What to do?
 

My mother had decided to make a quilt for each of us and had started mine before she went to her final home. It is a double wedding ring and she had the entire king size quilt cut out (by hand) in the bin with the partially assembled top. I have pulled it out several times to look at it, but recently when I decided to finish it (after 15 years!) I see that it has several problems. My mom was a wonderful seamstress and quilter, but in her final years she didn't see as well and must have been struggling to sew. The seams aren't sewn well and there are even a couple of holes where she missed the fabric totally. I always planned to finish it one day, but now I'm trying to decide what to do with it. I really don't want to rip out all she had sewn. Maybe I could make a wall hanging? I'm looking for ideas.

I would finish the quilt with all the little imperfections. It is a sentimental thing. Something your mom started and you finished. Nothing in life is perfect, why would quilts have to be perfect. If she got to finish it you would have loved it even if it had a big gaping hole in the middle, right? Because it came from your mom and it was made with love.

Depending on how frustrating or relaxing working on it is for you, I think I would make a wallhanging or a pillow. If there are others in the family who have not received a quilt from your mother, you could make something small for them also.

I would rip out just the parts where there would be holes. And try to finish it, possibly a little at a time.

For me ... I would make what I wanted. Probably as a quilt if I really liked it.

I framed a petit point cushion cover my Mom had made back when she could see. It hangs in a place of honor in my living room entry way. Why? because as a pillow it wouldn't last and I didn't need any more pillows. I just wish she would have signed the matting for me.

I am in the same situation. My mom had started a Double Wedding Ring, and I inherited it. I don't think she was happy with it and did not work on it often. It is about a fourth done. Someone suggested to finish it as a bed runner, you know those small quilts that sit on the end of a bed, but I have not pulled it out to look at it. I will be watching this post.

My sister started a quilt and then passed away. I finished it and then tried to give it to my brother but he already had two quilts from me so I gave it to my daughter. Now she has a one-of-a-kind quilt from my sister and me. I would fix it if it bugged me. If I could live with the imperfections, I would applique something where there were holes and call it good.

That's a great idea, but it's already too big for a bed runner. Here's a pic:

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I would finish it just the way it is. She put a lot of work in to it and its so pretty.

I agree. It is a beautiful quilt. I would finish it, fixing whatever I needed to, and then I would use it.

Dina

Oh what a beauty!! I would finish it. She sure put alot of work in to it. Its a beautiful family heirloom!!

It looks like a lot of pieces are already sewn to make up more blocks, so if at all possible, I would finish it. I wouldn't want holes, so I'd either re-do those areas, or applique over the holes, as someone else suggested. The quilt is really lovely, and I think you will cherish it once it is finished. As a ufo, how much are you really going to appreciate it? Also, if it remains in pieces, someone in the future may just trash it all, not knowing what it was or what it really meant to them. Once it is a finished item of some sort, you can attach a label to it so descendants will know what it is.

I agree with mic-pa and Dina. Fix what you can (or want to) and finish it the size it is. Are there enough pieces in the box to make something for the others she meant to make a quilt for?

what if you patched the little holes with white fabric on the back. I love it.. I would hand patch the white holes and then leave a story about it on the back fabric...then who ever ends up with it after you will know why some holes are in it..

How about appliqued hearts over the little holes? The hearts would show that she made it with love...even if it isn't quite perfect.

This may not apply to the situation above, but a quilter had left behind some unused pieced blocks. One of the quilter's daughters or a female relative used them as appliques in different quilts which were then given to relatives. I saw an exhibit of them in a show a few years ago. It was nice.

Oh golly! That quilt is beautiful. PLEASE finish it. Rip out what is loose and re-sew it. You won't be sorry. There is a ton of work put into it. I have 2 that my Mother-in-law made. Wouldn't part with them at all. Just a little at a time, so you don't get worn out or tired of working on it.

That is a beautiful quilt your Mother began. She probably didn't get it finished as it was a lot of work and time consuming. We all get burned out on some of our projects. Maybe she did on that one.
If it were me, I would repair as needed and have it LA. It will truly be a great heirloom in the future for someone in your family! Go for it. Forget the quilt police!! Nothing is perfect anyway. Best wishes on your decision...

Finish it. Fix the seams where the fabric was missed entirely. Also, it might help to iron the seams open and SITD on both sides of all seams when quilting to help stabilize the seams.

I agree with Tashana. On the label you could reference your mother like "This quilt was to become a loving memory for a daughter by her mother, but was finished by the daughter in loving memory of her mother." You could insert your names and approximate date started and then the finishing date. Leave your mothers stitches in and finish with yours. I wouldn't rip one stitch out. Every time you look at that quilt you can point out to everyone which stitches she lovingly created for you. I would look at each stitch as a gift from her heart to yours.

Very pretty quilt. Good luck.

The quilt is very pretty! I would finish that quilt as she intended, flaws and all, and I would regard it as an absolute treasure!

It is a beautiful quilt. I agree, fix what you can and finish it!

If it were mine..
I'd fix what needs fixing and then finish it. That's what your Mother was trying to do (I'd guess).

Before my Mother passed away, she had given up on her quilting as it wasn't turning out right. Alzehimers is a cruel thing for people to endure. At one point, she handed me a quilt top she had been working on and said.."here, you finish this cause I can't make sense of it."

((hugs))

Finish the top and then spray baste it to a piece of muslin to help with the spots where there are holes. Then layer and quilt. You will be so happy to have it!

I agree with Dina and Mic-pa. It's too beautiful not to use it as intended!

