Grandma died in 2002, she was 92 years old. This was given to me and I know nothing about it other than she had made it. Its not finished but the pieces are all here already cut out . I never even knew she quilted! All I ever remember her doing was crochet, this woman crocheted everything you could imagine, she was awesome!!
This is entirely hand pieced and I get it out some times and just stare at it in awe, wondering what the story is behind it.

That's beautiful!
My mom had one that was started and after she passed, I was too late getting into the sewing/craft/laundry room to rescue it. My brother took pretty much ALL her crafty things and sent it to the Goodwill. Needless to say, I was P O'd

Ooooh, it's just beautiful! The pattern is called grandmother's flower garden quilt. Each centre section is a flower, surrounded by a chain of green leaves, it's an english paper piecing technique, very pretty!

Gorgeous! There is a lot to be proud of there, and a lot to feel really, really good about.

My grandmother had started a cathedral window quilt, and she died unexpectedly, not finishing it. I asked for it, was passed over, and to this day, I have no idea if it was ever finished.

M

thanks Barb.any ideas from the fabric what years it could be from?

tlr, that is so sad I dont know if i could have been P O'd I would have been to busy crying my eyes out!

Usually the fabric comes from old clothes and whatnot. I know the one my mom was making....I remember her working on it at times when I was REALLY young, but had forgotten about it until I saw it again....anyway...the one my mom was making came from our old clothes when we were babies and just scraps she had laying around from the makings of clothes she did.

TERRI--------if my mom had made something like that or started on something like that and my brother or sisters threw it out id be ready to beat them with a stick.

Let me tell you....I cried over it.
I did however, save an afghan she was making. It just needs to be sewn together. I also have some knitted doll dresses that she made. You know....the frilly knitted ones? Just need dolls to go in them. I know 2 little girls that just might like them. My mom did it all....sewed, knitted, crocheted, tatted, hair-pin lace. She was amazing! I can only sew and knit. Mom tried teaching me, but I just couldn't get the hang of it. :(

Melissa, i'm sorry, i don't know anything about what era dif fabrics are from.

Looking closer at the designs, some of them look like 50s and 60s. Theres one blue flower print that looks like a shirt my mom made for me when I was in grade school....circa 1960's ish ;) Maybe mid 60s

I found almost the same quilt in my Mom's stuff, though I am pretty sure that my Dad's Mom made the quilt. Neither are here to confirm. When my Mom died, the only thing my brother wanted was her diamond rings!!!!

Your quilt is beautiful and I am sure you will cherish it forever.

Your grandmothers quilt is beautiful.....I hope you finish it and enjoy using it in her memory :D

There's a new small quilt shop about 45/50 miles from here in another small town. We;ve been over there twice..
Anyway, the first time one of the owners showed us all around the shop and in a pile I saw a BEAUTIFUL dahlia top - this thing is gorgeous - all done by hand and the edges were done in grandmother's fan, just an all around impressive job.
As I was exclaiming over it and admiring it, the owner started telling us the tale:
It seems this old lady passed away leaving several unquilted tops, plus a comforter, and completed diamond star (like the Texas star only very small diamonds)..
When the adult children came upon the quilts and quilt tops as they were cleaning out their mother's home, they decided they had no use for these things. They went to the new shop owner and asked her did she want these quilts and tops, because otherwise they were just going to throw them on the burn pile because 'we all use blankets now'.....

I think that's one of the saddest stories I've ever heard.
I myself have quilts I put together from blocks I've gotten at garage sales, and we've all seen quilts at the Goodwill or Salvation Army (altho I think the people who work there snatch most of those up).
I have a flower garden quilt from just such a thing - bought a box of stuff at a garage sale and there's all these 'flowers' in there. I knew I would never ever have the patience to finish the top as it should be so I appliqued the flowers onto squares and made the quilt that way. This was almost 30 years ago - if I had it to do over again I would have used larger squares..
But as I worked on those various quilts I just knew that these women were appreciating my finishing the job so to speak.

I've made my oldest daughter PROMISE that she will finish any quilt tops I leave behind and that she will not just toss out my 'stash' :shock:
Fortunately, she is very much a quilter and her youngest daughter (my youngest grand-daughter) is also an up and coming quilter.
I've made her promise about all my machines too! :wink:

That is a treasure to behold. I know why you take it out and just stare at it. Beautiful and years of work.

You have a real treasure there :D :D

I cannot comprehend heirs that are so thoughtless and uncaring that they would throw out the handiwork of their mother/grandmother! BUT, their lack of caring makes for thrills for us when we find treasures at a sale or auction!

I recently bought these two tops at auction - all hand pieced and embellished - just waiting to be quilted! The Sunbonnet kids has two bad spots so I got it for only $15, the other one is perfect and I got it for $40 - needless to say, I was thrilled!

At the same auction the next week, I got two boxes of quilt pieces, all neatly cut and stored in ziploc bags for $5. I suspect they may have come from the same home.

Sara

How lucky you are to have this from your grandmother. It is truly beautiful. I am sure it has lots of history and I hope you add your own history by finishing the top. Be sure to add a label with your grandmothers information & of course yours when you are done. I have one I started a few years ago. Here are a couple of pictures of mine.....in progress!!

What a fabulous treasure! It looks huge...you have to finish it and make sure you document on the back that your grandmother started it, you found it after she passed at 92, and finished it.

