Category: Quilt Rescue

Quilt Rescue - Embroidered Baby Quilt

5/1/2021

Last year, I had a request to try to restore a family baby quilt to be given as a gift to a new arrival expected soon. The before pictures show an embroidered quilt from the 1930s with significant damage to the lower edge and back. One might think it was a hopeless case.

The embroidered blocks were well done and had no damage. The quilt had only been tied and not quilted, so that was one thing that made this job easier. The back and the lower edge, front and back, were damaged or missing.

I removed the ties, discarded the batting, and cleaned up the seams allowances and stray threads from behind the top.
Parts of the original back were in good condition and had aged the same as the front, which made it a perfect match for restoration work of the lower border and a couple of other sashings on the front.

I added a new back, quilted it, and used more of the back fabric for the binding. This approach allowed me to keep the original vintage fabrics and appearance on the front. New batting and back made this a strong, usable quilt again. We managed to save a family heirloom, keep some beautiful handwork from being discarded, and pass it on to another generation. The owner was delighted.

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Collecting Antique Quilts

1/1/2021

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Happy New Year! I have put the red and green quilts away and filled the old wardrobe with blue and white quilts, almost all of them made from rescued quilt tops or blocks. I'll be sharing a regular column on Quilt Rescue in my Piece and Plenty Journal, starting next month. For now, just some thoughts on collecting quilts.

Collecting antique quilts has been a long-time passion of mine. I didn’t grow up with quilts in the house, but from an early age, I was attracted to them. I fell in love with their softness and their color and pattern. I continue to be charmed by the stories connected to antique quilts and their makers. I enjoy my small sampling of nineteenth century quilts and am always looking for that next wonderful piece to add to my collection.

There are many good reasons to consider collecting antique quilts. For years, people have known the comfort and beauty of displaying quilts in their home. Simple scrappy quilts can add charm to an antique or country-style decorating scheme. For others, quilts are a trendy decorator item, displayed on the wall as any other piece of fine art would be. Antique quilts come in a great variety of patterns and colors; with a little searching, you should be able to find one to suit your style.

Quilts also have value beyond simple decoration. Quilting instructors often have a collection of antique quilts for their own study and for examples to be used in the teaching of others. The patterns and techniques used in the last century can often inspire new work being done today. Collectors and dealers buy quilts for the investment potential that they hold. I have used this rationale a few times during the purchase of a more expensive piece, but my husband reminds me that it is only an investment if you sell it again.

A good place to begin looking for quilts may be right at home. Many people find that quilt collections begin quite innocently with quilts given to them by family or friends. Perhaps your relatives have quilts that have come down through the family. Has someone expressed an interest in caring for these pieces? Volunteer to document their history, have them appraised and store them in a safe place. Let friends know that you are interested. As surprising as it may seem, many people are not interested in old quilts and quite often they are willing to give them to someone who will care for them and enjoy them.

Some people begin a collection by acquiring quilts as they come along, with no particular plan. Garage sales, flea markets and auctions are sometimes a good source for finding old quilts. If you have the time to spend, and are interested in a variety of styles, you may begin or add to a collection in this way.

If you are a more serious collector, your quilts may have a specific focus; perhaps you are in love with red and green applique, scrappy turn of the century darks, or the light and airy look of the 1920's pastels. Antique dealers, especially those dealing in antique quilts, can be the best source of quilts for those collectors interested in specific styles. The price will be higher, but you may be able to find just what you want.

Prices for antique quilts have risen and fallen over the years. Study the market so you will know what you are looking at. Condition is probably the most important factor in determining the value of a quilt. Quilt appraisers figure the monetary value of a quilt based on its condition and known history. Good advice is to buy the best that you can afford. For many collectors, sentiment can also play a big part in the importance of a quilt. Buy what you like. As your collection grows you may decide to skip the purchase of several of lesser price in order to buy a more expensive one. Another idea is to trade up; sell off several of the less valuable pieces and use the money to purchase that really special piece.

If you are interested in collecting quilts, the first step is to start looking. Whatever your interests, you will be able to find quilts that will fit your budget, fill your needs, and satisfy your soul.

