Irish linen
 

My friend gave me her mother's linen as no one was interested in it. I would like to take some of the irish linen napkins and sew handkerchiefs on them creating a quilt for her. I would then do a machine quilting overall stitch. Does anyone have advice? I did machine wash the napkins. Thanks.

so thoughtful......but what about wrinkles.....Irish linen irons and starches beautifully.....but wrinkles way too easily too.

Cindy Needham. She has some craftsy classes especially her wholecloth quilt class.

I agree with Tartan. Someday I eventually hope to get around to making a Crazy Quilt with my Great Aunt's Irish linens (she hand carried them from the Old Country). I think they are so beautiful as is, but I've also seen people who attach a light/featherweight stabilizer to help keep them from wrinkling. I know I don't have enough from her between the napkins & tablecloth to be able to make as large of a quilt as I'd like so I keep going back & forth between looking for more Irish linen on eBay versus buying some linens & maybe adding some hemstitching. I saw a quilt where the top was colored (blue or green -- I can't remember now) and they had layered some white linen behind it so it peeked through the row of hemstitching. Really quite lovely. In another place they'd done the same thing with antique white on top & bleached white behind peeking through. I love all the laces, too. My great grandmother made lots of lace doilies. Most of them were stolen, but there were a few that were preserved. I'm not sure I can part with them, but all those luxurious items like lace, satin, linen, silk, and such make for really lovely quilts.

I'm sure however you end up incorporating it will be truly beautiful.

I have found 3-4 beautiful old huge linen table cloths at local thrift shops. I rarely pay more than $5.00 for one.

I also have uncut linen placemats and napkins. One day I will cut the yardage and hem them. I inherited some the rest I found at the thrift shop. I live within an hours drive of large retirement communities. I think the reason I find such beautiful linen is that people are either downsizing or families are donating it after a death.

Don't know how linen will wear. I would certainly check into what Tartan suggested.

Thank you for the wonderful information. I will check these out.