Keep Smiling

Keep Smiling

Wednesday, April 27, 2016

My Drepression Era Quilt

I have this quilt that I purchased
 at a yard sale maybe ten years ago.  
I was filled with that old batting they called ca-pox 
(I have no idea if this spelling is correct, probably not)  
but it is the kind that bunches up 
into thick and thin clumps through out the quilt.  


To me this is the sign of a very old quilt
 and there is a coziness to the unevenness
 and the heaviness of being 
warmed by one of these old quilts.  

Mine is around 4 foot square 
and ever since the day I bought it, 
it has been my favorite quilt to throw over me 
while watching the TV in the evening.  
Even in the summer, because my husband likes the A/C 
turned cooler than I do :) 


Well, this old quilt was starting to get holes worn 
in the top and there were places that were pulling apart.  
I've probably washed it at least 50 times 
and who knows how many washing's 
it had before I came along. 

The back was in great shape . . . 
must be very good quality fabric.  
Well, I decided to give it a face-lift.
  
So, from my scrap pile I dug out small pieces of fabric,
trim, embroidery project that I never finished,
and small paper piecing projects that I never used.
  
 
Then I started breaking all the rules . . . 
if you are a person with strict quilting rules, 
you may want to stop here. 


Girls just want to have fun, 
and fun it what I had making this quilt.


I also must say that it drove me a little bit crazy 
fitting all these little scraps together,
and sewing through the thick and thin batting.


Maybe that is where the name 
Crazy Quilt 
came from.


This is my first recycle project of the year.

Reviving this old quilt 
and using up many of my smallest scraps 
made me think of the women of 
The Great Depression 
and the way they continued to make a cozy home 
by using what they had.  


I dedicate this up-cycled quilt to all of them. 

This is my version of a
"Depression Era Quilt".
I've named it the 
"Use what you have and be grateful 
that you have it quilt"


Here is a quote from Online Quilter

Depression Era Quilting

Some of the brightest and most cheerful quilts came from 
one of the darkest periods in our history, the Great Depression.  
 The decade from 1929 until the start of World War II 
was a time of prolific quilting in America, 
in spite of difficult times.  
In fact, when the Depression was at its worst in 1933, 
twenty million people attended the "Century of Progress" 
exhibition in Chicago and one of the most popular exhibits 
was the national quilt contest 
sponsored by the Sears, Roebuck and Company department store. 

Here's a link if you are interested
 in reading the whole article. 


I'm Linking up with
The Quilting Party at
My Quilt Infatuation
Join the fun here:
http://myquiltinfatuation.blogspot.com/2016/04/party-time.html


Well, that's my post for today
and I'm sticking to it, LOL 

Have a Great Day!
&
Keep Smiling.

Your blogging sister,
Connie :)

60 comments:

  1. It's very fun and whimsical. I really like the label you made. xoox Su

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  2. Rules are made to be broken! Especially when you have to triage an old quilt to keep it usable! I love your Crazy Quilt!

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    1. Some of those little scraps were tricky, but the results are fun and make me smile. I'm happy that you like it :)

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  3. Great post - and the finished / repaired quilt looks amazing.

    I do like the verse - use what you have and be grateful that you have it.

    Have a good week

    All the best Jan

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  4. I just love what you did with your quilt. Enjoy, Janie

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    1. I just didn't want to part with the old thing :)
      I am delighted that you like it.

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  5. Connie it is beautiful, you have done such a great job. I love all the little additions, a real delight.

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    1. It kind of puts a smile on your face, right?

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  6. that is one bright and cheerful quilt. A great way to recycle and also use up scraps too. Love the tag you made for it. Great start for the year.

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    1. Sometimes saving something old is more fun than making something new :) It is amazing what you can do with all those little scraps, and my scrap bin still looks full.

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  7. You managed to turn a nice quilt into a unique and absolutely great one. I love that you 'broke' the quilting rules ( I didn't realize there were any) . I remember that Ka poc stuff. I never liked the lumps much though.

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    1. The lumpy old quilt just makes me think of Grandma's house. Back when she quilted it was the common thing.

