Keep Smiling

Keep Smiling

Thursday, November 15, 2018

A Quilt From The Past



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Last spring when I was on a trip to Oregon
I spent one afternoon visiting my brother and his lovely wife.
While eating a delicious lunch that she had prepared
we got on the subject of quilting.
Something that I could talk about for hours.

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She told me about a quilt top that she had
that was made by her grandmother.
After her mother had passed away and she was
cleaning out her things,
she came across this quilt top.


 A lot of the fabric blocks are from old 
flour sack fabric and it is so pretty.


1948 Percy Kent Bag Co vintage Ad turning feed / flour sacks in dresses and aprons (great post-war upcycling!)




 I was honored to be asked 
if I would finish it for her. 

My sister-in-law is one of the sweetest 
women I know and our family 
was blessed the day
she became a member of our clan.


I feel wonderful that she would trust
me with her grandma's quilt 
I only hope that I can do it justice. 


 Of course an old quilt like this must
be hand quilted . . . 

and I love having a quilt to stitch by hand.
It is so peaceful and gentle
to work with this old soft fabric.

It is also an honor 
to be part of finishing
what one grandma started so many years ago.
I didn't know her, 
but now I feel a connection to her with
each little stitch that I add :)

I am sure that she is smiling down from heaven,
knowing that soon she will be able to
hug her dear granddaughter again
through her handy work.
 

A blessing indeed :)

*******
Keep Smiling!

*******

Your blogging sister,
Connie :)


57 comments:

  1. This is the sweetest post! It's an honor to work on it, but what a blessing you are to your SIL. I can't imagine how she will appreciate this!

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    1. I'm sure it will be treasured by her and then pasted on one day to one of her granddaughters :)

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  2. That is so special to have grandma's quilt and to be able to finish it off.

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  3. Hi Connie, Oh I don't think you need to worry about doing the quilt justice. Your projects turn out so lovely. How nice of you to do this for her. Have fun. More prayers needed. I have acute bronchitis now. Thanks dear friend! Nancy

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    1. Oh, Nancy I am so sorry . . . know that you are in my prayers :)

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  4. What a wonderful project to be working on. I'm sure it will mean the world to your sister in law to have her gram's quilt completed so she can enjoy it.

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    1. I have a feeling that it will make her grandmother very happy, too.

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  5. I love reading stories like this. I am so happy you are taking this quilt to the next level of being finished. What a happy present it will be for your sister-in-law. Oh how I wish they still sold fabric containers!

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    1. Me too! I would make everything from scratch if I where to get it in pretty soft printed bags :) They could do a lot of products this way and think of all the trash that would be saved.

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  6. How lovely that you can finish this precious quilt for your SIL. It definitely is an heirloom.
    The fact that some squares are made of flour sacks makes it even more amazing.

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    1. I know and the flour sacks are so soft and very nice quality fabric. I remember when I was a child and Mama would let me pick the bags that would become my school dresses.

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  7. What a lovely story about your sister-in-law's grandma and her unfinished quilt! I can feel how happy you are with this lovely project! Grandma must be smiling down on you all!

    I once put the finishing touches to a baby sweater that was being knitted for my grandson when one of my neighbours passed away. It was nearly finished and so pretty. I put the finished sweater on my baby grandson and took a photo and gave it to the neighbour's husband. He was thrilled!

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    1. So, you know the feelings that I am having while working on this quilt. It's a sweet feeling to know that you are completing a project that was started with love and being made for a cherished loved one. As I work on it I feel a connection with her grandmother and it's a happy feeling filled with contentment :)

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  8. What a beautiful, beautiful quilt. I can only imagine the honor you must feel in being asked to finish it. It’s such a beautiful legacy for your sister-in-law‘s family to have. I also love the advertisement. I remember my grandmother using the flower sack material for different projects around her house. I hope you show us the finished quilt. Blessings always, Betsy

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    1. I've been working on it for a couple of weeks now and I'm guessing it will take another two or three to finish it, if I keep working on it each night. I'm excited to see it finished and will be sure to post the finished quilt :)

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  9. Connie, you must feel so thrilled to do this, to be part of something that began a long time ago, and which musy have memories for your family. I love the image of flour being sold in pretty sacks, it has never happened in UK as far as I know. Looking forward to seeing the finished quilt.

