Disclaimer:

Many stories herein are subject to the faulty, and sometimes creative, memory of the blog owner and should not be taken as factual, although the names and events are real! Kind of.

Wednesday, July 23, 2008

Vintage Thingies Thursday--quilts


I love handmade quilts. I love that someone a while back took the time to save, cut, piece, sew and quilt what appeared to be scraps of little or no use into a useful, cozy and beautiful (usually) piece of art!

The top quilt in the picture came from Canton First Monday Trade days. It's lap/throw size and appears to be from the 60s--maybe 70s. It's all cotton and some of the squares are so cute--one is a little Model T Pattern! And I only paid about 5 dollars for it!

The second quilt in the pile was made by my Dad's Mom (see her picture below) and her mother-in-law (my great grandmother) in the 40s. It's a Wedding Ring pattern made mostly of pinks and greens.

The third one is a mystery. We found it in my great-grandmother's attic after she died. No one knows who made it, or when. It appears to be a signature quilt from McPherson, Kansas, made shortly after the Civil War. The squares are rectangular, about 2x5 inches and embroidered with names in alternating red and blue thread creating diagonal lines of red and blue on the quilt top. The quilting is done in tiny 1/2 in. squares. None of the names are related to us that we know of!

The last quilt is only a top. My husband's great-grandmother put it together but it was never completed. I even have the piece of fabric she made for the backing!

I love these quilt squares--my husband's grandmother put a sack of them in our garage sale, without my knowledge and I had to snatch them from a little old lady's hand! I've purchased other quilt squares and pieces at garage sales and thrift stores and wonder why someone would sell them! But lucky me that they did, right?
My mom was visiting the other day and she threw this Dresden plate piece over the lamp shade--cute! If you look closely, that's my grandma who made the wedding ring quilt in the picture below the lamp!

I think someday I will make my quilt pieces into a quilt but....somehow, someday is always far away! So I'll just treasure the ones I have for now!


12 comments:

JEWELGIRL said...

What a nice collection of quilts!
I like the classic one with lots
of different fabric squares!!

Unknown said...

What a lovely collection; maybe you could work w/ your daughters to finish the quilt from your husband's grandmother!

Carrie said...

My, I think that the design of a Dresden piece would make an interesting lamp shade embellishment. One would just choose the right fabrics to match the room's decor.

S said...

I loooove quilts! I have a couple at home and more I'd love to get. My mom has made one each for the kids, I'm still waiting for mine. I chose the Hawaiian design so that might have thrown her for a loop LOL! Great pieces, thanks for sharing them.

Beth Ann said...

Those are great! I love quilts too- and have a top only from my husband's grandmother. I'm not sure what I need to do or where to take it! I'd love to have it finished though- but I am SOOO sewing-challenged!

Coloradolady said...

wonderful collection of quilts. I have several myself and they each seem to tell a story.

The Apron Queen said...

I picked up a huge pile of Sunbonnet Sues cut out of scrap pieces at a flea market. My intent was to sew them on aprons. Haven't done it yet either. I love that your quilts & pieces are from family though.

Thanks for joining in.

Threeundertwo said...

Glad I found your blog! I love quilts so this post is delicious to me. The signature quilt is intriguing, especially if it is that old. Maybe when you have months of free time sometime you can google some of the names or try to find more of the history. I just love things like that.

Anonymous said...

Oh, those are beautiful quilts! My mom used to make quilts and I treaure them (can't sew myself, though)

Sarah Kamolz said...

That is cute! What is it about quilts that make them so rad!

Sonja said...

I'm a beginer quilter, your right there amazing with the story behind them. Your very lucky.

Mandy said...

I love quilts also. My dad wants to start quilting. I hope he does.

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