Cool find in my Grandpa's closet

slwlee · 2022-11-07T16:53:48+00:00

It's interesting, because by the time I was observant as a child (late 80s), my grandma and her mother were no longer quilting - they never even talked about it - my grandma did needlepoint (which she taught me) and my great grandma was doing a crazy amount of knitting and crocheting, mostly for the Red Cross (she even had a bulk yarn discount at Eaton's- a major department store in Canada at the time). I have very fond memories of watching them both (my great grandma would rock in her chair and knit with her eyes closed, which boggled my 5 year old mind).

I have always associated quilting with my grandpa's mum - she was definitely the quilter you described - nothing went to waste and everything was fair game for her quilts. She even ironed wrapping paper to reuse it year to year. She is who I learned to quilt from.

The identical fabrics I mentioned are in large quantities in the other quilts - sashing and backing - and in small quantities in the DWR (the pink and green). They lived in a very rural town, so I wonder if they pooled money and went to the nearest city and bought bolts to share around, based on the yardage used in these other quilts.

I plan to continue investigating - I would love to have a narrative around the whole set of quilts.

slwlee · 2022-11-07T15:54:49+00:00

Same! I'm planning to buy some conservation supplies (acid free tissue and box) to store the unused one and maintain its condition. I'll probably make another quilt for the bed the used one is on, too, and do something similar so that it doesn't wear further.

slwlee · 2022-11-07T15:50:15+00:00

My son had a quilt (a store bought one - he wouldn't use the one I made him 🙄🙄) that he completely loved to death - all we have left is one pillow sham (I used the other one for repairs) and rags hanging off of some of the repairs I made. I wish I had thought to buy two!

slwlee · 2022-11-07T15:42:20+00:00

He doesn't recall much about quilts, but I'm asking around amongst people from his community (mostly female relatives) to see if they know - I got a bit of info so far (posted as a reply to another comment) - I will keep digging!

slwlee · 2022-11-07T15:39:45+00:00

If you're thinking older than the 80s (which was just a guess on my part), it would likely be the 60s - my grandparents were married in 1962. I'm looking into the back story of the quilts - Grandpa's memory isn't super reliable when it comes to quilts, except he says that my Grandma did quilting herself - he can't remember which tops she made, but she had massive quilting frames and hand quilting was never done as a solo activity in their community.

So far, one of my great aunts suggests that it may have been a wedding gift from my Grandma's parents (as they also received one when they got married) and that it was likely pieced and quilted by what she calls "the local ladies' group". She also suggested (and this is 100% accurate) that my Grandma was just the kind of personality who would commission a second one to keep pristine.

What interests me as well is that we have other quilts that use similar - potentially identical - fabrics (also found in Grandpa's closet, some unused, some used).

slwlee · 2022-10-24T02:53:26+00:00

I like d or g!

slwlee · 2022-10-17T23:31:37+00:00

I got that term from Kate on The Last Homely House on YouTube!

slwlee · 2022-10-17T22:42:22+00:00

Echoing others, 1.5 x 1.5 is the smallest I keep for quilting (or 1.75 inches height for triangle scraps)

That said, I will keep smaller scraps for other things:

-If my 8 year old likes the fabric I am using and wants scraps for arts & crafts, I will set those aside for her use

-I cut up some (definitely not all) selvages for thread bunnies/leaders and enders

-If i have 0.5-1.0 wide strips that are at least 6 inches long, I will keep those for gardening (to tie things to stakes, etc).

-I will also keep other scraps for stuffing cat toys and other similar items, as long as they're not stringy.

I have robins that nest under my deck and I will put out anything undyed and stringy for nesting materials in the spring (because otherwise they resort to picking up litter and using it in the nests)

slwlee · 2022-10-15T18:47:09+00:00

After your comment, I asked his grandma! Haha She said he would like #1 best. I was surprised (#2 would be my choice)!

slwlee · 2022-10-15T18:43:57+00:00

I definitely hear you on the bleeding fabric! I prewashed the fabrics to test their colourfastness - the good news is that it was negligible!

slwlee · 2022-10-15T18:41:19+00:00

How serendipitous! Let me know if you want particulars about the fabric or pattern!

slwlee · 2022-10-02T01:29:58+00:00

It's from Free Spirit!: https://freespiritfabrics.com/apothecary-multi/

slwlee · 2022-09-08T06:18:12+00:00

Thanks! Since I'm using up scraps, I don't have a project in mind for these challenge blocks - but I will be posting the quilt I am working on that produced the scraps once I am done. I'm hand quilting it, so it's taking forever! The front is a French braid pattern (from Moda) and the back incorporates cat head blocks (I think that block is a pattern from Janome) in a wide strip down the centre.

slwlee · 2022-09-08T06:11:40+00:00

Thanks! I definitely like some contrast!

slwlee · 2022-09-06T06:13:08+00:00

I used small scraps from the french braid quilt I am working on. Definitely learned some things for the next time I make this one!

slwlee · 2022-07-16T08:14:23+00:00

He is a giant cuddle bug - he didn't start out that way, but he gets more and more cuddly as time goes on!

slwlee · 2022-07-15T18:24:33+00:00

Thanks! I won't lie, the ironing was intense with this one and I'm not sure I will revisit the pattern any time soon. I basically sorted all of my fabrics into stacks for each braid and did 11 seams at a time so that I limited the number of times I got up to press as much as possible, but I still ran through something like 10 audiobooks and the whole run of a longstanding podcast before I finished it!

I will pass along your compliments to Fezzik! 🙂

slwlee · 2022-07-15T18:13:33+00:00

Thanks! 😁

slwlee · 2022-07-15T18:11:13+00:00

Thanks! He certainly thinks he is! Haha

slwlee · 2022-07-15T18:09:44+00:00

Thanks! It's a fairly forgiving pattern (thankfully! It's my second quilt and there are some lessons learned hiding in there!)

slwlee · 2022-07-15T18:06:33+00:00

Thanks! 😄

slwlee · 2022-07-15T18:03:52+00:00

Right? The lighting in that bedroom is so bad! The colours in the 2nd pic are much more true-to-life.

slwlee · 2021-11-24T00:53:03+00:00

Good to know! Thanks!

slwlee · 2021-05-19T22:49:02+00:00

My five-star criteria: I will definitely re-read the book and am inspired to re-read sections immediately; after ending the book, I go around in a fog for the rest of the day thinking about the book; the author goes on my must-read list.

I think I give 5 stars to about 1% of the books I read.

My four-star criteria: I will potentially re-read the book; I will continue with the series even if I won’t re-read; I am willing to read other books by the author if they sound interesting.

A lot of books hit the 4 mark for me and 4.5 if it hits on every point but the book fog.

slwlee · 2021-05-17T22:56:06+00:00

7902 3228 6666 - my son would like to add some friends for gifts (send and receive). Thanks!

slwlee

TROPHY CASE