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    1. This was something that started in our great depression, back in the thirties and continued until sometime in the fifties, because I can remember going to the store with Mama and seeing the bags sacked up and all the pretty colorful printed fabric. Many of my early school dresses were made from those sacks. I remember Mama letting be pick the sacks that I liked . . . so I'm sure that my baby and toddler clothes also came from flour sacks. I was blessed with a Mama that could turn them into beautiful dresses. She was an amazing seamstress.

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  10. That's like working on a piece of history. Awesome

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    1. Yes it is, and I feel closer to my sister-in-law just by being asked if I would do this. Quilts are so warm and soft . . . when I make them for someone I feel like I'm giving them a warm hug that they can have whenever and wherever they are. I am sure that my sister-in-law will feel a hug from her dear grandma when she wraps up in this quilt. It's a honor to work on it :)

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  11. Oh yes indeed, your sister-in-law's grandma is certainly looking down from heaven delighted her treasure of old is being lovingly hand quilted. It is a beautiful quilt top with sweet little squares of pretty fabric. Over the winter you will enjoy many precious moments hand quilting this pretty. Such a beautiful story, Connie.

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    1. Over forty years ago my brother and sister-in-law did something for me that changed my life for the better, so much better, and they would never allow me to pay them back. I have been wanting to do something in return and so this is a true blessing to be able to stitch this for her. Isn't it wonderful how the Lord in His perfect timing brought this event into my life. Not that I own them anything, because their gift was a gift made with love and they never wanted a pay-back . . . but I always wished that there was something that I could do to show them that I truly love them, too :)

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  12. How wonderful to be able to do this for your sweet sister in law bringing you even closer together. It is such a beautiful topper.

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    1. This quilt is a blessing . . . I am enjoying each and every stitch. I am not a perfect quilter but I am putting love into each stitch. It is a wonderful feeling to be able to finish this project started some 80 years ago. I know that her grandmother was making it with great love in her heart for her beautiful granddaughter . . . who knows maybe one day someone will finish one of my family projects :)

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  13. Oh, I love it! How sweet and special. I wish they would make calico flour sacks again.

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    1. Me too! Thanks for stopping by and visiting today. I will post photos for the finished quilt when it is completed. :)

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  14. So, so very special!! I love the old flour sack prints and use reproduction prints on a lot of my work. I have a box of feed sack prints, cut into squares. I doubt there are enough to make a very big quilt, so I've just left them to enjoy, since some clothing I remember wearing was made from the sacks. Hope you will show us the finished quilt!

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    1. I certainly will . . . it will be sometime between now and a month for now . . . that is if I keep at it each night. It's truly a lovely project for me and I am enjoying each stitch.

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  15. Whatasweet story. I'll be looking forward to see the slow hand quilting on this lovelie.

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    1. It will be awhile, but I'll be sure and post the finished quilt before putting it in the mail.

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  16. This is so sweet! I made a quilt once useing scraps from moms scrap barrell (we called it growing up). With every stitch, I could remember the outfit she made with each print. The only quilt I ever made.
    Lisa

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    1. I love quilts made from scraps especially when there are memories that come along with the fabrics used :)

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  17. Such a beautiful quilt, a precious heirloom. How grateful your sister in law is to have you. You'll do a great job finished this lovely quilt.

