There's a couple, Tom and Gail, that I know from a local historical group that I'm good friends with, have known them about 20 years. They're more like second parents to me, and Gail has even told me at times that I'm her "second son". :) Tom's grandmother made many quilts and he has probably a dozen tops of hers that were never quilted. So Gail asked if I would quilt a couple of them. I was delighted. :D And she gave me my pick of the tops to keep for myself to make me one as well.
Now I was doubly delighted. :D :D
The tops were made by Mary Jane (Weathers) Senter, and she was born in 1843 and died in 1937 at age 93. She married Robert Winthrop Senter in 1861 when she was 18. I'm not sure how old she was when she made this particular quilt top, but in looking at the fabrics I can see some that are strikingly similar to some Civil War reproduction fabric that I have. So my guess is maybe late 1800s. There was not a straight seam anywhere on the top, but I guess that's part of the charm, right? :) This first quilt is one that Gail picked out that she wanted done, and I just did a free-motion quilt pattern all over it so it will hopefully help it hold up from any deterioration. I had some nice red-check fabric that I used for the binding on it that matched some of the fabric in it really well.
Looking forward to doing the next two now. :D
I have some Civil War repro fabric that is almost identical to that fabric in the middle square.
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