Friday, February 17, 2012

finish it up Friday, week 15

Welcome to finish it up Friday!
This quilt has a great story...at least I think so. This was a WIP twice removed. (ha!) The quilt top was pieced by Evelyn Fisher from 03-06, age 90 1/2. See, it even says so in the corner of the quilt.
The top was hand pieced. (Not extremely well, I might add. I had to machine stitch up a few gaps.) But it still has plenty of charm. At some point Sarah acquired the quilt, I believe via ebay. She attempted quilting it, but she got stalled out. I don't blame her one bit. A few years ago she put it up for adoption on her blog. She kindly sent it to me, and then it became my WIP. It sat in my basement closet for quite awhile.
A few weeks ago, when Tara was here, I showed it to her. She suggested I tie it, in keeping with the vintage feel of the quilt. So I ripped out the quilting that had been done and tied it up. It took me at least 5 hours to tie it. The kids all helped out and even my hubby tied a few knots. Even still, boy, was I sore the next day! But it was totally worth it.
To bind it, I cut the backing a few inches larger than the top, then folded it over (twice) and stitched it down. So, this WIP is finally done! I'm happy to be the one to have finished it after 9 years. I have been sleeping under it the past few nights. I just love it. So very much. Probably because it reminds me so much of quilts that I slept under when I was a little girl.
The quilt measures roughly 72" x 84". It's going to replace this family favorite.

Now it's your turn! Please link up your finishes for the week here. Then go ahead and visit a few other links so we can cheer each other on in our finishes. Happy Friday to you!

49 comments:

Katie said...

I think it turned out great and it has a fantastic story, which always makes for a good quilt!

Svetlana said...

What a great story! The quilt is wonderful, full of vintage charm.

Lucy | Charm About You said...

I agree the ties look incredible, well worth it! I love the vintageness, so precious :)

Donna said...

I hope I am still quilting at 90 1/2 years old. You (and everyone) did a great job of tying it. It has a nice mix of colors and balance to the eye. Nicely done!!

Francis Paul said...

I have tied my last quilt too and I love the effect it has! I'm glad the quitl is finished after so many years:-)

Thimbleanna said...

How fun Ms. Crazy! It reminds me of the quilts that the church ladies used to make and sell in the 70's. They used a lot of polyester squares back then. So funny!

Deborah said...

I love a quilt with meaning! What a history and beyond special that you gave it life. Thanks for the link up. My first time joining in. Deb.

elizabeth said...

So fun that she signed a square...I have found old blocks at antique shops and always wondered who made them as I was sewing them together. We took one that I tied to many baseball games : ) Yours is lovely.

Brenda said...

Great finish, no matter how long it took. sometimes quilts just have to age. My long time ufo just got done this week too!

Jenn at The Little Shop of Stitches said...

Alas, I have nothing to share this week. Quite the slacker, to be sure! I WILL have something next week. Can't wait to see what everyone else has made. Thanks for hosting!

Quilting Grannie said...

I finished a Sesame Street baby quilt this week. It was a printed fabric so I had to do was quilt it. Has Sesame Street fabric for the backing. Check out my blogspot for the pic. http://quiltinggrannie.blogspot.com

Samantha K said...

There is nothing better than a little bit of history behind a quilt. It reminds me so much of the quilts that were at my Grandparents and Great-Grandparents when I was growing up. Thanks for bringing back good memories.

Sarah Craig said...

What a great quilt! And I think tying it worked very nicely - it has a wonderful vintage feel!!

MichelleB said...

It is really very charming! I'm curious what kind of batting you used.

Debbie said...

very cool quilt you adopted!

Soile Kivinen said...

it is beautiful wit the knots.

I also want you to know that you have this robot verification in your blog to prevent spam. Receaving comments is difficult and now it is even more so.

to remove them .. take older version in use..in right corner there is kind of circle. go settings, comments, scroll down and there you can remove it.

Nothing done this week, i have had a proper flu.

Tara said...

I love this!! I think it's exactly what it needed! Now what, pray tell, are you going to do with the rest of that red heart?

Elaine M said...

Wonderful quilt, love all the colors, the story and the ties. Glad you finished and am enjoying it on your bed.

beth said...

I'm so glad this quilt got finished! It's wonderful!

Kim said...

I did not realize it was so big! It looks terrific on your bed. This gives me hope that some of my UFO's will get done by someone sometime!
Thank you for doing finish it up Friday where we can see so many awesome finishes.

Happy Sewing

Anonymous said...

