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Across the Fence:  A quilt -to use or not  |
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vegetarian farmer
True Blue Farmgirl
249 Posts
Jane
Freedom
pa
USA
249 Posts |
 Posted - Apr 08 2010 : 11:50:57 AM
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My Mother just gave me a quilt that my - ready for this- great, great, great, grandmother made. We are talking Civil War times here. It is in very good shape and all hand stiched. Now I am the end of the line. Neither my brother nor I have children. So do I put in on the bed or hide it back in the closet as it has been for years. My mother said, her mother was scarred into not using it because it was to precious. At first I had it on the bed, now I am getting scarred. What do I do.
jane
http://hardworkhomestead.blogspot.com/ |
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Calicogirl
True Blue Farmgirl
5216 Posts
Sharon
Bruce Crossing
Michigan
USA
5216 Posts |
Posted - Apr 08 2010 : 11:53:18 AM
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Wow! What a huge blessing Jane! I think I would be afraid to use it too, BUT I would most definitely display it so you can enjoy it :) Let us know what you decide to do :)
~Sharon
By His Grace, For His Glory
http://merryheartjournal.blogspot.com/ |
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FebruaryViolet
True Blue Farmgirl
4810 Posts
Jonni
Elsmere
Kentucky
USA
4810 Posts |
Posted - Apr 08 2010 : 12:46:24 PM
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You know what? I think I probably wouldn't use it...if I did, I'd have a textile expert check it out and make sure it can withstand the daily wear and tear. Some fabrics, like wool and silks, can be so very fragile. I would display it, but again, I would check with an expert on the best way to preserve the fabric's integrity.
I have a 1860's baby quilt that is hand embroidered with hand dyed floss, and I was instructed to sew a long pocket (just hand stitch, only to pick up the back of the batting) to the back for hanging. I take it down twice a year to gently hand wash it in the bathtub and roll it in towels and dry it on the lawn. Never hanging it when it's wet, so I don't stretch the cotton.
Musings from our family in the Bluegrass http://sweetvioletmae.blogspot.com/ |
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Ingrid
True Blue Farmgirl
432 Posts
Ingrid
BC
Canada
432 Posts |
Posted - Apr 08 2010 : 1:25:20 PM
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Find out from a quilting society how to preserve it the best way. I am sure they could give you some information.
Give thanks to yourself everyday for all the wonderful things you do! |
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bobbinrobin
True Blue Farmgirl
590 Posts
Sharon
Newman Lake
WA
USA
590 Posts |
Posted - Apr 08 2010 : 1:33:01 PM
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It would be nice to bequeath it to a local museum or art gallery but only after you have enjoyed this wonderful legacy as long as you are able. Can you take a picture and post it here? I'm sure we would all love to see it Jane.
How beautiful a day can be when kindness touches it. -G. Elliston
www.sharnymcclarny.etsy.com
www.bobbinrobin.etsy.com |
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CountryBorn
True Blue Farmgirl
1545 Posts
Mary Jane
New York
USA
1545 Posts |
Posted - Apr 08 2010 : 1:41:52 PM
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You know what? I would use it. Laying it on your bed shouldn't hurt it, unless it gets direct sun light. You say you have no children, so what to do? Leave it hidden in your closet for years and have someone else get it one day. I think things should be used and enjoy. Do you have any animals that go on your bed? If there is worry about that, then I would display it on a quilt rack or somewhere the animals can't get on it. But, honestly, if you can, use it. It is a shame to me all these years no one has truly enjoyed it. I have one my great gandma made in the 1800's. I inherited from my Grandma and Mom. It just sat all those years too. Now I look at it and love it everyday. Just my humble opinion!
MJ
There can be no happiness if the things we believe in are different from the things we do. Freya Stark |
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AmethystRose
True Blue Farmgirl
254 Posts
Rosemary
Huntingdon
PA
USA
254 Posts |
Posted - Apr 08 2010 : 1:45:13 PM
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Jane, do you have a guest room? I would use it, but in a place where it will be seen and appreciated but not handled or exposed to strong sunlight. Maybe you can put it on your bed for a few months each year. Honor those grandmothers by not hiding it away. If you can, have your mother write down the story of the quilt, and include any photos. Someday your local historical society would appreciate it.
