Genealogists tend to collect up a lot of important papers. You probably have copies of your ancestor’s birth certificates, obituaries from relatives, and tons of old family photos. Other aspects of genealogy include taking care of family heirlooms, which often include wedding rings and other jewelry. A woman who is a quilter has found a very creative way to display her family’s precious jewels.
Jacquey Cooney lives in Choteau, Montana. She is a talented quilter who made bereavement quilts for babies in Alaska who passed away, (and also for their families). These were called “Amanda Blankets” because they were named after the stillborn daughter of a friend of hers. She has created quilts for babies, and for weddings.
It is easy to see that she have very cleverly combined the art of quilting (or making blankets), with a commemorative form of genealogy. A quilt given to a couple for their wedding, or as a gift to the parent’s of a newborn infant, become instant family heirlooms. She continues to make quilts with her sister, which sounds like a very nice hobby that can help to connect members of a family together.
There are a lot of families who have specific, important, jewelry items that have been handed down as heirlooms. Genealogists can see how each piece of jewelry represents a certain relative or ancestor. The problem then becomes deciding what to do with these precious pieces of family history.
Necklaces and earrings might be too expensive, or antique, for you to feel comfortable about wearing to work. Some of the jewelry may be designed for the gender that is opposite yours, which could make you hesitant to wear it. Most of the time, these lovely little bits of family history end up sitting in jewelry boxes, mostly left alone, and sometimes even forgotten about. This is sad, when you think about it.
Jacquey Cooney has created a wonderful way to make your family’s jewelry heirlooms become easy to display. She has created a small quilt that is in the design of a Christmas tree, which is made up of several triangular shapes. She has attached one piece of the jewelry that reminds her of her family members, ancestors, and even her own past, to each triangle.
This is a brilliant idea! Suddenly, it becomes very easy to display those mementos, in a way that is artistic, eye catching, and easy to do. Since the quilt contains the important jewelry from her family, she has named it “The Family Jewels”.
Genealogists who have a talent for quilting can create their own “Family Jewels” quilt. You could mimic the design that Jacquey Cooney created, or, come up with one that is more meaningful for you. When the quilt is finished, it is time to attach the jewelry heirlooms to it.
Some great suggestions include wedding rings that belonged to your parents, grandparents, or other ancestors, and any “baby rings” that were owned. You can also add sorority or fraternity rings that were worn by your relatives, or jewelry items that were especially loved, and frequently worn, by a relative.
Image by Athena’s Pix on Flickr