Vintage Table Linens make Beautiful Quilts

Are you smitten with those lovely vintage sheets finding new life in a quilt?  I certainly am!  It's fascinating that we can make old new again, and absolutely beautiful.

So when I happened along this booth at the National Quilting Associations' Annual Show here in Columbus, my interest was piqued.....

This is Dusty's Vintage Linens and Buttons.  Selling solely at shows, these ladies' booth was amazing!  They collect vintage linen table cloths from the 1940s and 1950s and a rainbow of vintage buttons.

Some of the linens are new and unused with the original labels.  They look fabulous quilted!

After seeing all this, I could not resist.  This is the table cloth I wanted, but couldn't afford.

So while I was lingering in the booth forever, I heard that the vintage dish cloths make great table runners.  Ding!  Ding!  Now that's something my wallet could cover.  Here's the one I picked out...

And here it is finished and sitting pretty on my table....

I love it!  I added a gingham binding and that was it.  Who would have thought a dish towel of all things could be so beautiful!

(email dustysvintage@aol.com for a show schedule or more information)

Tutorial: Ric Rac Burp Cloths

A good friend is having a baby today!  The quilt I made for her is still at the quilters (it's a scheduled c-section and I still couldn't get it done on time!)... so I decided to whip up some cute burp cloths to take to the hospital.  They're so cute and easy.... I think you'll want to give one (or two...) a try!

MATERIALS:

cloth diapers

1 - 4 1/2" square fabric for each diaper you plan to embellish

5/8 yd. ric rack to match

thread coordinating with rac rac

fusible web


DIRECTIONS:

1.  To begin, grab your diapers and fabric.  I decided to upcycle some of the old cloth diapers I have in my stash - these my mom gave me, and they were mine from 30+ years ago.  Eeek!  I guess that means you can actually call them "vintage"....

There are so many cute fabrics you can pick to embellish these burp cloths.....whether you pick something trendy from your stash, a novelty print, charm pack or a children's panel.  I had this panel in my stash and picked 3 squares out for the burp cloths.

2.  Cut the fabric into a 4 1/2" square.  I cut 3 squares, one for each burp cloth.  See my little "water" theme?

3.  Press the diapers to prepare them for the applique.

4.  Following the manufacturer's instructions, use fusible web to secure the applique 4 1/2" squares to the diaper.

5.  Stitch around the applique 1/8" from the edge to secure it to the fabric.  I used  a dark thread so you could see my stitching, but I would normally try to blend the thread color better.

6.  Next, we'll add the ric rac.  Prior to stitching in place, fold the edge of the ric rac under to prevent fraying.

7.  Starting on one side of the square, stitch the ric rac in place.  When you come to the corner, end the ric rac by tucking it under.  Start a new piece of folded under ric rac on the next side.  Continue in this manner around all 4 sides of the square.

  And it's done!  No need for anything more complicated!

After all, these are supposed to have spit up all over them, right?  But what a cute, quick and easy baby gift!

Those are NOT strategically placed legos to add color to the shot.  That is simply the reality of my living room these days!

Inspired by Vintage - a 1960s "Quilt"

After viewing so many vintage quilts at the Ohio Outdoor Quilt Festival, I decided to showcase the only vintage quilt I have.  Actually, it's technically not even quilted, but it is a great patchwork of scraps made by my paternal grandmother Veronica*.

Our best guess is that this blanket was made sometime in the 1960s.  My Grammy made several of these blankets from leftover material she had from making her own house dresses.  The patchwork is more like a coverlet over what we (my mom and I) think is a wool blanket inside.  This is the WARMest blanket I have ever owned.

Ever since I can remember, this quilt was my favorite "sick blanket".  When home sick from school, this blanket helped me through many a fever as I laid on the couch watching TV and drinking 7Up.  It has been through many washings to get rid of the germs, and now it is starting to show it's age.  Some seams are starting to fray - but that's pretty good for 40-50 years old!

Grammy and me

*Side note:  My Grammy Veronica was the BEST pierogi maker.  We would come to visit from Ohio (she lived in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania where my dad grew up) and she would have been up since 4am, making pierogies in the kitchen.  Hundreds of them!  What a feast!

Although I love to cook, it is my brother who has taken to carrying on the enduring task of making pierogies.  Don't lose that recipe!