Yesterday I Posted about a vintage quilt top that I plan to quilt, and about the quilters of Gee’s Bend and that improvisational quilting style. I was thinking about another top that I have that fits into this category.
I have been thinking about what to do with it for quite a while. As you can see it is not square and not close to flat.
It does look to me that the quilter made it up as she went along…improvised. My challenge for this one will be to see if I can “quilt it out”. I love the overall look of the top (pretend that it is pressed) so I don’t want to modify it much. I had considered cutting it into large pieces, pressing and squaring the pieces, and sewing them back together with sashing of a contrasting color. Once I got it hung up today and looked at it again I changed my mind. I think I will just work it out with quilting. A very thick batting will help take up some of the extra fullness. I might even use the dreaded poly batting. The top is mostly poly fabric so it really is probably likely that the original maker would have used a poly batting anyway. I would never use poly on a very old top because it just would not be age appropriate, but for this one I think it will fit.
I told myself that I will not start another before I finish another so I have been working away…here is the progress
Back to work for me
Happy quilting
Tim
I really do like this top a lot. From what I can see of it, you may have your hands full in trying to “quilt it out.” Brought a smile to my lips with the mention of a polyester batting…
Good going on the triangles. I would have just quilted one line 1/4 inch from the seams but your idea is really nice.
I think there is something about it that makes it special….I am going to try to give it a really good pressing and then see how it looks…I might end up taking a few tucks here and there to help it out……but a few weeks left to go on the triangles before I get to it
Oh my….this one is great but it’s clearly obvious it has ‘issues’. Using a thicker poly batting to help ‘poof’ out some of the extra is a good idea, I wouldn’t have thought of that!!
it does have issues!…I think that is why it was never finished….poly batting poof to the rescue (fingers crossed)
I love the way you share your thought process when deciding what to do with your tops. I think there must be a lot of quilters smiling up in heaven that their quilt tops finally turn into a quilt. I can’t believe how far you have gotten on this pyramid quilt, I finally have rows just need to get those rows together, seeing yours is inspiring me to head to the sewing room.
Thanks Carla…I like that idea of quilters in heaven
I am working extra fast on the pyramids because I have so many that I want to get started on!…so many quilts and so little time
Wow! Beautiful quilt top. Between this one and your Gee’s Bend look quilt, you’re definitely stretching your hand quilting creativity to the max. I will enjoy following your progress!
Seems like lately I have been drawn to things that are different…I go in spells….and right now the irregular is calling me
Great top! I know you can make it the beauty it is waiting to be. A good pressing might help with some of the extra poof! As much as I dislike pressing it covers a multitude of sins!
that is true….this one has so much poly in the fabric that I will need to be careful not to melt it!
That one looks like a nightmare, but I’m sure you’ll deal with it! Poly???!!, ok, makes sense…
Good progress on the triangles and it’s only Wednesday!!
polyester fabric and batting would not be my first choice….but it does speak to the era it was made
ummmm …… guess I’m one of the few individuals that like quilting with polyester batting. Recently, I used a cotton batting for a baby’s quilt and was surprised to see how easy it was to quilt with. I wonder if it would be possible for you to do a post on batting and why you prefer to use a particular brand for your quilts.
I’m so amazed at the number of tops you have to be quilted. They were wonderful to see!
I will do that…I will be starting a new one soon and I will talk about batting and backing when I start