A Seventy Year Old Quilt Top

I started quilting the Wedding Ring quilt top that has been sitting on my aunt's shelf for many years.  I took it to a quilt historian, mostly to make sure I wouldn't "ruin" it's value by machine quilting it.  She told me that it was probably pieced (by hand) in the 1940's or 1950's, which makes it around 70 years old!  She said it's not worth any monetary value on today's market, so I didn't feel so bad machine quilting it, even though it looks like it should be hand quilted.  I'm having fun quilting it and I am liking the way it's turning out!  I'm feeling a bit connected to whoever the maker was.  Her piecing of the rings was very organized (I've been accused of being organized a time or too :). And I feel sure that she is happy knowing that it is finally getting finished so it can be used.  I believe it's about a twin size and would look adorable on a little girls bed.
I've also had a bit of a revelation.  I've watched countless machine quilting videos and have taken classes and I've always been told to look ahead of the needle, to where you are going, don't look right at the needle.  I really thought I was doing this, but I noticed, while working on this quilt, that I'm usually looking right at the needle!  I started looking ahead and my quilting improved dramatically, especially free motion stitching in the ditch.  I can do that much faster if I look where I'm going and not where I am!

I bought myself a new pair of quilting gloves at the UQSM show in Salt Lake last month.  I'm trying them out for the first time and I really like them!  Only the thumb and the first two fingers are completely covered and there is some padding in the palm area which is really nice.  I wish I could remember what they're called .... sorry I threw the packaging away.....  If anyone knows, let me know!

No one has taken me up on my offer to pass along the Arizona Quiltfolk book/magazine.  It's really an interesting read, with beautiful pictures!  If you don't wish to leave a comment, send me an email!

Stay tuned tomorrow for some pictures of the CWQG Challenge quilts!

Back to quilting :)