Rescued Grandmother's Flower Garden

This is what I am calling a rescued Grandmother's Flower Garden.  A friend found it with a bag of quilts.  We went through the bag, she kept what she wanted.  This top was there, but unquilted.  It had lots of teeny-tine hand stitches holding it together - done as seams rather than English Paper Piecing.  She didn't want it.  So I hatched a plan.  It had been hanging around for awhile so it became part of my One Monthly Goal for May and one of my second quarter goals.  It is done!  HOORAY.

 

Why I did what I did: 
Many people say only do what the original quilter and time would have done - even attempting to find period fabric.  Well, that wasn't in cards.  WHY?  The quilt top was in good condition.  It wasn't important to any one and just wants to be used.  It is not historically significant, but the colors are brilliant as I think it has not really seen the light of day.  My decision -have it machine quilted, bind it and donate it.

I selected a fabric for the back that was the Massachusetts state flower - the Mayflower - made by In the Beginning Fabrics.  It went well enough with the quilt, and I thought honored the hexagon pattern.

Finding a binding was harder, but this print from Henry Glass Fabrics had just the right green and flowers.  So, while more modern it went well enough with the front and the back to work.  The hardest part was deciding how to bind it.  I figured when it cam back from the quilter I would just do it.  And I did.

I trimmed all the edges straight.  This preserved the quilter's intention, but also insured that it got finished.  The binding was an adventure - not too bad - but a lot of turning!  Here are the pointy edges.

Getting ready to turn the binding 

Fold and  line up with next straight edge

Fold and you are ready to sew done the next edge.

Here are the valleys.  My approach was to trim close to the seam line and kind of stretch. The binding became a bit curved.

Look at these fun prints:  a windmill with clogs,  

a dancing couple,

 

a gorgeous rose with an intricate black background 

and an odd print (30s or not????)

Someone will love this quilt. It needs to be washed and dried, which is for another day.  It will either go as a raffle for the church (where I met my friend who gave me this quilt) or as a donation to a woman's shelter or someone getting a new home (refugee or homeless).  I think the quilter made it to be used - and so it will be.  It does fit a queen size bed!!

And Percy approves....

Grandmother's Flower Garden -
Rescued by Kathleen Scargle McCormick
Hand pieced by Anonymous
Longarm Quilter:  Cheryl Dennis
74" x 84"
Destination:  Donation

Linking up with:  One Monthly Goal
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