When I was in Middle School (my mind clearly tells me the 6th grade, but I have no data for that beyond finding a picture somewhere), my mother bought me a blanket with a tiger for Christmas. Why I received this particular blanket is a mystery now lost to the ages: I did not have a particular love for tigers (more so than any other animal) and we certainly had other blankets. But for better or worse, it became mine.
Over the years, it stayed with me: at home until I went to college, then to college (multiple times), then to my new home and then to my family where - like many things of course - the blanket became less "mine" and more "my family's", being borrowed by Na Clann until it sort of unofficially became Nighean Gheal's possession on her bed or on the couch. It came to hold memories, not just of the blanket itself but of the giver and everywhere it had been, a sort of physical history of people and places it had been used by and what had been going on at the time.
The blanket itself retained most of its integrity, but over time the outer stitching on the edging - a nylon sort of thread - began to fail and came loose, which resulted in the blanket beginning to tear. I had done what I could by gently handling it, but it was clearly not getting better.
Sometime during this past year, when the question of "What do you want for Christmas?" came up, I mentioned in passing that I would love if the edging of the blanket could be repaired. I am pretty sure it was before the relocation to New Home 2.0, but it was long enough ago that I completely forgot about the request.
Until Christmas Day. My gift, from Nighean Bhan, was a blanket with resewn edging.
Look at those corners. Pretty "like new" sewing, and far more sturdy than the original edging.
Nighean Bhan's comment was that a lot of time watching videos on The Tube of You was involved in this project.
It is hard to come up with a "Best Christmas Present I ever got" set of items, but surely this is now in the Top Ten.
Given the distinct change in temperatures with the move to New Home 2.0, it will be used and enjoyed for many years more.
Children for good or bad are a reflection of ourselves and our legacy.
ReplyDeleteSeems you done well, friend. They have respect for old stuff (and likely older people) and don't treat things as disposable.
They do, Michael. They really do.
DeleteFor all of my mis-steps, I seem to have gotten at least my children on the right path.
Somebody was listening and thoughtful, the latter adds to the warmth TB........ :)
ReplyDeleteIt does, Nylon12. I had truly forgotten about the request.
DeleteSometimes people work miracles. After the death of my mom, while sorting through all the things in the farmhouse, I came across my baby blanket made for me by my grandma. Although it has been stored in a cedar chest for decades, it was dry rotted and falling apart. I was going to throw it away but my MIL asked to have it and so I gave it to her and forgot all about it. Then for Christmas last year, I received it as a gift with a new backing and new edging quilted to it. It is smaller than your blanket so mostly sits on a couch and is used as a lap warmer by my girls.
ReplyDeleteEd, this is far and away above what I had expected. I had hoped for them finding someone that could do the work, not to do them itself. I am now using it every morning for my reading and thought time.
DeleteMy lady, 68 next month, has been a sewer, seamstress, pattern maker, commercial sewer since she was 7 or 8.
ReplyDeleteThat is truly a gift of thoughtful, intentional, love and talent. Good child rearing!.
T_M, I have come to admire the skill all the more over the years. All of my children, to a greater or lesser extent, are doing something with it.
DeleteIt is a great gift. Hopefully I got one thing right.
She did an excellent job! YouTube is the best place to find tutorials for practical things and their accompanying skills. It's a neat blanket and deserves the thoughtful repair. Many, many more years there, along with all the memories it bears.
ReplyDeleteLeigh, she really did - it compares well or better with other such blankets I have seen that are new.
DeleteThe Tube of You is a great repository for all kinds of information. In that sense it is an effective use of technology.
I am now enjoying it every morning to combat my new "climate".