Friday, July 25, 2014

My old and weary vintage quilt...

About four years ago I came across a damaged vintage dresden quilt bundled in string with a cardboard $2.50 tag attached. It was hidden amongst a pile of donated towels and sheets on a long side table at the small local op-shop in our town of residence at the time.
I didn't stop to unroll it, just hastened to the counter, paid the $2.50 and barely took a breath between leaving the shop and getting inside my front door two blocks away!
On inspection the quilt had been cut in two, a piece obviously having been removed across the centre  (small traces of old blood stains were still evident so I assume that's why it was cut)  and a primitive attempt to sew the pieces together again had been made.  I fell in love...with a story I did not know and the fingers which had so beautifully hand pieced this long aged beauty before it had been carved in half.
Most of the time it lays across the end of my bed, a favourite spot for Princess Sophie...


The feeling of home and comfort this quilt brings to the bedroom cannot adequately be described in mere words, and the time worn fading and wearing away just add to it's appeal...


I have decided it's time to re-create my old-friend-quilt; time to make a copy...


I won't rush. Choosing similar fabrics and colours will take time; drafting a pattern is not my strong point, but there will be pleasure in the learning so this treasure can be reborn. Hand pieced? Not sure about that yet...


Well, I don't know about you but I have a fair number of these remnants accumulated over the past four or five years so finding ways to make use of them has become a bit of an obsession at the moment.
Last night I gathered my remaining scraps of "Ruby" (which I used to make 'Under The Apple Tree') and began piecing Flying Kite blocks.
First up let me confess that I stuffed up the cutting and my blocks face the opposite direction to what they should, but I like them anyhow so I kept going with my plan to make a long runner to cover the chest of drawers in the living room which our television and dvd player sit on.
Three blocks and a simple border later...


I've decided to use leftover green pindot binding (also from 'Under The Apple Tree') as a gathered edge along both narrow ends of the runner...


It needs to be quilted first, but I've pinned the gather on so you can get an idea where I'm going with this plan...


I still have about 25 "Ruby" jelly roll strips left in my stash so some of them will make up the binding around the edge of the 18" x 50" quilt.
Total cost : $0

Mr E must be rather pleased about my plan to use 'what's already in my stash'  this year because the other day he surprised me with these...


Love is a wonderful thing. 

Have an exceptionally loving weekend, dear friends.
hugs

9 comments:

Monique said...

Preciosos trabajos!Saludos desde EspaƱa:-)

Tammy said...

What a lovely well worn quilt. You know it was well loved to have been used and washed so much. It is beautiful.

Thoeria said...

Just beautiful Jenny :)I know that you'll do the duplicate justice!. Have a wonderful weekend xx

Carrie P. said...

Oh, I can't wait to see your recreation of the vintage quilt. I love the border on it.
How sweet of Mr. E. I can almost smell them

Createology said...

How very sweet of your Mr. E to bring you Roses. How very smart of you to "use what you have". Timeless worn old quilt...Princess Sophie is precious. Creative Bliss...

Christina said...

Old vintage quilts are the best and I am always loving on then when I find them in the antique stores. I know your version will be just as lovely.

Clare M said...

Hi Jenny,
I am Clare from New Zealand. I found your blog through Billibee's button. Love your blog. Hubby and I are also followers of Christ and know what it means to need grace every day.

Cattinka said...

Hi Jenny,
what a great find, that quilt found a perfect new home with you!
KATRIN W.

Winifred said...

What a gorgeous old quilt. Good idea to make a copy for Princess Sophie.