Help with Vintage Quilt Top
 

I inherited a couple of "utility" quilt tops from my Grandmother's Aunt Edith, which I would like to finish. One of the tops is a Granny Square block made of 2 1/4" finished blocks. Except for the muslin setting blocks, the blocks are fabrics from scraps of old shirts. In the spirit of "making do", many of the squares are themselves pieced. It was hand-pieced and made before 1956.

The problem with the quilt is that the half-square triangles that border the quilt are too small, generally leaving no seam allowance. Aunt Edith's "making do" attitude meant that she took the same size muslin blocks she used elsewhere in the quilt and cut them in half to attach at the border. In addition to leaving no seam allowance, it also means the entire edge is on the bias.

Should I just finish it "as is", carefully trying to minimize the stretch from the bias edges and recognizing that all the points on the edge will be cut off when I bind it?

Or should I remove all those half square triangles and replace them with ones which are both correctly sized to include a seam allowance and don't have the bias on the outside edge?

If I replace the outside triangles, should I try to match the muslin (which is always hard) or go with an entirely different fabric?

Thanks for you help with this.
Attachment 628491Attachment 628492Attachment 628493

What a great quilt! Hope you come up with a solution.

I would bind it as is, and call it good, rather than replacing all those squares with new fabric just to save the points. I might even put on an extra wide binding, so the loss of points looks more intentional. How wonderful to have a quilt made by your grandmother's aunt!

If it were me, I would just add a border of a different, but coordinating, fabric. You would lose the points on the outside blocks, but it would be much less work, and waste less fabric, than replacing all those triangles. Also, it would be in keeping with the “make do” attitude of the quilt.

I agree with not replacing. I think you keep the integrity of the quilt as it is. I don't think you will notice those almost points that much once you put a border on it. It is terrific. Lucky you.

I would finish it as is. Run a straight line stitching all the way around to stabilize the bias edges

Thanks to everyone for your quick replies. It sounds like the recommendation is to finish “as is” and let the points get chopped if needed. The quilt is about 84” by 72”, so I’m not feeling the need to add a border.

The quilt also made me feel better that there is a universal truth of UFOs: there is probably a very good reason why it wasn’t finished. As I am working through my own stash of UFOs, there is usually a problem that kept me from finishing at the time.

As you said, SuzSLO as someone who picks up quite a few UFOs, there are usually reasons on why they are not done. The nice thing is that I am willing to undo the work/time of someone else that maybe I'm not willing to do on my own projects so it all works out.

Those wrong sized setting triangles is a common issue and I agree with the others, cut it off smooth and let the points land where they may and either finish like that, or put on a border of something that is vaguely coordinating.

I agree with Dunster. I would hate to use new fabric on an old quilt. It reminds me of the Bible that says "never patch an old wineskin with new skin." the new fabric might shrink and put strain on the old fabric. Lucky you to have such a wonderful piece of history in your family.

I think I would just finish as is as others have said. Lucky you to have it.

Welcome to this board. Lots of helpful people here.

That's a great top!
I would also leave it, no extra fabric to worry about. It would be nearly impossible to find, I think.
So nice that you have something that old from your family.
Welcome to the board :)

To do or not to do? What a thought when coming to finishing a vintage quilt. I sounds like you GM's aunt was a do as you go kind of person so I would finish is in a likewise finish. Put a wider binding on it and call it a day. Enjoy the beauty of the quilt as she intended. It is in our nature to make things perfect but this quilt is not intended to be perfect. You said it right, a utility quilt, to be used everyday, throw on the floor or take to the beach and shake the sand out of kind of quilt. To keep you warm at night and carry to the sofa kind of quilt and sit in front of the fire with quilt. Finish as she would have and then you have a true memory of your family and what you inherited.

I suggest you just put a border on it or just bind it as is. This is such a treasure and you will lose the points on the blocks but it would be way too much work to replace all the muslin triangles. Just enjoy it as it is and have lots of memories with it.

She did a great job of laying out that top. Is it hand pieced?

I am almost wondering if "someone else" cut off the setting blocks like that?

Whatever - I agree with the others - leave it "as is"

If it were mine - I would stabilize the edges with staystitching - and if I could get it to lay flat, I would bind it and call it "good enough". I think the majority of people looking at it would not notice - or care - about lopped off points.

Just finish and love it. It looks so comfortable and a treasure.

I’d cut new setting triangles to preserve the points. Muslin or white cotton. Whatever is closest.

Finished!
 

60 years later, the quilt is finally finished!

It looks great!! I"m sure you are happy it is done! I love it.

That looks fantastic!!
I always smile when I see old quilts that have pieced pieces!! I have some of those :)

Beautiful!

It looks beautiful!

I really appreciated all the suggestions I received. As suggested, I stay-stitched the edges (which were all bias) and had very little distortion. I hated cutting off all the points around the edge, but since there was no easy fix, I decided that it was a “design element.” I ended up replacing a few of the muslin squares that were scorched and the new muslin fabric blended beautifully.

That looks great. Nice job.