I got to see some old quilts

A friend of mine told me a while back that he has some quilts from his
grandma (and her mother too), and finally last night, when I visited
he pulled them all out. There were 7 (seven!) and they are all
stunning.

One was a grandmother's flower garden (is that what it is called? all
little hexagons in a flower pattern), one with uneven nine-patches
(deliberately uneven) - obviously used and without batting, one with
something like a bear paw, but not quite (I'll have to look it up),
one was like a double wedding ring, but with three rings meeting in
"corners", not four (I've only seen patters for four rings meeting),
and a yellow star in the middle of each ring. There was a "funeral"
quilt (that was a family guess): it is made of men's suit fabric in
rectangles, all black, dark gray and very dark blue, tied from the
back with pink (yes, pink) yarn. And I'm forgetting one, but my
favourite: Yellow sashing (quite a lot of it) and musling squares with
appliqued ladies (they call this quilt "the little bow lady quilt").
Each lady a different colour with and umbrella.

What can I say? Several of the quilts were _really_ well done (IMHO)
you could not see the stiches for piecing (I know, you hand piecer
probably think so what, but I just can't do that, so I think it is
stunning), and the quilting was so straight and even, or feathered and
even. All the stiches the same size.

Honestly, I still cannot believe it.

Now, apart from the Virginia Quilt Museum, I have not seen old quilts
before, and that was before I had quilted anything myself (ever), so
I'd look at the quilts there differently now. But I really think that
at least a couple of these ones are very good.


When my friend got the quilts, I didn't know that was why he'd just
left the room. He brought back these two trashbags. Imagine my
horrified look when he pulled gret grandma's quilts out of the
trashbags. When I commented (gently) that he should really not store
them in plastic like that, he assured me that it was only because they
have not yet finished getting their house back to normal after the
threat of Isabel (nothing happened to their house, it was just a
precaution).

So I passed him a link to one of the many places online that can tell
him how to store and care for the quilts. I also told him and his wife
to get them valuated for insurance. Too funny - he said: "Huh, I never
thought of that, I just had some guns valuated for insurance". I also
suggested they take some photos and then write down as much as they
know about who made them, roughly when, how they got them and when.
Basically, when his grandma died, they all knew she had a bunch of
quilts + embroidered tablecloths, linens etc, but had to look
carefully before they found them. They found about 18 quilts, and if
my friend's share is representative, they are all at least full size.
Oh, and did I say the handquilting is really even?

They were made in Pensylvania. Dates: I have no clue, but I intend to
nag my friend to get as much history as he can.

And my friend even offered that I could take them to my "quilting
club" to show - Pat in VA, what do you think? That should work for a
show'n'tell, right?


I just feel so lucky just to see these. Like a quilt show at home, but
with a history.


Hanne

Hanne,

It sounds like you had a great time looking at the quilts!

I had an idea about the one like a bear paw - could it be a devil's
claw? I saw one at the quiltshow in Danville, CA this weekend. It
resembles bear claw.

The wool quilt was probably a utility quilt, as opposed to a funeral
quilt. I've seen a lot of them. One of my friend's family owned a
clothing store here in Santa Cruz. They gave me a box of quilt related
stuff; it included wool samples that they were saving to make for a
quilt. Those old wool quilts were quite heavy and warm.

lisae



Hanne Gottliebsen wrote:

A friend of mine told me a while back that he has some quilts from his
grandma (and her mother too), and finally last night, when I visited
he pulled them all out. There were 7 (seven!) and they are all
stunning.

One was a grandmother's flower garden (is that what it is called? all
little hexagons in a flower pattern), one with uneven nine-patches
(deliberately uneven) - obviously used and without batting, one with
something like a bear paw, but not quite (I'll have to look it up),
one was like a double wedding ring, but with three rings meeting in
"corners", not four (I've only seen patters for four rings meeting),
and a yellow star in the middle of each ring. There was a "funeral"
quilt (that was a family guess): it is made of men's suit fabric in
rectangles, all black, dark gray and very dark blue, tied from the
back with pink (yes, pink) yarn. And I'm forgetting one, but my
favourite: Yellow sashing (quite a lot of it) and musling squares with
appliqued ladies (they call this quilt "the little bow lady quilt").
Each lady a different colour with and umbrella.

What can I say? Several of the quilts were _really_ well done (IMHO)
you could not see the stiches for piecing (I know, you hand piecer
probably think so what, but I just can't do that, so I think it is
stunning), and the quilting was so straight and even, or feathered and
even. All the stiches the same size.

Honestly, I still cannot believe it.

Now, apart from the Virginia Quilt Museum, I have not seen old quilts
before, and that was before I had quilted anything myself (ever), so
I'd look at the quilts there differently now. But I really think that
at least a couple of these ones are very good.


