Ten Years

Today marks ten years without my grandmother, Virginia, one of the namesakes of Virginia Stitching. As I reflect on my relationship with her, while on a trip with my grandfather, I am reminded of how strong and independent of a woman she was, and admire the impact she had on me in ways I could not appreciate until I entered the world as an adult.

While I never seemed to understand or connect with her larger picture and was often left confused as a child, our appreciation of fiber arts undoubtedly brought us together. From her helping me sew a roll-up for my knitting needles to giving me my first quilt, we were able to find joy together in tactile, artistic beauty.

My quilting journey took off in 2020 after my college graduation when my dear friend, Hunter, saw my grandmother’s sewing machine in my apartment and decided she would teach me to quilt that summer until we went off to our first job assignments. Over the last six years, I have come to find peace in piecing (pun very much intended), and come to find a connection and understanding of my grandmother that I never did while she was here.

This endeavor of Virginia Stitching is meant to honor my grandmother and great-grandmother through my own stitching and helping those around me further their own stitching.