Pieces in the Garden - Friendship - Block #2

 “Bride’s Quilt”

Once upon a time, there was a little girl, who wore a bow in her hair.  When she grew up, she began a friendship with a young bachelor.  As the hours and days passed, they began to look at each other with stars in their eyes, and as their love grew, they thought about taking steps to the altar.  So, the young girl got out her spools of thread and made clothes to get ready for their wedding ring day.

After they are married, some of their times together will be bright as noon and others will be dark as night.  But they will try to share their happiness, their miseries and their chores – she grabbing a wrench to help with household repairs and he grabbing a towel to help with the dishes.  Sometimes they will have broken dishes, but they will try to remember that “things” can be replaced, whereas harsh words, possibly spoken about the broken dishes, could chip away love.  They will try to follow the Golden Rule as they are learning to communicate openly with each other.

They will also try to keep in mind the symbolism of Jacob’s ladder – “steps of communication” between themselves on earth and God in heaven.

Please join me (and Grandma) for a cup of tea as Tressie Edith Teegarden tells me of her friends...

Grandma, tell me about your childhood friends and what sort of things you would do together.

There were a lot of children in our neighborhood.  The Colby's, the Ramey's and us would play Run Sheep Run, Kick the Can and Hide 'n' Seek.  As I got older, I would play Dominos, Rummy and Muggins with my Dad.  

In the Springtime I remember hearing the meadowlarks singing.  Mom always said they were saying "baby, baby, get a wiggle on yourself."  We kids would make kites and fly them out in the middle of Kansas Street.  We would make them out of plain brown paper.

During school, at recesses we played jacks and jumped rope.  Miss Thomas was the athletic supervisor and she taught us the highland fling and some other dances and exercise.

Grandma, tell me about your school(s).  

I went to Park Street School until Junior High, when I went to Centennial. (Shown in picture at the left) I went to Trinidad High School and graduated in 1933.  

Class Photo with Centennial School in the background
Tressie is in the front row on the far right

Math was my favorite subject.  I could beat anybody in the room in long division, even the boys.  We would have races on the blackboard.  I didn't like to read though.  I couldn't sit still long enough to read a book, but I liked being read to.

Tressie is in the second row, near the middle of the photo
Dark dress with a white collar and sleeves

Ada McMann was one of my teachers in Centennial School and she was a Sunday School teacher.  She would take some of us for hikes up on Simpson's Rest.

Grandma, tell me about your best friends in school.  What did you do together?

Anna May Threlkeld and Beverly Stonebraker and I were inseparable.  We would walk to school together.  We were the giggling-est girls in town.  (Side note: Tressie is in between Anna May and Beverly in both class pictures.)  Alice Hendrick was a close friend during the summer.  Her family left during the winter.

We would walk to Hausman's (drug store) and have a coke and horse around.  We would walk to town at night sometimes.  When Beverly would get excited, she would wet her pants.

Oh my!  😂  Don't we all have that ONE friend?   😂  

Since many of the fabrics I am using in this Garden Quilt reflect the pretty little flowers that are often found on vintage tea sets, I thought I would explore the meaning of flowers and choose a few to put together a "Friendship Bouquet".  

Flowers are not just for people who you are romantically involved with. There are numerous flowers that can be used to indicate how you feel about friendship.

Red roses are used to symbolize love and passion in a romantic way. However, white, lavender, orange, and yellow roses are better for friends. These roses have meanings that revolve around trust, joy, happiness, and friendship.

Sunflowers are long-lasting and durable. By giving your friend these flowers, you are indicating that you feel that your friendship shares those characteristics.

As a friend, you want to see you closest friends as happy as possible.  Chrysanthemums are great symbolizers of this because they are used to indicate well wishes and friendship. These meanings show that you are a true friend.  Depending on your culture, these flowers could also indicate a sense of prosperity and joy.

The magnitude of a genuine friendship leaves no room for doubt and can be symbolized by irises. An iris is a symbol of both dedication and trust. These are two things that should be ingredients in any strong friendship.  The stem is a symbol of valor and strength. Therefore, you can use it to show your appreciation for those who stand up for you.

The petals of gladioli have a unique shape. This shape is associated with strength and care.  When you gift someone a gladiolus, you are sending two messages. The first is that you believe that this person is strong enough to overcome the adversity. The second is that you are always there when needed.

Here is a flower that isn’t very popular. Zinnias have a meaning that is usually associated with a time of sadness. This probably contributes to the reason for the lack of focus on them.  Zinnias symbolize remembrance, so getting a pot of them is a great help in preserving your friend’s memory.

All these flowers have unique meanings and characteristics that are relevant to friendships.  You don’t get to have your friends forever. So, remember to show them what’s in your heart while you still do.

Tressie loved the color yellow.  Anything yellow would capture her attention.  She would examine it and then comment on it... adding "it's yellow.  That's my favorite color, you know."  She said it so often it has become an inside joke for the family.  

Tressie's sister, Marie, would often send her a bouquet of yellow daffodils for her birthday.  Some of the most common meanings for the daffodil flower are: Creativity, Inspiration, Renewal and Vitality, Awareness and Inner Reflection and Memory.  Maybe this is the reason Marie would send them... holding her sister in her memories.  

What flowers will you include in your Garden Quilt? 

My Friendship Stars contain roses, posies, violets and zinnias.

When was the last time you let a long-time friend know you were thinking of them?  You should drop them a hand-written note or send a plant or a flower arrangement to tell them how special they are to you.  Life is too short to let a friendship slip to the wayside.

Stephanie at Cornerstone Tea Company is offering a 15% discount on her herbal teas only by using the code FRIENDSHIP.  The discount will be valid through March 30th.  

Grab your pattern and get to making!  Be sure you come back to link up your finished blocks for a chance to win a 1-ounce selection of tea from Corner Stone Tea Company!  Follow along on facebook at Melva Loves Scraps or on instagram @MelvaLovesScraps

Use these hashtags so that everyone can see our gardens grow!  

#PiecesInTheGarden #Piecesinthegardensewalong #Piecesinthegardenrowquilt #TeaTimeWithTT

Linking with:

BOMs Away at What A Hoot Quilts

Mid-week Makers at Quilt Fabrication

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Put Your Foot Down at For the Love of Geese

Needle & Thread Thursday at My Quilt Infatuation

Off The Wall Friday with Nina Marie

Brag About Your Beauties at From Bolt to Beauty

Peacock Party at Wendy’s Quilts and More

Friday Foto Fun at Powered by Quilting

Finished or Not Friday at Alycia Quilts

Scrap Happy Saturday at Super Scrappy

Patchwork & Quilts at The Quilting Patch

Oh Scrap! at Quilting is More Fun Than Housework

Sunday Stash at QuiltPaintCreate