mixing really old blocks with new
 

hello I'm still coming across a bunch of ufo's and asking for advice on settings and stuff so I can think on the responses.

I'm 47 and a few years before she passed my mom brought me the deteriorated paper grocery sack of my great grandma's little dutch girl quilt project (this was the 'special times can look through when growing up'. my mom finally started hand quilting cheaters a few years before she passed and had a sewing machine I remember her using when I was really really little so needless to say nothing was done but keep this in a closet all those years. I started quilting/piecing a little before 2001 and quit then started back in 2001 so she decided after I stuck with it 5 or 6 yrs I may as well have these blocks! well it dawned on my 'hey this was supposed to be MY baby quilt - that's why she gave it to you!'

ok so these aren't applique perfectionistic works of art but they're sentimental - I was named for this Great grandma and I'd like to see these finished. I did a couple of blocks that had been started - most I can see the stitching - thought basting stitches at first but think that was her applique- she passed away before I was born so not sure how sick she was at the time.

anyways the dutch girls aren't so much the problem - the muslin she used has darkened on some and is different sizes- there are some cut out dutch girls (I keep calling the sues but she called the dutch girl) I want to use but there is no more muslin from that project - it's like she cut them out but didn't have the background to put them on. There are maybe 8 finished blocks but I dont know if I should buy new muslin and do the other blocks and just mix them all in and buy sashing and backing/binding or what. there's more of a pink fabric and more big scraps. I'll try to get a picture later if I can find space to lay out the blocks (I'm at work now)

but has anyone here ever finished a project that was started over 50 yrs ago? I know this was originally for another baby but turned out to be a boy and he's at least 5 yrs older than me I'm sure - possibly more. for a while I had acouple of the blocks in a picture frame and unfortunately I thinka couple were lost in the move 14 yrs ago (or stolen by person helping me pack - I hate to think that of her but she was interested in a lot of stuff and some I never found after the move) but I have these others. thought about putting muslin under the other muslin when piecing just in case it starts to deteriorate...

I wish you had posted a photo since it would really help with resolving your problem. The first thing is to make a plan with what you want to do with these blocks. Sometimes blocks are framed and distributed to family members who want to have a part of this relative. If they are simple appliques of Sue, could then they be removed carefully from the old muslin and then appliqued to a new square of muslin?? That is what I would most likely do. I would certainly make sure that you are buying the BEST quality of muslin that money can buy. No one in my immediate family ever did any quilting but a distance Great Aunt first exposed me to quilting. You are lucky to have these precious blocks. Good Luck !!

If you want to use the other girls...you will have to add some new fabric. So, what if you did the others on a complimentary solid color fabric and altered them with the old ones...sashing might be needed too and then you can easily know the ones you did and the old. Not sure how badly the old blocks are out of square, but hopefully you can find a size to cut them too without too much trouble.

What if you tea-dyed some muslin for the new background? Would that come closer to the original muslin? It would help to have a picture. I think your project is definitely worth pursuing.

thank you everyone. I will try to lay them out and get a photo with my ipad and see if I can get wifi to work. I think great grandma was probably using different muslin - they were poor and not likely to go hunting fabric for a quilt I don't think. one block is still at home but the others are with me. I hadn't thought about taking them off their muslin - kinda wanted to keep her stitching. I also haven't tried gently hand washing the blocks either. I should have made better not because I'm pretty sure a couple of the blocks I did myself about 6 yrs ago - I know it was before 2010 for sure - but didnt' know what to do with them so put them aside again. I had thought at the time I'd finish some and add sashing and cornerstones and get my mom to handquilt it but my mom passed up my dad's cancer with brain cancer and was gone before we could even absorb she was sick. I'm thinking I may try handquilting the finished top though I'm not great at it and barely finished the sampler table topper beginner class project that was hand quilted.

as for other family members I'm not going there. well I'm a great-grandchild- this woman had about 7 kids - they were all competitive/jealous except for maybe 1 who was the sweetest great-aunt ever - she passed about a month ago. the youngest gave my mother grief. my 2 female cousins (daughtes of my mom's brothers) might be interested but there aren't enough for 3 quilts and I haven't tried a pillow. I wish I had the ones I think were taken - I had pulled out 2 -4 that were nicer and finished. I don't know if they've even heard of Grandma Susie - I'm the oldest then my brother then 2 other siblings came along from my oldest uncle then 2 from the younger uncle. those 2 didn't know grandpa at all (grandma susie is my mom's father's mother..) and never seemed interested in knowing about him though mymom's brothers of course remember hima nd grandma susie. sometimes it's hard to feel anything for someone you never knew. I only feel a closeness because I know my mother loved this woman and kept her wedding ring(great grandpa divorced her) but that was the only material thing my mother got other than when she had given her this quilt to finish)

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The 2 with the dark blue dresses have the darker smaller muslin. It also feels more brittle delicate than the other muslin. I think it ws added later maybe by my mom just not sure. There isn't any more of the muslin like the others I planned to hunt at hobby lobby or Joanns for some, maybe I should mix bleahed and I bleached ? Just dunno...the dark blue ones are for sure ones she did some of the others I think I applauded on because the thread mathes

Well, it looks like you have 2 sizes of blocks. What if you put boarders on the smaller ones to size up to the larger ones and alternate them.

Any reason you can't trim the larger blocks to fit?

I can trim or add borders- the smaller ones have darker and more brittle looking muslin than the others - the other muslin feels more supple/soft - the other isn't. wondering if I should put more muslin behind it just in case or as someone suggested earlier remove the applique and put on new muslin. just don't know. the difference in color/texture is a bit more obvious in person I think. or maybe add a newer muslin to the smaller darker muslin blocks to make them bigger?

squirrelfood that's a beautiful horse!

