My Daughter the Quilter

Nov 29, 2005

We used to have Thanksgiving at our bigger house in Manhattan Beach. Stacey, haute chef that she is, would work with might and main and 20 or so guests would sit at our extended-for-the-holiday table and feast on her accomplishments. She'd do this while holding down her full-time job as public school teacher. Quite amazing.

Those days are gone - We resized our lives and our brownstone apartment can't hold much more than six for dinner, let alone friends and the extended family that have sprung up over the years. . So now we find ourselves guests at other people's tables -- the last few times at Dani and Erik's house. Mike will often fly in and it's become a smaller gathering all over again. That's what happens.

This year we drove up to Clifton Park, Dani and Erik's new hometown near Saratoga, NY. And we brought the turkey with us - we ordered it, weeks before, at the farmer's market that takes place on Saturdays a few blocks away from our house, outside of Prospect Park.


The Prospect Park farmer's market - fruit, veggies and turkeys - fresh-from-the-farm!

Thanksgiving was lovely - Dani set a beautiful table and the new house that she and Erik moved into a few months ago is rapidly becoming a cute and cozy home. After dinner a delicious and belated chocolate birthday cake for Stacey was brought out. Dani had baked it herself and that made me realize once again that we really do become our parents -- she's becoming a baker and cook in her own right, just like Mom. I helped Erik clean the dishes and then we all sat down in the living room while Dani took out her guitar and we sang folk songs and played Balderdash, a fun board game that has you making up false definitions of obscure words. The idea is to bluff the other players into choosing your definition as the "real" one.


Dani at her Thanksgiving table.


Stacey carves the turkey and serves the stuffing.


Surprise! A homemade chocolate cake for Stacey's birthday.


We sat around and sang folk songs to Dani's guitar accompaniment ... "The banks are made of marble with a guard at every door...."

But Thanksgiving festivities were only one of the reasons for our trip up north this holiday weekend. It was also the occasion for the Dutchess County Community College Crafts Fair. Danielle has been making quilts for the past six months. Beautiful, colorful, quilts. She taught herself the art of quiltmaking and set out on a new career. This weekend was the culmination of that gestation period. We came up to help transport her quilts and displays from her home to Poughkeepsie, where the fair was set up on the campus of the school. And we stayed on with her to help her greet customers and sell her wares.

By the time of the crafts fair she had made over 50 of these crib-sized quilts, patchworked from gorgeous fabrics into stunning patterns and designs, some of which took my breath away with their brilliant beauty.

The fair, sadly, was a mixed success. She sold some ten quilts in all, some to friends of ours who came to Poughkeepsie for a fall day's outing but also to lend their support. Still though, a few were sold to casual shoppers attending the fair and looking for holiday gifts. Even though she was disappointed at the number sold, I think it was a good first start in, what many agree, is a rather difficult area of endeavor. More sales would have been nice but, regardless of that, her artistry, competence and sheer energy shone through. That was the accomplishment that impressed me more than anything else.


Quilts, folded, labeled and ready to go -- in Dani's work room.


Dani and Stacey, selling a quilt at the Dutchess Country Community College Crafts Fair in Poughkeepsie.


Many people looked and admired. Not too many bought....Perhaps next time.

You might be interested in seeing Dani's quilts yourself. For that, take a visit to her website -- danipress.com. They make a great gift for an expecting mother but can also be used as a cozy lap warmer or decorative wall hanging. Go look.