Can you tell that genealogy is a hobby of mine? |
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vegetarian farmer
True Blue Farmgirl
249 Posts
Jane
Freedom
pa
USA
249 Posts |
Posted - Apr 08 2010 : 3:05:26 PM
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It took forever to learn how to post this and sorry if it is to big but here is the quilt. Lots of good ideas, and Mary Jane I forgot about sunlight, thanks. I only have a surviving mother and brother so I have spent a lot of time going through things my family "saved" but they ended up rotting or falling apart before they were used. I guess the depression era did that a lot when they got something nice. But the other side is if I ruined it I would feel so bad (and maybe my grandmothers would come back and haunt me:)
Jane
http://hardworkhomestead.blogspot.com/ |
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CountryBorn
True Blue Farmgirl
1545 Posts
Mary Jane
New York
USA
1545 Posts |
Posted - Apr 08 2010 : 3:16:05 PM
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Jane, that is just a beautfiul quilt. The background really looks just like mine. They must be close in time periods. Mine has an orangy color something like a pumpkin color basket pattern on it. You have to do what you feel is best for your quilt. It is a shame to hide that gorgeous quilt away in a closet forever though.
MJ
There can be no happiness if the things we believe in are different from the things we do. Freya Stark |
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Karrieann
True Blue Farmgirl
1900 Posts
Karrieann
Northeast
Georgia
USA
1900 Posts |
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RaspberryBee
True Blue Farmgirl
291 Posts
Karen
Montrose
Michigan
USA
291 Posts |
Posted - Apr 08 2010 : 3:24:13 PM
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This quilt is simply beautiful and I can not imagine putting it in the dark for 'safe keeping'. That said it is not my family history at stake. I come from a long line of quilters, on my Dad's side,that used what they had because, well, that is what they had. I agree with Jonni about having an expert give her/his opinion on the matter. My mother's mother had beautiful jewerly that sat in a safety deposit box at the bank. Everytime she wanted to wear a piece she would have to make a trip downtown - that is where the fashionable folk banked - well, you can figure out how many times she went without wearing her jewerly. I have a few of the pieces and I wear them every day just about. Why let heirlooms languish in the dark sight unseen. I do not have children either so.... Good luck with this decision but I secretly hope this quilt will be on your bed :-)
Farmgirl Sister #918
I would rather sit on a pumpkin and have it all to myself, than be crowded on a velvet cushion.
-Henry David Thoreau- |
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LakeOntarioFarmgirl
True Blue Farmgirl
933 Posts
Brenda
North Rose
NY
USA
933 Posts |
Posted - Apr 08 2010 : 4:28:08 PM
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What a gorgeous quilt!!!!
I can really, really understand your not wanting to use it, especially if someday you want to donate it or sell it....
But, this is what I've learned. I have beautiful delicate clothing(underthings) from my great grandmother that were all hand sewn. They are in beautiful condition, and I definitely want to keep them as nice as I can. I also have a set of Limoges from France, that my father in law brought home for his mother during the Korean War. Definitely fragile, and I worry about breaking a piece.
I was told once to not hide what I love. If I am going to hide it, I should give it to someone who will love it more than me. Well, no one will love these things more than me, so I keep them where I can see them, even if I don't use them.
The clothing pieces are hung on an antique rack in my guest room. The china is put in the china cabinet in my dining room, and we do use it once a year.
So I would say, if you can keep it somewhere that you can see it frequently and enjoy(out of direct sunlight), go ahead and do so! You can always check it monthly to make sure it is still holding up, no bugs, holes, etc.
What a wonderful thing for you to have! I love my family history, and I especially love the things that have been passed on to me from my ancestors!
