My great-grandmother Granny Riddle made this quilt before I was born. She was an expert quilter and sewed made many, many quilts by hand during her life time. We have several of Granny Riddle's quilts, but this is the one I think of when I think of her and her quilts.
I have slept under this quilt and napped on top of this quilt. It was the quilt we reached for when we needed comforting while sick, it was the one to wrap up in on a cold winter's night, and who knows how many books have been read under this quilt?
I don't know the name of this 8-pointed star pattern, but no doubt Granny Riddle did. I suspect that some of the fabric came from remnants of clothes but I'll never know who once wore them. Was that my great-grandfather's shirt? Did my grandmother once wear a dress made of out of that fabric?
I don't know the name of this 8-pointed star pattern, but no doubt Granny Riddle did. I suspect that some of the fabric came from remnants of clothes but I'll never know who once wore them. Was that my great-grandfather's shirt? Did my grandmother once wear a dress made of out of that fabric?
The colors of the quilt are still quite pretty, but the cotton fabric is faded and begun to fray and tear. I would consider repairing the binding but the yellow sashing is damaged, too. After 40+ years of hard wear, this quilt has reached the end of its lifespan. I'm sad to see it succumb to old age, but Granny Riddle made all her quilts to be used and I'm sure she expected it to reach this state in time.
Of course I wouldn't dream of throwing it away. It's still much too pretty for that and sections of it are still in great shape. I may cut off the damaged binding and outer sashing and then make a new binding for it as a throw or toddler quilt. I could fashion a table topper or wall hanging out of it. Pillows. Christmas ornaments. Pincushions. Upholster a padded bench.
Really, there are a lot of pretty things you can make from an old, beloved quilt. I'm not the expert quilter Granny Riddle was, but with a little effort and some love I think my daughter may be looking at part of this quilt when she's forty and wonder who wore the clothes that her great-great-grandmother used to make this quilt.
Of course I wouldn't dream of throwing it away. It's still much too pretty for that and sections of it are still in great shape. I may cut off the damaged binding and outer sashing and then make a new binding for it as a throw or toddler quilt. I could fashion a table topper or wall hanging out of it. Pillows. Christmas ornaments. Pincushions. Upholster a padded bench.
Really, there are a lot of pretty things you can make from an old, beloved quilt. I'm not the expert quilter Granny Riddle was, but with a little effort and some love I think my daughter may be looking at part of this quilt when she's forty and wonder who wore the clothes that her great-great-grandmother used to make this quilt.
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