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  8. That is a very colorful and fun quilt.. a family heirloom. I have a very old star quilt.. I'll have to post about it someday. ((hugs)), Teresa :-)

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    1. A few years ago I would have said that quilting would never be my thing. Now, the more quilting projects that I do, the more I want to do :)

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  9. You've done a fantastic job. A quilt, after all, is a story book and you have just added your chapter.

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    1. Oh Gail, that is so sweet . . . I love what you have written here, thank you :)

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  10. That is so cheerful and interesting that you did that. Did you sew the add ons right through to the batting and backing. I have one of my Mom's quilts full size quilts and it is pretty tattered in spots. Hmmmmm. Wonder if I could do that! You are the clever one! Nancy

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    1. Hi Nancy, yes I did. I just sewed one on to the front, then folded another right side down and sewed next to it. Then turned that one right side up and kept adding until it was covered. In the places that I added hexies and embroidery, I just filled fabric around and left a spot on the quilt to cover with those and applied like an applique. Have fun . . . go break some rules, LOL.

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  11. Oh Connie. I LOVE it. Adorable. Great job! Susan

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  12. I know the type of quilt you're talking about.
    I bought several OLD QUILTS, probably made by the same women or group of women because the color of fabrics were similar and closely coordinated. Anyway... just this year, I started using one on my bed under a very thin quilt I acquired around the same time ANYWAY... it's pretty heavy to sleep under! and it's warm too!
    Mine all 3 have spots that are worn. They need some TLC. Your quilt gives me some ideas. I may not remake the entire top...but I may just patch them.
    I love how cheerful your quilt is... cute patchwork.
    The depression era was definitely and interesting time, so much to be learned from the women of that time.

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    1. I know the young people in their thirties and forties think that they have started this new thing called recycling. I can just imagion the laughter of those that lived through the Great Depression laughing their sweet heads off :)

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  13. Oh connie! What a neat idea to redo the top of the wuilt like that so it can still be used! It is absolutely darling! I love the colors and "craziness" of it. I'm sure you will get many more washings out of it now and will enjoy using it for several years to come. You are so talented! I enjoyed learning about the Depression Era quilts too., and the tag you made it perfect. I hope some day to have the time to learn how to quilt. Hope your Monday was bright and beautiful and Tuesday is even better!

    Hugs, Vicky

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    1. Hi Vicky, it sounds like you read the article from the link in this post. I thought that it was very interesting. I'll be mailing your package today so watch the mail. You are a sweetie pie :)

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  14. Love it!! So bright and happy, and a vintage treasure. You did a great job of patching, Connie, with style and panache!

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    1. Thanks . . . all the bright colors just make me smile. Besides that, it is always fun when all your material comes from the scrap pile :)

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  15. It's a lovely recycled 'crazy quilt' with all the different shapes, coloured patterns and the rick rack braid. A good quote too. It will continue to keep you warm. Have a good day :)

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    1. It was fun digging through my scraps and unfinished projects and picking out the things to add to this quilt. I'm very pleased that you like it :)

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  16. wow! This came out fabulous! Gorgeous prints and colors.

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    1. Hi Becky, thanks for stopping by . . . I'm happy that you like this crazy mixed up quilt. The bright colors are on the happy side, right :)

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  17. Great way to revive an old quilt, I have a few that are coming apart that my mom made years ago and I was going to take them apart, but maybe I will do something like this :)

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    1. I am always excited when one of my projects inspires other blogging sisters and starts their creative minds spinning. We all have our own creative touch and angle to the things we make, so if you do this, please be sure and post it. You may inspire me to try it your way :)

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  18. This is so beautiful. It's interesting that some of the most beautiful quilts came out of the depression. Humans are always looking for sunshine :) And I remember Kapok. I think it's the moss from a tree. They used to use it to stuff the seats on trains and streetcars.

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    1. That is very interesting. I am thrilled that you think my little quilt is beautiful, I was just going for practical, but I'll take beautiful, LOL. Thank you :)

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  19. You were so clever and creative to fix up the quilt. It's so colorful and pretty. Wishing you a wonderful week.
    Julie

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    1. Thank you Julie, on both counts, you are a sweetie :)

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  20. I love old quilts! Most of all,I love the history behind them. So pretty Connie!