Brenda
FarmGirl # 711
Nothing we achieve in this world is achieved alone. It is always achieved with others teaching us along the way. Lee J. Colan
http://theviewfromhere-brenda.blogspot.com/ |
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JojoNH
True Blue Farmgirl
1984 Posts
Joanna
Dunbarton
New Hampshire
USA
1984 Posts |
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jpbluesky
True Blue Farmgirl
6066 Posts
Jeannie
Florida
USA
6066 Posts |
Posted - Apr 09 2010 : 07:48:02 AM
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Oh my goodness, that is beautiful! A for real treasure, and probably worth many hundreds or maybe thousands. Here is what I do with my grandmother's 1920 quilt, which is precious to me. I am saving it for my daughter to have, but the safest place is really on a bed, in a guest room without lots of bright light, perhaps under another bedspread. That way no folds can damage the cloth, and it lies flat. I would not get it dirty though, as washing it will wear it. But what can to hurt if you have it on a bed and enjoy looking at it, and maybe once in awhle even cozy up under it. You can enjoy a treasure without hurting it if you are careful. And it is to be enjoyed too!
Farmgirl Sister # 31
www.blueskyjeannie.blogspot.com
Psalm 51: 10-13 |
Edited by - jpbluesky on Apr 11 2010 06:54:47 AM |
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Twinsmom
True Blue Farmgirl
116 Posts
Debbie
Wyoming
USA
116 Posts |
Posted - Apr 09 2010 : 08:37:41 AM
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What a beautiful quilt! I would do what some others on here said and have a textile expert look at it. I would display it, why have it tucked away where you cannot enjoy it. A wall hanging or on a bed in a guestroom. It is to beautiful to not be enjoyed!
You don't have children, but think of someone you know who would take care of it and treasure it as much as you do.
Twinsmom
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Celticheart
True Blue Farmgirl
811 Posts
Marcia
WA
USA
811 Posts |
Posted - Apr 09 2010 : 11:56:55 AM
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I have to agree with the people who say display it and/or use it. I'm a quilter and I've inherited many beautiful pieces of china and crystal from my great grandmas. I also have vintage clothing from my great aunts and great grandmas. The china and crystal are in my china cabinets and are used for any special occasion(and some not so special), the clothing is rotated and displayed in the guest room. I also think the quilt is probably safest on a bed under another spread to protect it. I would encourage you to have it checked by a professional and documented as to the age, etc.
As a quilter, I make my quilts to be used, especially those that I give as gifts. One of the saddest stories I know about not using quilts is about my husband's grandma. When she found out that I loved quilts and made quilts she took me to her bedroom and pulled out three big bags from her closet. In the bags were 6 quilts in perfect condition, all from the 30's, hand quilted or hand tied. They had all been made by her family and were wedding gifts to her in 1938. None of them had ever been used. When I asked her why, she said she was "saving them for good." I told her if "good" hadn't come by now(55 years later), I didn't think it ever would and that she should use them. The next week she put two of them on her bed!
She died ten years ago and her great granddaughters will inherit those quilts but it still makes me sad that she didn't get to enjoy them a little longer herself.
"Let us never forget that the cultivation of the earth is the most important labor of man. When tillage begins, other art follows. The farmers, therefore, are the founders of civilization."
Daniel Webster
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Nancy Gartenman
True Blue Farmgirl
9093 Posts
Nancy
West Seneca
New York
USA
9093 Posts |
Posted - Apr 09 2010 : 11:58:14 AM
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Don't hide it. Maybe over the back of a rocking chair, on a quilt stand. On top of a cedar chest. Just open it and re- fold it in a differnt place now and then. To be hidden away would make Great Great Great Grandma sad.I wouldn't put it on a bed that is used all the time. Maybe the foot of a spare room bed.
www.Nancy-Jo.blogspot.com |
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Faransgirl
True Blue Farmgirl
895 Posts
Beth
Houston
Texas
USA
895 Posts |
Posted - Apr 11 2010 : 12:46:42 PM
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OK here is an idea for using the quilt and helps protect it. I hang mine on the will with a curtain rode. If you don't know how have an experienced quilter put a rod pocket on the back of it and the get a curtain that is decorative and stands slightly away from the wall and hang it on a wall that doesn't get alot of direct sun. I have them on both walls and doors. Then you don't have to worry about something dirty being put on it or someone in dirty clothes sitting on it. Etc. They are safe and always there for you to enjoy.
Farmgirl Sister 572
When manure happens just say "WOO HOO Fertilizer". |
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birdie71
True Blue Farmgirl
254 Posts
Robin
Glendale
Arizona
USA
254 Posts |
Posted - Apr 12 2010 : 05:52:27 AM
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Don't hide it! Hang it on the wall!
