Monday, June 18, 2012

Make Room! Lovely Hexagon Top Finds a New Home

Hello again! Good to see you!
I am finally getting time to post again after a hectic start to summer here in Minnesota.
I told you recently that I would simply have to stop saying that I was done buying vintage quilts - it was NOT working - so I am not even sheepish about giving you a peek at the latest addition to my collection.

I have recently purchased four quilts and two tops from a local collector who is downsizing, including the blue baskets quilt in my previous post.

Sorry to tease you this way - but I promise my very next post (which will be within a few days) will be all about this very quilt top and the things I've learned from it...but these new additions remind me that adding more quilts to my collection means finding space for the newcomers. I was forced to organize my messy and woefully inadequate quilt closet. I wish I had taken a 'before' picture!


It's quite a job, but it's good for the quilts to be opened, allowed to relax and refolded periodically and it's always fun to rediscover their beauty when fully open.

I pulled them all out....

...opened, enjoyed, refolded them along different lines and stacked them on the bed.






I had to put some on the floor of the closet with the heaviest ones on the bottom. More shelves would help but I also hang some things so for now....







...and more on the top shelf. I covered the open rung shelves with stiff cardboard covered with Tyvek home building wrap to prevent leaving 'rung' marks on the bottom textile.
(I must confess, these are the bed-size vintage quilts. Crib quilts, doll quilts and tops are elsewhere. Then there are the quilts I've made.)

I know they are stacked too high. Storing them flat on the bed would be best, but I can't designate a bed for them now and frankly, that method makes it really hard to get them out when I need to take them somewhere. I am trying to think of a way to have more and deeper shelves. Do we really need a coat closet? My husband seems to think we do.

They won't stay this way - I know that from experience.  But for now they look great, don't they? 

 How are your quilts stored? 
Summer is a great time for them to be aired and refolded. 

Next: 
That hexagon mosaic top  - a discovery !



6 comments:

  1. Wow--you have quite a collection! That would be so fun to look through those quilts.

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  2. Wonderful Jean!!! Such a colorful collection!!! Like Janet, I'd love to see them all in person!! I too love vintage quilts!!

    Blessings

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  3. You look like you have an amazing quilt collection. I store a lot of my quilts on the spare bed and then discourage visitors from staying overnight otherwise they all have to be folded up and stored in any available space in the studio. Because of all our bookshelves there is no room for more cupboards. Take care.

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  4. I would love to see them all unfolded!....but I must say you did a very good job of making them look orderly! (care to visit my house and do the same?) I can't wait to see more of your new treasures

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  5. Tim - you will eventually see them all in my blogs....and sure, I'll come fold your quilts but you better keep an eye on me - those tops! You'd never miss one or two, right?
    :)

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  6. Beautiful collection, Jean! Thanks for sharing.

    :) Carolyn

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Thanks for adding your comments!