Love it!!! I especially loved thinking of the 90 year old lady who started it, and the history of the quilt. I can see it will be a "favorite" for your family!

Lea

Heather said...

I love it. It looks like quilts my grandma kept on her beds. It's a special story you have.

Anonymous said...

That's a great looking quilt. I love it. And I was wondering also
what kind of batting you used. I'll have to put this type quilt on my to-do list. Thanks for sharing.
cindy

Amanda Jean said...

MichelleB and Cindy,

I used a high loft poly batting in this quilt. It's nice and toasty warm.

amandajean

Jennie @ Porch Swing Quilts said...

The most popular quilt in our house is one just like that. I'm thinking of making another one with my husband's old shirts. Great job - what a fun history this one has!

diane said...

It's that kind of quilt that helps me to never forget where our quilting roots are! I love it. Reminds me of my grandmother's quilts. Thanks for the linky party!

marycatharine said...

What a great journey! When I was little we had a tied patchwork quilt that the kids fought over.

Angela Nash said...

Wow - I wouldn't have thought that it would take that long to tie it! That's some seriously good quilt karma in finishing a double (triple?) UFO.

Annemieke said...

Beautiful quilt! I love it when there is a story behind a quilt. It makes it much more precious.
Have a good weekend,
Groetjes
Annemieke

Nova said...

everything about this is just adorable x

Mama Pea said...

It's wonderful, Amanda! It reminds me of the quilts I sleep under at my MIL's house.

Dree said...

That quilt reminds me soooo much of one my grandmother made with her church group--it was even tied in red yarn. We ended up with it. It fell apart after several years, because the piecing was not great, and they had used cut up donated clothing. It first came apart at the seams and then shredded LOL. I saved the best-looking/most together block from that quilt.

No finishes for me this week :/

Live a Colorful Life said...

sweet story. I think I must have an aversion to finishing anything...

Richard Healey said...

I love hand tied quilts my favorite as a child was a brown quilt that my son to this day still uses and we fight over who's it really is.

http//richardquilts.blogspot.com
Make sure you stop by and put your guess in my quilt givaway by guessing my babys B-day or Birth Weight.

Shawn said...

Love the idea of it being put up for adoption, My Mom made some of these quilts too.
Have a great weekend Amanda!!
And oh, can't get you off my mind lol:

http://blairpeter.typepad.com/weblog/2012/02/a-granny-square-with-a-circle-center-tutorial.html

Nina said...

You can't really blame Evelyn for some dubious seams at her age! (Are you sure it doesn't say 98 and a half?!) Great that you've finished up a third-hand WIP, and it looks good too.

Anonymous said...

Beautiful! I love the feel of a tied quilt.

Chicago Sarah said...

Wow, I wondered if it was _the_ quilt when I saw it yesterday. I'm so glad you were able to use it (and thanks for the kind words, that was my first every machine quilting attempt and I bungled it quite thoroughly!). It looks great in a really scrappy homemade way, the yarn was a great addition!

Ann Ferguson said...

I do ♥ this quilt!

Abby said...

what a fun quilt! love all the different fabrics - great stash idea.

Nathalie St-Pierre Roths said...

I love this quilt. My grandmother was a quilter and quilted until close to her death at 90 years old. It is great that people are taking on this art again.

Long life to quilting! :-)

Leah said...

Great job... missed the linkup - too busy sewing! not posting.

I finished a quilt top tonight

pasqueflower said...

The ties were the perfect finish.
I hope I'm still stitching (albeit imperfectly) at 90.5 years!

Lisa in Port Hope said...

I always remember being told that the best way to display a quilt was on a bed. Congrats on finishing it and putting it to good use. I can see snuggling under a quilt like that with my daughter and making up stories about all the fabrics.

bethanndodd said...

Oh no! The kiddos were out of school and I forgot to link up. I will be sure to join the fun next week ;) In the mean time I will enjoy seeing what everyone finished up. I truly adore your finished quilt, the story alone is enough to make anyone happy. The ties are just perfect too! Smiles~Beth

barbara woods said...

that looks like a quilt i could do . you did a very good job on it

Aimee said...

I love it AJ! The ties were a perfect choice. I am cracking up over the 90 and a half. I guess at some point you start counting the half years again? Love it!

Clair said...

I had a flop Friday! I didn't like my quilt top when I got finished...though I hope to salvage it yet.

Cheerful Homemaker said...

Very nice! How wonderful to have it finished!

I have a baby quilt that my husband's great-grandmother made him in 1991. It is hand-pieced and hand-quilted. Should I take any special care while washing it? We want to give it to our baby but it needs a good washing.