It’s been wonderful to be able to hand quilt again. My carpal tunnel has improved after taking a 4 month quilting break and wearing a wrist brace to bed. I was so happy to get back to this project, and I’m looking forward to quilting more of the insane amount of tops I have waiting in the queue.
The original quilt top and another top from the same period were purchased together on ebay for $9.95 with a “buy-it-now” option.
This quilt has a rather long story, which I have talked about in earlier posts.
Chapter 1: I purchase the antique top and check out the amazing fabrics.
Chapter 2: A quilt historian contacts me and advises me not to take the quilt apart.
Chapter 3: I begin taking the quilt apart and remaking the blocks (no small task as many of the individual block pieces contained one or more seams).
Chapter 4: I make more blocks.
Chapter 5: The top is completed, and I make a mistake.
The sashing and some of the blocks contained rotten fabric; the new sashing is a reproduction fabric, and some replacement blocks were constructed with period fabrics from my collection. The quilting is a simple diagonal grid in the blocks, and straight lines in the sashing. My favorite fabric is the 1876 centennial commemorative print in the second photo.
Antique Album Quilt – Remade
Martha Dellasega Gray, 2012
machine pieced, hand quilted
56″ x 70″
Martha, I am amazed at your patience! Taking the blocks apart is no small job! It can be too monotonous or boring too. But the end result is amazing and impeccable! If only the quilter who pieced this top knew, she would be so thrilled and proud! It is so nice to know that your hands are healing and you can do things that you enjoy doing most! Take care!
I often wonder if pre 1900 quilt tops we find are still quilt tops because of poor construction. I have a few that are in the no way could it be quilted out lot. LOL. The quilt looks great. I am glad you are happy with it. I think that is most important. I once got ripped by a quilt historian, at an antique quilt exhibition, who over heard a conversation I was having with my husband about taking a quilt top apart. She made a point to come up to me and tell me how wrong I was. I am using that exact same sashing on a quilt that is on my deisgn wall. It a great print.
Enjoy your quilt. It is lovely.
Gorgeous as always! It looks fantastic, so glad your wrist is feeling better! Hugs, Mickie
I’m so glad you didn’t listen to the quilt historian that suggested you leave the damaged, unquiltable top intact. You worked your magic on this stunner and now it’s a useful..and beautiful quilt. Well done Martha!
This quilt is wonderful Martha! It’s one of my favorites so far. The different prints are all so visually interesting…..no wonder you wanted to rescue it. Well done!
Amazing. I’m wondering if I can nominate you as a National Treasure?
Really curious if the quilt historian saw your finished masterpiece?
Your quilt is gorgeous and you should be so proud to have rescued and beautifully repaired it. As others have mentioned, it is a masterpiece.
I have a friend who is an AQS Quilt Appraiser that repairs antique and vintage quilt tops and quilts all of the time. Her take is that unless the quilt or quilt top has historical provenance or significance, there is no good reason to keep it in an unusable condition. She does suggest that you not remove anything from the original quilt or quilt top. Instead, she appliques over the bad patches with an antique or vintage patch fabric as close to the original as possible. Rarely does she attend a guild meeting without bringing an old quilt to work on.
I purchased a queensize post civil war era Barn Raising Log Cabin quilt top and she advised me on how to quilt it. Fortunately, it was in great condition–I even washed it gently in my bathtub–such that it did not need any repairs. One day, soon I hope, I will get it quilted.
I think that there should be a new quilt category at the AQS Quilt Show for restored antique/vintage quilts and you should enter this quilt.
What a beautiful restoration. I enjoyed the story of this quilt. Thank you for sharing it!