Quilt top
 

Hi all. I got this quilt top in a box that I bought at a household auction quite a few years ago. I just recently rediscovered it when I was going through my fabric. Does anyone know what era this is from? The pieces are hand sewn together. Any suggestions on how to finish this, free motion or hand quilting?
Thank you in advance for your suggestions.

Wow someone worked hard making that. I'm not a hand quilter but it would certainly finish it perfectly seeing as how it's hand pieced.

What a fun find. It looks to be a true scrap quilt in that it's a combination of repurposed cloths, linens and new yardage. The fabrics patterns remind me of stuff from the 50,s all the way to the 70's. I know I had a set of sheets as a kid (70's) just like the yellow blue pink bright floral. I would think the original plan was for it to be hand quilted, and that would be a very cool way to finish the original design Me I hate to do hand quilting so I would do simple diagonal lines where the hsts connect then bind it in something muted so it flows to its end not come to a sudden stop with a frame.

You have a real treasure. I would want to hand quilt it.

I'm no help with the quilting, that's always my biggest problem, but the quilt is wonderful!! I think I recognize some of the fabric!

I agree with Billi, 50's to the 70's. That was my first thoughts. I have a few my legally blind MIL made during that time and this looks like the same type of fabric.

Love it. I think hand stitched outlining the triangles.

I would guess 50's and 60's fabrics. I would quilt on the diagonal also, but I would machine quilt as hand quilting is not my strength. It reminds me of a quilt top my mother-in-law made and was loved so much it wore out and went to quilt heaven.

A beautiful scrappy quilt. Hand quilting would be perfect for it, if you are able to. Otherwise I like the straight line quilting idea. I'm so glad you have it.
Welcome to this wonderful board, lots of helpful and knowledgeable people here.

The fabric sure looks like it's from the 1950's. Guess someone at a quilt shop might be able to date the fabric.

As for quilting: Beings it's hand-pieced, I'd definately hand-quilt it. A simple straight line working in the opposite direction of the half square triangles. You have a real treasure!

**I'd back it with off white muslin too. :cool:

I also recognize a few of the fabrics and know I bought a couple in 1980, to make dresses for my then new-born niece.

I would say 50-60's. I have a quilt, I bought, at a yard sale, last year. And the people said her mother done it in the 50-60's. If you are a hand quilting, I would say hand quilt it. Keep it together--hand sewed, and hand quilt. My curiosity is--let me know what you will do hand quilt/machine.

I think "big stitch" hand quilting would look very good for this one!

I can't imagine the time it will take to hand quilt this quilt. But I love it. Whoever made this worked a very long time hand sewing. All of those blocks and then putting them together. But, if you have the time??? it will be really fine.

Thank all for the great suggestions. I will probably hand quilt it. It is quite large quilt. It will cover my king size bed. I thought maybe 60's or 70's fabric also. I will have to wait until I retire in a couple of years before I can start to quilt it.

I guess I am going to be contrary. It is a very nice top and someone spent some time on it. But with the variety and difference in the fabric, hand quilting is not going to show. So for me, done is better so I can use it. I would machine quilt it.

I would also guess 50's and 60's. Lots of scrap quilt tops like this are made from a scrap collection spanning decades. It could be a real mix. It is worth checking for pieces used that may not be as sturdy and stand up as well as others.

Please don't wait till you retire to begin hand-quilting this. If you do a little at a time... you know... slow and steady wins the race. :o Just enjoy the process.

Took me a year to handquilt one of mine. Enjoyed every minute I worked on it.

Yup, I'm sorry, it needs to hand quilted. When you think of the quilt and the period it was made in, it only seems natural to HQ it. Then it would be true to it's period. If you work an hour or so everyday, it shouldn't take no more than a month or so. I would do lines ( goes with the period.)

I love the quilt top, but would definitely machine quilt it. It's waited long enough to be finished and loved, and machine quilting won't hurt it (or you) at all.

I have a quilt that my grandmother made around the 1930's 1940's. She didn't finish it, my mom inherited it and stuck it in a drawer for 30+ years. I inherited it and found a LAQ who let me rent some time on her LA. I no idea what I was doing, but I didn't want it out of my sight and that was the only solution i could come up with. Now that I know what I'm doing, I can see how horribly it is quilted!

However, even with my awful quilting, it looks better done and on a bed than it ever did locked away in a drawer.

I once aquired a quilt exactly like that found in my neighbor's yard sale. I offered to quilt it for her, and she was so happy (I can't remember where she got it from, but she did not know how to finish it) I hand quilted 1/4 inch inside each triangle, and it came out really nice. However you finish it, have fun with it and show us pics!

What a great find. I think I'd try to hand quilt it using the Big Stitch way.

It's adorable, lucky you to find such a treasure. Regardless how you finish it, it will be a fun quilt to have in your collection.

I don't do much hand quilting anymore but this quilt would also look good tied and that would also be typical for older quilts.

Looks like the 50's fabric, I see some that I had dresses made from. I would machine quilt to be sure it would stay together.

some of these fabrics are from the 40's they are feed sacks beautiful quilt and imho it needs to be hand quilted or tied

If you want to quilt it according to the era it was pieced, you should hand quilt it. Machine quilting was not used much at that time. I would simply hand quilt 1/4 inch from each edge of the block. Nothing fancy, just like your grand ma would have done.

I'm thinking 40-50s. I agree, probably materials from clothes and stash. Needs to be hand quilted.

I would also hand quilt it, but not every single trianlge, maybe every other triangle

Looks like 30-40's I bought a top much like this one at a sale for $2.50, all hand pieced and sewn. I had it quilted on a long arm by a friend and it is absolutely beautiful. I think of the work and patience that the person took to make the top and feel very badly that it was tossed aside. It is my treasure...

Some of the fabrics look like some I got from my DM's stash that came from the late 60's and 70's. It is so pretty, you are so lucky to have found it.

Some of the fabrics look like feed sacks so I would guess some 40s and later.

I've tried to attach a pic of a quilt top I received for Christmas from a friend. It is hand pieced. The interesting thing is that many of the triangles themselves are pieced (some three pieces to make one triangle). Just sandwiched it and backed with muslin. Going to hand quilt.

I would hand quilt it using the Big Stitch method with 12 wt. thread

It is definitely older fabric.. at least back to the 50's or perhaps a bit earlier

Some of the small flower prints remind me of the 30's.

I bought a top from an estate sale that was hand pieced and since I don't hand quilt I tied it.

It Looks like 50 and 60 because it looks like the Quilts my Grandmother made.

Looks like '50s fabrics to me... What a treasure!

Looks like something my mom made years ago. She would be 87 years old if she were alive.