The Rescue Quilts – #4 – The Old and The New (in progress) – Landslide Quilt

The Rescue Quilt series is about finishing up quilt tops that were never completed and then remaking the pattern.  Sometimes I find easier / modern ways to make the quilt pattern, and sometimes I change up the pattern a bit to freshen things up.

Sometimes I will offer the quilt pattern to you free, sometimes it will be a paid pattern in my pattern shop.

The goal is to honor the quilt maker who made the quilt top by completing their project, to not waste good craftsmanship (usually done by hand), to ogle long ago yummy fabrics, and to breathe in a little old inspiration and make it new again.  You can view all parts of this series here.

Want to get started on finishing your own Rescue quilts?  Here are a few articles to get you started:

• how to find them
• how to clean them before working on them 
• Why you should lamel your quilt.
• Also, check out this pinterest board of “Inspiring Vintage Quilts” and be sure to follow me there!

 

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Available Rescue Quilt Tops on Ebay

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The Old

I bought this quilt top last year.  It’s really old.  Some of the fabrics are deteriorating just a bit and it’s a little wonky as well.  It’s made with bits of fabric, clothing, and home items, I believe.

While I know some of you might be wondering what would possess me to purchase this quilt, I actually really find the design interesting and I think the way the maker just through everything she had into it (as far as fabrics) to be something that really strikes me.

I like the way the quilt starts out on the left as soft colors, but gets darker as it goes left.  I feel the left side fits MY style and the right not so much.  But I am not the maker of this quilt top, I’m just going to be the one who finishes the work and makes it usable.

I always wonder how long it has set unfinished and wish I could know more about it.

Here’s what I do know:

• The maker completely hand stitched it together.
• Newspaper was used as a foundation and there is evidence of that on the back.
• The maker was either just really wanting to create or had a pile of fabrics she felt had to be used.

See the bit of newspaper?

When I look at this quilt I think the maker started out with dark fabrics, ran out, and then just added what she had and that might be why there is that noticeable color change.  That or either she’s just really cool and ahead of her time.

The wording on the left says, “Made in U.S.A.  No. 642 Boudoir pillow top.  S 29.”

Do you think that’s a label from an old pillow?  The fabric is really thin and see through.  I’ll have to do a lot of mending to keep that together, but I’m planning sashiko stitches for that.

I consider this quilt a string quilt.  String quilts are often made with a foundation of cloth or paper on the back, but sometimes not.  They are incredible at using up scraps that are small bits.  They usually require extensive piecing sessions.  You have seen me already make two string quilts this very year, see here and here.

 

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Click for Details

 

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The New

My son graduates from high school this week and I’m to gift him this quilt.

This is a string quilt that I’m calling Landslide and it is a pattern I’m releasing soon.  Well, it is a pattern, but more of an exercise with your scrap basket, a method of making this quilt and using what YOU already have available.  It’s kinda improv, but not either.

It doesn’t use any foundation piecing.  If you’ve used that in the past and hated it (been there), this quilt is actually pieced in a way that is much more pleasurable to do.  The best part is it REALLY uses up those scrap fabrics that are so annoyingly always there.  For me they are such a burden.

I chose these colors and fabrics for my son in particular.  I still kept it low volume filled like I like to do, but in colors that a male such as him would find more suiting.  He specifically said no florals, which was WAY harder than it should have been for me.  I plan on making this quilt again, but in colors I want to use like coral, pink and yellow.

But this is his quilt and I want it to please.

My favorite part of this quilt design is that every block has a different diagonal angle.  No two were cut exactly the same.  This gives it more of a wonky feel, I think.  I did keep everything in the same direction unlike the rescued quilt, but I prefer that, I think.  I’ve been on the fence.  I also really like the inclusion of several squares that are just plain squares.  I think it breaks everything up nicely.

Let me know your thoughts below.  I’m always interested in what you have to say.

 

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My Favorite Seam Ripper

 The easier, more effortless way to rip, I mean snip your unwanted stitches.

Read more details and purchase here.

Find a video tutorial of these snips here.

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