Grandmother's Flower Garden Quilts, Part Three

 

  Grandmother's Flower Garden Quilts, Part Three

So, here we are with Part Three.  This will be the final episode of the Grandmother's Flower Garden Quilt posts.  I had planned on showing you TWO quilts today, but, after a conversation with a friend this morning....I remembered there were two more of these quilts here in my house.  (My memory is haywire these days!)  

This one is really pretty, it has a "Garden Path" throughout.  I really like that, but I would never have pieced it myself.  This quilt, which I bought at the flea market, is beautifully made, but like most I get at the flea market, it has issues.  At some point, I hope to remedy that.

Can you see the green path?  This is a very pastel quilt.

 

 Look at that edge!  Oh my, binding that does not appeal to me....and the binding does have it's challenges.

 

See!

  Now, repairing that is going to take some creativity.  At this point, I have no idea what I will do, but, I'll figure out something.

 

 Isn't it pretty?

 

 Fortunately, it doesn't need a lot of other work...mostly two of the edges and a few little places to mend.   Well, the binding does need some help....another thing where I will have to figure out what to do.

 

 It's beautiful!

 

Here is another pretty quilt...with one big issue.  A friend of mine past away recently and this quilt top in her stash came to me.  It's beautifully pieced.  I actually think her mother pieced it.  At some point, someone decided to quilt it.  Why, I have no earthly idea, but they took some polyester batting and started to quilt the center of the quilt.

 

 Here is a view of the back.  Isn't that strange?  That's a lot of quilting, then it's trimmed.  I would not know where to go from here, so I am going to un-stitch that quilting and start over.  It deserves to be quilted properly. 

  

 Here is a close-up of it.  Really odd, but like I said, I don't think my friend did this...it's not something I think she would do.

 

 It looks really nice from the front.

 

A close-up.

 

Here is a better look at the piecing.  Lovely.

 

During a conversation I had today, it suddenly came to me that I had two more Grandmother's Flower Garden quilts.  How did I forget them?  So, I raided the quilt closet and there they were.  Of course, you have to see those too. 

 

 A lovely quilt top....beautifully pieced.

  (I love dappled shade, don't you.  I took these photos outdoors behind my house.)

 

 Very nice piecing!

 

The only issue with this quilt...Yeah!  One of the corners is not a full corner.  

What will I do?  Another challenge, for sure.

  I wonder what happened?

 

 And, lastly. a vintage baby quilt.  It has been very used and does need repair.  I've had it a very long time.  So, it will finally be put into the que created by these quilts and someday, I will have it mended and usable agian.

 

 You can see there is definitely work to do. 

 

 But, there are good parts too!

 

 A really special quilt that deserves repair.

The end of the story of these quilts is in the future, as there is lots of work to do.  I have

decided I love this "mending" of old quilts.  I think it will be good for my soul.  Don't you?

These quilts I have shown you the last few days are in need of attention and a good bit of care lest they just gradually fade away.  That could be sooner than one might think, the way time flies.  Somehow, it seems important to me, at this particular stage of my life, that I do my best to rescue and revive these quilts, along with others that I have here.  There are many quilts out there that can't be repaired as they are so very fragile, but I hope to do what I can, while I can, with the ones I have.  And, maybe future ones I run into at the flea market.  You know I can't resist, right?

I hope you enjoyed the stories of these quilts.  I will post more about them as work is done.  I will begin with my sister-in-law's quilt....

from

Bird Nest Cottage

until next time

♥♥♥

Grandmother's Flower Garden Quilt, Part Two

 

This is Grandmother's Flower Garden Quilts, Part Two 

This photo was taken behind my house....On a sunny day...too sunny really, as this quilt is actually darker than it shows here.  You'll see later.

So, here's the story:

This summer I went to Texas for a few weeks and while I was there, my sister-in-law, Nancy Jo, brought this quilt out to show me.  Actually, as you can see, it's still in the quilt top stage.

