What Was Your Childhood Security "Thing"?
This is the story about my childhood "security blankie". It wasn't a blanket, quilt or even teddy bear.
It was actually... a Turtle!
(this is not the turtle - though it was the closest thing I could find)
My turtle was made of hexagons in pretty patchwork fabric. He had a blue body and tropical prints in blues & greens for his shell. He had the cutest little tail.
But best of all...
My Grandma made him for me.
I simply called him "Turtle".
As soon as I learned to hold my own bottle, Turtle was my feed time buddy.
I began each day by calling out: "Milk!" before I even opened my eyes. When the bottle arrived, I'd hold it with one hand, while twirling Turtle's tail with the other.
Then I'd happily enjoy my bottle in this pose...
But... quite often poor Turtle would need his tail sewn back on.
Sometimes he even needed a whole new tail. Grandma always came to the rescue - and surely there would be a tail to twirl by the time my next bottle turned up.
(Thank God for Grandma!)
Turtle received so much love everyday that he started to look less and less like a turtle over time. Then one day, he "disappeared" and turned into a ball of stuffing.
To this day, I still miss having Turtle (and Grandma) around.
As it turned out, I wasn't the only one with a security "thing".
You know how Linus had his blanket... he's not alone.
Here's a surprising adventure, told by my friend Autumn - who ended up walking down the aisle with her blankie...
(yes, I anthropomorphized Blankey to the point of being male)
Blankey was my constant companion.
I tied him on my bike, chewed on him, and rat-tailed my siblings with him (always in self-defense, of course).
He was my cape, my hat, or my skirt. He was undoubtedly filthy.
.... And then came the evening of..."
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Now, it's YOUR turn...
Did you have a childhood "thing" with a story?
Have you even made any security blanket / quilts / teddy bear for your little one?
Simply Email Me & Tell me all about it :-)
And I'd love to see photos too!
xoxox
Hi Shelley!
I love reading your stories, and today it sort of called me ;-) and I felt I had to reply!
I am 45 and still have the blanket my parents bought when mum was pregnant with me. I can't go to bed without it.
I am actually spending this week end away at Wilson's Prom (hiking/girls week end) and it is coming with me!! It's still in good shape.
Funny story: the binding needed changing a good 25 years ago (it was worn out!) and my gran (a superb seamstress) did it.
It's perfect work but the binding she and my mum chose is different from the initial one and the feeling of it has never been the same again ;-)
Speak to you soon x
Carole
Hi Shelley
When my second son, who is now 28, was born, I made him a quilt with a Teddy applique on it.
As my son grew, so did Teddy until they both turned 15. At this time, my son asked me to unpick Teddy from the last quilt and Teddy was put in my son's treasure box.
Late last year, my son told me his partner was expecting their first child. Teddy was handed over to me to make a quilt for the baby.
On February 28th, 2019, Darius Arthur Dana Heaysman was born and received his Teddy quilt.
This is Darius with Teddy at 2 months old.
Kind regards
Darlene Heaysman
Shelley
I had a golliwog. loved my golli. i was a little blondie and when golli got washed i would stand underneath him while he hung on the clothesline till he dried. now, being in the late 50 to 60s' fabric dye would run so i would end up with black, blue and red stripes in my blonde hair. no problems, it washed out but i had my golli as soon as he was dry. he eventually ended up like your turtle... a ball of stuffing. now i make gollis and have sold them all over the world.
Maureen Fraser
Dear Shelley,
Thank you for sharing and that turtle sounds very special, I had many things my grandma made but probably the thing that's a little different was I would always wear the slippers she made me - she used to knit in her rocking chair. She loved sewing, knitting and creating things so much and that is something that I will always remember.
Sincerely,
Kylie
Mine was a big brown Teddy bear!
Janet Duffy