I do not see any obvious places where the seams don't match up, or holes, but maybe you could "whipstitch" where the fabric doesn't meet. The size it appears to be now looks like a good sized wall hanging, but I would do my absolute best to finish it; you will never be able to get another one from your dear mother, and after it is finished, you can get {hugs} from her every time you use it. That is a treasure, for sure.

It's very pretty. I'd finish it as she planned, repairing the errors she made.....unless working on it is upsetting to you. In that case, I'd ask (and pay a reasonable fee) another quilter to do it.

Finish it as you will always treasure it! And whomever you pass it down to, will also treasure it! Make sure they know the story behind this quilt. The additional bocks, if you have children, please frame one for each as a wonderful keepsake of grandma. I have 2 blocks framed on my wall and they are very special and as I look at them the memories are wonderful. Several people have asked me about the blocks and I love to share with them. Several have said they wish they would have something like this on their walls.

Beautiful quilt. I would fix it.

I finished a quilt for my MIL for my husband. She made her first quilt when she retired from teaching 3rd grade. She used ivory muslin and stitched a candlewick design in each block. then she put them together with 2 inch lace between the blocks and had the church quilters hand quilt it. It was beautiful! She had it on her bed when we were all there for a family dinner. We all asked "where is mine?" She was worried about a fight over the quilt after she died so she started in making a quilt like it for each of her 8 kids. She made the next one herself and then asked me for help. I cut blocks and serged the edges so they didn't fray when she embrideried them. I sewed some tops together and sewed lace on some and even hand quilted one for her. This took a long time for her to get them done. When she was 89, she ws going into a nursing home. We were visiting one night and she asked me about my quilting and I told her what I was working on. I asked about her quilting and she started to cry. She said she would not get the last one done before she died. The last one was for my DH because he is the youngest. I asked her if she would like me to finish it for her. She said "Would you?" and the tears were falling for both of us. She told my DH where to find the partially finished blocks and the cut blocks and the pattern books and sent them home with us for me to work on. She moved into the nursing home the following week. In the next 2 months, we spent a lot of time visiting her and her health took a down hill turn. We lost her at age 89 1/2. It took me about 6 months before i could get out the quilt to work on it and when I did, one block was missing. I put it away for a while. Later when we were going thru the house and getting things sorted, we found the missing partially finished block in her sewing basket. I knew I had to work on that quilt. I decided not to candlewick embroidery the untouched blocks and use the embrideried blocks she finished. That way the only embroidery on the quilt was hers. I quilted in a design in the unfinished blocks because quilting is my thing. It turned out beautifully. Sometime, I could actually feel her presense when I was quilting. It took me over a year to hand quilt it but my DH got his quilt from his mom. The rest of his brothers all treasure their quilts and now he has one too. My MIL was a wonderful woman and I loved her dearly. I miss her everyday but the quilt is like a warm hug from her.

I forget to mention that I typed the story of the quilt on the computer and printed it onto Printed Treasure fabric and stitched in onto the back of the quilt. Some stories sould not be forgotten or lost. You could finish your mom's quilt and add the story to it. We lose a lot of history when it is not written down. I would love to see finished pictures of it when you finish.

I have loved this quilting board from the day I found it, but never more than today. You wonderful, encouraging ladies have just filled my heart with your love, encouragement and beautiful suggestions. I will finish this quilt and repair the few little imperfections and you will see a picture of it completed some day. It may take awhile although I am anxious now to complete it and use it and cherish it. I have taken it out of it's bin many times, but it has taken me fifteen years to be ready to tackle it. Thank you for each suggestion and your loving words.

Another option, if you are concerned about seams and such...
Get a pretty piece of backing material just a bit larger than the finished portion and appliqué the DWR to it, then make blocks to encircle it that have a special meaning for you. Some possibilities could be: the 1st block she taught you, or patterns that the 2 of you worked on together, or blocks you remember watching her make. In this way you could have a tribute quilt to her, and her quilt to you.
Just a thought

I would repair the really bad area's and finish it. My Mom crocheted and when she passed my 1/2 sister threw out all of her projects because they were not finished. Even after she was told I wanted them and all the yarns. I knew someone who could finish them. And we would all have the last projects she was making for each of us. I cherish the afghans she made for me.My son now 39 still has the ones she made him as a baby.They have been used and loved by all 6 of his babies. And eventually his Grand babies will enjoy the love that went into each stitch as well.

My condolences on the loss of your mother....regardless of how long she's been gone. Mine is 83 and a prolific quilter whose eyesight is beginning to wane also. I think you should take the seams apart that are troublesome....it will be like collaboration between you and your Mom....it's too beautiful a quilt to be anything less than a quilt....Unless you want to quarter it to make wallhangings for siblings. But mostly I'd say---do what you're comfortable with, whatever makes you feel good and don't feel guilty.

I would lovingly fix what I could, finish it up and use it. Maybe hang it for the world to see. It is beautiful

Sorry for your loss, this thread made me cry, since I lost my mom in Nov 2011 and did not get any of her blocks that she had started. I did get some of the fabric back that I gave her, but no quilt. She made quilts for all of her grandchildren and as many of her greats as she could. Some were born after she passed away. The wedding ring quilt is beautiful and I would finish it with a label on the back so that your family knows its history. This board is the most wonderful bunch of ladies and gentlemen that are all so helpful if someone needs a helping hand or a shoulder to cry on. Hugs to all. Amy

I would resew the seams and finish it up. It is beautiful and deserves to be finished. Just my 2 cents worth.