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December 2020

12/28/2020

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A Homemade Christmas

We have always celebrated Christmas with extended family and friends. Sometimes as many as 20 people would fill our house with stories, laughter, and gifts for each other. This year was different in many ways, but the same in others.

Covid has kept us apart for much of the year, or limited us to short visits with masks on. And we've been willing to do that, even eating Thanksgiving dinner in separate households. Addi had a virtual birthday party this month and it was kind of fun using the new technology with her, even though she lives only a few miles away.

We thought a long time about how to celebrate Christmas. We decided to eliminate the big meal as too risky, in close contact, with no masks, while we ate. That just couldn't happen. Instead, we wore our masks, sat distanced from each other in Jen' big livingroom, and shared so many wonderful things. There were purchased gifts to unwrap of course, but this year, our tradition of homemade gifts was celebrated even more, or at least it felt that way.

We took several old family scrapbooks and photo albums, including a picture of a church group from 1928, Dick's kindergarten artwork, pictures of my first Christmas, and Lisi's baby book, complete with her birth certificate from Puerto Rico, baby bracelet, locks of hair, and labels from baby food jars in English and Spanish.

The amount of time, talent, and love that went into the homemade gifts this year was beautiful and I want to share some of those with you today.

It's really all about the little ones, isn't it?

Baby G. got a new quilt this year (and probably will every year). The digitized pattern for Creative Studio 7 is called "Baby Beads", and is available here:

My grandson's girlfriend has just taught herself how to crochet and was very busy making gifts. Here is Addi, modeling hers :)

I recycled several vintage quilt blocks into hot pads for my sister. The full story on this process is in my Peace & Plenty Journal this month.

My sister, Beverly, is a very talented potter and ceramic artist. There were gifts for everyone! These are some of the beautiful pieces Jen received.

A long time, family owned business here in Bucyrus is Cooper's Mill. They operate a small market, with fresh produce, apple butter, Amish cheese and baked goods, garden seeds, etc.
We received a variety of BBQ sauces and other goodies from Jen, David, and Lisi this year.

The notecards were also made by my sister with die cut appliques and hand stitched thread.

When I wrote our Teens & Tweens book, the kids made Christmas ornaments by hand. I also digitized the patterns and stitched out lots of them in several sizes.
Ornaments are a traditional gift for us, so everyone got a few of these to add to their collections.

Bucyrus will celebrate its Bicentennial in the coming year, so David bought us this ornament for our collection.

David's son, Nic, is studying to be a diesel mechanic. He drives (cherishes) his '05 Chevy Silverado 2500HD.
David bought a similar Matchbox truck for him and painted it to match Nic's. What a great, personalized gift!

Tell me what stitcher/quilter wouldn't love this plate. Hand made by my sister. You can see more of her work on her FB page here

My spice blend is always a popular gift. I grow many of the herbs and spices myself and we use it on almost everything!

This sweet wall quilt was a gift from our granddaughter, Amber. She digitized the shapes for this pattern so she could applique it with our Statler Stitcher. I'm proud of the skills she is learning and to see how many quilted pieces she gave to others this year.

Jen made this quilt for her friend David. He has always been a big supporter of her work and he finally got one for himself! The center was cut from one piece of ombre/shaded fabric and Jen quilted it with my Modern Snails pattern.

Our kitchen is busy every day, so I really appreciated these new kitchen towels. The "farm to table" was made by Joan Knight's daughter and the other three were hand stamped and painted by my sister, Beverly.

I decided to recycle a couple of old jeans into a pillow for my son-in-law. Well...one thing led to another and then all the guys needed one!
These were pretty quick to make and I'll talk more in-depth about the process later.

Little Succulents

Rosemary

Dick has always loved growing things and he keeps a large number of indoor and outdoor plants growing all year. Amber gave him starts from several of her succulents and he was excited to get home and get them planted.
I'll have lots of progress photos and stories as we get our garden plants started for the coming summer.

Please join me on my Peace & Plenty Journal to read more about our creative life, gardening and recipes, quilting, etc,
Subscribe at the top of the page to see what's new!

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Quilt Rescue - Embroidered Baby Quilt

Collecting Antique Quilts

December 2020

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