Wednesday, August 18, 2010

Aunt Ruth's quilts

My husband's  Great-Aunt Ruth was a prolific quilter until her eyesight gave out.  I haven't had the opportunity to get to know her personally, since we have never lived close by, but I do have some of her quilts to admire.  I thought you might appreciate a peek at her work.




The butterfly quilt was her wedding gift to us.  It is hanquilted, and I check the stiches on it occasionally to see if I'm getting my stitches on my quilts as even as hers.   I'm sure you noticed the prairie points too.  I measured those to give me a place to start when I was auditioning point sizes for my leaf quit.

The quilt below was a gift for my son when he was born.  It arrived complete with the first place ribbon it won at the Stanley Fair.  I love the brown border.  It wouldn't have occurred to me to use such a colour for a baby quilt but it frames "Goldilocks and the Three Bears" perfectly.



I also have my husbands baby quilt that Aunt Ruth and Aunt Beth worked on together, but I haven't figured out how to photograph it properly.  It is a handquilted whole cloth reversible quilt, pink on one side, blue on the other, with alternating pink and blue prairie points.  I haven't gotten the lighting right to get the quilting to show, but it's a wonderful quilt.

Thank you Aunt Ruth!  I'm off to quilt on my daughter's quilt now, striving for even stitches just like yours!

11 comments:

  1. Aunt Ruth's quilts are beautiful. Not only the quilting but the embroidery, too. Both quilts you show are wonderful. I have to strive to learn more with hand quilting! These really inspire me.

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  2. That pink and blue quilt must have been made before they could do ultrasounds and find out which one it's going to be;) LOL...what a solution;)
    Happy Quilting!!

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  3. Those quilts are truly treasures. Did Aunt Ruth label them so as they're passed down she'll be recognised for her work?

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  4. What lovely handwork!

    The best pictures that I have managed to take to get the quilting to show up I have taken in the early morning. When the sun is on the rise, and "raking" across the surface of the quilt, then the shadows will help show up the texture of the quilting. Good Luck! :) Theri

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  5. Love the quilts! Seems Aunt Ruth loved handwork as much as I do. I would really like to get a good, close up look at her stitchery. Those are the kinds of quilts I want to leave behind, too! You have some real treasures there.

    Liri

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  6. The butterfly quilt is spectacular! The bears are so pecious! Quite a challenge for you to to live up to all right, and the rest of us too! ---"Love"

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  7. What a great history of quilting in your family. The butterflies are impressive and they look right in place in your garden. I can see why your hand quilting is so impressive...you've had some legacy to live up to! Wish I had that kind of motivation.

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  8. Treasures, for other generations to look at and remember the quilter by. Take care.

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  9. You are so lucky to have these beautiful heirlooms. ann...

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  10. The quilts are beautiful. I know they have and will be treasured. The work is amazing. Connie204

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  11. Your quilts are beautiful and what wonderful heirlooms to be pass through your family. It is great that you have the history of who made them and for who. Thanks for sharing these treasures. Carolyn from Des Moines, Iowa I just found your blog.

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