Looking back at our electronic conversations it was January of 2015 when she showed me the quilt and asked for advice. I took it home with me to see what I could figure out. It was seven months before I even had a chance to look at it. In case you don't remember this is what it looked like .....
There wasn't enough original fabric in good shape to use for the binding, so I ordered several shades from the Fat Quarter Shop hoping one of them would be at least close enough to the right color so I could use it. Wonder of wonders! One of them was a perfect match.
I used clip art and hand-embroidery to make the label. Isn't it fun? That's supposed to be the happy couple in 1963 and Pattie in 1967.
Actually these pictures are a little better.
And now, for the rest of the story.
Pattie's mother, Irene Mayfair, was set up on a blind date with a young sailor named Harlon Doyle by her best friend and his best friend. After their first date Irene told her best friend that she was going to marry that man! And she did. On July 3, 1963 in a courthouse in Florida. They traveled to Harlon's hometown for their first Thanksgiving as a married couple and were presented with the quilt by Irene's new mother-in-law, Effie Doyle.
Pattie came along in 1967 and as she was growing up she took over the quilt as her own. In her words, " I sort of took it over growing up. It was my favorite and one of the blankets I wanted to wrap up in if I was sick. It went to the beach as a beach blanket, and was used for picnics over the years ... until it started coming apart, and I just put it up so it wouldn't deteriorate completely."
I am so privileged to have been a part of this quilt's restoration. I hope as it hangs in Pattie's home it brings as much comfort to her as it did when she was growing up. I know it will bring back many precious memories every time she looks at it.
NOTE - if you haven't seen previous posts on the progress of this quilt check them out here -
Aug 29, 2016 -- http://sewthisismyblog.blogspot.com/2016/08/up-next-real-challenge.html
Sept 1, 2016 -- http://sewthisismyblog.blogspot.com/2016/09/old-wedding-quilt-progress.html
Sept 29, 2016 -- http://sewthisismyblog.blogspot.com/2016/09/old-wedding-quilt-its-coming-along.html
Jan 8, 2017 -- http://sewthisismyblog.blogspot.com/2017/01/where-to-start.html
Feb 5, 2017 -- http://sewthisismyblog.blogspot.com/2017/02/all-kinds-of-progress.html
Mar 7, 2017 -- http://sewthisismyblog.blogspot.com/2017/03/old-wedding-quilt-update.html
3 comments:
What a fun story. The quilt looks great! I can see why Pattie was over the moon.
I am impressed. I would think that this project was a huge undertaking. You did good.
THIS IS SO COOL. :) I had the best time going back and reading all the posts about this special quilt. No kidding about it being a labor of love, and she must be over the moon about having a wall-hanging restoration of her special parents' quilt that was such a big part of her childhood. That is crazy about the debris inside it - was it some kind of bug detritus?
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