Our family is blessed to have quilts that were made by our great, great and even great, great, great grandmothers. They are such treasures. Many were fashioned out of old shirts, dresses, or even curtains.
Some of them have been patched when they were worn in spots and are many layers thick. Little tiny stitches have held them together from generation to generation, keeping our family wrapped in warmth and love.
Grandma learned to quilt after her mother gave her a box of quilt pieces that were cut out by her Grandma. Her Grandma had a stroke and could no longer sew the quilt together. So Grandma finished it for her. It ended up so colorful and fun, that Grandma has been quilting ever since.
Our friends Hannah and Sarah and their mom, Michelle, have been wanting to learn how to quilt. So during our Christmas holiday break from school, we had a craft day with them and we all learned to quilt.
Grandma brought up a basket of fabric and we each selected our own combination of fabrics to make our own unique quilt.
The easiest way to learn is to start with squares. You simply sew them together one by one to make a row the width of your project, then sew the rows together until you have a quilt top the size you want. We decided to start small by making lap quilts.
Using the proper cutting tool (rotary cutter) and cutting boards/guides (used by quilters), Michelle learned how to cut perfect 4" squares for our quilts.
When we had enough squares, we were ready to sew them together. Grandma always makes her quilts by hand because she says she can take her work with her and sit with family while she sews.
.
We learned that there are specific needles for quilting. They are very small to allow for very small, neat stitches. We each got a quilting needle and thread and learned how to thread the needle, doubling over the thread and tying a knot in the end.
We each began by placing two squares right sides together and stitching down one side by hand. Being careful to make tiny stitches close together, in and out, in and out, we guided our needles in a straight line. We stitched about 1/4" away from the edge of the fabric. This is called a seam allowance.
Olivia got a sewing kit and fabric fat pack for her birthday this past summer, so she already had quite a few squares put together. Here's what they look like.
It wasn't long before all of our quilts were coming together right before our very eyes!
Aunt Nita had given Grandma a bag of old quilt squares that she bought at a sale. It looked like they had been carefully cut out by hand by a woman who never got the chance to finish the quilt. Grandma says it is a blessing to finish it for her. The fabrics are from years ago and you can't really find them in the stores today. It is going to be very special when it is finished, just like the ones our great great grandmas made.
We took our projects home to finish. We hope to come together again soon to join the quilt tops to bottoms and sew them together by binding the sides. Then we can finish them with some simple quilt stitches to hold them all together. Grandma says they will be beautiful, just like those of the generations before us!
The heart of her husband doth safely trust in her, so that he shall have no need of spoil.
She will do him good and not evil all the days of her life.
She seeketh wool, and flax, and worketh willingly with her hands...
She is not afraid of the snow for her household: for all her household are clothed with scarlet.
Proverbs 31:10-13, 21
No comments:
Post a Comment