Beautiful work and it should be preserved. Your thoughts about sewing them into a nice piece for your neighbor is so sweet. If you were to place same size blocks between these pieces in a very soft pastel or lacey pale print, it would make a very nice couch piece or lap quilt. However, I would not want to use it where it is handled frequently. What about a wide bed runner. You could find out what the colors are in her spare room and make the piece into the runner to compliment her color scheme. Good luck. I can't wait to see the finished product. Another thought would be to make a centerpiece for the table using two (if you have enough) for your neighbor and her children/grandchildren.

i love this idea Twinkie! I am all about making sure my family (including nieces and nephews) get all of the family heirlooms I have....that all seemed to come to me because my siblings neither care nor had the house size. She has 3 granddaughters so I could contemplate making 3 with 4 blocks each.

If they were mine I would sash them in something just a slight shade darker than what they are just to give it a little bit of a contrast. Also you might have a hard time matching the color of the muslin. I think it should either have a scalloped edge or prairie points. Can't wait to see the finished project.

I would do them 4 across, 3 down....this will make the quilt almost square (46x49 aprox after seaming). To make it lap size (also for a wall hanging, or over the back of a sofa, etc)... Add a 2-1/2" strip of a white on ecru (to match the muslin) lace look fabric...you could also get muslin as close to the color of the blocks & add a layer of lace over it. Then back and bind in muslin. That would be very pretty. Instead of a muslin color for the sashing...you could use a very pale color with lace overlay. Either quilt with white (I would outline close to the embroidery with an invisible or muslin color thread...and then do a very open feathery design in each corner.. Actually, if you did a diamond outline, not too close to the designs, then the lightly done feather in each corner...that would really set these off!

I totally agree with Jan, I did a lt of candlewicking at one point in time and it is so delicte looking you want something very soft and neutral. I usef cluney lace to trim mine, no idea where to find any now but when I was doing them it was very popular. It was a soft cotton lace that came in a few volors but mostly off white.

My mom used to do this, I remember she did one (it came in a kit). The reason they are not square, is someplace this lady should have had a large center panel. The blocks you have would have been the drop down the sides part of a coverlet. In between each block you would have had blank muslin block (the blank blocks would have been over sized). The only reason I remember is it took a couple of years to finish, because of the center being so large.
These blocks are great, your friend will be very happy with anything you do. Candle Wicking is old, what about doing a crazy quilt in tonals for the center (do wider than long and not as crazy JMHO). Good luck

I would hesitate to use iron-on interfacing on old fabric. Instead, I would underline each block with pre-washed 100% cotton batiste for strength. It is very lightweight and isn't hard to quilt through. I like the Japanese batiste best.

With 12 blocks to work with, unless they are going to different family members, I would keep them together and try to make a quilt.

Tessagin....please reread.... her mother was almost 100 not the fabric!!! Candle wicking was very popular in the l960s and l970's. Personally I would cut them down to a 12 inch block and sash in color of your choice

I think they would make a stunning bed runner. Sash with muslin or a white on white print. They are the perfect size for it.