Margaret's Hope Chest's Osceola Quilt Trail Block

Can you see that small spot of color on the center barn in this picture?

That is Margaret's Hope Chest's Osceola Quilt Trail block which we hung this summer.

Here is a closer look:

Late last spring I was hopping around the internet and I stumbled upon the Osceola Quilt Trail's website. My heart skipped a few beats because I knew that my grandma had grown up near Osceola county but I wasn't sure if it was actually in Osceola county.  I pulled out a map and sure enough, she grew up in Highland, Michigan which is in the very northern part of the county. 

I thought it would be awesome to have a block put up on the trail in her memory and honor and also to give MHC a little extra attention.

I called my mom (somewhat excitedly) and she was just as excited about it as I was.

We filled out the application and sent in a picture of the block we wanted them to create.  It is called 'Grandmother's Cross' and it has come to mean something special to my mom and I over the past few years. 

We were approved and the block was quickly designed by the artists that volunteer their time for this project.  Amazingly enough (although I don't know why I am surprised anymore how things like this work out), the block was finished and ready to be hung on the exact day that my family was headed in that direction to go camping.

 Click here for a summary of our block and where it is hanging (which is a cool story in and of itself) from the OQT website.

That's my dad and our family friend Garry trying to figure out the best way to hand the 8X8 block

This was all for show of course.  My dad forced me add the last screw and then he took my picture.

All hung on the milking barn.

From L to R: My mom's cousin Ben, his wife Nella, my mom, me, Ben and Nella's son Ben Jr., Elsie (the fearless leader of the OQT, and the artist who helps design and paint the blocks.

My mom and I--another quilting memory made--together :)