I just got a quilt from my mom
 

It's a queen size, that her sisters had made for their mother (my grandmother, obviously). When she passed away 10 years ago, they all thought my mom should have it, it came to me now. Each block is specific to the grandchildren, as well as the sisters and some of the husbands. I would love to be able to share this with my family in a meaningful way.

What I am about to say may raise a lot of angst, but I was thinking of deconstructing it, splitting it into the families and making wall hangings for each branch of the family. It was mostly hand stitched, all hand quilted about 40 years ago. It's been in a box, behind a book shelf for most of the last 10 years.

Please give me a new idea. I don't want to deconstruct it, it seems wrong, but I don't know how to share it with my cousins without doing just that. I want to get this posted, but I will post a picture or two of it in just a few minutes.

I agree that to deconstruct it would be wrong. Would it be possible to duplicate the blocks that were particularly relevant to each family member and present the blocks as a framed wall hanging or fabric art?

Firstly I would ask the cousins what they want, after all not everyone feels the same way about things. If they do want a piece then I think it is a lovely idea to share so why not take a close up photo of the quilt and put a piece of the quilt and the photo into a frame that way it can be enjoyed and in view and hopefully last a very long time for future generations.

Have you asked them how interested they are in having a part of this quilt?

I know in my family there would be some who really wouldn't care at all about getting it, others who would want it all to stay in one piece and one who might truly treasure the section that was "theirs".

I know, not much help, but I would probably want to keep it all in one piece unless somebody really, really, really wanted the part pertaining to their family.

[ATTACH=CONFIG]423226[/ATTACH][ATTACH=CONFIG]423227[/ATTACH]

I like the idea of duplicating the relevant pieces, and yes, I am sure there are those in my family who could care less about a piece of it. Maybe a duplicate of the relevant pieces made into a wall hanging or framed or a pillow, and a really nicely done photograph of the whole thing. Great ideas!

i agree that it should be kept whole. i like the idea of duplicating the different parts for the different branches of the family. this thread gives company info on how to print the picture on another fabric...
http://www.quiltingboard.com/picture...t-t225233.html

Don't harm the quilt! Rather than divide the quilt, why don't you join the creators and have a family gathering. The quilt can be the honored guest - just think of the new memories that can be created because of this wonder quilt.

I like this idea, but we are scattered all over the country and that could be quite an undertaking. Food for thought though. Thank you for your suggestions. I have never done hand piecing or hand quilting, so I may try my hand at that, as tribute to my Aunties who made the quilt in the first place.

You could photograph the whole quilt and then photograph the block that pertains to each member and an explanation of the history of the quilt and what their block means or how it was constructed. Then from the photos and writing...