One-of-a-kind quilt preserves time (Title)

A perfectly square piece of royal blue and white polka-dotted material has been hand-stitched between two other boxes of materials, one is green-checked and the other, purple-flowered. I am sure this quilt with its colorful array of un-matching fabrics would not be the object of many individuals' desires. To me, however, this blanket is a prized possession because it not only keeps my body snug on a frigid evening, it daily warms my heart.

I was in third grade when my mother, Lauri Czarnecki, decided to take up sewing.

"I will soon be able to make you beautiful dresses," she said to me one day after returning home from a sewing lesson with her new, but gently-used, sewing machine in hand.

I did not echo Mom's enthusiasm, however.

"If the kids at school knew that my clothes were homemade, I would just die," I told her on more than one occasion.

After all, the dresses displayed on the second floor of Kaufmann's Department Store were the ones I adored and dreamed of adorning. Mom, however, did not share in my admiration and was not about to make my dream of walking into one of my piano recitals in a $75 green velvet, floor-length gown a reality.

"Those dresses are too expensive, and you quickly will grow out of them," she said.

Mom assured me that, "Sewing was the economical way to go."

Eventually, Mom was able to convince me that she could create dresses that closely would resemble the ones I relished at the upscale stores in our hometown of Erie, PA. She also was able to get me into the area craft shop, JoAnn Fabrics. While at the store, I tried to act like I did not want to be there, but after awhile, Mom caught on to my performance. And she was right; I actually was enjoying looking at the selection of patterns and materials. I did not realize it then, but we were spending quality time together that I never would forget. We shared special moments in that craft store that I continue to cherish more with age.

After our first visit to JoAnn Fabrics, I immediately asked Mom when we would return to the shop. We often did. Before we would leave our home for the fabric store, though, Mom always took my measurements. Upon our arrival to JoAnn Fabrics, we would sit laughing and chit-chatting as we flipped through the pattern books, taking note of the styles we liked best. I often would reveal my latest crush and discuss the most recent slumber party I attended.

We then would review our favorite

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