This quilt was finished in 1975 and I didn’t make another quilt until 1995 (one started, but none finished). The pattern is very different from the scrap quilts I make now. The quilt has seen lots of wear — it’s pretty thin and the black print with the little roses is faded. I like the circular effect that was created when the blocks were sewn together.
I bought a giant quilting frame to hand quilt the top, but I couldn’t stand it — the frame was awkward and the stitching tedious. I did about a third of the quilt and ended up sending it to a church group in Ohio to complete. My mother-in-law, Gail, is from Cleveland and she located this group of ladies who did a fabulous job. I decided that quilting just wasn’t my thing.
In 1995, I was working at Somerset Elementary when one of the teachers arranged for a woman to come and share her quilts with the kids. It got me thinking about quilting again and I decided to finish the tumbler quilt I started years earlier. After that it just snowballed — I discovered a love of vintage fabric, hand quilting and hand piecing. I placed a link to the instructions and templates below the photos.
Morning Glory
Martha Dellasega Gray, 1975
machine pieced, hand quilted
70″ x 86″
Too sweet – I admire your dedication to the craft
Beautiful first quilt! And the ones you make now are gorgeous too, glad you came back to it so you can share them with all of us!
That’s a pretty technical pattern for a first quilt. Good color choice. I am actually pretty much in awe.
My story of quilting is similar having learned in the mid-70’s in KC, MO.
Thanks Slave, Lisa and Becky for your nice comments. You’re right, Becky — this is probably an unusual pattern for a first quilt, but I had been sewing and doing other needlework for about 15 years when I made it. The curves are not too sharp so the blocks can be machine sewn fairly easily (if you have some sewing experience). I’ll try to find the original pattern — I know I still have it somewhere — and I’ll add it to this post. The quilt was much prettier before the black fabric faded.
I agree, that is an intricate first quilt and it is gorgeous. I love the scalloped edges, I have always liked that. I think it puts a nice touch on the whole quilt.
xoxo
P.S. I am posting about the market bag right now! I love it, Martha, thank you so much. I hardly have the words to tell you how much the bag and your friendship mean to me. xo
Hello, I saw you quilt Morning Glories on your site. It is so pretty.I would love to try to make this one. Do you have any other instructions for this pattern.
Thank You Kathy