Hello and happy Monday! I hope you had a wonderful weekend! I was able to take a short trip at the end of last week to visit with my Mom. While I was there she brought out some treasures…some of my grandmother’s unfinished quilt tops!
My grandmother lived with my mom for eight years before passing away about
two years ago, so my Mom is still finding some of her unfinished quilt projects that were tucked away in drawers. This scrappy quilt is one I had never seen…so I’m not sure when she pieced it. But it’s a lovely collection of scrappy goodness (my grandmother loved scrap quilts more than any other type)! My Mom actually doesn’t have many of grandma’s finished quilts, so I brought this one home to have quilted for my Mom!
And…although at first glance there didn’t seem to be a pattern here…I figured out that my grandmother actually was very deliberate in her block placement. I think I’ve found my summer scrap project! I’m going to write up directions for this and have it as a free pattern…and how about a scrappy summer sew-along as well? If you’re interested in joining in…please leave a comment on this post!
Another one of the quilts my Mom found was one I was very familiar with. Near the end of 2005 when my grandmother was almost 85 I signed up for a 2006 block of the month quilt at one of the Las Vegas quilt shops. And then I decided it would be really fun to sign my grandmother up as well so we could sew the same project together….so I told her that the upcoming year of blocks would be her Christmas present. Each month I would pick up both of our blocks, and several times we got together to sew our blocks and have lunch at her house.
The fabrics were mostly Fig Tree…however my grandmother could never just sew from a kit and always added in some fabrics from her stash. I ended up finishing my quilt into a queen-size, but my grandmother decided to piece a smaller version (the patterns are found in the book Egg Money Quilts by Eleanor Burns).
As Grandma grew older she worried about her piecing accuracy and didn’t quilt as much–so she never finished this project. The real treasure in finding this unfinished project, though, was finding her handwritten note taped to the quilt top specifying the finishing instructions: it just needed an outer border. She gave the page number in the book where the finishing instructions could be found, included an extra Dresden block to use for a pillow, and also noted on the bottom of her note that I’d given her the fabric. So this quilt came home with me as well. I’ll add the border and also give this quilt top to my Mom. But I’m thinking of keeping the extra block for me…and the note of course! I’ve always been so grateful to my grandmother for instilling in me a love for this wonderful art of quilting…and so very grateful for the blessing of being able to finish some of her later works in progress!
Thanks so much for stopping by!
Sheree Brown says
I would love to be part of a quilt along. Love the past content. I have a few of my grandmother's unfinished quilts. Your past reminded me of my treasures.
threadbear says
I'll look forward to your instructions.
Renea says
Scrappy quilts are my favorite and my family loves them. Sign me up for the instructions. I would love to join the sew-a-long.
Momma Llama says
A Scrappy Summer Quilt along would be a cool thing to do on the hot summer days. I would certainly participate. This would be a great way to use up volumes of scraps. D. Weeks (aka Momma Llama)
Sandra Jantzi says
Can't wait to join a summer scrap along!
Jane says
I would love to join in! Anything with a nine patch has me excited! And what treasurers you found this weekend!
Pamela Arbour says
I would love to join in. I would like to hear more of your thoughts on your grandmother's fabric placement. I know my grandmother planned hers too but I didn't get to spend a lot of time with her so I didn't get her thought process. Scrap quilts have always been my favorite and my inspiration to make quilts.
Dlindgren says
I would love to join you!
Anita Jackson @ Domestic Felicity says
I would love to join you in remaking your grandmother quilt 🙂
Marie Roorda says
Would love to join your quilt along…sounds fun!
Bonnie Harrell says
I would love to join the scrappy quilt along – I have LOTS of scraps to use up! Thank you!
Pat says
I'd love to join in on a scrappy quilt!
Tracey Holzer says
These quilts are such treasures!! I'm happy for you!!
Elaine M says
Two lovely quilts to have from your Grandmother. I would love to join in the fun. Thank you for sharing.