Robin
Farmgirl Sister #1301
Farming in the Sonoran Desert? Hmmm?!
my mama's (ceejay48) craftiness ~ cjscreations-ceejay.blogspot.com
my daddy's craftiness ~ aspenforge.com |
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patchworkpeace
True Blue Farmgirl
478 Posts
Judy
Jackson
Michigan
USA
478 Posts |
Posted - Apr 12 2010 : 08:58:06 AM
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Hi Jane,
That is one beautiful quilt! I hope you display it - it is too lovely to put away somewhere.
In the Feb/Mar 2010 MJF magazine, there is an article about Mary Koval, a lady who collects quilts. She advocates documenting the history of family heirloom quilts such as yours. What a wonderful gift to give future generations.
Judy
Success is measured not by the position one reaches but by the obstacles one has to overcome to reach it. Booker T. Washington |
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AsiyahK
True Blue Farmgirl
113 Posts
Asiyah
New Jersey
USA
113 Posts |
Posted - Apr 12 2010 : 11:22:55 AM
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It's so beautiful it's a shame to not display it. I have a 1930 nine patch quilt on our dining room table. It's a conversation piece for sure and I put it in the pie safe when we use the table.
I say...display it (but don't use it.)
Lucky you!
**
Visit my blog at http://mypointohtwo.blogspot.com |
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acairnsmom
True Blue Farmgirl
1319 Posts
audrey
cheyenne
wy
1319 Posts |
Posted - Apr 12 2010 : 4:01:09 PM
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Wowser! That is one gorgeous quilt! I'd say display it carefully but talk to an expert first so they can give you advice on how not to damage it by displaying it. Of course if you have an unused bedroom, that would be an ideal place to display it AND use it.
Audrey
Toto, we're not in Kansas any more! |
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JoyIowa
True Blue Farmgirl
273 Posts
Joy
273 Posts |
Posted - Apr 12 2010 : 4:26:33 PM
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quote:
Originally posted by bobbinrobin
It would be nice to bequeath it to a local museum or art gallery but only after you have enjoyed this wonderful legacy as long as you are able. Can you take a picture and post it here? I'm sure we would all love to see it Jane.
How beautiful a day can be when kindness touches it. -G. Elliston
www.sharnymcclarny.etsy.com
www.bobbinrobin.etsy.com
Please consider, along with bequeathing the quilt to a museum or art gallery, to also provide the $ to take care of it. Museums ALL over the country face the agonizing decisions of caring for textiles. IT IS TOUGH!
If it's not illegal, unsafe, or immoral, why not try anything once? Who knows? You may come back for a second helping! |
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EastTXFarmgirl
True Blue Farmgirl
731 Posts
Victoria
Farmgirl #549
TX
USA
731 Posts |
Posted - Apr 12 2010 : 8:03:27 PM
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Jane that really is a beautiful quilt. I have to agree with Mary Jane. Your grandmother could not be upset at you for giving such a precious gift the life that it was intended. Quilts were not made to hang on a wall or in a gallery somewhere. When you lay under a quilt you lay under a blanket of love. I would think if I put that much work into something and I found out that year after year my family hid it away in a closet because they didn't want to soil it, now that would make me mad enough to come back to haunt someone. I'm not saying wipe your hands on it after eating cheetos in bed but if it were mine I would want to feel the love. I have a handmade quilt on my bed, not one made by anyone in my family, and as silly as it sounds I get such a comfort when I pull that quilt up around my neck. I know whoever made it, made it with love and knew that many years down the road it would still be bringing warmth to someone. My only son, now 28, also keeps a quilt on his bed. I just purchased a quilt for his new wife because she wanted her own quilt. But that's just my thoughts. You have to do what you feel is right.
Begin each morning with a song in your heart. |
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levisgrammy
True Blue Farmgirl
9384 Posts
Denise
Beavercreek
Ohio
USA
9384 Posts |
Posted - Apr 16 2010 : 6:19:49 PM
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That is such a beautiful quilt! I agree, you should find someone knowledgeable in quilts like yours to find out the best way to display but preserve it.
Denise
God is good....all the time.
www.torisgram.etsy.com |
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Across the Fence: A quilt -to use or not |
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A quilt -to use or not
