The Quilting

Grandma wants to stick to the old custom of the quilting to announce that Mary Ellen is of a marrying age and she sends invitations to all the women on Waltons Mountain.
After a converstion with John Boy Mary Ellen realizes how much her mother and grandmother care about her and she decides to accept the quilt.

At the end of the story Grandma gives her grandchild as a little something for her hope chest the money that was meant for her own piano lessons.
Jason can teach me everything I have to learn, she says.

Outside all men have started to sing the Quilting Song and when they enter the house singing everyone joins them and all ends in one harmonic Waltons choir.

Earl concludes with the words:
There may not have been true harmony in the singing that evening but we could feel it once again flowing through our family. The gap between young and old, traditional and modern ways, have been bridged by something we all felt for each other: An enduring respect and affection.