When I was in LA recently visiting my youngest daughter, I asked her if I could take a couple of quilts home that she had been keeping for me. This one pictured above was one that belonged to my mother. It was made for her as a gift by a dear friend that had made scores of quilt tops over many years. She knew my mother liked pink, and decided to indulge her. My mother called it the postage stamp quilt because each square was the size of a postage stamp.
Ramola, the friend that made the quilt, did not enjoy quilting the tops, so she would send them off to the midwest to be quilted. Her passion was piecework and applique, and her work was always precise and exquisite. When my mother passed away, my daughters and I were baffled with the quilt and what to do with it. The colors, we hated to admit, were not our favorites, and so I suggested that we give the quilt to another of my mother’s friends. I had it all wrapped and ready to be presented when my youngest daughter decided, whether we liked the colors or not, the quilt had to stay in the family. Now I need to get an acid-free box and store it properly.
This silk and velvet quilt is really a favorite of mine. For a number of years I had it hanging on our bedroom wall never tiring of waking up to it. I mentioned this quilt several months ago as one that I had spent hours pouring over, removing a very poorly done patching of many of the silks that were threadbare and disintegrating. At one point, I took it to a class on dating quilts and textiles, and the teachers advised me to keep undoing the patches in order to bring it back to its original form.
What I found especially intriguing was the silk backing. The instructors of this class informed me that the backing was actually a quilted silk that had been purchased as is and was simply added to the top and then finished with binding.
This was probably used as a table cover, and is reminiscent of a crazy quilt without the fancy stitching. I love the bordered scalloped pieces that frame all the squared triangles.
The velvets have endured the years much better than the silks.
I would love to hang this again and enjoy the beauty that never ceases to diminish for me. Yet, I am reluctant to expose it to dust, light, and the various elements of stress it would experience if I hung it again. I think I will simply store it properly and hope someday someone treasures it in spite of its aging and weathered face. I think it has such a lovely soul and spirit.
Maybe because I’m thinking about seasons, but the top quilt says “spring/summer” to me and the other “fall/winter.”
I think you are absolutely right, and this reminds me that my nature is fall/winter, so I would be inclined to love the darker more somber piece.
I like spring and fall the best, when the weather is moderate and I can be in the garden more easily. The top one really makes me think of roses.
Roses is such a great image for that quilt. I do love spring when I can get in the garden too. My favorite season is fall. I guess I have a hard time with summer because of the heat.
What a lovely quilt. I know you said you don’t want to expose
it to dust, light, etc. but what if you folded it and draped it across the end of the bed on occasion or perhaps used a quilt stand and took it out once in a while? I love to see beautiful things. Just thinking…
: )
I could do that on occasion. That would be a treat to have once in a while and a good idea. Right now I have all my antique and vintage textiles and trims stored in those lidded big plastic boxes. My thought was that it would be good to keep them from dust and light, but recently I read that textiles actually need to breath and that acid free boxes are the best. They are quite expensive to buy, however. Thank you for your good suggestion.
I was wondering if there is any way to preserve silk? Not storing it away but to be able to use it? I saw an amazing silk painting at the DeYoung. It was approx. 12 foot long and maybe 8′ across. It was done in 1900. The silk looked in perfect condition. Are there grades of “time resistant” silks?
The vest that I made from my father’s ties is shredding and I am afraid to wear it. And now it is in storage. What a shame that you can’t hang it and immerse yourself in the beauty every day.
In the late 1800′s some silks were weighted with metal salts to give them more body. Many silks for ties were weighted in this way. I think most of the silks in this quilt are of that nature and this is why they are disintegrating. The instructors of this class I took advised me to cover each piece with a fine tulle so there would be no more flaking and it would lessen the stress on each piece. I could do this I suppose. The reason my daughter had the quilt for awhile was to hang it in her dining room, and then, as I had done, decided it was way too fragile. Even indirect light, a very small amount can have an effect on a quilt’s life. I just purchased an acid free box with acid free tissue paper that I will use to store it. Sounds like your vest is on the same path so it is good that you are preserving it.
I forgot to mention the quilts that you showed are amazing. I really like the “postage stamp” quilt. And the other one is outrageously beautiful.
Next stop, you can have your own textile museum!
My dream would be to have a shop where I could actually sell some of my textiles, quilts, trims, and buttons.
i am quite guilty of just letting things age and fall apart. these are both so lovely i would use them to death and then have a grand time just remembering them….
I truly like your philosophy. It reminds me of my mother’s reluctance to use this quilt except for special guests’ visits. Life is too short to save things for the future! Textiles age and do fall apart so why not enjoy them before they become dust.
I like the pink postage stamp quilt. I think another name for this pattern is Irish Chain. Yes, the colors are garish and bright, but that is the point…it is like sugar candy, sweet enough to give a toothache, which many little girls just love. I can imagine a little girl about 8-10 years old liking this quilt on her bed. At least my daughter went quite happily through the intense pink stage. Then at 11 or 12, pink was suddenly sooo OUT! So there is a narrow window of time for this pink quilt to be useful. And to have a Great Grandma’s quilt makes it double special. Don’t know if you have a grand daughter that fits this image. If not, maybe saving it in acid free paper for the Next generation is the best plan. My other thought is, if it is all natural cottons, you could try fading it in direct sunlight to give it a softer look, or tea dye the whole quilt for an antique look. It would take a washing machine full of tea solution, but if its all cotton it would work. My motto is use and enjoy.
