I purchased a bag of miscellaneous block pieces at the guild rummage sale last summer for $1.50. It caught my eye because I could see vintage-style fabrics in the bag.
When I got them home and spread them out, I discovered that quite a few of the colored pieces were actually OLD -- circa 1930s-1940s fabrics, template-cut arcs, not just repros. Someone had attempted to assemble them using a much more modern ivory tone-on-tone background. There were only four partially-sewn blocks, and some additional background pieces, but not enough to make twelve more blocks. The more recent maker had apparently given up on the project, maybe because of the curved seams, which weren't very successful. (!) I'm guessing that she'd obtained the already-cut arcs somewhere along the way and tried to use them, but wasn't satisfied with her progress.
So the bag has been aging in my stash for a while. I got it out and counted up what was there: the already sewn parts ... the pieces cut with enough to assemble more blocks... and the leftover bits not enough to make more full blocks. I decided to work the piecing up to sixteen blocks, using unbleached muslin for background this time. Today I got to the point of adding a red stop border to emphasize the red diamonds in the blocks -- it's also taming those stretchy curved sections. I'm going to pick apart the remaining partially sewn arcs and use the fabrics in a border somehow, because I don't want to waste any of the vintage fabric.
Kinda fun to think that I'm at least the third person to work with these fabrics. Maybe this time they'll actually become a quilt :)
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6 comments:
What an interesting block that is! Good for you for taking on the project.
Completely jealous of this---Up my dork "status" a bit, but there's something about continuing the 'journey of the quilt'that's wonderful. Great fabrics, I love the pattern. It's kind of like the quilt was meant to be. Have fun...Great photo.
There's something really fascinating about fabric with a history. I can't wait to see how it turns out. Not bad for $1.50!
How fun to have found all that vintage fabric, I love how you put it together, I am lousy at sewing curves, I probably would have been the unsuccessful person who started it before you!
What a great project! Good for you for getting it done! Maybe some quilters are smiling down at you!
i love what you are creating with those pieces!!! and soooo happy to see it become something (you know those pieces hate being in a bag!) :)
awesome!
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