Bunny Crib Quilt - A Success Story

I think I mentioned some time ago that I have decided to stop saying that I was not buying anymore quilts. I understand now that I am helpless in the face of a quilt I really like at really nice price.
So I happily share with you my most recent addition.















The applique is well done and the hand quilting fine. There is embroidered detail on the central rose.

How could I pass this up? Well, it didn't always look this good which is probably why I got it for $38.



OUCH! Some very large and obvious stains on that nice white background. But so CUTE. I had to take a chance.




I was anxious to see what I could do with it. Working on stains is always a multi-step process involving patience and trial and error. It is a risk and the outcome is always unknown . However, I don't believe a dirty or soiled quilt is a good thing and I kind of enjoy the challenge.

Here's what I did:

First I made a paste of water and Restoration and applied just to that area. (It ended up being more watery than pastey  because I wanted the crystals to be dissolved.)
I worked over a large white plastic bowl on the top of my washing machine. I was able to clothespin it to the edge so that it was taut and I could apply the solution to a small area and have the excess drip into the bowl to be used again. I used a small plastic measuring cup with a spout.
I  thought I could see it working right away.

I let it soak that way for awhile. Then, I rubbed a bit of my Aunt Agnes' homemade bar soap into one stain to see what happened. (This is the only thing that got my boys socks clean - you know how they wear them outside without shoes...on blacktop?) Her recipe had  lye in and and who knows what-all but I recall my Mom saving bacon grease for her to make it. She had such a supply that both my sister and I still have some bars and she passed away in 1981!!
So back to my project.
I gingerly rubbed the yellowed bar on the stains and quickly manipulated the fabric by hand to rub it in all the way. Dilute with more water....
I was excited that even while still wet the stains were getting much lighter.
Okay. Here's the scary part. I put a TINY bit of bleach in a cup of water. I mean about 1/4 teaspoon. VERY diluted. I was careful to direct it onto the stains and avoided colored fabrics - AND  I have pure clean water at the ready to pour through it almost immediately.

My supplies

After all of this attention to detail I immersed the whole quilt into the washing machine with a 'friendly' soap I get at Whole Foods with no brighteners, bleaches etc. I let it sit in the suds without agitation for a bit  then set it for 'hand wash'.
I put it in the dryer on low with a couple of dry,white towels to help fill the dryer and cushion the quilt as it cycles around. I opened the dryer at 10 minutes and took it out while still damp.
Voila.... I laid it on a white sheet on the floor to finish drying and manipulated it gently to square it up. When dry, the quilting really showed nicely and I felt I"d improved it greatly.

It reminds me a little bit of another cute appliqued crib quilt in my collection, one I also washed:

This is a little pillow cover - The bottom white piece would tuck in and be whip stitched after inserting the pillow. The maker simplified and reduced the size of the posy.

Have you washed a vintage quilt?

Teeny Tiny Pieces & Confessions

I have been saving scraps if they are large enough to cut a 1" square. I didn't really like to tell too many people about this because, well, you know. Some people just don't understand. - the ones that toss really BIG hunks into the waste basket at retreats. Recently I even saw a big chunk in the waste basket of a vendor at our state quilt show. I regret not being bold enough to ask if I could dig it out!

However, I am no longer embarrassed or ashamed.

Here's a quilt on display at the Rocky Mountain Quilt Museum, visited recently, that makes 1" pieces look big.

1910-1930

Here is the full view so you can get the perspective. Not terribly graphic from afar, is it? But get closer to see the size of the pieces and the purposeful arrangement of chevrons which are ultimately joined into four large sections. It's truly a wonder - a testament to patience and extreme thrift!




Checking The Quilt Index, where quilts from this museum collection are documented, I found out more about this quilt. Made by Bessie Sanford of Michigan, born in 1873, it is hand pieced and hand quilted from the back in fans. Someone more patient than I figured out that there are about 37,000 pieces. It measures 80" square. I understand and applaud Bessie. There is something so satisfying about 'using up' every tidbit.

In the late 1800's it became quite the popular thing for some quilters who were competitive in nature to try to earn bragging rights about the number of pieces in their quilt. Agricultural fairs promoted this popular type of competition and articles appeared in newspapers stating the number of pieces in someone's quilt so, inevitably, someone else said, 'I can top that!" and the challenge was on.

The result is that there are many such quilts but the first quilt that I admit brought tears to my eyes was Grace Snyder's Flower Basket Petit Point. I had never seen such a thing. It was on display in 2002 at the Houston International  Quilt Show, chosen as one of the one hundred Best Quilts of the 20th century.

It is composed of half square triangle units measuring one fourth of an inch!. You heard me right. Eight tiny triangles sewn together make a ‘block’ about the size of a postage stamp!



This in not the full quilt but you can see it at the IQSCG website. Double click this image for a close-up.








Grace was inspired by a needlepoint pattern on on a set of china. I was able to see the actual china for the first time at a recent lecture by Jeananne Wright in Colorado.

 The story of her life, as told to her daughter, is called   No Time on My Hands, the understatement of all time! I highly recommend it.

The Flower Basket quilt is now in the collection of IQSCM at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, as is this hexagon quilt, also by Grace.  She just couldn't quit!

Click here for just one of many links with more examples and information about quilts with many small pieces.

So now you know. 

I save tiny pieces of fabric 

and beautiful quilts can bring me to tears!

A Trip to Denver - Quilts Galore!

I just returned from a visit to the Denver area where I was fortunate to enjoy a great many opportunities to see and study vintage quilts and attend several special events.
The First Glance;Second Look exhibition at the Denver Art Museum was one of them. I attended with several quilt loving friends and we were all completely enthralled with the display of quilts from the museum's collection. The exhibit was aptly named because each and every quilt nearly forced you to take a second look...and a third and fourth! At first glance you are excited. Up close you notice more things to exclaim over.
You may have seen some of these quilts on calendars or in other publications.
Here's a graphic four block Prince's Feather made in Alabama.

 I'll zoom in for a closer look at the quilting.

We all commented on the fan quilted border;
not often seen as just a border quilting design

Pine Tree Medallion c. 1900
Made in Alabama

 The central pine tree, faded from the original color,

 is surrounded by dramatic borders! 

Mathematical precision is required to make the corners meet so perfectly

This Matterhorn quilt is composed of over 9,000 3/4" squares

.Hand quilted.
95" x 105"

Having attended a lecture the night before called Sew Many Pieces by Jeananne Wright, this one was of particular interest. Jeananne shared quilts from her collection that were made of over 3,000 pieces.

Apparently no one has taken on the job of counting these pieces as the information was not provided!

The Houses and Pine Trees quilt was even reproduced on the elevator door and is the cover of a very nice  companion book available by mail order or in the museum gift shop. 

By the way, you can see more photos of this exhibit at the blog Collector with a Needle. 

  Part 1  and  Part 2

                                

The adjoining thread studio was an interesting and unique concept with a variety of displays from techniques to tools along with 'hands on' experiences.

All of these bobbins are required to make this intricate lace. I have seen women doing this and find it hard to believe they can manage to keep them all straight.

Here's a display of the steps involved in making a Cathedral Window. So many people wonder how it is done. Technically not a quilt, these are heavy textiles and you can see why! There are a great many layers of folded fabric.

While you are there, the 3rd floor has a wonderful exhibit of American Indian art.

 I especially loved the eye dazzler Navaho rug display.

If you get to this museum be sure to go when it opens and allow enough time to take it all in. Then you will be hungry enough to enjoy the excellent lunch at the museum restaurant.

 I can vouch for the Cobb Salad!