A New/Old Quilt Project

Deborah is sharing this "new/old" quilt project she's working on.

The story behind this quilt is it's a Rainbow Texas Star hand pieced by her maternal grandmother.  Nannie, as she was called, made countless quilts…she often gave them away to a friend if they fussed over the beauty of her quilts. 

Deborah asked her to make this quilt after seeing a similar Texas Star Quilt used as a table cloth in a Gourmet magazine.  She said she’d make it…if I would cut out all those “damn” diamonds…she did not enjoy cutting…and of course this was before rotary cutters. So, I happily cut the diamonds. 

She found or created the pattern. As Deborah recalls, Nannie made this quilt top in the early 1980’s and Deborah started hand quilting it in the mid- 90’s. She has about a third of it quilted…there are 160 diamonds left to quilt…then the background…  She's hoping “hand quilting” will still be a category in the next quilt show.  ;)

What an awesome quilt - it will be a wonderful feeling to snuggle up in a quilt made with your Nannie. 


Oh and while we are talking beauties...I've got another one for you. But this one is NOT a quilt. Still I think you will like her.  This year was a big birthday for me (and for a lot of our NT members!) and boy have I been spoiled. But this present is always going to have a very very special place in my home.  It's from my Mom - not from her house but found and brought home as a gift from her.  I loooove it.

Isn't she terrific?:
  

This is my 1922 Damascus Grand treadle machine!  Top of the line Montgomery Ward's machine back in 1922 - I believe it cost 20 dollars which was probably something like two months salary back then.  Someone took very good care of her.

She has a beautiful cabinet too.

I've been working on getting her cleaned up and running - she sews a wonderful stitch and seems to be ready for another 90 some years of sewing. I couldn't be more thrilled!  Funny thing is she looks very familiar to my mom - apparently her grandmother's treadle machine was very similar.  Must have been meant to be, because I had my heart set on a Singer treadle until I saw this one.

But a word of warning...vintage machines are addicting!  I may or may not be picking up another machine this weekend.  Could be a Singer....someone's got to save these beauties. Right?