Oh - SHE is so cute!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

While I was visiting with my parents and in light of the work I have done on the family history book, I was also trying to collect stories. In particular, stories about quilting/sewing in our family.

Then my mom shocked me and brought out some quilts that she had made. Seriously???  Yep - so this is what she showed me.

Bow tie quilt. This was a quilt that my Dad's maternal grandmother made for my parents around the time that they got married in 1954!  I knew of the existence of this quilt, but I honestly thought it was a Dresden Plate. Those TWO bow ties are NOT missing - just a very pale fabric was used or they have severely faded. 

Hand quilted (rather nicely) and what does that mean? My great grandmother quilted it?  It looks like someone with experience quilted it, but we have no knowledge that she did anything else. Did she pay someone to quilt it?  We figure it was one person who quilted it. The pattern has NO regard for the bow tie design - it is the same  motif over and over again, except for the border. Ah - that is why we put LABELS on quilts now!!!!

The quilting on the back of the quilt. Like I said - it is fairly well done. 

The backing was brought to the front and machine stitched down for a binding on three sides. On the fourth side, the top was turned to the back. Ooops - made a mistake perhaps????

Speaking of the back - this is the BACK of that same quilt.  Basically it is a two sided quilt and that backing is centered quite nicely!   I am impressed!!!!!!

Then my Mom showed me some quilts that she made..............   (she wrote out the stories so I can record - I haven't gone through them yet)

Dresden Plate

YES - - there are TWO different styles of Dresden Plates in the same quilt. The center fabric is consistent and the fabrics used throughout are the same - just two diferent patterns. Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmm - my mom did NOT know why. 

I guess the left over blocks went into this small quilt which was probably slated for a baby????

The applique is done by machine on both of them. Neither of them is quilted and I brought both of them home with me to finish off.


Then my Mom brought out this one.  Hmmmmmm - Grandmother's Flower Garden. A bit of an unusal setting, but what is even more unusual is the fabric. It is made with what looks like lining fabric???

Grandmother's Flower Garden

Close-up of blocks - LOVE that GOLD (yeah Canada!!!!!!)

Close up of stitching! (and that GOLD fabric)

I believe it is lining material as it frays a LOT!!!!!    The big question - how to quilt this. It is NOT quilted. Should it be done by hand???   Machine????   And will that lining fabric snag??????   Oh boy - that is going to be a tough one.


BUT there was a treasure among those quilts and here it is................

YES - I know it looks like a mish mash of everything and YES - it is a mish mash of stuff that my mom made clothes for us!!!!!!

There are THREE fabrics that I distinctly remember.

The black and white one (just hold that thought), the yellow/brown floral print (wait for it) and that pink/green butterfly fabric. I also remember the orange/brown one. 

First - the pink/green butterfly fabric. I do NOT remember what was made from that fabric, but it is SO FAMILIAR to me. I am not sure whether my mom made herself a blouse - or whether we had matching outfits or whether I made something for myself when I was older, but I so remember that fabric.


OK - so you want to see something cute??????

YEP - that is ME!!!!!!!!!!!!    And do you recognize that fabric??????   YEP - that is the black and white fabric!!!!!    (looks like my mom whacked my bangs off!!!! - I did that once in university - it wasn't pretty!!!!)   (this was taken in June 1962)
I am certain that my mom made a matching one for herself and there is a picture somewhere of the two of us together!!!!

From a different picture (a close up of me in this dress) it appears that it was made from the yellow/brown floral in that picture above. But weren't me and my mom so cute in our matching outfits!!!!    Gosh - I think the drapes were practically made from the same fabric as we practially blend right in!!!!!!!!!!!!!!    (this was taken in August 1964)

My mom even had cheater fabric - god knows what she made with that!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 Anyway - wasn't that a great trip down memory lane????   Well it was for me!!!!!!!!!!!    So important to keep all these stories!!!!!!!!!!!!     I am putting a book together and I had better make it a priority before everyone dies off!!!!!


Speaking of cute - look at this cutey!!!!!!!!!!!

I'll just lie here and check out what happening down stairs!!!!!!!!!!!!!!    AWWWWWWWWWWWWWW

On that note - I had a crazy day with the Sit n Sew ladies - more on that tomorrow.


Have a great day!!!!!!!!!!!!



Ciao!!!!!!!!!!!!!!