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From: Bama
Date: 05-21-2006, 09:08 PM (1 of 14)
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I bought 28 vintage quilt blocks at an estate sale today. Today was half price day so I got the set for $5! I still can't believe people get rid of stuff like this. A family member there told me that they're about 70 years old. They are all the same basket pattern with different fabrics and have names of each block maker embroidered on them. Names like Pearl, Odelia, Thelma, Alma, Alta, Ella, Mamie, Eva, Ethel, & Flora. These were women who lived in our town so I'm going to get my MIL to look at them and see if she recognizes any of the names. Some of the blocks are not exactly the same size, so I'm wondering how to set them together and still look 30's-ish. Any suggestions? |
User: Bama
Member since: 03-21-2000 Total posts: 2116 
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From: Magot
Date: 05-22-2006, 12:15 PM (2 of 14)
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Treasure trove Bama - a real slice of social history. Would it sash with some of those feed sacks?
love and kisses, Jan
Guts-R-Us Cells a Speciality DNA to order. |
User: Magot
Member since: 12-22-2002 Total posts: 3626 
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From: Bama
Date: 05-22-2006, 05:39 PM (3 of 14)
I was thinking about using some of them Jan.  Just trying to figure out how. I'm thinking the only way would be to put a border around each one and then size them all the same before I set them together. Some of the blocks are off quite a bit.I showed them to my boss today to see if she recognized any of the names. Her family has been here for generations. She knew 4 of them. One lady was her husband's great aunt who died just last month at age 100. She said she wished she was still living because she could have told me about all of the signatures. Two other ladies at work remembered some of the names too. I LOVE stuff like this.
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User: Bama
Member since: 03-21-2000 Total posts: 2116
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From: Magot
Date: 05-22-2006, 10:56 PM (4 of 14)
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How about if you assume that the final block + sashing is a certain size eg 12" total. Imagine that the sashing is a 12" block behind the basket block. Then twist the basket block and place it on top of the 'sashing' block such that the sashing is made up of triangles not rectangles. Then you would have a template from which to make your triangles individually for each block - adjusting the size accordingly to square up your blocks. I saw one of the ladies on the site did this to a sampler quilt I think it was to bring blocks to the same size. I think it looks less obvious than squaring up the sashing with different sized rectangles. You could always then treat these blocks as whole units and sash again with a contrast to bring the whole thing together. Hoe fantastic to recognise the names - keep a quilt journal - this one will be an heirloom! love and kisses, Jan
Guts-R-Us Cells a Speciality DNA to order. |
User: Magot
Member since: 12-22-2002 Total posts: 3626
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From: esrun3
Date: 05-23-2006, 12:36 AM (5 of 14)
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What a find Bama! I think I'm going to have to start hitting some of the estate sales around here! Let us know what you decide to do with the squares.
Lyn
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User: esrun3
Member since: 12-02-2004 Total posts: 2345 |
From: Bama
Date: 05-23-2006, 03:04 PM (6 of 14)
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Good idea Jan. I love estate sales. And yard sales... and thrift stores.... |
User: Bama
Member since: 03-21-2000 Total posts: 2116
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From: Magot
Date: 05-24-2006, 05:46 PM (7 of 14)
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I only hope you knew what I was talking about...
love and kisses, Jan
Guts-R-Us Cells a Speciality DNA to order. |
User: Magot
Member since: 12-22-2002 Total posts: 3626
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From: Bama
Date: 05-26-2006, 09:00 AM (8 of 14)
| I think I do. I did that once with a print of quilty sayings. Each square was a different size, so I added fabric strips to the edges, then squared all the blocks the same size, but with the center at an angle. Is that what you meant? I had thought about that, but hadn't thought of then sashing the newly formed squares. I think that would look much better. |
User: Bama
Member since: 03-21-2000 Total posts: 2116
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From: JoanieB
Date: 05-26-2006, 10:42 PM (9 of 14)
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Sounds like you found a real wonderful treasure with a lot of history. I love estate sales but rarely find anything that great!!!! JoanieB |
User: JoanieB
Member since: 01-28-2005 Total posts: 68 |
From: Magot
Date: 06-05-2006, 01:31 PM (10 of 14)
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That was what I meant Bama, yes.
love and kisses, Jan
Guts-R-Us Cells a Speciality DNA to order. |
User: Magot
Member since: 12-22-2002 Total posts: 3626
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From: Shellymoon
Date: 06-10-2006, 11:18 PM (11 of 14)
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What a cool find! It reminded me of something that happened back in 1999 when I was still working as a journalist. I wrote an article about an elderly woman who, while downsizing to an apartment, found a bunch of old quilt blocks made by herself and her friends back in the 1940s. The blocks were each embroidered to depict various buildings in the city where she resided. In the 1940s, this little suburban Dallas town was transformed from a farming community to a real city thanks to Vought Aircraft, which built an assembly plant there during WWII and the Dallas Naval Air Station, which sat at its eastern border. Needless to say, some of the buildings embroidered on those quilt blocks aren't standing anymore. This lady sashed all the blocks with red fabric, finished the quilt and presented it to the city's historical society. One of the active members of the society was also an at-large member of the city council, who saw to it that the quilt found a permanent display place in City Hall. Not too shabby for a bunch of Rosie the Riveter war wives looking for a way to stay busy. It was one of my favorite stories in all of my journalism career. I often wonder if that lady is still sewing today. Shelly Moon
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User: Shellymoon
Member since: 05-27-2001 Total posts: 240 |
From: Chrysantha
Date: 06-10-2006, 11:31 PM (12 of 14)
Bama has all the luck....I don't know how she does it....All I ever see is childrens clothes, old furniture and car parts... 
Chrys
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User: Chrysantha
Member since: 09-06-2002 Total posts: 2414 
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From: Bama
Date: 06-11-2006, 01:10 PM (13 of 14)
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Well..... I kind of get insider's tips. I know some ladies who run estate sales. They tell me when they're going to have stuff like this for sale or if there is a sewing room involved. I decided to go to this sale the last day because I had to go toward the area that day anyway. I was lucky to find all of it on the last day of the sale.  Luckily, the last day is always half price day. I also bought 4 old quilt tops there for $4 each DD found a stack of old albums. She bought an old Hank Williams Album to hang on her wall. She thought it would make cool wall art.  (Funny she picked Hank Williams with all the screamo music she listens to now) DS has promised to help me put pics up soon so I can show all of you the blocks and quilt tops.
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User: Bama
Member since: 03-21-2000 Total posts: 2116
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From: Patty22
Date: 07-01-2006, 01:32 PM (14 of 14)
Hey Bama....I'm anxiously waiting to see those blocks 
Patty
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User: Patty22
Member since: 03-29-2006 Total posts: 1194 |
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