Depression Blocks - Thinking of Grandma

I've been making 3.5 inch HSTs from scraps for quite some time now. I decided to start putting them together since I have a small bin of them. This pattern is called Depression block and is 12 inches finished. So far I have about 20 of them made. I hope to make a double bed sized quilt.

I chose this block because it reminds me of Grandma who taught me to sew. Her quilts were scrappy. I used to love to just sit and look at all the different fabrics. Sometimes she would tell me stories about life during the depression - how she would cut up old clothes to make new ones for the younger kids. Any small scraps that were left went into a quilt. She would point out to me the different fabrics and say - "that was Marie's dress...and that was Betty's that I remade into one for Elsie...and that was one of my favorite dresses...". When my kids were little I used to make all their clothes. And I would use some of the hints and tips she gave me...I especially loved the little blue jeans I made for the kids from the cut off legs of my husband's old jeans. And I made a whole series of blue jean quilts. One was even crazy.

Maybe I also chose this block because depression runs in the family. I wish I hadn't passed it on to all my kids. My youngest is in a severe slump and I wish I could help him. Maybe this quilt will be for him.