I'm always up for a mend or repair challenge and so I took on this decades old quilt when my friend Taunia asked me for the favor. It was rather daunting since many hands had worked on it in the past and it had mostly been assembled and repaired by machine.
After many assurances from Taunia that I was free to do whatever I wanted and take as much time as I needed, I began to go over the quilt in a row by row examination of where the various problems were.
I didn't want to significantly alter the graphic design, but obviously some of the patches were disintegrated so I did sew over some of the more worn fabrics. I made a rule for myself to only add materials and stitching. I didn't want to try to take anything apart. Many areas were truly threadbare and it was challenging to figure out how to repair without completely changing huge sections.
Many seams were kaput and so frayed that I used patches to re-construct both sashing and blocks. I was lucky to have a collection of white fabrics and I managed to match the whites in the quilt for the most part. When that was not possible I used patches of very light colored fabrics that were designed by a friend who Taunia also knows, so there was a little bit of that significance added onto the quilt.
The binding was worn through in many places so I put together patches and went over the top of what still existed. The new cloth added some sturdiness.
I took several months but am very happy with the results. I think I extended the life of this genuine folk quilt for another several years and didn't have to alter its essential character. I enjoyed working with a quilt that has so much nostalgia and family meaning, and I think I added not only stitches and fabrics, but even more layers of meaning.
If you want to see more everyday photos of what I am doing I post frequently on Instagram @journalofathousandlives
