Friday, September 18, 2009

linen patchwork 2.0, finished!

I finished my second thrifted linen patchwork quilt, yay!



Version 2.0 is pretty much the same as the first one, only one row longer (10x13 - that's 130 different prints!)



For the back, I used a fun cheater print sheet. Hmmm... Kinda looks like overkill in this picture, huh? Oh well, I think it's cute. The binding is scrappy, 7 different pieces.



It's all boxed up now, and will shortly be on its way to my mom in Texas. She'll be taking it to our family reunion in October, where it will be auctioned off. My grandparents are gone now, but their descendants (11 children, 36 grandkids, and I have no idea how many great- and great-great-grandkids...) get together every year for a reunion, and the highlight of the weekend is an auction of hand-made goodies donated by all the family members. All the proceeds go towards funding the next year's reunion. Isn't that such a great idea? (Feel free to use it!) Last year, I donated an awesome flannel rag quilt, and it went for $125!! I can't wait to see how this one does!

And really, I think my grandma would just love this quilt. She was a great seamstress (you'd have to be, with 11 kids in rural South Texas!), and so thrifty and crafty. I have so many great memories of the way her tiny sewing room smelled, the trips to the Five and Dime for fabric, and all the things she made. She kept all the hand-made prom dresses her daughters wore (from the 50's), and all the grandkids loved to play dress-up in them. And get this - she even used to give us handmade underwear for Christmas! She was probably the last person on earth who actually made underwear for reals, and not just for fun. And one year she made these hilarious fake bustier things (complete with stuffed boobs!) that hung from a coat hanger, that were supposed to be used to hold your pantyhose and other unmentionables. They were satin, with lace and straps and everything. Dang, I wish I still had mine! Ah, grandma, I love you, and thank you so much for your crafting legacy!


For the label, I googled up this totally cheesy poem:

A family is like a patchwork quilt
with kindness gently sewn.
Each piece is an original,
with a beauty all its own.
With threads of warmth and happiness,
it's lightly stitched together
to last in love throughout the years -
a family is forever!


Yeah, cheeeeezy! But good for a family reunion, I think. :-) (By the way, if you click to see it in a close up, and you notice any misspellings, don't tell me!)

7 comments:

  1. The quilt is lovely and heart the label! You have beautiful handwriting!

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  2. You backing sheet originally came from the Sears catalog. At least mine did. That was the set I had in my childhood room. Sheets, spread, curtains, even matching area rug if I remember correctly. The set was passed down to a younger relative after I was done with it. Nice sturdy stuff.

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  3. That is a beautiful quilt and an awesome idea! I suggested doing that to my cousin who is currently planning the next reunion. What fun!

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  4. I love this post. You reminded me of both of my grandmas (they were both quilters). My maternal grandma and I were hand sewing a flower garden quilt when when she died. We had most of the blocks done, but they're sitting in a box in closet. People tell me that I should finish it on my own, but I just don't have the will.

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  5. I LOVE it! And I love the idea of a family auction. Be sure to tell us how much it went for.

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  6. This quilt makes me happy just looking at it!

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