I have a few 'cutter quilts' and other old quilts that are damaged by abuse, misuse or from being loved and washed to near death. These are quilts that are so worn they can't hold up to normal use. Maybe there are sections missing or threadbare areas with batting sticking out. I buy cutters every chance I get and use them for making pillows, baby quilts, Christmas stocking and other crafty items. If a cutter is worn out just around the edges, I often trim it down and rebind it for a baby or child. These quilts are great because the cuddle factor is built in! If the worn quilt is from my family, I make every effort to restore it for my enjoyment or to be passed along to other family members.
The colorful Lone Star quilt below is one of Grammy Rose's quilts and it was my bed quilt for many years as a child. It is in fair shape except around the edges, which I plan to rebind. There are a few areas of the hand quilting I need to restore also. I wouldn't dream of cutting into this quilt. I would consider this a cutter if I ran across it in a flea market or yard sale.
The scrappy Grandmother's Fan quilt below is what I consider a cutter quilt. It has extensive damage on opposite ends where it appears to have been tucked under a mattress onto springs. The overall condition is extremely worn. It looks like a printed flannel blanket was used for batting. I could not get a clear picture of this quilt.
The pink print Churn Dash quilt below is another of Grammy Rose's quilts and is in very good condition except for the outside row all around. I plan to trim this quilt and rebind it. It should make a great table topper to large crib quilt. Sometimes when I bind an old quilt I will use the back side of a soft print to replicate fading.
Restoring and repairing old quilts is very rewarding and it's something I enjoy doing in the winter when the days are long and I'm indoors due to the weather.
Wherever you are, I wish you wonderful day!
Peace and Happy Quilting ~~ Barb
Hi Barb,
ReplyDeleteI always learn something from your blog. Today it's to use the wrong side of a print to better match a repair of an old quilt.
After down-sizing I don't have any old quilts, but it looks like we'll be joining the kids sometime late this year in Suwanee, GA. Matt's Crohn's is getting worse and they have decided to move to his hometown to be close to his family.
We're helping them move cross-country in July, we'll check it out, if we can find a cheap rental...we'll follow. :)
Then thriftshops, yard sales, etc. here I come. Love to "Upcycle", especially with textiles.
Have a great day, Ruby
I have one of these types of quilts. Don't have any idea where it came from or even the age. It's a dresden and the fabric on so many of the plates is worn bare. Perhaps I could salvage some of the plates and rework them into a smaller lap quit. Too bad the maker didn't label or sign it.
ReplyDeleteAlana