ImprovQuilter says
Sounds like a perfect way to use my scraps and FINISH a project!
Jane Lewis says
Count me in!
Kigwit says
I saw on Spoonflower how people are using handwritten recipes from their grandmothers and having them printed on fabric. Why don't you have your grandmother's note printed on fabric and use it for the backing of your pillow?
Deb Schillerberg says
Please include me in your summer quilt along! 🙂 Thanks!!
Gina M says
Lovely post…I'd love to join in.
Melanie Magnusson says
I would love to be part of this quilt-a-long. Love the photos and stories of the quilts and your grandma.
Cotton Blossom says
I really enjoyed this post. So sweet to think of those that inspired us to create. I had two precious grandmothers. One was a hard working can't sit still type and the other could paint, sew, garden, crochet. I learned from both of them. I would love to participate in a scrappy summer sew along.
Tammy Shahan says
I would like to try this also
Sorcha girl says
What a beautiful post! The quilt tops you found will be cherished by your mom as quilts. I'd love to join you in the quilt-along you proposed. Thanks for sharing your memories.
Jan @Cocoa Quilts says
What a great treasure to have. Waiting to see how it turns out all quilted up.
Shirley J. says
I would love to join in a scrappy sew along. I have several quilts of my grandmothers. They made them from flour sacks and clothes or whatever was available.
Diana Breed says
I love scrap quilts and would like a scrappy quilt along.
Christy says
What a beautiful post! I wish my grandmother or mom quilted. I'd like to think that there will be a post similar to this one from my grandkids in 30 years or so. ?
I'd love to do a scrappy quilt along!
Buff Jones says
What a wonderful grandma and what lovely quilts and memories! I'd love to join!
Hildy says
What treasures you found at your mom's house! She sure will be delight when you gift her the finished quilts. And yes, count me in for a summer sew-along you know how much I love stars:-)
mary says
I loved hearing about your grandma. I'm in for a scrap quilt.
Susie Hoover says
Loved the story about your grandmother, brought a little tears to my eyes. So sweet. Love how you both did a BOM. How fun!
I'm in for a scrappy QAL! Thanks, Sherri, for sharing the memories and a pattern!
Mel says
Scrappy Summer Sew Along sounds fun! 🙂
I always say that finding things/letters/notes from someone who has passed, is like them reaching out from Heaven to say, "I'm thinking of you today."
Libby says
I love this post about your Grandmother and yes, I would love to join !
Thank you !
Kathy Duval says
I would join the quilt along. Thanks for setting it up.
Sharon Wood says
What a beautiful posting! I would love to participate in a scrappy summer quilt-along. Scrap quilts are my favorite!
VickiT says
What a wonderful post. To have things your Grandmother had done or worked on is very special. I'm sure you'll cherish those you keep, as will your Mom after you give finished quilts to her.
I've never done any fabric printing, but the minute I read you might keep that extra Dresden block to make a pillow for yourself and also to keep that note as well, I had an idea. I wonder if you could get a good copy of that note from your Grandma and print that onto some fabric and then use that for the back of the pillow from her Dresden block. That would be awesome to be able to see her note every time you picked up the pillow and you could put the note away for safe keeping.
Lori says
I would love to join in your scrappy summer project
Cherilyn says
I have been looking for a scrappy sew along. I would join you!
Ginger Smith says
Sounds like fun. When do we start???
John Horgan says
What a wonderful tribute to your grandmother! I'd love to sew along!
JTmamaw says
I think this would be so special – I really love the back stories – and like you ,,,I would keep that note….
Now a little side story for you from me – I am 80 years old and I have many back stories attached to many of the quilts I have done or found at my mom home after she passed….we lived close —and I Mom did not quilt (she was a knitter) so if I noticed something there I asked who made it and was it a gift – so I was able to fill in the blanks –
I am still making quilts – so include me in this adventure….
