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Saturday, March 1, 2014

Grandmother's Garden

I got a wonderful package in the mail on Monday—my vintage redone quilt had returned from the fabulous Chris, who worked magic with her quilting!
The first thing I did was spread it out on the living room floor to marvel at the quilting.  It was so beautiful!
My grandmother pieced the top in the late 1960s or early 1970s.  She'd sent it to my mother to finish, but that didn't happen.  Instead, it got tucked away, and I found it many years later in a big plastic tote that ended up at my house after mom passed away.
Grandma and me, picking cherries c. 1963
You can read below about me discovering the quilt top and ultimately deciding—thanks to inspiration and encouragement from Quilt Diva Julie—to take it apart and remake each block.  
Blocks Before and After: 
 

 My goal was to preserve the wild and wonderful vintage prints in the tulip/lily-shapes and replace some of the fabrics that had condition issues.
 
Chris truly captured the eclectic spirit of the quilt with her free-form quilting.  I love, love, love it!  She matched the thread to the many colors in the blocks so that it blended in and didn't detract.  That's a lot of thread changes!  

I really appreciate the TLC she put into the quilting.  You can see more on Chris's blog and public photo album.
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16 comments:

  1. AnonymousMarch 1, 2014 at 10:11 AM

    Oh, it is so lovely! The red binding really is the icing on the cake! I am thrilled that you are so happy with it. I love the photo of the 2 of you in earlier years!
    Take care and thanks again!

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  2. ElizabethMarch 1, 2014 at 10:32 AM

    P.! That turned out fantastic! The quilting is SO amazing! What a wonderful treasure! I absolutely love your refurb on the blocks and the beautiful way you brought the whole thing together with that border print! And the quilting is amazing! Congrats on a really wonderful finish and thank you for linking up!

    xo -E

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  3. Lori R.March 1, 2014 at 1:34 PM

    Beautiful! I marvel at the way some people figure out how to fill spaces with different designs in their machine quilting. I still do stipple, curlicues and straight lines. Would like to work up to leaves!!!

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  4. Sarah CraigMarch 1, 2014 at 1:43 PM

    Wow, P., it's just spectacular!! Such a treasure - aren't you glad you took the time to fix it up?
    Whoop whoop!

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  5. ElizabethMarch 1, 2014 at 2:44 PM

    It is lovely and holds so many special memories for you. That makes it truly wonderful. Congratulations.

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  6. ShayMarch 1, 2014 at 2:44 PM

    Ok - thats one seriously amazing kick butt quilt. The whole thing is completely breathtaking!

    Your grandmother is looking down and smiling at her finished quilt. You did an amazing job P...

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  7. AnonymousMarch 1, 2014 at 4:06 PM

    Gorgeous Gorgeous Gorgeous...how beautiful to be wrapped up in love from your Grandmother! I absolutely love this quilt! Enjoy! Marie x (mlismore@optusnet.com.au)

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  8. Kevin the QuilterMarch 1, 2014 at 7:07 PM

    I am literally in awe! I can only imagine your emotion upon reuniting with it after painstakingly remaking it! Chris truly did an amazing job! Your grandma would be so proud of you!

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  9. KarenMarch 1, 2014 at 8:57 PM

    I have been waiting for this one! Wow, so incredible! Will you label it with your name and Grandma? A treasure ;)

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  10. KimMarch 1, 2014 at 10:35 PM

    This quilt is quite simply gorgeous!! I love the back stoy. I love that you so paintstakingly deconstructed it and lovingly put 'you' into your grandma's quilt. I love that this quilt captures so many lovely memories. I love the amazing quilting patterns, they truly enhance your beautiful quilt. Your quilt truly is a vision splendid!!

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  11. HazelMarch 2, 2014 at 9:21 AM

    All the pictures and commentary in your post were wonderful, and I thank you for doing this because I was inspired to work on an old quilt of mine. It brought back so many memories of quilts from my mom and grandma, and dad!

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  12. MichelleMarch 2, 2014 at 10:44 AM

    Heck, *i* got misty eyed reading your post and looking at that now beautifully preserved piece of your heritage. Having found the love of quilting through my great grandmother, I get it.

    Love the pattern! And Chris did a fabulous job with the quilting. Spectacular!

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  13. CatherineMarch 2, 2014 at 12:47 PM

    This quilt must be really special for you. What lovely memories too.

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  14. MomWaldsPlaceMarch 2, 2014 at 5:29 PM

    It is truly a treasure, just like YOU.

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  15. AnonymousMarch 2, 2014 at 9:37 PM

    I know that this quilt has a special place in your heart and will bring you many years of loving memories! It looks lovely - Enjoy!!

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  16. Vicki @ DottyJaneMarch 13, 2014 at 10:08 AM

    Wow! What a beauty! Grandma would love it:)

    (I figured it was time to come out of hiding.)

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