is a crafter. She loved to X-stitch, but that was before her babies were born. Now she scrapbooks and makes cards. I want to be like my baby sister when I grow up! She makes such great LOs. She also does them so quickly too. When I work on LOs I'm just so slow at designing them and putting them together..and she just puts her pages together so fast. When I visit mom and my sister, pretty much every visit we end up doing some crafty thing, whether its just shopping at Joanns or working on cards..and It's time I treasure with them both.
ReplyDeletekim3timemom#2117
my mom and my twin sister. Mom can embroider and crochet like you never seen. she would do all sorts when doing these crafts. My twin sister can embroider, crochet,plastic canvas, and ETC. Just watching her do the embroider and crochet makes it ewasy but it is not. I cannot these at all as mine looks so sick when you see them. lol.
ReplyDeleteAll my older relatives sewed and had friends/neighbors that crocheted. WEll I wanted to learn everything. I think I have just about covered it too. The only thing was my MIL taught how to knit before she died. I'm the only one in the family that does paper crafting though. I'm so appreciative that I had relatives that were willing to pass on their talents! Dawn #2376
ReplyDeleteHi Debby. Lov ur story. ur aunt kinda reminds me of my grandma. shes always knitting things for her grandchildren. every christmas we recieve a beautiful pair of knitted slippers.
ReplyDeletemost of my family crafts (even those that think they cant) but the most amazing is my mom. ever since i can remember she has always had some craft projest on the go. and the most amazing ones at that, her flower garden is full of beautiful hand painted rocks, just like our house is practally furnished with things she made with her own 2 hands. Shes not the type to run out and buy something if she can make it on her own.
I lov learning form her and my grandparents. my grandpa is pretty amazing too, he weaves willow baskets.
O how sweet. those squeeze my cheeks and I'll give you a kiss.. one of my daughters makes those. and she sells them for 1.dollar. grandmas love those for their grandkids. my mom is also very creative.. there is nothing that she looks at and can't make it... it usally turns out excecly...my mom has tought me to make lots of stuff already..TFS.. your aunts story..Mariah # 2457
ReplyDelete