A family tradition …. Potholders

My sister and I used to receive a set of potholders and tea towels for xmas, every year …. from our grandmother. They were never very expensive ones, usually bought from the cheapy shop, but still our grandmother has lots of grandchildren, and we are adults so she doesn’t have to buy us anything at all ….. So we appreciated them. Even going so far as asking for them, if she asked us what we wanted. Those potholders got used to death, and thrown out, confident in the knowledge that we will get another set at xmas time.

Last year, we had a major family issue, that saw my grandparents throw my mother out of the home with nothing (my mother was their carer for nearly 20 years) and move back to their home town.  Other members of the mum’s family allowed or encouraged this to happen, secure in the knowledge that it was only my mother who was being hurt, so who cares.  Its so sad and frustrating when this sort of thing happens in a family.  I am determined that there will never be a time where I dislike my siblings so much, that I would engineer a way to hurt them.  This cycle of cruelty stops with my generation.

So, what has this to do with potholders.  My grandmother is so intent on punishing my mother, that of course that extended to not giving xmas gifts to us grandchildren (I still sent mine to her, because I refuse to perpetuate the cruelty).  My sister and I decided that since we weren’t getting potholders from Nan, we would instead give them to each other.  So for her birthday I got her an apron, oven mitt and pot holder.

And so xmas came …. I was looking forward to what sort of potholder I would get from Sis …. I got some great presents, including a beautiful bracelet.  But no potholder.  🙁

So …. here is my present to myself ….. 2 handmade potholders, made with scraps from quilts I am in the process of making my in-laws.

Maybe next year, my sister can get with the program!