Saturday, April 6, 2013

Yiayia's Sunbonnet Sue Quilt ... A Christmas Present


When I was 12 the girls all received Sunbonnet Sue quilts from Papou and Yiayia for Christmas.  Papou didn't have much to do with the quilts of course, except maybe taking Yiayia to Newberry's to get batting or more thread.  Yiayia never did learn how to drive.


Papou was 16 when he immigrated by himself to the US from Greece.  He worked laying railroad tracks in Idaho, got 2 nickels to rub together and opened a shoe shine stand, then got a couple more nickels and bought a small hotel and tavern.

Yiayia's family made the trip west by covered wagon in the late 1800's to homestead in Davenport, WA where they raised wheat.

They met when Yiayia stopped to have her shoes shined at Papou's shoe shine stand during one of her infrequent trips to the city.  I love their story.

Papou and Yiayia and The Cousins

I am top row middle ... the little devil child
who didn't want her picture taken



I love that each Sue is set a wee bit different ...

Some Sue's wear their hats brim up ...

... and some brim down


Some Sue's slouch ...


... and some Sue's have
I-practice-with-books-on-my-head posture


I love the old fabrics ... many are much older than the quilt.
The quilts were made in the early 60's but this bird fabric
I will guess is 30's or 40's.

But most of all, I love the little free hand embroideries on the bonnets.

Daisy ...

And how sweet is this?

A bouquet of violets ...

And a blue butterfly ... on chartreuse!

I would give anything to see Papou and Yiayia gain ... just one more day.

Update .... July 11, 2014

I added a picture of the back for Sandra ....
who wondered what the back looked like.

Very sweet to see the Sue outlines.
And this diamond quilting is what Yiayia usually
did on her quilts ... it goes fast, looks nice.