Quilt Rescue

Some people have an affinity for animal rescue. That's wonderful for them. There are many poor pets that need a loving home and someone to be their advocate. I appreciate the work and the services they provide.


I, however, have a heart for unloved, abused quilts. At every yard sale I visit I keep a keen eye out for poor unloved fragments of fabric. Every once in a while I find a treasure worthy of rescue.

Today was that sort of a day. I stopped just down the road, not thinking I would find anything, browsed a few tables, walked around a corner and saw this beauty. It was marked $22, which was a steal of a deal for the vintage fabric and hand sewing involved. I quickly and discreetly scanned the bills in my purse and was about to walk away, but the "yard sale manager" said she would consider all offers. I quickly said that I only had $13, would that be OK. She hemmed and hawed, then caved! YES!!

This vintage Double Wedding Ring was poor, unloved and abused. It was once a lovely item. Perhaps it was a wedding gift for a newly returned soldier and his bride. Maybe his mother made it while praying for his safe return.

Then again, maybe his sweetheart made it as she hoped for the best--that he would one day come home and return her love with a proposal.

I can always dream.


Back to the facts: it is 1930's vintage fabrics, it was hand pieced. At one time it had been quilted with lovely little stitches in a yellow cotton thread. It looks as if it had only been quilted to a flannel sheet. It has since been cut away from that flannel except around the fine yellow stitches.


I'd really like to restore it to its original beauty and luster. I really have no idea where to start, except to resew the edges and get the arcs back together. Then maybe to sandwich it and quilt around the yellow stitches.

Any other ideas?

Comments

Connie "B" said…
That is quite a find. If the seams are coming apart and the fabric isn't worn then all you have to do is stitch them back together. You can sandwish it together and hand quilt it in the design that was there. Or you can sandwish it and tie it together.
Connie "B"
March 28, 2010 at 10:06 AM
Alycia~Quiltygirl said…
Beautiful. I think it will be lovely restored back to its original.
March 29, 2010 at 10:54 AM
Helen in the UK said…
What a fantastic find - lucky lady :)
April 1, 2010 at 11:04 AM
Totallyscrappy said…
I'm not much of a quilter, ok, I'm no quilter, but I love the stories of the love involved in each stitch. :)
April 14, 2010 at 5:19 PM
^A^ngel said…
I think it would be worth restoring...it is beautiful...maybe you would like to contact this lady... http://delainegatelyquiltlady.blogspot.com/ she may be of help...

Hugs and God Bless,

^A^ngel♥
April 22, 2010 at 11:18 AM
Cece's Creationz said…
The only thing is that if you want to have this retain it's value, do not add anything to it. I learned the hard way that the quilt my grandmother hand-pieced when I was a little girl is dated from the time I had it quilted about 20 years ago and not from 50+ years ago when it was first done.
June 10, 2010 at 8:29 PM
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