A few weeks ago I think I mentioned that a friend (another Girl Scout mom) asked if I could cut up her grandmother's quilt and make pillows out of it. She thought this might be the best way to save what could be saved of it and give it out to her sister, her mom, her children, etc. I've been asked to try to save quilts but never to cut one up. However, this quilt is a Sunbonnet Sue and there are several places where it is really falling apart. It seems that her grandmother was put into a home and was not doing well. The day after she talked to me about it and brought it to me, I contacted her to let her know what I thought about it (I wanted to look over it to make sure enough could be salvaged). Her grandmother had passed away during the night, so now the project had even more meaning. Also, no one else knew what she had planned to do with it so she's going to surprise them all at Christmas.
My hubby had the idea that I should probably take a bunch of pictures of it before I cut into it so I put it out on my driveaway and hung out of my bonus room window to get it all in one picture.
Here is a close up of some of the blocks. As you can see on the far left, some of the fabrics are just shredded, but some like the pink still look pretty good. There's another red one like the one in the picture that is in excellent shape, but the white in the block has come away at the top of the block so I'm trying to figure out what to do about that one. I may use some old-fashioned looking fabrics and cover the sashing.
This was my idea: since there was sashing, cut straight down the middle of the sashing and salvage as many blocks as possible with good-looking Sues for the fronts. Then use the bad-looking Sues for the backs (actually use the back side of the quilt). I ended up with about 11 good-looking Sues...
and a stack of Sues that needed a makeover!
So I set about making the first pillow. I personally think it turned out pretty darned cute.
What do you think?
Here is what the back looks like.
This quilt was all hand pieced and hand quilted so I felt a bit guilty taking the sewing machine to it but I think it worked out fine. Now I'm one down, 10 more to go!
Linking up!
7 comments:
Perfect! You're so good at coming up with ideas to re-use things. That family is going to be so happy with those pillows.
That does look perfect! What a sweet project! I am sure that the pillows will be treaured for years. It really is a great way to save a well loved quilt! Great work!!
Awesome restoration job! I had a double wedding ring quilt my grandma made that my dad used for fishing (yes, you read that correctly). It was stinky and falling apart, but I took great pics of it and some day plan to remake it. Your pillows are perfect!
What an absolutely great project! I love the idea of different people being able to treasure a quilt without some sort of chain of custody.
How precious, you and the pillows.
That is a great idea. My mother made quilts for my sister and I when we were very little. Only one is left and it a lot of it is in really poor shape. I've never seen the little people she used for the blocks anywhere else, but these remind me of them. Maybe I could do this with them. Thanks!
You're doing a wonderful job saving the quilt! I really like your husband's idea to take a picture before you cut it up. :)
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