Interesting suggestions. I do have a granddaughter that would love this pink quilt, but her mother would not like it because of the ‘garish’ colors. I am wondering if I could use a tea dye to give it some softness and aging.
Another comment from me! I hope you realize your dream of creating a store for your amazing collection of beautiful fibers, fabrics and furbelows. You are perfect for this. I would drive all the way to Portland to shop in your store. The other way is to open a cyber store. You could call it cyberfibers.
Oh if only……it would be a studio/retail space.
The amount of work that musy have gone into the postage stamp quilt is phenomenal! such tiny little pieces! I agree with Julia though, it would look a lot subtler if faded or aged with tea, I think that would give it a kind of raffish, gypsy look, if you know what I mean!
The silk & velvet quilt is marvellous, the colours deep and rich, I can see why you had it hanging in your bedroom for years, a very meditative piece! By the way, I am not sure if this is right, but I am sure I have heard that it is fine – and a lot cheaper – to store textiles in ordinary cardboard boxes rather than expensive acid-free ones, as long as they are lined with plenty of acid-free tissue paper before the textiles go in. I am afraid I’m terrible, all my textiles are either on display, or in colourful heaps and mounds around the place…. For some reason the moths seem to stay away…. so far! Merry Christmas Phyllis, it has been a pleasure and priviledge to follow your blog this year, all the best to you and yours this Yule. xxx
After the holidays when I have more time, I plan to give this quilt a soak in tea. Any suggestions as to how much? Or how long the soak? I will post it with the results.
I think you might be right about the regular boxes versus the acid-free ones. As long as the textiles are sufficiently wrapped in the proper tissue I think it would be okay. Your method of open storage is better than my current one of putting them in plastic boxes with lids. (They are not able to ‘breathe’.) I need to figure this one out before they get damaged. I am pretty sure storage is a problem for most people who collect old textiles. Personally, I would rather have them displayed where I can see them all the time, but this is not possible for me given my lack of shelving and space.
I have loved reading your blog as well. The information you give as well as the beauty you share is such a treat…eye candy as well as brain food!! I hope you have a wonderful holiday as well, and I will look forward to reading again in 2010. Thank you, Lois.
I loved this post and this wonderful conversation in the comment section! And, like Jude, I have been guilty of using (and loving) things to death, for this reminds me of two very old quilts that I was given during what I now think of as my “flower child days.” I’m sorry to say that I allowed my Saint Bernard and collie dogs to sleep on the quilts on top of the bed with me (sigh). It was not the sleeping that caused the problem. It was all that turning and turning and turning of eight paws with claws before plopping down in just the right position. Those two quilts eventually disintegrated into calico pollen! But, just think, in the long life of your two very beautiful quilts, it may be that in the future the very last thing these quilts will do will be to give comfort to animals in a shelter somewhere, for the lives of quilts are amazing. Meanwhile, I would love to see what happens if you do the tea dyeing. . . xo Kari
I think it is so sad when people do not let their animals sleep with them. I am always letting my cats snuggle up with us every night. I have an old quilt on the bed that is not one I care about and if it is destroyed, so be it. I am glad your animals had the love and comfort you gave them. Sometimes, most times, we need to embrace what is meaningful and loved instead of the material things that are nice, but not as important as a life. I can see you are an animal lover! The term “calico pollen” is great.
Absolutely beautiful quilts. I am in awe of a quilt called the postage stamp quilt, it must have taken so much time to lovingly put the quilt together. I’m glad you kept it in your family. I love the second one with the velvets and silks. I cannot think of a better combination and I envy your waking to such a lovely quilt. Happy holidays my inspiring friend!
Its me again, Pyllis! I did a quick check of tea dyeing a large quilt. several sources do not recommend it because there is a high risk of getting uneven color with darker patches, because the tea can’t disperse evenly in all the bulk. (Tea dyeins better on small projects) Also the tannic acid is hard on the fibers. If you really decide to do this, a better approach would probably be to use Rit dye or Dyelon dye in a light tan color and follow their directions for washing machine dyeing. You just need to weigh the quilt so you know how much dye to buy, and put the quilt in your empty washer to see if it fits with room to move easily during the wash cycle. If it doesn’t fit, you need to locate a commercial washer that is larger. I think this would be an ideal quilt to try dyeing, because at this point it is just sitting there taking insults about how ugly pink it is, and all it wants to do is the job it was created for– to snuggle up against a human and keep her warm–poor unloved pink quilt! It could have a whole second life of purpose and appreciation with a face lift. Anyway, that’s my take on it. Love, Julia
What amazing and caring readers you have! I love the thoughtful comments. I must say, seeing the ‘Postage Stamp’ quilt on the bed in the photo is like seeing it for the first time. It really is remarkable and Jeanette was right to have kept this for the family.
I hear Grandma’s voice in me when I think of placing it on Sarah’s bed. Too easily damaged (plastic on the dining room chairs we sat on comes to mind), but I know Sarah would certainly love it.
Love being reminded of this quilt.
Maybe Sarah should have it now, and then she can pass it along to Jeanette’s little girl if she has one!! Oh, I forgot about the plastic on the chairs. Scary. I hope I don’t go there.