ffq-lar Posted February 4, 2011 Report Share Posted February 4, 2011 I just finished quilting a 30's hand-pieced Ocean Waves top. It was "robustly" hand-pieced, meaning the stitches were firm, even, seams all the same, and the top was remarkably flat given that it was made with a zillion half-square triangles. I was thinking about the piecer as I did two days worth of CC's across the triangles. Why was the top never quilted? Did the piecer decide the echo-quilting of all the triangles was too much to face right away? Or, like many of today's quilters, did she enjoy the assembly but perhaps not the quilting? As I hung the quilt when finished, the light dawned. She had made a couple of mistakes when she put it all together! The majority of the blocks were all set the same. One entire row was "off"--she had made a mistake in one big block and continued on to the end. So, 80 years ago someone just like you and me took that quilt top, balled it up in disgust, and put it in the chest to "marinate" until she could face taking an entire row of hand-piecing out and putting it back together to match the rest of the quilt. Obviously she moved on to other quilts, this was found after she passed away, the kids didn't know what to do with it, someone bought it at the garage sale or church sale or thrift store, the owner put it on ebay and my friend bought it. Then I got to think about it and her as I spent three days quilting it..... Gosh, I love my job! The fact that this woman thought just like I think makes me feel such a connection. I will post a photo tomorrow when there is better light. Thanks for putting up with my rambling! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
doodlebug Posted February 4, 2011 Report Share Posted February 4, 2011 linda- you have such a beautiful way of describing stuff.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
witha'K'quilting Posted February 4, 2011 Report Share Posted February 4, 2011 I so love you linda. You make me fall in love again with quilting...everyday! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
quiltmonkey Posted February 4, 2011 Report Share Posted February 4, 2011 Originally posted by doodlebug linda- you have such a beautiful way of describing stuff.... Ditto Originally posted by sagebrushquilter I so love you linda. You make me fall in love again with quilting...everyday! Double ditto Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Primitive1 Posted February 4, 2011 Report Share Posted February 4, 2011 Triple Ditto!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quilting Heidi Posted February 4, 2011 Report Share Posted February 4, 2011 Quadruple (sp?) Ditto! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CindyT Posted February 4, 2011 Report Share Posted February 4, 2011 Such warm fuzzy feelings this morning...I agree with all the above. Anxiously awaiting the picture. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PattyJo Posted February 4, 2011 Report Share Posted February 4, 2011 Linda - many ditto's to you. I wish that I had your mind and could think like you do...But God only made one of you and I'm glad that I get to call you friend. AND, If my kids ball up an unquilted top I made after I die and sell it in the garage sale, I'll come and haunt them - Today, I'm going to send all of them notice of that fact - - - - - :P:P:P Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
quiltmonkey Posted February 4, 2011 Report Share Posted February 4, 2011 Originally posted by PattyJo .....If my kids ball up an unquilted top I made after I die and sell it in the garage sale, I'll come and haunt them - Today, I'm going to send all of them notice of that fact - - - - - :P:P:P Patty Jo I am R O T F Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JustSewSimple Posted February 4, 2011 Report Share Posted February 4, 2011 Patty Jo, Hahahahahaha!!!! Linda, isn't it amazing that there were UF0s eighty years ago? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
o2b Quilting Posted February 4, 2011 Report Share Posted February 4, 2011 Love your thoughts about notifying the kids Patty Jo. I might have to do the same!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
delld Posted February 4, 2011 Report Share Posted February 4, 2011 Ditto Linda! I made my reservations last night! Washington, here I come!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lizziesgirl Posted February 4, 2011 Report Share Posted February 4, 2011 Many tops, unfortunately were left unquilted because during the war women had to go to work and didn't get together to finish their tops like they use too. They would still make the tops because they still would make their own clothing and they just couldn't let the scraps sit. They still also, like us, enjoyed the creation of making the quilt top, they just didn't have the time to finish most of them like they use to. The good thing for me is that I get to see the wonderful construction that went into these beautiful masterpieces. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sheri Butler Posted February 4, 2011 Report Share Posted February 4, 2011 I can't wait to see this quilt! Linda, I think the same way when I come across those old vintage quilts. I LOVE working on them. Yes, at times, they pucker a bit...etc. but it's still this "completion" of an old quilt, that someone made with love...and I'm hoping I did it, and the maker..Justice..and perhaps, if they are "up there" they are looking down upon my work smiling. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
catsigler Posted February 4, 2011 Report Share Posted February 4, 2011 What are CCs? Didn't I see a list of abbreviations recently? Didn't look at the post when I saw it, and now I can't find it. I have an ebay vintage scrappy crazy quilt top in the wings waiting to be quilted. It appears to have been balled up for quite a few decades. Not very flat, and a little "crispy." I've already seen a couple of my quilts balled up in the kids' linen closet, but they were well used first. At least none have been used to protect the driveway from an oil change (that I know of). Can't wait to see the quilt, Linda. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Linda S Posted February 4, 2011 Report Share Posted February 4, 2011 LOL - it's in the blood. All that work and then you notice a mistake!! For me, the biggest UFO I have is a lone star for which I can only find seven of the star points! ACK! Someday I'll get around to making another strip set and getting the top done. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
quiltmonkey Posted February 4, 2011 Report Share Posted February 4, 2011 Originally posted by catsigler What are CCs? Didn't I see a list of abbreviations recently? Didn't look at the post when I saw it, and now I can't find it. Continuous Curves Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
saratogaquilter Posted February 4, 2011 Report Share Posted February 4, 2011 Linda, I checked your website first so I didn't make a complete fool of myself. I didn't see any books. Have you written any books? And if not, why not??!! You have such a way with words! How-to books, fiction, whatever! I can just imagine that little lady's face when she realized what she did wrong just reading the way you described it. I know you have amazing talent quilting but I think there is another one just waiting to get out. I'd be the first one to buy what ever you write!! Get to work!!! Sheryl Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quiltsinmotion Posted February 4, 2011 Report Share Posted February 4, 2011 Linda , what a sweet story thank you so much for sharing with us , can't wait to see the pic's we are so lucky to quilt for others 99% of the time Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ffq-lar Posted February 5, 2011 Author Report Share Posted February 5, 2011 Here is the Ocean Waves vintage. Notice the top horizontal row. Squint and see the shape of the center white block. In the other five rows, the blocks match. This top row does not. I like the ones in the top row that look like plus signs and squares. So there was the dilemma--take off the whole row, remove each lozenge-shaped half-square side block and flip it, or leave it alone. She left it alone. There are 97 lozenge-shaped blocks. Each block has 24 triangles. Each triangle had 3 CC's in it. 97x24x3=6,984 CC's in this quilt--no wonder it took me two days to do the CC's! And yes, I found a path all across the row that allowed me to quilt in one pass. Took about 50 minutes per pass. Probably TMI! Also, you may notice a similarity in the center motif with a recent wonky DWR--it worked once and it works again! Thanks for looking! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ffq-lar Posted February 5, 2011 Author Report Share Posted February 5, 2011 ...and the quilting. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Primitive1 Posted February 5, 2011 Report Share Posted February 5, 2011 Wow, that is soooo pretty! Love it! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
witha'K'quilting Posted February 5, 2011 Report Share Posted February 5, 2011 Beautiful finish that this top deserved. Even with the mistake in the piecing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
matildanme Posted February 5, 2011 Report Share Posted February 5, 2011 Lovely! I think the error makes it even more enchanting! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joyce Posted February 5, 2011 Report Share Posted February 5, 2011 Love what you did. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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