Rachel says
Such a sweet post…and you know your Grandmother would have been so happy for you to finish these quilts. What an honor to complete her projects, your mother will be so appreciative!! I can't imagine how many unfinished projects I will leave behind. I do complete many but also have lots of gathered fabrics and ideas. Keep on quilting 🙂 and yes, I would love to have the pattern and sew along. Thanks and really enjoy your blog!!
jewelgriss says
I would love to be a part of the sew along– my grandmother wasn't into quilts but garment sewing. She also worked at "House of Fabrics" in California and always had fabric around. My mom is also a quilter still at 96 years old.
weddingdressblue says
I would likely stitch along. If it is scrappy I have a hard time resisting.
Karen says
What wonderful treasures! As far as I know, I am the only quilter in my family on both sides, so I do not have any quilts passed down by family. I am the one giving them away and, perhaps, passing them down some day. I always enjoy your sew-alongs — count me in!
Frans says
I'd love to see the instructions when you write it up. If I have time I would like to join the sew-a-long.
Thanks.
Barbara says
You've piqued my interest. Love old quilts! And scrappy is the best!
Martha C. says
I would love to be part of the quilt along! Wonderful story, wonderful memories! Grandmothers are the best!!!!
Cherie Z says
I would love to do this quilt along with you. Thank you for sharing.
Linda says
What a treasure!
mogsinc says
I'm in! Looks like fun!
Nancy Van Roekel says
My fabric stash is out of control! Let's do this!
Carolyn says
I would love to learn about this project of your Grandmother's! Lovely! I learned to hand quilt with my Grandmother and Mother on a Rose of Sharon quilt of passed down blocks and grew up watching my Daddy's grandmother hand piece fan quilts, her favorite. The pieced quilts from the fifties from feedbags were our original scrap quilts! I love pulling out their unfinished projects, it is like a visit with them.
Terry Helms says
I would love to do a scrappy QAL. Most of my fabric is beautiful, but they are pieces of various lines, so scrappy seems to be my way of quilting too.
Debbie says
This sounds like a wonderful idea and a great way to use my scraps. Looking forward to your instructions! Thanks
ruthie says
Scrap quilts are my favorites! I'd like to be a part of this.
Mary Ann says
How wonderful to have these items from your grandmother. What a wonderful story and such happy memories for you. survivor972002@midco.net
Maureen says
I would enjoy doing a quilt along with you!
Marie-Laure says
Yes, I would gladly try the sew along this summer, can't promise that I will be able to Keep the pace due to other Projects but it Sound very nice. Your comments on your grandmother's quilting and your quilting together are precious memories.
margaret says
how good to have found these quilts and that you are going to complete them very touching reading how she had left the instructions. Would love to take part providing those wedding ring blocks are not in the quilt! but looking think you were sharing 3 quilts and they are the second one wedding rings way beyond me
Gaila Gilliland says
Thanks for sharing your grandmother's quuilting and your wonderful memories! I'd love to do a quilt along as long as I could hand quilt it.
Mary Card says
What a lovely post! Thank you for sharing! I am truly enjoying your monthly QAL and look forward to joining your summer one as well. Your blog is so inspirational. Can't wait!
Gilda says
What lovely memories of your grandma and yes I'd love to join in on another quilt along with you!
Karen says
Sweet memories of grandma. A summer sew along sounds like summer fun.
Andrea says
Sherri, Good news – I have the pattern to the first quilt you posted!! The name of the pattern is "Cinderella"; it was designed by Sally Schneider of Puyallup, WA and published in Quilters Newsletter magazine as a 2-part series in the May and June 1995 issues. It's designed to be a scrap exchange with 6 people. I'm wondering if your mom exchanged blocks with some of her quilting friends?? My aunt, mother, sisters,cousins and I participated. My quilt looks almost identical to your grandmothers! A photo of our 6 quilts appeared in the November 2001 issue. I'll send you an e-mail with some more info. You can see photos of my quilt on this blog post: http://andreasuzannesquilts.blogspot.com/2014/07/photo-shoot-at-blossom-hollow-farm.html
kathy says
I love those scrappy quilts of yesterday! I have tons of scraps that need to find their way into a quilt, so I'd love to join a sew along. It would help me pass my early days of retirement as I make the adjustment of not working.
