World Wide Quilting Page

Question of the Week

Question for the week of March 2, 1998:

Our question this week comes from Gerri

I have some vintage partial blocks for Grandmother's Fan--does anyone have any tips, experience, or advice to share before I attempt to complete this special project started by my Grandmother over 40 years ago?

Jeannine :
I've completed 3 tops using family quilt blocks (2 are completed quilts, one is ready to hand quilt). My tips:
It's very difficult to find modern colors to go with these. Take your quilt blocks with you when you look for fabric. Somehow, the hues are different, you really have to open your mind to color here. Staying with reproduction fabrics will probably help a lot. I completed a dresden variation from the 30's using a butterscotch print and an antique blue print. I was very surprised that these muted colors worked with the variety of 41 different fabrics in the old blocks! The hard part is not competing with the classic fabrics, let them dominate.

The other 2 are 9-patch 40's calicos. I used paler solids, so the prints would get the attention. I used the solids in Puss in the Corner alternating blocks, so the 9-patches stand out.

Also, I wouldn't prewash the old blocks. I would prewash any new fabric.

ruth johnson :
I would use vintage fabrics to complete fans, set with solid fabric,quilting the solid block with a pattern traced from the original old fan block.
Rose Petersen :
try and find a quilt that looks similar1to your pieces and copy that. ALso find1someone who sells vintage fabrics and match1and add ones that work. My friend simply added1a printed fabric that went with the blocks as a1sashing, looks great.
Linda Rogde :
One possibility is to make a memory quilt with these blocks incorporating buttons, ribbons, lace, etc. If you have photos of your grandmother you could have them copied/put on fabric. (there are books to explain how to do that) This would make a fun project filled with special memories.
Gerre Crane :
I have a collection of vintage fabrics if you need some extra pieces. Contact me at gerre.crane@alexandria.k12.mn.us.

World Wide Quilting Page * Question of the Week