Thinking about Grandma and her quilt...

[dee_burris]

Unlike some of my ancestresses undoubtedly did, we don't have a specific wash day here at the cottage.

For the most part, I just eye the sky and look at what is in two laundry baskets. Some days I just feel led to bring some fresh air and sunshine indoors, and sleep under my quilts scented with nature.

Today, I washed the quilts and hung them to dry.

One is a twin sized quilt, hand pieced and hand quilted by my paternal grandmother, Louise Herrington. It is the most recent one of two quilts she made for me before she died. I got it when I was in my early 20s.

It's a split rail fence quilt.

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Earlier this morning, I took the quilt out of the washer and hung it on the line.

And then stood back and looked at it. Some of the pieces have torn in the 35 years or so I've had it. I'm not sure how to repair them, or if I should. The quilting is holding up very well.

As I looked it over, conveniently opened full so I could really see it, I wondered.

Where did she get the pieces she used?




I know she didn't use new fabric. That would have been scandalous on so many levels - a slap in the face of the frugality that so many of our female ancestors had to practice to run their households.

So I wonder...are Granddaddy's pajamas in there? One or more of her old aprons? Did she ask some of her friends to save scraps for her to use? How long did it take her to lay out these pieces in a way that pleased her eye?

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Missing you, Grandma.

I'll see you on the other side.

Comments

[(Anonymous)]

This looks like such a comfortable quilt, Dee. Don't discount the possibility of new fabric, though. Many women in previous decades sewed clothing for their families and there is always scraps left after cutting out a a piece of clothing. But who knows, it could all be previously used fabric. It looks in good shape.
Nancy from My Ancestors and Me

[dee_burris]

I should have clarified that remark. I know she didn't BUY new yardage to cut up and make a quilt.

[oakmouse]

I've got a lap robe my mom made for me out of scraps she saved from fabric she'd used to make clothing for me. It looks a lot like your quilt, so I'd bet you're right that your Grandma used fabric from family clothes.

[oakmouse]

Oh, and about repairs? I can tell you what my mom did. She evaluated the damaged piece(s) and checked to see if they were frayed, split, or otherwise damaged in a way that made them difficult to sew. If not, she stitched them back together, or back down to the batting and back of the quilt, with fine thread (or a single strand of regular thread)and very small stitches to prevent undue strain on the fabric. If they were frayed or too damaged to stitch, she cut a piece of new scrap cloth to fit and hand-stitched it on over the damage, making a patch that gently united the pieces again. A big section of damage along one edge, she repaired with wide seam binding in a color that looked good with the other colors.

Don't know if any of these will work for you, but thought it was worth mentioning them in case they give you ideas.

[dee_burris]

Thanks for those tips.

Just now seeing this blog

[(Anonymous)]

Love this blog cousin. I had a quilt from grandmother, too, but I used it and wore it out. I wonder where those pieces came from... .