Can you use just the blocks that were appliqued and fill in the rest with single fabric blocks, ideally every other block, but multiple blocks surrounding each of the appliqued blocks could work, too.

Or make the appliqued blocks larger with a border? And if necessary add single fabric blocks?

Whatever you do, I'd recommend using either a solid color for opposing blocks or a reproduction fabric.

I have some others that are cut out and ready to applique...just need to get more muslin then have I guess 3 different muslins LOL. hadn't thought about single fabric blocks...that's an idea

Oh, thank you very much! He's my pride and joy, Arabian cutting horse stallion, and best bud.

I would be leery of using the brittle-looking muslin as is. It probably won't hold up as well as the rest of the quilt. I'd consider one of 2 things. 1) Carefully remove the Sues from the muslin and reapply them to a larger piece of the new muslin when you get it. or 2) Back the brittle blocks with the very thinnest iron-on pelon you can find. I've done this and it worked fine, then cut the other blocks to size.

Thanks! I hadn't thought about Pelion!

I have "rescued" vintage blocks and both of these ideas work. It would be great if you finish a project using those. I think they're charming.

so I just buy fusible pelon and iron the blocks to it to stabilize? never used the stuff except for a quilt in a day sunbonnet sue project where we flpped it and used the pellon to stick to the background fabric while we appliqued

Be sure you select thin (light-weight) pelon, or it will add too much weight to the quilt.

I am very nostalgic about these things. In order to keep the original stitching and remove the brittle background, this is what I would do: I would trim around Sue about 1/4 inch all around (She would have a quarter-inch halo of background all around her), then I'd press the background completely under Sue so that it did not show at all, and hand applique it to a new background. Does this make sense? BTW those blocks are adorable.

This is what I would do also!

I'd do as GailG suggested as well, you'll be adding to the story of these blocks and the quilt as a whole. I hope you have fond family memories through each step of your project!

There are many shades of "ecru" ...go to fabric stores and take the blocks with you and see if you can get close for color. Trim the larger blocks to the same size as the smallest one. You can add borders to the block or to the fiished quilt top if you want to make it larger, or you could make more Dutch Girl blocks out of new fabric. This will be a keepsake so I wouldn't worry about how the old fabrics will last as you probably won't ue it much anyway. Finish it and enjoy it.

I believe they should be left as is. They are original and have memories attached. The difference in muslin color only adds to the 'mystique ' of these blocks. When you shop for background muslin, choose different shades of muslin to compliment the ones you already have. 'Treasureit' also has a good suggestion about using some complimentary solids for backgrounds. Please keep us posted.... p.s. 'Iclang' also has a good suggection

I, too, right away thought of tea dying the muslin, but I'm thinking after the top is finished, washing it first to get the old muslin back as close as possible to it's original color, then tea dying the whole top, so all the muslin will blend together better? Before gently washing the top, I'd do stay-stitching around the entire edge.

I do really like the idea of using different shades of muslin and mixing in some solids as that, IMHO, would add lots of interest without having to change the original old blocks at all.

Before I trimmed the larger blocks down, I'd consider adding borders to the smaller ones to make them as large as the others. Perhaps using some of the different shades of muslin/solids for the borders.

I saw this pattern just today and you could use your blocks in the swirl, alternating with either a solid or scrappy pieced block as they show in the pattern.
http://www.favequilts.com/Quilts-For...quilts20140804

And if you wanted larger than a baby quilt, you could just use the swirl as a center panel and add borders up to the size you want.

I really like Gail's idea of cutting out the Sue and appliqueing to a sturdier piece of muslin. That way you would solve two problems, the fragile fabric and the difference in color, while still keeping your grandmother's work.

Dear quilt938,
You and your late mother have received much more than a gold wedding ring and quilt squares. You have something which money or quilt fabric can't buy... memories, love of family, pride, and respect ... even though you write of a dysfunctional family... who's isn't in some ways? Who cares?

If I were you:
* I'd place all the quilt squares in a mesh lingerie bag; gently machine wash and dry; or air dry and lightly press/iron with an ironing cloth to protect the appliques... even ironing from the reverse over a terry towel!
* I'd trim the newer white squares to match up with the older darker ones.
* I'd lay out the squares by alternating the unbleached with the white muslins.
* I'd add a solid colored thin(1"-2") sashing strips between blocks in rows and columns.
* Maybe add a coordinating border, no larger than 4 inches in width.
* Quilt by hand if you prefer. Add a binding.

If its delicate, perhaps don't use it as a utility quilt but as a display quilt and display it proudly for you, your children and their children... telling the "story" and instilling that love and those intangible gifts that you so treasure.

Prayers and blessings.

Could you Cut out the girl and put her on white muslin? if muslin is brittle it may not last to long.

Although I know you want to preserve your great grandmother's blocks in their original form, perhaps you might consider carefully cutting away the appliqued pieces and then appliqueing them on new muslin or whatever background you choose. If there are some really special blocks, perhaps you could put them in a frame and display them that way; and put the rest into a quilt. Just an idea. I think you are really fortunate to have these blocks, I know my mother made utilitarian quilts, which unfortunately, were used, used well and used up. The only thing I have of hers is a pair of pillowcases that she embroidered. She taught me to embroider when I was 6 years old and eventually taught me to sew simple aprons, skirts, etc., but I didn't use a pattern until high school Home Ec. class. I hope some of the ideas from the QB members help you. You should be proud that you have that wonderful memory of her.