The last few months my mother was living she was able to do a little stitching by hand. I cut out squares and she sewed them together into four patches. Her stitching wasn't good because she often forgot what to do next while she was in the middle of the stitch and would simply sit and look at the needle for a while until it came back to her what she needed to do. Then she would slowly take another stitch. After she died I put the last few squares together into this quilt top..
I've shown this quilt before so it may look familiar to some of you. I call it A Garden Quilt.
I love the fabric but don't have a clue what it is and don't have any more at all. I cut up every bit of what I had for the squares.
I put a wide white border around it with plans to add something to the border...either some applique or embroidery. But it's hung in my sewing room for several years now and despite taking it out and looking at it multiple times, nothing is coming to me. The colors are bright and spring-like. The flowers are petunias. I'd love to hear some suggestions for that border.
I'm also wondering if someone knows the name of this pattern. This is an antique top I found at a flea market last year.
It's hand appliqued and I think the white background is muslin. Isn't it gorgeous!
27 comments:
I really like your mother's garden quilt fabric. You mentioned applique....were you thinking of vines with the same color of red and blue flowers? Sounds super to me. I don't know the name of the antique quilt but what a awesome find.
I really like your mother's garden quilt fabric. You mentioned applique....were you thinking of vines with the same color of red and blue flowers? Sounds super to me. I don't know the name of the antique quilt but what a awesome find.
The quilt top made from your mother's hand-sewn squares is beautiful, as is the wonderful appliqued top. Not being a quilter, I couldn't begin to suggest a border for the Garden Quilt, but I'd be very interested to see the final results. Of course, I haven't a clue about the pattern.
very pretty quilts and it is nice that your mom was able to keep on stitching until she died.
Karen
http://karensquilting.com/blog/
I don't have any suggestions, but just wanted to tell you that I love your mom's quilt. The story behind it makes it even more beautiful in my eyes.
Marlene, the one thing that came to mind is black and white photo's of your Mom around the border and special words embroideried that bring back memories. Love the quilt and the one you found is such a treasure but I don't know the name.
Both quilts are lovely. The one that you found is amazing, but I love the fabric in that Flower Garden one.
Love your Mom's quilt. If it was me, I would keep it simple so her work would come through as the star. I would do a small, large and small border to match the colors of the flowers and bind it in the same color of the last border. A frame so to speak. Is your antique quilt a Baltimore Album? It is so beautiful.
The fabric is not the same but the colors are just like what I used in God's Garden Path I made in '97. I ran up to see if I had any of that left over but couldn't find any. Applique would look nice but be a lot of work. The vintage applique is lovely. It looks like a variation of cherry wreath.
What a treasure, Marlene! It reminds me of a mini-quilt I made with splashes of color and a lot of white including the border. I used primary colors in the quilting around the border and loved the way it turned out. But with the garden theme I would think of bringing some green into at least the binding. I also liked that idea of maybe embroidering some of your mother's words.
I know nothing about quilts Marlene, except that I think they are beautiful. I love your mother's. How very special that is. Many thanks for your most thoughtful card and also the help you gave. Both were very precious to me. You are such a kind and thoughtful friend. xxoo
If that quilt top was mine, and I couldn't get more border fabric, I'd finish it as is. But I'd insert either a flange or make a piped binding, probably using a print that's rose or red. It certainly wouldn't need to match the inside print, just be similar. That bit of color would nicely set off a white binding.
You mom's quilt just screams for a white border...with green vines/leaves trailing all around it...add in an occasional morning glory...in different colors! What a treasure!
Kathy
www.shawkl.com
If you could somehoe duplicate the brighter red/pink flower into a viny applique that would be stunning. Good luck wiht your project!
I'm not going to be any help to you at all on this, other than to say what a special quilt you now have.
both quilts are so pretty.
I think you should definitely use red in the border of your mom's quilt.
Is there a reason you need a border? As precious as those last squares she stitched are, my first instinct would be to just bind it...and not add anything else. JMHO...
You have a very precious thing in the quilt pieced by your mother. The idea of adding words or quotes of hers is a very good one - you can print on special fabric or applique or use whatever method best fits what you might choose to use. A bit of applique could be very nice, also....or pick a color and just border and bind. No matter what you choose, this is a treasure for you and your children and grandchildren.
The other quilt makes me think of laurel wreaths....like Caesar and others wore....
Thank you for all you share.
Maybe some solid color fabrics that come close in shade to the flower colors and make a piano key border.
Marlene, how fortunate it was that your mom could stitch until she died. She did beautiful work and now you have a lasting memorial. I would just put a simple border around it and leave it as it is. Anything else would take away from the pretty simplicity. Don't have any ideas about the 2nd quilt. Lucky you to find it!
What beautiful fabrics! The pattern is one of my favorites. I like the suggestions that Jane's Fabrics and Quilts and Lori made. I could see both used for it. Thank you for your kind words on my blog today, I have been blessed by them!
Wow, Marlene...how I would love anything that was made years ago, without the use of all the fancy tools we have today..Truly treasures...what to do with them...well first love them...and I can think of one very wonderful long armer we know...lol...That would certainly be able to stitch a wonderful design reflective of the true beauty of your Mumm's work...
Hello...I love your mothers quilt...
My suggestion:Leave it the way it is and hand quilt it. Especially on the borders..would give it old school charm...I think it is the one thing we all love when we purchase old quilts
simple is always beautiful
Your mother's quilt is lovely. What if you did some decorative quilting with embroidery floss in the border and white areas of the quilt. I don't know if you want that kind of work but I think it might look nice.
Also your flee market find is wonderful.
Such a lovely quilt to remember your mom. Have you thought about embroidering the names of flowers around the quilt in the border using a different color for each taken from the print? Maybe a nice line from a book or poem across the top?
Chris
I think some appliqued petunias with stitchery vines and leaves in a trailing vine would be ready and since the look is vintage, would fit right in with the fabric in the quilt.
Mama Bear
what a treasure, I have some family quilts too and LOVE THEM. I think if I did the border I would use a Kona Solid of some sort, depending on what color you want to stand out in the quilt. LOVE IT. Thanks for sharing.
Post a Comment