Family Quilt Mystery Solved
Back in 2017, my mother-in-law downsized, and passed four quilts on to me. Since they were in an old family trunk from Ohio, I justifiably assumed that they had come from family in Ohio!
String quilt.
Feathered Star quilt.
Wool Sixteen-patch.
Maltese Cross.
But lately I have been scanning photo albums from the square dance group my in-laws belonged to, and I found these pictures from 1995. I know it couldn’t be that she was the one selling them, because 1) she would have never just tossed them like that, and 2) my in-laws never sold anything!
1995 — “Quilts $5.00”
Now I think my mother-in-law bought them from another square dancer. (The black fabric on the top of the basket at left, is the back of the Maltese Cross quilt.)
And here they are, used for props at an “Old Timers” dance.
Old quilts as table toppers in 1995.
By the time she passed them on to me, it was 22 years later, and she really didn’t remember where they were from. And now it is seven years after that, and I am still processing all the mementos I got from them!
quite the sleuth! the maltese cross one was interesting.
I am very tired of all these dusty family papers and photos taking up space in my house, but on the other hand, I do enjoy putting the stories together from the clues! 🙂
i hear you!
While there is tea there is hope!
All of this is a stimulus to LABEL THINGS so the next generation knows what the heck it is, at least to the extent you knew. I’m working on it, and the “label it or get rid of it” stimulus is helpful as well!
That is really a great idea — I need to label the things I have bought!
Yes I agree with zippyquilts – a good reminder to label! Good start on your investigation you did and how awesome to have those quilts!
What a fun way to solve a mystery, going through photos and finding the quilts. How fun – oh the stories those quilts could tell, huh?
I remember when I very first started quilting I read something about the need to label quilts, and I’ve done so ever since. I mean, why wouldn’t you? At least your name and the date. And I name my quilts too, so I add that as well, and usually who I made it for. It’s like an old photo without a caption, or a book without a title and author.
I never have, because I don’t make that many, and I think they will be easy to date — “Hmm, Kaffe Fassett fabric and a machine meander — we are looking at 2010 here, my friend!” But I am going to label the vintage tops that I hand quilt, because they could be confusing to someone in the future. And okay, I will label the other too. You gave up holding pins in your mouth, I can change to a better habit too. 🙂
Most of my quilts are given to other people, so it makes sense to ‘sign’ them so there’s a record of who, why and when.
Heirlooms are a mixed blessing especially when the stories they have are not passed on with them!
Yes, I am resolved to do a better job when I pass things down!