Out of the Closet
Do you have old quilts or quilt blocks stored away in a closet somewhere? One of my favorite quilts is this one made from blocks that my Great-Grandmother made but never finished. These beautiful blocks stayed in a closet for about 60 years! My Mom found someone willing to finish the quilt (by hand!) and this quilt now has a home in my mother’s guest room. I sleep under it every time I visit and I feel very connected to my grandparents under that quilt.
This past weekend, Mom and I brought some of my Grandmother’s blocks out of the closet. We estimate that they are at least 50 years old. They were kept in a freezer paper box all of these years and are in great shape. We have 12 of these hand embroidered blocks and we are making them into two quilts. One for Mom and one for her sister. We have chosen a very simple setting for them with the plan of highlighting the blocks with quilting. I’ll keep you posted on our progress.
Do you have quilt blocks hidden somewhere in a closet? How about dusting them off and seeing what you can do with them? They may turn into your next favorite quilt!
March 31st, 2009 at 8:42 am
I do have one of my grandmother’s quilts…I think it is an orange peel and was made in the 40′s or 50′s? I love that quilt and have it hanging in the kitchen. It’s one of the first things I would grab if there is a fire! Wish I had more of her work. She died when I was 7, and I have an aunt that does have a few more of her things. I’ve only come to appreciate the link to the past once I was over 30, so don’t give anything of sentimental value to anyone younger! They won’t have the same regard to it till they are older…that’s from my experience anyway.
April 2nd, 2009 at 8:57 am
What a treasure to have those blocks. I am sure your family will enjoy see your grandmothers work finally on display.
I treasure the old quilts that I have and hope my family treasures the quilts I make for them.
I am sure you have thought of this but make a label for the back to note the age and who made the blocks as well as who finished the quilt and the year finished.
Technically this can be entered in the NC State Fair this year b/c it is the year of completion that matters to them not the year of beginning. How fun would that be to have and see your grandmothers blocks on display at the fair. I will look for it this year!
Fellow quilter/quilt teacher/& fabricolic