1.24.2013

Antique Quilts ~ tying our family together

I believe that quilts are one of those things in life that can bring families together. I think they can connect us to generations past and generations future. I sure hope that quilts I make now will be special to my kids and their kids and so on. 
I've spent the last several days machine quilting this beautiful antique quilt. This quilt was pieced by my great-grandma, who's birthday I was born on. She pieced quilts for each of her grand-kids for wedding gifts. I feel that I have become so much more connected with my family because of quilts and quilting. 
When she died 20+ years ago several of her grandchildren were not yet married, a few were still small children. But, she had quilt tops made for each of them. 
This quilt is for her last grandchild, he will be married this summer. 
I feel so honored that my great-aunt brought me this quilt and had me machine quilt it for her, for her son's wedding gift. So special.
I don't get too personal on here but, I can tell you that I do feel that at times when I was machine quilting this quilt my great-grandma was here with me, it was very cool.

I shared a little clip of this quilt over on facebook and instagram and a few of you had questions about it. I will answer as many as I can.
**The quilt pattern, I'm not sure a name for this pattern, if you know the name I'd love to hear.
**The quilt was pieced by machine by Ella Clark Muhlestein, my great-grandma, over 20 years ago.
**I machine quilted the quilt, I did machine quilt continuous line quilting, Kathryn, the quilt owner wanted it to look as "antique" as possible so I quilted in a design that would best represent grandma's hand quilting.

41 comments:

  1. It's just lovely, Natalia. You did a great job.

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  2. What an honor! The quilt is amazing and your quilting is a wonderful addition! It will be cherished I am sure!

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  3. That is such a beautiful quilt! How cool you get to quilt this special quilt.

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  4. Gorgeous! What a wonderful legacy...thanks for sharing!

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  5. It is beautiful and a wonderful treasure for your family.

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  6. I've just started quilting and my whole life I've been surrounded by quilters... my grandmother, my aunts, and even further back.. Now it's my turn and I'm thrilled that my aunts are willing to take the time to share and teach me.

    Thank you for sharing some "emotion" because I can't imagine doing something as personal as this quilt and not feeling her presence. I love the quilts I have from my ancestors because I appreciate the time and energy they put into them.

    Congrats to your aunts son and may you always be in his thoughts when he uses this quilt. :)

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  7. This quilt literally took my breath away! To call it stunning would be a sad understatement. The piecing is gorgeous and this is the perfect example of how thoughtful quilting can transform the quilt into something amazing. The beauty paired with the story behind it make this quilt so special. Thanks so much for sharing!

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  8. This is just beautiful, thanks for sharing.

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  9. This turned out so beautiful. What a wonderful treasure you finished for your great grandma! Awesome job.

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  10. Wow, wow, wow Natalia! Beautiful quilt, beautiful quilting and a beautiful story. How lucky you are to be a part of it. Thank you for sharing.

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  11. This quilt just took my breath away! What a treasure to pass along and how fortunate you are to be a part of it!

    I believe that it's a tumbling blocks quilt. Do you know if she hand pieced it? Jinny Beyer is well known for her tumbling block method of hand piecing those blocks and Marci Baker of Alicia's Attic has a great strip piecing method.

    Thank you for sharing!

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    1. It is a variation of the tumbling blocks pattern, but there is a name for this pattern. I'm trying to find the pattern in my pattern books, but I have over 2000 patterns. I'll edit the post when I find it. :) Here is a good picture using solids that show the dynamic of the pattern, but this one uses 1 block tumbling blocks rather than 4-patch. Simply exquisite piecing for the time period and knowing it was pieced by hand. Simply stunning!

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    2. I'm sorry I forgot the link: http://cindysantiquequilts.com/dynapage/IP681.htm

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  12. Gosh it is gorgeous. Absolutely fantastic. What a special experience.

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  13. Beautiful story and beautiful quilt!

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  14. How lovely, what a special family gift. The quilt is so beautiful and I like your quilting.
    Saskia

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  15. I commented when you posted to Instagram loving on your quilting-- what an amazing woman your great grandmother was to do that for all of her grandchildren! It is a truly beautiful quilt and you did her piecing justice with your amazing quilting.

