The 4:25 p.m. Pacific Northwest....

departing Chicago....heading west..come ride with us

Thursday, August 23, 2007

Reaching back....

for an old quilt top to show you today. Nothing much is stirring regarding work on Orphan Block quilts right now. Haven't heard from any of our challengee's for quite a while. So....some old instead. And this top probably should be called "bottom" instead. It's one of the lowest of the low. Not only is it a real true "orphan blocks" top, it had been a quilt before it became a top again *VBS*
It's rescued orphans. The quilt was rotting away in the bottom of an old trunk in an old falling down barn. Part of the trunk was open to the elements, and mice were very happy with that arrangement! Luckily there were odds and ends of old clothing and fabric also, and the quilt didn't take ALL the damage. I lugged it home, soaked it outdoors in a wash tub(several times for several days!)and then spread it out on the grass to dry. Much of the pieced top could be selvedged, and so I did. It had been a tied quilt and they are easy to reclaim. Most of the binding was rotted off, and what wasn't, I simply cut away. I may have had to remove a block or two to even up a row.
Over a number of years, the top lanquished in my vintage box..it needed careful pressing out, even to see what comes next. I never got that far. When I began preparation for my Blog-a-versary(2 yrs),back in June...I offered the rescued orphan top to anyone who would email me and say they wanted it. Only one person did, Sue from W. Washington state. And so it became hers. The picture was taken by Sue. If you link to From The Magpie's Nest(on my sidebar) you will find her post about this quilt top back in late June or early July. I know it's got a good home with Sue *VBS*

4 comments:

Michele Bilyeu said...

What an amazing history trail for a quilt top, Finn. And what a wonderful orphanage director you are to have found it a good home. And Sue? Goodness, she has to be someone very special to take in an unwanted orphan with love. Quilty kudos to both of you :)

Magpie Sue said...

I *thought* that quilt looked familiar!!!

I made a crib quilt for our newest grandbaby (yet to arrive) from orphan blocks. You can see it at the bottom of my post on August 19. (This is my second one; the first top is still waiting to be quilted.)

Jeanne said...

How nice that Sue has taken in the orphan and will give it a good home.
Very kind and generous of you, Finn, to share with her. I love reading posts like this one.

Carol E. said...

Finn, FYI, I still have my partial orphan top on the design wall, and I look at it and ponder almost every day. One of these days an inspiration (or desperation) will come to me.

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