Old Quilts and Country Hoedowns

Last Saturday night our Newcomers Club of Greater Huntsville had a Country Hoedown.  That morning while we were decorating I noticed that the display in front of the building needed a little something.  I just happened to have an old quilt in the trunk of my car so I grabbed it and draped it over the step-ladder.  Now it was perfect!!

It's really just a tied comforter made out of all kinds of scraps left from garment sewing in the mid 70's and early 80's.  It is a well-worn quilt so it stays in my car, "just in case", and has come in handy many times. 

A lot of the fabrics are almost disintegrated.  A few of those I remember buying at the J.C.Penney for 25 cents a yard when I was a student's wife in 1974. 

This quilt has been used as a drop cloth for my boys' craft projects (notice the paint) and as a moving pad when hauling large purchases or pieces of furniture, so it has more than served its purpose.

Yes, some of the fabrics look brand new, don't they?  You might never guess, but they are polyesters.  That would explain it!  I see four pieces left from my maternity clothes, one from my boys' pajamas, and even one from my bridesmaids' dresses.  I am certain they will last forever.  

This got me thinking about old quilts so I thought I would share with you just a few I have which were made by my grandparents.  I love this blue and white Drunkard's Path.

This Drunkard's Path is not made in the traditional setting, but it's really pretty.

I think this is an interesting star block.  

My grandparents had each of us select an applique pattern from a sales catalog when we were probably about 10 or 12.  Then they made the quilts and put them back for our weddings.  By the time I was of "marrying age" I had forgotten what mine would look like so it was still a surprise.

I think this one is my favorite.  It's a whole cloth quilted with green embroidery floss, or maybe even crochet thread.

After they stopped quilting my grandfather gave me this pink and white Hearts and Gizzards baby quilt top.  When I was expecting my first baby I finished it for my newborn, and it became the first of many hand-quilted quilts I was to make.  Both our boys used the quilt (pre-ultra sound days!) and now it's tucked away in my cedar chest.

I hope you've enjoyed seeing some old quilts.  I can't sign off without showing you at least one picture from the Hoedown.  This is Hubby and me in our Hoedown garb.  I don't get a whole lot of opportunities to wear pig-tails.  None, actually.  But that might be a good thing.