The top was made, we think in the 30's, by Nancy Jo's aunt, who was a school teacher at the time, living in a boarding house away from home.  So, she pieced the top during the evenings to pass the time.  (By the way, Nancy Jo's family lives in West Virginia.)  Her aunt, the sister of Nancy Jo's Mother, is no longer with us, so the quilt belongs to Nancy Jo's Mom.  It was never quilted so I was asked if I could 'do something with it' for her Mom's 90th birthday.  How could I say no?

 

As you can see there are some black places on the quilt.  Those are holes.  There are several.

Before it can be quilted, it must be mended.  That will be quite the task.  The mending won't be invisible, of course, but I will do what I can to make it 'look good.'    It's still a top and that will be helpful, actually.

 

 A better look at the edge.  Also along the bottom, in this photo, there needs to be another row of piecing.  I'm not doing that, so will figure out what to do instead.  Did you hear me say I like a 'challenge?'

 

 I'll even the edges too.....for easier binding.

  

I will have to give some thought to the quilting itself.  I'm not going to quilt around each hexagon....it would just take too long and my deadline is next June.

  

This is the quilt...photo taken at night in my house.  While the quilt really is darker than those first photos...it's not as dark as this photo...although I love the way it looks here!

 

And, another look. 

I will do my best to make the quilt presentable for Nancy Jo's Mom's birthday next year.

And, YES, it will be a challenge!

 Every year I look for the first Bluetts to bloom.  I missed that this year, but while I was out taking the photos behind my house....there were lots of these!  You see them in white, pink and also BLUE.   So tiny and cute!!!!

 

Tomorrow, Part Three!

from

Bird Nest Cottage

Until next time

♥♥♥

 

A Beautiful Find

 

Hi, out there!  So sorry to have been absent for so long....but, I'm back now and anxious to show you

my newest 'find.'  I went 'out and about' yesterday and much to my amazement, this quilt called my name, so I had to have it!  It's vintage and in lovely condition.  I put it on this bed right over the quilt already on the bed...just to take some quick photos to show you.  I'm quite proud of it and do so appreciate all the work of another quilter's hands.  I always wonder what the woman making this quilt had to go through just to find the time to make it.  And, so, assuming she is now gone, I will love it for her.

I know there are various and assorted names for this quilt.....so I had to look it up...but just look at this photo...do we really need to know their names....or can we just love them anyway?  I think we can.

 

Figured I needed to show you the corner of the quilt....don't you just love the little 'kite' shapes that become the edge....the great quilt person who made this quilt took the time to bind this the 'hard' way with all those little points...and it sure makes it special to me....you know, I can applique pretty much anything, but piecing is another story...I so admire the nice piecing on these vintage quilts!

 

I just happen to own some quilt books.....more than anyone should, I suppose, and among them are these books.......you might want to look into owning them yourself if you find you often need to know the names of any quilts you find while searching the flea markets.  

 

This 'encyclopedia' is the one I chose to find this pattern.  I've often looked up patterns in it and I believe it to be a wonderful resource. 

 

Here on pages 74-75, are the names attributed to this block....#445.9..."Periwinkle", "Hummingbird" or "Bluet."  I suppose the name "Bluet" came from the tiny wildflowers we have here and I bet you do too.  If you'd like to see some wonderful photos of these flowers (considered weeds here, but not to ME), just Google the name and you can find all kinds of examples.  So pretty.

The old navy man will prefer the name "Hummingbird" as he loves those little birds and is currently watching the feeders.

 

And, here is the drawing of the block.  Lovely to find it, I think.  Then, a photo of the back of the quilt.  I find it interesting that the four 'kite pieces' on this quilt were pieced together on the machine, and those pieces were hand pieced to all the white pieces to make the quilt top.  Interesting.  Being a 'dyed in the wool' hand-piecer and 'appliquer', of course I am impressed with this fact.  The quilt is hand-quilted.  A person after my own heart, for sure.

 

Here is another photo of the quilt....it was 'love at first sight'!