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  16. What a sweet story. The quilt is beautiful.

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  17. What an absolute treasure. What joy that must be to work on something made with such love all those years ago. A true connection of the generations. I am sure she would be so proud and is smiling from up above.

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  18. This is what quilting is all about, connecting the generations with love and warmth..I love to sew due to my grandmothers influence in my life. She made all my clothes, just looking at dresses in the windows downtown. She made lovely quilts, I feel so connected to her through her handwork and the love she put into all her sewing..your quilt is lovely, I know she would be very proud..

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  19. Oh wow, Natalia! Thank you for sharing this special story, and very special quilt with us! I have to say that the quilt is so amazing, and the fact that there's a bit of Grandma and you in it (being that you both make it) makes it extra special. :)

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  20. That quilt is soooo stunning. I would love to try to make something similar. Thank you so much for sharing something so amazing!!!

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  21. What a lasting legacy to be a part of! You have a lucky relative getting this one. It's beautiful and probably hand pieced?? You didn't say.

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  22. Hello, I've done some research (with some helpful ladies), and that is in fact a tumbling block quilt. I can truly appreciate her for making this quilt. Not only because it's stunning! But also because this finished quilt look is all about a specific layout. She (and you) did a wonderful job!

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  23. What a beautiful quilt! Love the story....
    Can you give more details of the quilt....block size, quilt size, how it was put together? I'm so drawn to this quilt and would like to know more details.

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  24. i love love LOVE this quilt - it speaks to me because of the story AND the antique-ness of the look. i only wish i was able to have that connection with a family member... you are VERY lucky.
    i, too, would like to know what the pattern is. i looked through the comments and was only able to see a reference to tumbling blocks.
    as is often the case, the choice of fabric and/or placement makes it look stunning. thnx so much for sharing

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  25. I fell in love with this quilt on sight, I just had to work out how I'd make it. I printed it off in Black and White then I could see more clearly the lay out, turned the picture upside down and there was the pattern for me. It is made up of 9 patch blocks with two pieces of the star in 3 corners. I just hope I find time to make this quilt one day????? I have so many UFO's that I have challenged my self to finish before starting more than one new one a year it may be a few years time LOL. CHeers Glenda Down Under.

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  26. I wish I had a pattern name for you, but I do not. In my personal file, I called it the Starchild quilt, in honor of it being the last grandchild's quilt. It is a stunning piece of work and you did a lovely job on it. Thank you for sharing the pictures and the story.

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  27. What an amazing, beautiful quilt. Your grandma is surely looking down upon it with tremendous pride. Gorgeous!!!

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  28. That is such a stunning quilt - I just adore it and am determined to make it! I actually have started a test piece of it to work out a stitching sequence and have a special set of fabrics set aside. What a treasure you have shared with all of us!

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  29. Absolutely gorgeous. I love, love, love it. What a treasure.

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  30. I'm here via Linda Franz and Inklingo, where she shared this beauty. What a superbe quilt it is---love the controlled scrappiness! Reading the back story, I can tell you feel the great love of family expressed in making these quilts, for family members she might likely never meet (on this plane anyway). You are so blessed to have been surrounded by quilters in your family. As a first gen, self-taught quilter, I confess I feel a little envious. ♥
    Hazle

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  31. I would love to have the pattern

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  32. I would love to have the pattern

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  33. Lucky you to have such treasures in your family. The quilt is so beautiful! And such an interesting pattern. Your quilting did it honor.

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  34. This story is bringing me to tears! What a beautiful work, so many tiny pieces for such a huge quilt, what a lot of work to do and so much time and love your grandmother shared! If she could only know what happened now to her work!

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  35. I'm not sure if you still read this blog, but I actually know the pattern! It's a Marti Mitchell pattern from her book, Six is for Hexagons. This quilt is actually on the back cover. It is a tumbling blocks pattern, but it's a nine patch made out of 60 degree diamonds, which you can kind of see in the pictures as one of the points in the star corresponds with a point in another star. It's beautiful - I loved this on the book too! Thanks for sharing - Danielle

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    2. Thank you for posting this. I have been trying to locate the pattern for this beautiful quilt for a few years. I have just purchased the book you have mentioned. Thank you again.

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