Thursday, October 23, 2008

Quilt Squares





I love old quilts. I have inherited a few. They are referred to in the quilt trade as "cutter" quilts. This means that, while the quilt as a whole is beyond repair, there are sections that are still in good shape. I have been cutting them apart, embellishing them with embroidery, and making pictures and pillows out of them. I have obtained some vintage buttons and lace, and am going to use them to make some other small items.

Here are a few examples of pieces I've been working on. I love the soft feel of the old, worn fabrics. I enjoy bringing the old designs to life. Here are a few I've been working on.

Note to those who are more experienced than I:
I'm not sure what to do about cleaning these old quilts. I've read that they can be soaked in something like Oxi-Clean to get out old grime. I was afraid the old colors might bleed, and that the embroidery thread I used might bleed (although it does say "color fast" on the label. Or, maybe I should clean them before I embroider them. So, I tried soaking some of the scrap pieces as an experiment. They came out looking good but the old softness was gone, and they dried feeling a bit stiff. Any suggestions?

5 comments:

Natalie, the Chickenblogger said...

I'll be waiting to hear the suggestions too. I hope there are some simple solutions, so your pretty work can stay soft and pretty.

Bearette said...

i have no quilt experience - but have you read the quilting books by jennifer chiaverini? i think you might like them.

judy in ky said...

Hi! I do have some quilt books, but none by jennifer chiaverini... I will look for them. Thanks!

Natalie, the Chickenblogger said...

Judy you leave wonderful comments on my blog, and the one you just left touches my heart deeply. Thank you for what you said. Honestly, I try not to over praise them or gush too much in the blog, but they astound me. They do so much that I appreciate and admire and I want to know them forever, and of course I am biased, so your feelings matter to me... they give me a reassuring perspective.

judy in ky said...

You are welcome, Natalie. It's a pleasure to read about your family.