Originally Posted by
AprilM
i was looking for a way to make a summer weight quilt. I noticed some in the quilt history exhibit at a quilt show once. The top was made with mens shirts and the combined backing/batting was just one piece of flannel. So i tried it with a top made with new fabrics and the back with flannel i washed in really hot water a few times. I liked the results. I have learned so much by studying old quilts made during the times that life was harder for people cuz they really knew how to think outside of the box because they had to. I admire that.
Those who came before us really did know how to make due. I remember my mom taking apart an old quilt my grandmother made out of squares of velvet curtain samples. She was going to replace the binding which was wearing out. When she got it apart, there was an old wool blanket inside that was used as batting. My mother told me that she could remember sitting in the evenings (no TV in the 30's!) and cutting her brother old woolen pants into strips to use as log cabin blocks and sewing them together. She said that they used whatever was available as filler since there was no money for batting. I've always admired how our grandparents and great grandparents used the resources available to create what they needed. No waste!