When My Mother-in-Law Sews a Quilt

When my mother-in-law sews a quilt, she first reflects on the pattern she wishes to create and the picture she wants to portray. She uses the thread to mark where she’s been, and the needles to signal where she’s going. The batting to fill the edges and the embroidery for the design.

When I first met her, she wasn’t yet my mother-in-law but the mother of my boyfriend, who planned a nervous proposal on our first trip home. As we disembarked from the terminal and separated ourselves from fellow weary travelers, her arms wrapped around me in an embrace that filled me with warmth.

On our wedding day, my now mother-in-law carefully selected a beautiful dress wrapped in the colors of my choosing. Her skirt swished against mine as we stood together as a family for the first time, and I felt her hand clasp mine in joyful welcome.

Visits home turned into heartfelt reunions. She brought us all together to gather around the marble countertop, her shining happiness reflecting off the surface.

Our daughter was born three years later, her first grandbunny, and as she held her for the first time, my mother-in-law showed me what a welcome into heaven would look like. She dressed my child in the silk of her own wedding gown and gave thanks as we blessed her granddaughter in a prayer circle.

As our family grows, my mother-in-law gracefully stretches the reach of her love and warmth, covering each of us as a bird with her wings.

When my mother-in-law sews a quilt, she gently places the squares of her loved ones into patterns of family and love. Each patch tells a story, reflecting a memory, and showcasing our history. The ties that bind us stem from her careful sewing, keeping us connected and strong. Her batting fills our lives with warmth, creating a living legacy that will last longer than the blankets she makes us.

When my mother-in-law sews a quilt, she brings us home.