[Wendy]

I quilted this for a gal I know. She got some quilt tops from an auction her grandpa had. They were made by her grandma, but never got finished. I did one for her a few years ago & she asked me a few weeks ago to quilt this one. I always like the crazy patterns & color combinations that the older ladies used. This one drove me crazy because the circles would not lay down flat. It has a lot of puckering on it, but I couldn't help it. She estimated the top to be around 50 years old. As I quilted it I sat & wondered about the lady that put it together. I knew her, but not very well. Sure wish I could talk to her now. The stories that these old quilts could tell. I think I was born 100 years too late!

 

[Maura]

That is different. Good color usage. I know what you mean about handling something that someone worked on and now they’re gone.

I have a quilt from an estate auction (woman was going into a retirement home) in the Orange Peel pattern. Simple enough to figure out, difficult to piece. I had to pull out some of the hand quilting in order to pull out some of the seams and redo them. It was scary, but I managed. It is red and white and quite striking.

I really think if you make a quilt top you should quilt it. If you don’t like quilting, it’s well worth paying someone to do if for you. So many people would have just tossed the tops out. It’s nice that your friend will have these moments of her grandmother.

 

[Wendy]

I think in this case the woman died before she got them quilted. They then got packed away & they finally sold them on the auction. The gal that bought them wanted them to give to her sons.

I personally can't put a top aside & start another. I have to quilt them & finish them. I also put the date in the lower corner so people know what year I made it. I also date the counted cross stitch pictures I do. I have a quilt from my dh's grandma with a date of 1926 sewn in it. I thought that was neat.

 

[Homesteader]

This is so lovely, and how wonderful you got to be a part of preserving this!

 

[Melissa]

Looks nice. I actually like a bit of a puckered look in an older quilt.