I am giddy w/ excitement--what a find and what great family history to keep and pass on.
Julie

Jayne,
I love the variation in the large flowers and the small flowers. Looks beautiful. I have about 15 blocks all made by hand in a box. I wish I had more time to just sit and quilt. Unfortunately, I have no other quilters or interested quilters in my family. I thought there for a spell my eldest son might take to it but after 1 summer, he discovered baseball meant girls..........eeegads.....
GOOD WORK! Can't wait to see it all finished.
Julie

Beautiful I wish I had some of my grams stuff............you are very fortunate :D

So beautiful! My mother's grandmother made a quilt of that pattern, and I have it still. Some of the pieces were starting to wear out a few years ago, and my MIL fixed it for me as a surprise gift.

MissTreated, I'm trying to finish a cathedral window quilt that my mother started. It's going to take some more years to do, since I only work on it when I don't have access to a sewing machine!

Margaret

I recognize that pattern because an waaaaay former boyfriend, I'm talking 1977, made one for "us" expecting (hoping?) we would marry. It had blue in the background. She made the beautiful quilt by hand, and a pillow. She gave me the pillow. My mom knew I loved that quilt, so when I broke up with the young man, my mom went to the grandmother and asked her if she'd sell it to her--but she said no. I never knew my mom did that till years later.

The pillow was loved on for many years, but it finally fell apart in so many places--just worn out--I tossed it. I didn't quilt back then. But it was pretty worn.

Such memories from your photos!!

I have three old quilts my dad gave me--I don't know what relative made them. I don't know what to do with them! I have no where to put a quilt rack and not a smidgen of wall space left. But I'll think of something some day.

That quilt is totally awesome! Thank goodness you found it and have saved all the pieces. I would give my eye teeth to have some of the items my grandma made - she did not quilt - but did tatting and I have one very small doily I am quite certain she made.

Its so beautiful! I bet Grandma will be so proud that you have it, and would be extremely tickled to watch you finish it!! (Yes, I do believe that our loved ones are always with us, watching , comforting and guiding :D)

Sigh--that'd be nice.

Sara Street- You lucky girl those are awesome

Jaynie- absolutely gorgeous, I have never seen one with the small flowers Its great

As to people who toss these wonderful finds, It makes you wonder what the heck goes on in a non-quilters mind!!!!!! :x

I really do want to finish Grandmas quilt but it scares the heck out of me at the same time, You know what if I ruin it!!!

Loretta, how are you quilting it, outlinw, stitch in the ditch or something totaly different?
I deffinately want to see pics when you get done

What great finds!

this is my husbands treasure, his great grandmother made it for him when he was very little

That is too cute!

His great grandma was an awesome quilter! I never met her I believe she died in 1972(?) but the college in Enid ( It was Phillips university of Arts at that time) did a documentary on her and her quilts (we have it on tape) She was known as "the Quilt Lady". She did some of the most amazing quilts!!

Ohhh that is awesome!! How great is it that he's kept it all these years!! Its a special man that sees the love in a hand made quilt to be sure!!

Can't believe my eyes.....How awesome...You do own a real tresure.... :D

[b][b]I found a few of those flowers last year in a move., I had started cutting and sewing them when my youngest daughter was about 4. They had been in a closed plastic box for ohhhhh well the girls are going to be 30 and 32 this summer. Anyway, the box didn't have a tight seal and they got moldy. Very sad, they were made from the girls baby dresses. It was my intent to continue useing their clothes to finsih it but now I just cry every time I see those spots on them. I tried every thing including oxy clean... but I can't make myself throw em away even tho I'll never finsih them. :roll:
I'd be homicidal if someone who couldn't finsish a project that knew I could got rid of it or passed me over :evil: :twisted: :!:

My Grandmothers nor my Mother quilted. I just got interested cause I do a lot of crafty stuff. I do have a quilt that my Dad's mother gave me many many years ago. She didn't make it but HER mother did. Grandma worked at a pajama factory when she was a young girl and saved pieces of the satin fabric that she cut into squares and made a slip cover to put on a quilt that she was given by her mother. She then gave both to me. I put the slip on the quilt but because of the age of both the feathers (yes feathers!) started coming through the satin covering. I used cotton fabrics and just sewed patches on where the small holes were forming. I have it stored because it is too hot to sleep under but GREAT when you have a chill you can't shake! :) Telling you guys about it makes me want to dig it out and do something with it now. It wasn't quilted or tied or anything so I might just do some quilting on it to keep it in tack. I wouldn't part with it for the world and I hope when I go one of my kids will keep it. Maybe it will remind them of a time when there was only fireplaces instead of central heating. :lol: :lol:

That is absolutely gorgeous and what a treasure.

I have been looking at all the beautiful quilts and quilt tops. What treasures they all are.

Jaynie, I am in the process of doing a GFG also, and am putting it together in the same manner that you are. Mine is not as far along as your's, but I am getting there. I do have all the blocks made ( I think!) Are you doing the English Paper Piecing? I did a GFG many years ago, just hand piecing the hex's together. It was not very accurate. It was my very 1st quilt, and I still have it. I get it out from time to time, but am too embarassed to let anyone see it :) English Paper piecing is the way to go I think!

Humbird

When I did my GFG I did the English paper piecing with freezer paper! I cut the hexes out and ironed them on the back of the fabric and then cut them out. It is so easy that way and the paper is stiff enough to iron the seams over it. Besides you can use the pieces over and over again as you go along.

humbird,
yes I am doing the english paper piecing. It is the best....I can't imagine doing it without the papers, like our grandmothers. I have such admiration for those women that made such beautiful quilts..way back before all the modern conveniences and helpful gadgets & techniques.