My father was raised on a rural farm in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains, in the community of Endicott, in Franklin County, Virginia. His parents were Cam and Daisy Martin and he had 9 brothers and sisters. They were taught at an early age to work hard, live responsible lives, trust God, and love one another. They remained close to one another through the years and were blessed to live long lives. Beginning in 1981, the Martin Family began having yearly family reunions. We take lots of pictures each year, and my husband displays them as a power point at each reunion. Knowing that I am interested in making quilts, my husband suggested I make a Martin photo memory quilt.
Taking the steps
In July I began selecting and editing the photos. We had so many pictures! I finally narrowed it down to 68 pictures, hopefully representing all the families. I used my Corel PaintShop editor to edit the pictures and made them 3.5” x 5.5”. I printed them on EQ Inkjet Fabric Sheets, with my Epson workforce inkjet printer with Dura Brite Ultra ink.
Piecing the Quilt
I sewed the pictures together in no particular order. Pictures included the old home place, reunions through the years, groups pictures of the 10 children, a picture of the son who was killed just after World War II, the home church, (with the burial place of my grandparents), and just wonderful memory pictures.
Final Product
Although I only had a few weeks to complete the quilt, I was able to get it completed in time for the reunion in October. The Martin photo memory quilt was a nice surprise. It is a wonderful family heirloom for me.