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    1. Oh, thank you . . . I hope so, I know that I'll do my best :)

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  18. It's surely the right time of year for quilting. Most of the quilters I know or follow already have one on their frames. I would love to pay them (and you) all a visit to watch and learn. And maybe, I could even sew one odd stitch into the quilt! ;~) Modern fabrics certainly can't compare to the oldies but goodies. I have a few old printed flour sacks that were passed along to me, which I haven't had the nerve to cut into yet. Happy stitching and Happy Thanksgiving!

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    1. If you are really wanting to learn to quilt you could check out your senior center. I know that ours has one day a week where ladies meet and work on a quilt together. They are always open to having new people join them. Even if you are not a senior I'm sure they would love to teach you and let you stitch along with them. Give it a try :)

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  19. What a lovely quilt and a sweet thing for you to do.

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    1. It's a pleasure to work on, and for a very sweet lady :)

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  20. Connie, how wonderful that the quilt top found its way to you, a person that loves to quilt. It's Heaven sent for sure.

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    1. I think it is a blessing for my sister-in-law and for me too. I have been wanting to do something to show my gratitude to her. She is a giver of love, friendship and caring . . . I don't think that there is a person on this earth that has met her that didn't love her. She's one of those people that has a heart ten times her body size :)

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  21. Oh how special to be asked to finish this quilt, I know that you will treat it very special and do a beautiful job with it, I am sure she will be thrilled to get it back all finished! I finished embroidery of some pillowcases my great Aunt had started, I still have them and even use them, I felt so good when I had them finished to know that I finished something she had started :)

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    1. I am so happy that she found this old quilt top and that she is trusting me with it . . . and honor indeed :)

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  22. I love this post. I really wish I had something homemade from my grandmother. It'll be beautiful when you're finished.

    I also wish they still sold flour in pretty sacks.

    xo,
    rue

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    1. I wish they did too. If they would go back to fabric, cardboard, paper and refillable glass bottles, thing of how much cleaner our world would be. Plus as a quilter and stitcher, how many beautiful prints we could collect for sewing.

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  23. How wonderful that you will be able to finish the quilt-a true connection to the past. I have two old quilts made by my grandmother that are just tie-off quilts rather than quilted ones---and they have many of those exact patterns that you have there. Hers came from flour bags and also from bags that chicken mash came in. What wonderful old pieces!!!! xo Diana

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    1. This quit is so much fun to work on and some of the fabrics that her grandmother put together are colors and patterns that I would never mix together and yet I love them. It's a lesson in picking fabrics that I am truly appreciating and learning from. I think it is going to broaden my mind and let me create more colorful and interesting quilts in the future :)

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  24. That's really sweet Connie, congratulations on being a part of her history. That's a beautiful quilt. I love that old advertisement too!

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    1. It's truly an honor to be working on it. I have arthritis in my hands and my hand stitches are not perfect, but each stitch is stitched with love :) I hope she likes the fabrics that I picked for the backing and the binding. It's a special project and I'm blessed to me the one who can finish it for her.

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  25. I had to come over and see your vintage quilt! What an honor to be asked to finish it! It's so lovely and I am sure your sister in law will be very happy to be able to enjoy the top now instead of having it stored away!

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    1. I am sure that she will be pleased to have it finished and be something in her home that reminds her of her grandmother each time she sees it. Quilts were meant to be used, cuddled and loved, not stored away in a box. Now, (or soon) she will be able to enjoy it :)

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  26. She will treasure it. Those old flour sack quilts are the best.
    xx Beca

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    1. Hi Beca, the fabric in those old sacks is so soft and wonderful for hand stitching . . . it going to be a very comfortable quilt :) I'm happy that she found it and happy to be the one chosen to finish it for her.

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  27. What a beautiful quilt and lovely story to accompany it.

    You are such a sweetie Connie.

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    1. It is pretty and I feel grateful to be able to do this for her . . . Wishing you a Happy Thanksgiving.

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  28. What a gift to be doing and giving to your sister-in-law! You are so kind and generous, Connie. May the blessings come back to you tenfold. Happy Thanksgiving to you and your hubby! {{hugs}}

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