Thank you for all the replies. I have included the requested pictures of my Grandmother's Flower Garden quilt top that was purchased at an estate auction in Kansas. I was purchased in an unfinished condition so I have filled in some gaps to make it even. I used some vintage looking fabric that I dyed with tea to achieve matching seasoned coloring. Some of my concerns are as follows:

It seems that the seamstress intended for the top and bottom edges to be straight because they have been cut down the middle of the flowers. The problem lies in the uneven sides leaving no additional fabric for turning under. I was hoping to have 1/2 of the flower exposed. Do I just fold it under as much as I need to achieve a straight side regardles of where the edge hits on the flower, or do I add more hex shapes to the edges?

The next problem is that with the staggered placement of the flowers, the scalloped sides end differently, one side with a 1/2 scallop and the other with a full scallop. I do not see any way to alter that with this pattern. Is this correct?

Finally, how should I finish this top. Do I want to work with the scalloped hexagons? Would that be a nightmare? Or, do I want to give it all a straight edge?

I will appreciate all input.

Applique it onto some kind of border. Just a thought.

It is a really nice top.

I will look into some information on how to do that. Thanks

Its a beautiful top...you certainly found something worth restoring and finishing up. Now HOW you do that leaves me alittle daunted being fairly new but looking at that last picture of the edge, it seems like somebody took a pair of shears to it :shock: Would it be possible to take it back a row rather than try and salvage that last row that is so unevenly cut....just a thought :D

I have just studied the pictures some more, and feel that it would be better to remove all those half flowers and then the sides would match the lovely scalloped top and bottom. At least you could get away with matching up the white with possible some old good quality sheeting or something like that has age to it :D

I think that would be the easiest fix. It is such a shame that the edge was mutilated.

Who knows why, but at least now you can give it the respect it deserves, somebody put alot of work into it, and if you decide to remove the half flowers that may free up some original fabrics to repair any that might need it in the body of it. :D

Keep us updated with lots of pictures, I will be watching :D :D :D

Does it have two straight edges and two that are not? You could border the straight then bind it all. Taking of the halves is another idea. It's beautiful, though!

The problem is that with the staggered flower pattern, if you remove the 1/2 flower there will still be a 1/2 flower at the end of that row. Out of the 4 corners, there are 2 halves and 2 full flowers. The like flowers are diagonal from each other.

There are not halves all the way down the edge. It has a half alternated with a whole all the way down.

I think they are saying that with removing the halves, it will be scalloped abit like the bottom and top edge. that is what I would do, then bind with old white material to retain the aged look of it. Good luck, I think you have a treasure there.

I am sooo not qualified to help with this dilemma, but how much would have to be lost if the same is done to the other end also? Then what is left could be appliqued to a border. Does that make sense? If it doesn't, just DELETE. :lol:

beautiful quilt!!!! I think I would have to agree with Izy. REmove the half flowers and add in any missing pieces to bring the quilt to an easier and workable border edge.

here are a few with borders I would remove the half hex's

OMG Mary!! That miniature hexagon is amazing :shock: :shock: :shock: :D

sceeter - please do keep us updated and show photos of your progress. I'm in a similar pickle, with an unfinished GFG quilt that I won at a raffle, so I'm definitely going to be curious about how yours is going. :wink:
I was very fortunate to have some of the extra "joining" fabric included with mine. I've never even considered appliqueing it to a background. I love the look of the one pictured.

Don't you wish these quilts could talk???? :!:

2Wheel

sorry ! i didn't mean to imply they were mine. I found them floating around the internet !

I restored one for some people and this is what i did. (first remove the half flowers). After it is quilted lay it out and get some of the unbleached muslin. The unbleached muslin gives it that antique look, make the strips wide enough to go under the first row of hexegons in the holes where you removed the half flower, then draw a line under the muslin and follow the flower shape , put stitch witchery under the flower and on top of the muslin, iron it all away around, and then with your machine applique it to the muslin, this gives you a border all around your quilt and makes it square.. you can make it as wide as you want if you want a wide border.. then I put it back on my machine and made feather motifs on the muslin where I had removed the half flowers... binded it and they loved it.. make sure and have matching thread for the applique part... i did a small hem stitch beautiful... ( ps... do not quilt the last row of flowers so yo can put the muslin and stitch witchery under neath the flowers and on top of the batting)
hope this helps...
Lynn

That is so smart. What a great idea!