Sentimental Stitches

Some of us, (haha) me are still working on Block 1 of The Cherry Quilt. If I spent more time doing my applique instead of stitching over the quilting of an unknown quilter I’d probably be on Block 2. If I weren’t ripping out her applique stitches I’d be working on Block 3 like the rest of you but Clutch and I can’t seem to put that old antique quilt down. I thought I’d share some random findings to keep you from getting too far ahead of me. Here’s the flower I discovered in the photo of Block 3 I’ve looked at the block from every angle possible and found hidden stitches on three sides of the pineapples. This is the design quilted over the seam line between Block 2 and 3. This flower is quilted on the third side of the block. Now one would think if there’s something special quilted on three sides of the block, something special must be quilted on the fourth side. If it’s there I sure can’t see it so I moved on to unstitching more applique. One of the blocks has nearly every piece worn away. Most of the faded green fabric has turned blue and the purple grapes are now brown. In this block the fabric I figured would have been green was tan. I wanted to know if it was actually green, purple or did we have a block filled with brown dried leaves. Here’s the section I opened up. Darn, nothing underneath but a darker shade of tan. I still think the fabric was green when the quilt was made but it sure is an odd duck among the other fabrics. This is one of the flowers in that block. I believe it was lemon yellow and white originally. So many questions, what a mystery it all is. I really should be doing more applique!

Posted in Antique Quilt, Block of the Month, Free Patterns, News | 4 Comments »

4 Responses to “I Should Be Doing More Applique”

1. on 09 Dec 2009 at 1:09 pm   Kathi

   It’s lovely to see such close ups since I’ll never see the quilt in person. I wouldn’t have been able to appreciate that washed out block at all without your photos.
   Thanks for sharing it with us.

2. on 11 Dec 2009 at 2:53 pm   Carrie P.

   Thanks for sharing parts of the quilt. It is fascinating.

3. on 16 Dec 2009 at 4:47 am   Carla

   Gay,
   Is there a possibility that the quilt maker may have dyed the fabrics for the leaves in the block, and thus the fabric may have started out as a greenish brown and faded more so. Some of the dyeing process can use tannin, and acids to get the color wanted but then that can cause faster deterioration later of the fabrics….. Just a thought considering how much of leaf fabrics have wore; it seems to be more that just normal use.

   Obviously the quilt was used and is quite wore.

4. on 16 Dec 2009 at 8:47 am   Wanetha

   I think it is wonderful that you don’t see an old tattered, worn out quilt, but you see possibilities for a future quilt, and history of past lives spend with this wonderful craft.
   Thank you for the patterns.

   Is that a new creation of this old quilt that I see in the photo – when you opened up the flower – only to see more tan fabric.

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