 

And, here is another photo.....one of the great things about this quilt...is just every once in a while...there is a pink piece of fabric....so lovely!!!  Sure hope you have enjoyed seeing this vintage beauty!  Hope you are all well and I'll try to post again SOON.  Take care out there....pat

Out and About: A Quilt Adventure

Friday afternoon, my friend, Jim....you all have heard me mention him many times...well, he drove over to Searcy from Morrilton to pick up a carload of my quilts.  Well, it seemed like a carload to me!
He is doing a program on my quilts for the Arkansas Quilters Guild on Monday night in Little Rock.
He and my friend, Sharon, evidently cooked up this idea that seeing my quilts might make a good program and they talked me into letting them 'borrow' however many I would let go on an 'adventure.'
So, off they have gone.  (And, in case you are wondering...I was asked to go and observe the festivities, but I had to decline that invitation for reasons I'm not going into here...but rest assured, I'm sure I will get an earful from somebody on Tuesday!!! Probably and Jim and his shenanigans!)  I ended up sending twenty-three quilts....and so, today, decided I would show you a handful of them.

Now, none of these quilts are anywhere near new.  As you know, I haven't made a quilt in at least three years....but evidently, my friends at least, have not forgotten the ones I have made and I just chose some at random to send along.  You've seen these all on this blog before....but I hope YOU and the quilters on Monday night enjoy seeing them 'one more time.'  All are handquilted....as I am a dinosaur when it comes to quilting...still preferring to do them all by hand...well, except this Log Cabin which was pieced on the machine...and I DO love Log Cabin quilts!  My son chose the setting for this one, and named it "Virtual Log Cabin."

This one is my silk ribbon embroidered crazy quilt.  It took me nine months to design and make it...my favorite thing - the basket of roses and something you can't see here....the border has beads quilted in it...they are barely visible even in person...but I know they are there!

I'm sure if you click to enlarge you can see more detail, but these photos aren't that good, really.

That favorite basket.                                                                                                 

 Here is a sampler quilt I made for a week long class I taught at the Ozark Folk School in Mountain View, Arkansas, one year.  I wanted to make a quilt modeled after a cross-stitch sampler, only in embroidery and applique.  It's about two feet square.  (By the way, these photos were taken before the quilt was finished, so you see them in various stages of completion.)

I love the chickens.  A story:  in 'real' life, I am terrified of chickens.  I was attacked by a large white rooster when I was three and still have scars.....I'm ok as long as they are in front of me where I can see them...but I don't trust the ones behind me or to the side.  Weird, yes, but true!  These little appliqued and embroidered ones I can live with!

This quilt I made for a personal challenge.  I had to use only fabrics, threads and embellishments I already owned...I was to only use what I had.  Scraps from other quilts, etc.  It's one of my favorites.

 I used a permanent pen to draw the flower centers....a big vintage button on the large flower center.

This is the first quilt I ever made using my own design......so long ago.  My friend, Mary, hand-dyed the sky and the blue/teal colors.  My favorite thing about this quilt (other than Mary's fabrics, is the pinafore.....it has a pocket you can actually put something in!

It's called "Memories of Laura" as I meant it to remind me of Laura on the "Little House on the Prairie" tv show.

 I wanted this quilt to look vintage.  I used nine vintage blocks, taken apart and re-pieced, with a new handle added.   And, I wanted lots of quilting on it....as I like to do.  Never using much white fabric, when it was done...it was TOO bright for me....so I dyed it in my washing machine....on advice of a friend.  While it did tone it down a bit....it was not an over-all toning down, but kind of splotchy....which I didn't like.   Oh, well, live and learn!!!  I did manage to get a lot of quilting on it, however!

See in this lower right corner....the background changes color a bit.  I really did like the quilting though.

I embroidered a little design on the bottom of each basket.  Now, I really DID like that!

And, so, here we are.....twenty-three quilts in these bags in the back of my little car.  I took them to the downtown studio, where Jim picked them up and off they went on their little adventure.  What do you think they will say when they get home? 

Sure hope you all enjoyed seeing these....hope to post something completely different in a few days...meantime....stay safe, warm and cozy and have some FUN!  pat