Quilt Perspectives

Often we take our family and heritage for granted and often don't realize that someday our grandmothers, mothers and aunts will no longer be around.  When my grandmother was still with us I made her a hand-quilted quilt.  She was so surprised she started crying and said that I had reversed the order of things, that she should have made me a quilt.  We laughed about it and then we started talking about quilting and quilts she had made years ago.  She asked about the type of thimble I used and before we knew it the afternoon was gone.  A few weeks later she mailed me a picture of her with her great aunt and her mother and grandmother and she included the thimbles from each.  I then collected one from my mother and I have my own mini heritage collection.  I treasure this collection, it is my legacy and I plan to put the pictures in the center of a shadow box with the thimbles aorund the outside.  I treasure this gift more than anything she could have ever given me.  My grandmother passed away a few years ago and the quilt was returned to me and my oldest son claimed the quilt as his own.  I will always have the memory of that treasured afternoon and the gift of my heritage.

As an art student I had to have slides taken of my artwork.  When I started making quilts I had to 'teach' the photographer how to handle them.  From there I learned to love his power air gun to remove stray threads, and he offered me a free session in return for sewing a large black velvet backdrop for him.  He now has his 'favorite' quilts and blocks, as well as knowing to fold tops with the seams on the outside.

We all know how difficult it is to take a good picture of our quilts.  If we hang them outside, the wind blows so we have a ripple.  If we lay them flat they may have a glare or the shape may appear distorted.  If you have good lighting in your bathroom and a shower door, you are on your way to good pictures.  I discovered this recently after my husband replaced a light bulb in the overhead light fixture.  I used clear packing tape to tape a small quilt top to the top of the the shower door.  I ended up with a great picture.  Tape won't hold a quilt.  So, I threw a bath towel over the top, pinned it a few places with safety pins, and pinned the back of my quilt to the towel.  It was also a small quilt.  If your door is the length of the tub, several bath towels can be used for a larged quilt.  These are the best pictures I've ever taken of my quilt.  No shower door, attach your quilt to towels thrown over a drapery rod.

I'M A GRANDMA THAT MAKES QUILTS AND WALLHANGINGS. I  TEND TO GET "SPECIAL REQUESTS" FROM THE YOUNGER GRANDKIDS THAT LEAVE ME WONDERING "HOW ON EARTH WILL I DO THIS?" SOMETIMES THERE JUST ISN'T THE TYPE OF FABRIC YOU NEED. MY 8 YEAR OLD GRNADSON LOVES TURTLES. WITH A LITTLE REDESIGN "MYRTLE TURTLE" TEA TOWEL EMBROIDERY DESIGNS MAKE THE PERFECT BLOCKS FOR ME TO FABRIC PAINT. HE IS THRILLED AT HIS ONE OF A KIND TURTLE QUILT. THESE ARE ENDLESS POSSIBILITES FOR JUST ABOUT ANY DESIGN.

I have a large collection of antique dresser scarves, dollies, hankies, etc.  Many of them have stains and are not usable as intended but have much usable fabric.  I cut out quilt labels from this fabric.  Including the wonderful embroidery, open work, lace.  On the lighter weight hankies and such I use stablizer for a firmer work area..  This has made a nice addition to the antique tops I have quilted.

A great way to keep track of the quilts you make, whether you keep them or give them as gifts is to maintain a quilt scrapbook.  It can be as simple or detailed as you like.  You could photograph the process of making the quilt, the finished product, presenting the quilt to someone and always include a little documentaiton about the quilt; why you made it, something about the person it is for and of course the date and other significant information.  Putting the pictures and information together in a scrapbook is fun and will always be enjoyable to look at for years to come.  For anyone into scrapbooking, this is a really awesome way to document the quilts you make.  If you aren't into scrapbooking, you can make the pages in the memory book very simply with just the needed information and a photo of the finished quilt.  You may find you enjoy scrapbooking and really get creative with your pages.  I love being able to combine two of my passions; quilting and scrapbooking.

I have an adorable 2 1/2 year old grandson.  He learned very early that Q is for Quilt! He thinks quilting with Grandma is the best!  I decided long ago not to be an "up-tight" grandma, so- when he comes I let him "sew" with the needle and no thread.  It does no damage to my quilt and he has "helped".  He "helped" me quilt a lap quilt for my mother's birthday and he always comments when we see it that he "helped"!

I also have a supply of sewing cards and needle, thread and beads so he can do his own sewing at Grandma's house.

Crazy quilts were all the rage in the Victorian era. Composed of small, irregularly shaped pieces of fabric assembled in a random manner, these quilts featured luxurious fabrics like silk, velvet, and brocade. After the pieces were assembled, the quilter would finish the quilt with lavish embroidery and other embellishments. The trend started in wealthy homes, where the women had ample time and resources to work on these time-consuming quilts made with quality materials. As time went on, women in all economic levels adapted the crazy quilt fad to fit their own lifestyles, often using more economical fabrics.

A common gift for a young woman was a friendship quilt.  Each friend created her own block and signed her name.  The blocks were assembled and the quilt was quilted, producing a lovely and thoughtful gift.  Quilts were practical as much as sentimental, as a young woman often did not have a blanket or bed cover.  Assembling and quilting a friendship quilt was often a social function, allowing women to get together, gossip, and create a beautiful work of usable art.

Often, quilts told a story of the quilter's life, major event, or especially their family history. This was often the case for African American quilters in the 19th century. Many times, there was not a way to document a story or family tree, so women created story quilts to preserve their personal history. These magnificent works were passed down through the ages and family treasures. Sadly, other African American quilts, such as string quilts composed any available scrap material that was sewn into blocks, do not exist due to the extreme level of use.