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    1. Thank you Sherry and thank you for your post about the gift I sent. I never dreamed you would do that . . . I almost cried :)

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  21. Just found yours and Sherry's blogs...oh what joy on a miserable wet UK day...these collections of fabrics are so enchanting. Looking forward to following you both...

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    1. Well, Hello Dotty's daughter . . . it is wonderful to make a new friend and meet another blogging sister. I hit your follow button today too, so welcome to the sisterhood :)

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  22. Quilting rules? There are quilting rules? LOL Not for this girl. My rule is "no rules". Seriously, you did a great job and I LOVE your label. Hugs, Nancy

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    1. Hi Nancy, Thank you so much. Oh, I do have a few friends that have rules . . . I guess that I am the black sleep quilter in that bunch, LOL.

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  23. I always loved crazy quilts back when they would sell up to $500 and more at farm auctions
    I seen one a couple weeks ago in an antique/flea market shop for $50 and almost bought it however some of the silks was rotted off. It would be beautiful hanging on a wall or cut up for throws I may have to go back and get it.

    The depression era was horrible from all my families stories,there was definitely no buying materiel for a quilt. That is why we have so many old buttons today the ladies saved everything. I love my vintage buttons

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    1. Oh I love old buttons, too. I have some that belonged to my husbands grandmother. I was born in 1945. I was Mom's last baby and my oldest brother was 20 years older than me. So they raised a family during the depression. Those saving habits were passed on to all of us. We never threw out old clothes. If they were still good, we passed them on, if they were worn out the buttons were removed and the fabric was either used for making other things or used for cleaning rags. I've always been a very good saver . . . "waste not - want not". I've heard that phase many time growing up :)

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    2. I was the same way. My parents went through the depression with 2 toddlers, had a baby, and not much money. After that, nothing that could even possibly be thought to be of future use, was ever tossed. Mama had a scrap box, and in the winter, when no garden, she used newspaper to sew behind the scrap pieces, then stitched into a quilt. My job as a little girl, was to tear out the newspaper backing, once the quilt top was made, and before the quilting started. What a memory you've just jogged into my mind! TFS

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  24. What a beautiful quilt and also the idea behind it. My Mom grew up in the depression and I heard many stories while I was growing up. Nothing was wasted back then...that is for sure. Love your blog!

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    1. Hello again, Kelly! I am just so happy that you found me, because it lead me to your beautiful blog. I am looking forward to a sweet blogging friendship :)

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  25. Enjoyed having a good read on this post! That was a fab find you had, and I'm delighted at the way you've refurbished this cozy quilt with all your bits & pieces. Now it's uniquely your own, and still has lots of life in it, to be enjoyed long into the future. It really turned out splendidly with your design, and frankly, quilts like this, are always more beautiful to me, than the ones done with the perfect piecing & stitching at a show. I also am drawn to the old fashioned look, much more than the 'modernistic' designs, even though I respect the skill that went into the creative process. Old styles just say "Cover up with me" when I see those, and when I was quilting, those were the ones that would inspire me (well, to buy fabric anyway!! LOL) TFS your masterpiece.

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    1. I agree, I like the quilts that have an old fashioned appeal :) They just look cozier . . . not to be displayed, but to be used :)

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  26. I almost missed reading this post! Love the tag you put on the back of your quilt. So clever of you to make this depression quilt your quilt now!! Good post. Nancy

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    1. Hi Nancy, actually I made it in January and when I linked it to a quilting party it brought it to the front of my posts again. There are so many things to see on line that it's easy to not remember it. I am always . . . I mean ALWAYS trying to re-pin great ideas and photos that I have already pinned. I just figure that means I truly like them even more than I thought the first time :) Thank you so much :)

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  27. You've done a great job here - so colourful.

    All the best Jan

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    1. Thanks so much . . . it's a very happy quilt :)

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  28. How fun! I love breaking "the rules". Cute label, too. xo ~ Nancy

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  29. You got a very good website, Gladiolus I found it through yahoo.

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