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″
