I have a love of vintage quilts. I want to know their stories–Why did the quilter choose to make that quilt? Did she (probably a she) fall in love with a particular pattern? Was it a solo endeavor or a “quilt bee” quilt? Was the fabric purchased especially for that quilt? Or was the fabric leftovers from garments and household items? Was it made for a special occasion–wedding or was it utilitarian-to help keep the family warm. Was it her first quilt or was it one of many? Sometimes I am lucky and learn a bit of the history.
This grand old lady was given to Quilters At First by a church family. The husband’s grandmother made it probably in the 1930’s. She was a Kansas Mennonite farm wife and mother. This period of history was not easy especially for Kansas farmers –economically or climate wise. Electricity and modern plumbing has not reached most rural areas. Meals were from gardens and farm lots. These “stay-at-home” mothers were some of hardest working homemakers in history. But somehow time was found to make beauty. Given the sun damage in the middle of the quilt, I would guess it was used as a bedspread or coverlet.
The piecing is near perfect…sharp points and matched seams. And there are curves! This wasn’t her first rodeo.
But it is the hand stitching in the four corner blocks that stole my heart. How many nights did she work on just this one square. It is a large quilt, 80″ x 100″. Months must have been spent piecing and quilting? Did she do it alone or did her friends gather around a quilting frame visiting as they quilted?
Just wish I knew more—-
The good news is that is going to a “good home” that appreciates it’s value.
No new finished quilts, but here is a peek of three newbies just back from the long arm quilters.
Another MaggiePearl quilt–this time out of batiks and various black fabrics. We had challenged ourselves to at least one quilt in the sale that was from the stash of fabrics in the quilt room. This is mine. These batiks are from the family of one of the original Quilters at First quilters. In these photos the binding is sewn on but needs to be folded over and hand sewn. It is 64″ x 72″ and you really must see it is person–the colors are so much vibrant than what I captured.
Those are my husbands hands doing quilt hanging duty on our deck-
I copied this scrappy quilt idea from a quilt made by Rachel Hauser who writes STITCHED IN COLOR. I used 2.5″ squares instead of 2″ x 3″ rectangles and sawtooth stars instead of friendship stars–what I had and what I like to make! The teal stashing rescues it from being an ordinary scrappy quilt. It is a square quilt–72″ x 72″. Sad news–I still have hundreds of 2.5″ squares in the bin.
The last quilt is made from a layer cake bought during the COVID lockdown with a very ambitious plan for it. Didn’t happen.
But I think these soft floral and blenders work well in the simple throw pattern. The backing is a pink floral in various shades. The machine quilting is what makes this quilt special. I tell the long arm quilter to pick what ever quilting pattern she thinks would work well. Glad she experimented with this new design.
We will be participating in Wichita’s First Friday Art Crawl in September and October. If you have not been, it is fun evening visiting art galleries, pubs and studios in the downtown and art district. We will be showing twenty quilts in the narthex of First United Methodist. Homemade cookies and tea/lemonade will be shared. Lots of free parking is just outside our AB entrance or you may park on Broadway. We are looking forward to showing off our fiber art pieces. Hope you make it September 5 or October 3 or both!
Quilts, Etc. 