On this episode of Our American Stories, Joy Neal Kidney shares the story of a handmade quilt that linked her to her great-grandmother, Laura Goff, a country schoolteacher born shortly after the American Civil War who raised 11 children while moving across the Midwest in search of opportunity and education for her family.

Years after Laura’s death, Joy inherited her unfinished “Periwinkle” quilt — a beautiful but stubborn patchwork that would not lie flat. Taking it apart thread by thread and sewing it back together by hand, Joy found herself stitching through fabrics her great-grandmother had chosen decades earlier. It became more than a quilt. It became a story about family, women’s work, memory, sacrifice, and the quiet ways history survives across generations.

Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)

On this episode of Our American Stories, Joy Neal Kidney shares the story of a handmade quilt that linked her to her great-grandmother, Laura Goff, a country schoolteacher born shortly after the American Civil War who raised 11 children while moving across the Midwest in search of opportunity and education for her family. Years after Laura&rsquo;s death, Joy inherited her unfinished &ldquo;Periwinkle&rdquo; quilt &mdash; a beautiful but stubborn patchwork that would not lie flat. Taking it apart thread by thread and sewing it back together by hand, Joy found herself stitching through fabrics her great-grandmother had chosen decades earlier. It became more than a quilt. It became a story about family, women&rsquo;s work, memory, sacrifice, and the quiet ways history survives across generations.
Support the show (<a href="https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)">https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)</a>

Our American Stories tells stories that aren’t being told. Positive stories about generosity and courage, resilience and redemption, faith and love. Stories about the past and present. And stories about ordinary Americans who do extraordinary things each and every day. Stories from our listeners about their lives. And their history. In that pursuit, we hope we’ll be a place where listeners can refresh their spirit, and be inspired by our stories.

Our American Stories

Our American Stories tells stories that aren’t being told. Positive stories about generosity and courage, resilience and redemption, faith and love. Stories about the past and present. And stories about ordinary Americans who do extraordinary things each and every day. Stories from our listeners about their lives. And their history. In that pursuit, we hope we’ll be a place where listeners can refresh their spirit and be inspired by our stories.

Our American Stories tells stories that aren&rsquo;t being told. Positive stories about generosity and courage, resilience and redemption, faith and love. Stories about the past and present. And stories about ordinary Americans who do extraordinary things each and every day. Stories from our listeners about their lives. And their history. In that pursuit, we hope we&rsquo;ll be a place where listeners can refresh their spirit and be inspired by our stories.

I Sewed Through Fabric My Great-Grandmother Chose Before World War I

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/clips/77d8af0d-8084-4684-bdb7-b459007fb0d4/transcript