When my friend got the quilts, I didn't know that was why he'd just
left the room. He brought back these two trashbags. Imagine my
horrified look when he pulled gret grandma's quilts out of the
trashbags. When I commented (gently) that he should really not store
them in plastic like that, he assured me that it was only because they
have not yet finished getting their house back to normal after the
threat of Isabel (nothing happened to their house, it was just a
precaution).

So I passed him a link to one of the many places online that can tell
him how to store and care for the quilts. I also told him and his wife
to get them valuated for insurance. Too funny - he said: "Huh, I never
thought of that, I just had some guns valuated for insurance". I also
suggested they take some photos and then write down as much as they
know about who made them, roughly when, how they got them and when.
Basically, when his grandma died, they all knew she had a bunch of
quilts + embroidered tablecloths, linens etc, but had to look
carefully before they found them. They found about 18 quilts, and if
my friend's share is representative, they are all at least full size.
Oh, and did I say the handquilting is really even?

They were made in Pensylvania. Dates: I have no clue, but I intend to
nag my friend to get as much history as he can.

And my friend even offered that I could take them to my "quilting
club" to show - Pat in VA, what do you think? That should work for a
show'n'tell, right?


I just feel so lucky just to see these. Like a quilt show at home, but
with a history.


Hanne

Spot on Hanne ... I hope you do take them to Show and Tell! But
please do give me a 'wake up' call or note so I'll be sure to be
at that meeting. (I don't get to every evening chapter.)
TTFN, PAT in VA/USA

Hanne Gottliebsen wrote:

A friend of mine told me a while back that he has some quilts from his
grandma (and her mother too), and finally last night, when I visited
he pulled them all out. There were 7 (seven!) and they are all
stunning....cut...
And my friend even offered that I could take them to my "quilting
club" to show - Pat in VA, what do you think? That should work for a
show'n'tell, right?

I just feel so lucky just to see these. Like a quilt show at home, but
with a history.

Hanne Gottliebsen wrote:

A friend of mine told me a while back that he has some quilts from his
grandma (and her mother too), and finally last night, when I visited
he pulled them all out. There were 7 (seven!) and they are all
stunning.

Trimmed gently...

I just feel so lucky just to see these. Like a quilt show at home, but
with a history.

Hanne

Any chance of you getting pix of some of these to show us? They sound
wonderful.
--
Kate XXXXXX
Lady Catherine, Wardrobe Mistress of the Chocolate Buttons
http://www.diceyhome.free-online.co.uk
Click on Kate's Pages and explore!

Lisa Ellis wrote in message ...
I had an idea about the one like a bear paw - could it be a devil's
claw? I saw one at the quiltshow in Danville, CA this weekend. It
resembles bear claw.

I don't know, I had a look on-line and I don't think it's a devil's
claw either, but probably I need the quilt and the web together to
figure it out :-)

The wool quilt was probably a utility quilt, as opposed to a funeral
quilt. I've seen a lot of them. One of my friend's family owned a
clothing store here in Santa Cruz. They gave me a box of quilt related
stuff; it included wool samples that they were saving to make for a
quilt. Those old wool quilts were quite heavy and warm.

I have no clue, I just relayed what my friend said was the family
thought on this. It was obviously not used much - in fact it really
looked like it was not used at all ever. The much more elaborate
quilts had some use (some had lots), but this simple one (the only one
that was tied too) wasn't worn at all. My friend said they thought it
had been used for the dead person while still in the home. But like I
said: I don't kow anything about this sort of thing.

Hanne

Hanne Gottliebsen wrote:
Lisa Ellis wrote in message ...

I had an idea about the one like a bear paw - could it be a devil's
claw? I saw one at the quiltshow in Danville, CA this weekend. It
resembles bear claw.


I don't know, I had a look on-line and I don't think it's a devil's
claw either, but probably I need the quilt and the web together to
figure it out :-)


The wool quilt was probably a utility quilt, as opposed to a funeral
quilt. I've seen a lot of them. One of my friend's family owned a
clothing store here in Santa Cruz. They gave me a box of quilt related
stuff; it included wool samples that they were saving to make for a
quilt. Those old wool quilts were quite heavy and warm.


I have no clue, I just relayed what my friend said was the family
thought on this. It was obviously not used much - in fact it really
looked like it was not used at all ever. The much more elaborate
quilts had some use (some had lots), but this simple one (the only one
that was tied too) wasn't worn at all. My friend said they thought it
had been used for the dead person while still in the home. But like I
said: I don't kow anything about this sort of thing.

Hanne

Hanne,

I have read about quilts being used to cover coffins. Also, making a
memorial quilt from the deceased person's clothing is/was not unusual.
Anyway, you find out more about the 'funeral quilt' let us know. I am
really curious.

lisae