Ragann63

The bottom one, the one with the paper, looks like men's shirt scraps to me. That is wonderful!

Daylesewblessed

Just curious. The two that are not paper pieced -- are they hand pieced? Can the family zero in on the date they think these tops were made? I hope they don't require any mending.
In our community we find this sort of thing frequently at estate and garage sales. It is wonderful that the family you are dealing with treasures them enough to have them finished.
Good luck with the project!
Dayle

MarthaT

[quote=Daylesewblessed]Just curious. The two that are not paper pieced -- are they hand pieced? Can the family zero in on the date they think these tops were made? I hope they don't require any mending.

Yes, they are all hand pieced. Only the oldest one needs repairs. The stitches are kind of big on all of them so I will quilt them in a way that helps stabilize everything. The oldest one (with the paper) looks like it was sewn together with a heavy cotton thread, maybe saved from old sacks, like the kind that are chain stitched across where you can just pull the right string an it "unzips". I remember my mother saving those strings before there were twist ties.

MarthaT

I'm thinking I'll just put the most interesting papers that I can salvage in a envelope and let her decide what she wants to do with them, but I'll pass along some of your suggestions like laminating, decoupaging, etc. I could really get carried away with it, but I'm not sure she's as into those papers as I was. My sister and I had a blast reading them. The ad for Cod Liver Oil about made me want to order some. LOL!!! The stitching is pretty big, so I think I can carefully tear away leaving "punched" line and the square will pretty much hang together.

MarthaT

Sorry, I meant to answer this earlier...foundation piecing can be done with fabric, but most use paper so you can tear it away and be left with just one layer of fabric.

In the case of this quilt, squares of newspaper were cut of the finished size of the block. A fabric strip of random width was put across the center, then another strip, good sides together was placed on top, sewn, flipped over and more strips sewn on until the square of paper is covered. Then flip it over and trim the strips to the size of the square. Paper can be torn off before or after sewing the squares together. (Did that make any sense?)

Guess this was done before the days of rotary cutters. I guess today we'd just sew a bunch of strips together and then use our cutters and cut them into the desired size squares.

I never thought about that being one of the many changes rotary cutters have brought to our lives. Do any of you foundation piece this way any more?

KathyPhillips

This string quilt is handquilted in the "Baptist Fan" pattern. My Mother and my Grandmothers used this on every quilt they made, which was lots of quilts, during the 1930's through the 1970's. Interesting to see you are in Vermont, and I live in TX!

GailG

I can't help but to be a little amused. It seems the quilt police has influenced some of us here. Tha lady wants her quilt top quilted. It is what is important to her. [I remember reading somewhere that newspaper was used as foundations to also insulate the quilts. I don't think these quilts were washed. All they did was give them a good beating to remove dust and put them out to get some sun and fresh air.]

Olivia's Grammy

Quilt #2 looks like it could have some Feed Sacks in it, not Flour Sacks. The difference is the texture. Feed Sacks are more course than Flour Sacks.
Newspaper - If they don't want the history of the newspaper, why are you worried about it. I would do as they wanted, if they want any of the newspaper remove and saved let them do that process.
I have about 60 blocks that have newspaper on the back dated from 1936. I bought them at a yard sale several years ago so they have no meaning to me. I do like to read the old newspapers. I hope to donate them some where at some point.
Good luck, I'm sure they will be please with your hand quilting.

cdufur

I agree with Jan on this one

Actually, and sadly, I disagree. Yes, the quilts would have more "value" if left as is. But not as much as we present day quilters would wish. There are many, many quilts like this, and even more in much better condition and style, in museums. In this case, intrinsic value is more important to the current owner and should be honored.

Don't worry about saving the papers, they are likely on microfilm somewhere anyway, if the owner isn't interested. It will be difficult to remove them due to age, so the easiest way is to wet them -- with wet q-tips around the seams or with a very wet towel, blotting as you go and picking up any paper pulp that you can. If you're able to get whole pieces of paper you could just let them dry to the side and use them as others here have suggested.

If you lay the tops out on a surface covered with something white/natural you will also be able to tell at this time if something is going to bleed. [Be sure to wash your backing fabric before using it!!] It looks like you probably won't have much bleeding as most of these fabrics appear to be fabrics from clothing, etc.

I think it's precious she wants to remember the past by having these quilted and used. :-D It's kind of you to offer to help her do so.

Jan in VA[/quote]

libbiebean

This was a special posting for me. I have a quilt top made by my husband's gr.mother. And it is pieced on newpaper, I found some dated in 1923. Long story short: I DO NOT want to quilt it, but feel I should and give it to my step daughter. Hubby died and I never finished it for him. I just cannot get into it. No one else in the family quilts. Go ahead and quilt it? Just give her the top? Burn it and pretend it never existed? (The last was sarcasm!)