Another "new to me" quilt treasure...some tops from my South Carolina trip. Ended up having long discussions with my DH on the drive home on why I like quilt tops. He says, "they are abandoned projects... unfulfilled destinies...they can't be complete until they are quilted and used on a bed like the maker intended." (unfulfilled destines? I think he has been watching too much of the Sci-fi channel....) My side of the discussion, "it gives me great examples of the fabric as it would have looked when the original maker selected it...never been washed...and little to no fading...also, I can clearly see the construction techniques."
Two hours later when we pulled into our driveway we had agreed to disagree...not like he is going to quilt them when I'm not looking or anything!
The first top is an Economy Nine Patch. There is a small penciled note on one corner....
It is all pieced by hand. Each Economy Patch is only 3 inches making the blocks 9-inches finished. And to think this was done before paper-piecing!
She used blue in the outside edge of each patch giving unity to this scrappy quilt. There are some great fabrics in this but you have to get close to see them! This is one I'd like to use as inspiration for a new quilt....
I don't have my Brackman Encyclopedia handy but I think this pattern is called "Boston Commons." It is circa 1930. The workmanship isn't quite a good as the first top but it is a great fabric study! Sometimes you can figure out why a top wasn't finished. This one does not lay flat...and not much of a chance it could be "quilted out." The mitered inner border have an almost 1 inch fold in them! Another good reason to just appreciate it for what it is...fun fabrics!
8 comments:
These are both fabulous quilts! I, too, want to use that first one as inspiration for a quilt! I love it! Recently at a quilt show, there was a vendor selling scrap bags of vintage 40's fabrics. They were smelly and a bit stained, but washed up fine (after 2 run throughs!). I challenged the two others gals with me, who also bought several bags, to "have used them in something by 4th of July, 2013!"......And I think this is the project I will use them for! Perfect, as most of the scraps were no bigger than your hand. But that's enough to get these square in a square blocks made! Yay! Thanks a bunch for the inspiration!
What lovely treasures. Have fun studying.
Sometimes we just have to agree to disagree, don't we? I also like to use tops in decorating around my home. They work well in areas where you wouldn't be able to get close enough to see the stitches anyway. I bought one once that absolutely wouldn't lay flat. and remade it to a top that behaves. Controversial, I know, but it worked for me.
I love the tops....and I love the "unfulfilled destiny"
But I like to finish them (by had) and set destiny right ....either way they are beautiful!
Greta quilts - I really like the economy patch top!
I have to send you a picture I am reproducing an antique quilt with the economy block now!
great quilt...
both quilts are beautiful.
Lucky you !
Kathie
I love the pattern of the second one...very pretty!
Both of these are wonderful! Love the 1930's one for its colour, but love the economy patch too!!
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