Found! My 40 year old quilt top!
 

I am so excited! While having a quilting discussion with my mother a few days ago, she remembered that buried somewhere deep inside a wooden chest in her bedroom, is a quilt top I made when I was 12! That is 40 years ago! I remember it very clearly, it's a rectangular hand stitched scrappy hexie top, the size of a baby quilt (approx 40" x 35" if I remember correctly).

Unfortunately I have to wait for the weekend before the happy reunion with my quilt top but in the mean time, I have been trying to think of ideas to enlarge the size to that of a lap quilt so that I could use it myself. Bearing in mind the fabrics used are all 40+ years old and obviously not available now, what would you suggest? I was thinking of either a solid border in a matching colour or making more hexies out of modern fabrics in the same colour range and adding these? The quilt has not been squared off. Any suggestions would be really appreciated. Can't wait! I'll post a pic as soon as I get the top

That sounds wonderful. I can't really make any suggestions until we see what you quilt looks like.

Well that is very exciting! Post a pic when you can and then you will get all kinds of help. I too have some quilts somewhere from about 40 years ago, but I wasn't 12!lol One day I will find them. Wonder what I will think of them then.

Thank you! I will post a pic over the weekend. I hope it's still in good shape :)

I'm looking forwArd to seeing the top...... :-)

40 years wasn't that long ago! I bet you can find some of them or something to go with them on Ebay or maybe somebody has some of it stashed.

I'll bet a black border would go fine with your older fabrics. I do a lot with black, it goes with everything!! It frames out the center piece so nicely IMHO.

Go to your local Good Will or thrift store and see if you can find some curtains or bed linens from the same time frame as your quilt. They could provide fabric that might work.

I would need to see a photo of the top before suggesting. Some of us have calicoes from that time period so maybe we can help you with the fabric.

What a wonderful surprise.....and how much fun you will have with it when you get it back. Please share a photo of it when you do.....I'm sure you'll think of the perfect way to finish it.

great news! i wish i could find the 40yo baby quilt that i started.

How wonderful that you're going to be able to be reunited with your quilt from so long ago. I think I'd look at this as a challenge and create a quilt that showcases your journey through quilting. I can't wait to see it and be part of the many suggestions you'll get.

Can't wait to see it....

There shouldn't be a problem with the fabrics. And I'm sure there are many current ones that would coordinate nicely.
So looking forward to seeing the picture of your handiwork!

How exciting! Looking forward to seeing the picture.

I still have my baby quilt that my mother hand embroidered the blocks. Unfortunately, I stored it in my cedar chest before I knew better and the wood destroyed the fabric where it touched the folds of the quilt. Hope your treasure has survived in good condition.

Maybe you can treat it like a panel and add a solid border, then make some larger hexes in newer fabrics and repeat your border again. Can't wait to see your pics.

that's exciting!!! I usually use a tonal or printed black.
i'd love to see the quilt. that's just fantastic. what a find!! a treasure.

-Without seeing the top, I would go with adding borders to help protect the integrity of the original quilt.

I think it is so exciting that you will be reunited with your top!

Among those things that my mother created I found a scrappy top that she made. Some of the pieces were from clothes she made for me as well as herself. Knowing that I would have memories that my children wouldn't, I finished the quilt with newer fabric that "looked" older, then quilted it. My thinking is that the borders are what will take the wear of it being handled. I am enjoying both my mom's work--and mine--as well as the memories of those fabrics in the top she made.

Anxious to see what you have!

How exciting!!! Please remember to post a picture of it when you get it.

1). What about doing several colored borders in solid colors that you match by pulling from colors in your prints? If you find additional aged print that matches one of your prints, you could put a final border in that print to finalize or binding for your quilt. 2). Or maybe a hexie edge border? 3). If you cannot acquire additional aged print to match what you have, neutral borders of varying sizes to finish to desired size?

How fun like seeing an old friend..........wish I could find my Roses For Mary sq I did............

I think I would finish it off as is, and use it as a wall hanging - in my bedroom. Or maybe my sewing room. That would be sooooo cute.

Can't wait to see it! Maybe you'll be lucky enough that your Mom will have folded some extra fabric into the quilt top when she put it away. You can dream, right?

There are a lot of fabrics out there that may be just right for you. I would look online to see just what is perfect before I settled on solids

I have had a long running dream of searching for a quilt top I made 30 years ago. (I didn't quilt then in real life.) The dream is recurring and vivid. The quilt top I am seeking is very pretty. So maybe I was foretelling the future for you!

can't wait to see this!

I had a very old quilt my grandmother had made that had become very thin and fragile. I unsandwiched it and then appliqued the top onto a piece of muslin and then had the whole thing requilted with new batting and muslin on the back as well. It actually looks really really good. There were a lot of spots where the fabric had worn to the see through point and with muslin behind the entire top it looks very sturdy. I also extended the muslin about 8 inches out from the edge of the quilt so hand wouldn't be tugging so much on the delicate fabric. I expect to get another 20-30 years of use out of the quilt.

That's exciting! You should be able to find vintage fabric to go with your previously pieced top.