RIBBON WINNER AT THE COUNTY FAIR!
MY COAT OF MANY COLORS
This precious little housecoat was made for me at age 4 in 1957 by my Great Grandmother, "Big Grandma" as I called her. She took left over quilting scraps and pieced the fabric together to sew this wrap-around house-coat for me. Every grandchild and great grandchild got a gift from Big Grandma each Christmas. I usually got a little apron and one for my doll. But this particular Christmas, I was the proud recipient of the house-coat shown in the picture. All of Big Grandma's gifts came wrapped in white tissue paper tied with red or green curling ribbon. I always got to open my gift from Big Grandma on Christmas Eve!
Over the years, my Coat of Many Colors (a tribute to the iconic song by the same name written and sung by Dolly Parton) was stuffed into a storage box and forgotten. 27 years ago while unpacking some boxes, my Son came running to tell me he and his sister had found a "Hippy Coat" !!! I laughed and cried all at the same time. For now, I was a little older and appreciated the love and effort put into each stitch. The idea that my children thought the coat looked like a "hippy coat" was hilarious. I was thrilled to have found my coat and it soon took a place of honor on a wall in my new kitchen.
The coat has been a part of my kitchen decor for over 27 years until this year I decided to enter it in the heirloom sewing division of The Lincoln County Fair! I don't have a picture of my White Ribbon as of yet but I plan to get one on Sunday, last day of the Fair, when I reclaim my treasured, *Coat of Many Colors*.
BLESSINGS
What a precious piece of history yay for big Grandma.
ReplyDeleteWhat a wonderful thing to have to remind you of your big Grandma! I think I would cry every time I saw it. "Precious memories, how they linger". (another tribute to a song!)I'm so glad you won a ribbon with it. It is certainly deserving!
ReplyDeleteYes, that was the hippy era, wasn't it? Great tribute to big Grandma,
ReplyDeleteHow beautiful and what a precious piece of your history! That is so neat that you still have it!
ReplyDeleteI remembering wearing it and playing dress-up in that little coat!
ReplyDeleteWhat a treasure and how wonderful that your rediscovery was shared with your kids! It must have helped them to understand what a perfect gift it was!! How do you display the coat? Thanks for sharing it!
ReplyDeleteHow wonderful is that! And a new ribbon to go with it! My grandmother made all of us grands a quilt made from scraps of fabrics that her and our cloths were made of. They were patchwork and tied.
ReplyDeletewow! As the saying goes, "Good TAste never goes out of style!" So glad to hear that Big Grandma's handiwork is appreciated!!
ReplyDeleteSweet! :)
ReplyDeleteCongratulations! It is truly a lovely heirloom.
ReplyDeleteWhat a wonderful story and piece of family history! Congrats to you and your 'Big Grandma' on winning that ribbon!
ReplyDeleteWhat a wonderful story Jane - and what a special memory! Any news on your stolen stuff? blessings, marlene
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