Phyllis says
Thank you for the sweet post. My grandmothers didn't quilt but Grandma Brown did the most awesome crochet. I love the idea for using up our scraps into a fun quilt. Thanks.
Momma Lynne says
I have only one of my Grandmother's quilts. I didn't find out she was a quilter until I became caregiver for my aunt and she had the quilt on her bed..
I would enjoy being part of your Grandmother Quilt Along.
Little Quiltsong says
What treasures! Love that there was a note included with your grandmother's handwriting – so precious!
annanichsmom says
I would love to be part of this sew along. Your story is near and dear to my heart. I found a box of my grandmother's quilt squares at my mom's before my mom moved in with us. It is a labor of love to make quilts with them. Especially since my two daughters, Mom and I are working on them together. When we are done we will all sign the back of the quilts, and include a copy of my grandmother's signature.
Carol Findley says
I would love to do a quilt along project like you're suggesting. My own dear mother died about 5 years ago, just as I was getting started on my own quilting career. I inherited her stash as well as some unfinished projects that I'm working to finish. Isn't it a wonderful connection to your past relationships to have these projects to work on?
lisa0116 says
I would like to join along. It was heartwarming to read your post except for one sentence that kind of broke my heart and that sentence is this one: My Mom actually doesn't have many of grandma's finished quilts, so I brought this one home to have quilted for my Mom!
It's none of my business but I would think that it would be so much more special to your mom if you quilted grandma's quilt instead of having her quilt quilted. Maybe you do plan on quilting it yourself but your sentence reads as if you are going to have someone else do it. That kind of takes away from it being a project by mom and daughter for your mother.
Debbie Jeter says
Having just found the one and only quilt top that my mother had kept that my great-grandmother pieced (hand-appliqued), the story about the treasures that your mother found really touched my heart. I have lots of irons in the fire and I may not be able to keep up, but I sure would like to be involved with the sew along. Those connections to our past are special indeed. Debbie
Rita Olivieri says
Sounds great- would be my first QAL
Nana Judy says
I would love to do a scrap quilt using a pattern that your grandmother had. It would be an honor. I never was fortunate to have a grandma so I loved hearing your memories of yours.
Lynette Tait says
Wow they look beautiful would love to see your progress over time and to join in, scrappy quilts are my favorites too!
Home Sewn By Us says
Oh Sherri,
What a touching story and how wonderful that you will be able to finish up these two quilts. Your grandmother sounds like such an inspiration for you. I know your mom will love to have that finished quilt, and that hand written note is just priceless. {{Hugs}} I would love to do a quilt along. ~smile~
Roseanne
Helen L says
What treasures!!! And I think I see stars in that first quilt: it would be fun to do! Hugs, H
Knitwit Quilter says
Would love to do the summer quilt along— So count me in. Thanks for stories about your grandmother and sharing what she made.
marilyn emmons says
I will look forward to your instructions, Count me in. Thanks
Jean says
I love scrap quilts. Count me in.
Beth LaMotte says
I would love to join in! Thank you for sharing your stories.
Marj says
I would like to your scrappy quiltalong. I am 75 and also love scrap quilts I have 2 unquilt tops from the past. One is a grandmothers flower garden made by my dad's mother and his father's sister. The other is a postage stamp made by my husband's great aunts. They are both hand pieced. I'm not good at hand piecing but hope my daughter will eventualy decide to finnish them.
Debbie Anderson-francis says
i WOULD LOVE TO JOIN YOUR SUMMER QUILT ALONG. i HAVE PLENTY OF SCRAPS THAT NEED A QUILT TO CALL HOME. lOOKING FORWARD TO THIS.
Catherine Dorsey says
I would likely quilt along. I have quilt tops my Mom made.