This is a quilt I can only take about 50 percent credit for; the other 50 percent goes to my grandma. Years ago she made the quilt top and I took it over and finished it last week. This design is part classic Dresden Plate quilt pattern, but with a twist. I think they look more like fans so that’s what I’m calling it.
My grandma recently celebrated her 91st birthday and has spent most of those 91 years as a quilter. But unfortunately now that she’s 91 her eyes aren’t so great anymore. She can still do some embroidery (more about that in another post) but she can’t see well enough to work a machine.
Before she stopped, she had a few quilts tops that were done but hadn’t been finished, so my mom gave them to me to finish. They’ve been packed away for years and I finally dug them out on my last visit home to my parents’ house.
I love the old fabrics she used. My grandma comes from an era where you use what you’ve got, and many of the fabrics found in this quilt come from old shirts of hers, according to my mom. It kind of inspires me to look a little more closely at old shirts of mine before getting rid of them!
I chose a simple white back for this quilt and put it all together. When it was time for the binding, my grandma had already taken care of that part, too.
Every quilt I can remember my grandma making has these little triangles for the binding. She had already pre-cut all of the squares and all I had to do was fold and attach them to the quilt.
I typically do a traditional binding on my quilts but it was fun to do the triangles to keep this a true grandma quilt. I have to warn you, if you ever do the triangles for a binding they take A LOT longer than doing a traditional binding, but so worth the end result.
I love how this vintage quilt turned out and now I’m anxious to get my hands on any other quilt tops packed away.
Love-Love-Love it! Can’t wait to see it in
person. Hope your grandma can see it to someday. She is so proud of you as are your
mom and dad.
Angela, I am so impressed!!! You have done a beautiful job, I love the vintage look of the older quilts, this one is gorgeous. I started a quilt a long time ago & am anxious to have you look at it to see if you think it’s salvageable. looking forward to seeing you at Christmas.
Ang! It looks beautiful and I’m sure your grandma would love it! Nice work!
What a beautiful quilt to honor your Grandma! Proyd if you!
“Proud of you”