Imagine you had unfinished sewing projects and someone over 150 years into the future claimed your pieces to finish for a treasure in their own time. This could be you looking at quilt block sets tantalizing you to pick up where they left off. With the beautiful reproduction fabric available today, you could make a period piece or step out and make a quilt or decorative piece that blends or contrasts fabric of yesteryear with that of today.
One visitor to Lang House Quilts opened my eyes to taking some of the earliest quilt blocks and appliquéing them onto some rougher or darker fabric from today. Special homespun quilt blocks certainly loan themselves to such a project.
The more time we spend with antique quilts it seems that certain fabrics tug us more than others. For me it is pinkies (see the blog section), for many it is the color “Cheddar” and it is relatively rare to find as enthusiasts buy it up for their collections (one is featured in the blog section and its quilting is among the very best at Lang House.
To start out this rather larger page, I am featuring a most rare collection of 13 pieces. At first I was disappointed with the number but then found out how to lay it out (4-5-4). The pattern is showed out laid out on a queen-sized bed. With navy slashing the size could increased or quilted plain blocks in between could expand the size. The choices of complimentary fabric could be exciting.
Working with blocks made by someone else is like working on a large puzzle. I think we all have encountered frustration with a second hand puzzle only to find a piece or two is missing. This challenge presents a new twist with two EXTRA pieces. You get the feeling that someone, over time, made these pieces and made more than needed (I won’t ruin your feeling when you figure it out!)
Pieces for small quilts
Sometimes the puzzle to put quilt pieces together takes outside help. In this case, Pinterest. The quilt top laid out on a car seems to be the same type of layout as this kit.
This flying geese pattern is made of a thinner material. The reds vary from burgundy to red. The blocks are well made but would require backing onto another fabric (but well worth the effort.)
Think of what you could do with a set of 29 simple blocks made out of original 1930s material.
Think of what you could do with fan blocks already made in beautiful 1930s fabric!
Lang House Quilts 