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Tuesday, July 15, 2014

Should I Re-Purpose These Quilts?

When I was a little girl, I spent my summers on Keuka Lake (one of the finger lakes of NYS). The woman that took care of me quilted two identical quilts for the bunk beds in their cottage. This was sometime in the late 1960's.

 The fabric isn't really "quilt" fabric, but it really is wonderful (I would buy this in a heartbeat if I saw it in a store). She hand quilted them. They are both 55" W x 103"L. She left them to me about 11 years ago. This was a very special person in my life, but my step-daughters and grandsons have absolutely no connection with her. I would love to use them, but I don't have any twin sized beds.

She pieced both sides of the quilt to make it wider.

Simply beautiful hand stitching.


I don't think that as quilts go, they are particularly valuable, more sentimental to me. Would it be wrong to either join them together or add fabric to them to make them bigger to fit on a larger bed?

Give me your opinions!

Linking up with A Quilt Story for Fabric Tuesday and Free Motion by the River for Linky Tuesday.

Color Me Quilty!

Pat
at

14 comments:

  1. Verna GJuly 15, 2014 at 4:13 PM

    I think it would be great to join them together!

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  2. QuiltCandyJuly 15, 2014 at 4:43 PM

    Oh my goodness so much beautiful work! I think you should join them together then they can be used and loved, which I am sure is what she would have wanted!

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  3. Lori KJuly 15, 2014 at 5:34 PM

    Join them together - they mean something to you and won't to the next person so use them!

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  4. mammafairyJuly 15, 2014 at 6:17 PM

    She gifted these to you, for your own use. If they are not useful to you as they stand, I am sure she would love for you to 'reorganise' them, so that they live on and are useful for you! Go ahead and repurpose!

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  5. Sue NivenJuly 15, 2014 at 6:21 PM

    Joining them together to make them the size you can use is perfect! It is indeed a great thing to do and very much in honor of your friend.

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  6. Lynda Halliger Otvos (Lynda M O)July 15, 2014 at 7:45 PM

    I'm with the other commenters here-joint them and make something that you will love and use.

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  7. LJJuly 15, 2014 at 8:13 PM

    Gorgeous fabric! I agree that joining them would be lovely. You are such an amazing quilter that I know you will do them justice. I can't wait to see how you will handle the borders, etc!

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  8. KatJuly 16, 2014 at 1:42 AM

    They are pretty! I think however you would be able to use them and enjoy them would be honorable.

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  9. SandiJuly 16, 2014 at 6:55 AM

    Join them! I think of it this way...it's like taking my mother's and grandmothers' rings and combining them into one beautiful sparkling diamond ring that I can wear daily.

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  10. UnknownJuly 16, 2014 at 8:01 AM

    I had the same dilemma with a quilt a friend gave to me when she was moving. I thought she had made it from 1930s reproduction fabrics, but found that it was something she picked up at an antique shop. It is actually appliques on what must be feed cloth--never actually quilted. The maker just sewed up the edges making it a summer bed cover I suppose. I was going to take it apart and use some pieces, but I never could. It is entirely hand done including piecing the squares together. Instead I have it on a quilt stand. I'm looking forward to seeing the responses you get.

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  11. tink's momJuly 16, 2014 at 1:25 PM

    She new you loved them or she wouldn't have given them to you. You can love them oh so much more if you are using them on a bigger bed. Go for it. I feel sure she would be thrilled with the modification.

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  12. TooheyJuly 16, 2014 at 3:29 PM

    Beautiful stitching and nice, bright fabric! You also might consider cutting them up and making tote bags or duffel bags for all the loved ones in your life. They would be loved by many people.

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  13. kimmie9503July 17, 2014 at 5:48 PM

    I am too sentimental. I would not alter them!

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  14. AnonymousJuly 20, 2014 at 4:24 PM

    Oh definitely alter them to suit you! Otherwise, they will stay in a closet or hope chest forever. The stitching is so lovely, I think you'd love to use this. Consider cutting large squares or rectangles and connecting them in a quilt-as-you-go technique with sashing. The quilting is already done (unless you want to add more)! For example, something like a crisp blue sashing could modernize the look. Just be wary of white as it could make the older white background in the existing fabric look dull or dirty.

    Do whatever you feel is right, and trust yourself.

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