An Old Wedding Quilt Finish -- Finally!

I'm sure my friend Pattie thought this day would never come.  I was beginning to wonder, myself.   The restoration of the Old Wedding Quilt is complete and it has been delivered.  Pattie is "over the moon" about it.  

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 .....

 .....and my first blog post about this project describes the condition.  I think the most fun part of this entire thing was taking it apart.  I had never done that with an old quilt, and it was so cool.  (Yes, my favorite part of home remodeling projects is the demolition!)  Between finishing the top and starting to quilt it, I had to set it aside again for a while, but I got back to it, anxious to see it finished.  

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.

It could not have been a better 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

Up Next - - - A Real Challenge

I do love a challenge.   My friend's parents received this quilt as a wedding gift (I think) sometime in the 1960's (I believe.)  I need to find out a little more about the history, but it was obviously a much loved quilt. 

It was definitely much used.

 And is much worn!

I know for sure that orange and turquoise were popular colors to use in quilts in the 1960's.  I'm not so sure about brown.  I need to look through some quilt encyclopedias for the name of this block.  I don't think I've seen it before.  

The owners want to keep it for sentimental reasons, but it's in pretty rough shape.  Pattie said I can do whatever I want, so I'm thinking of using the best parts of it to make a wall hanging.  Step one is to deconstruct.

The fabric is very fragile.  It ripped when I was simply spreading it out to get a photo.  

  

 I'll need to come up with a way to protect it from further damage once it's reconstructed, but I don't want to change it so much that it's no longer the same quilt.   I'm nervous but excited about this project.  Aren't you glad you get to watch?