Monday, August 4, 2014

Ancient UFOs - the Quilty Kind

What's your oldest UFO?

(That's quilting shorthand for UnFinished Object or quilt.)

Without counting, my guess is that I have around thirty or so ranging in age from just started this week to ones I started in the 1960s.

My grandmother ordered the iron-on pattern for the state flower blocks when Alaska and Hawaii were still territories so that tells you how old it is. I've been working on embroidering it and have 27 done, barely more than half of the blocks. These blocks were with me through my teen years, through marriage and three kids (now grown), and have moved with me from one side of the country to the other and back again. I wonder if I will ever see them finished and sewn into a top.

 
Everything has been kept in a 1950's tin.
It had contained a delicious fruit cake that was a gift from my father's boss in the coal mines.
With all the moves, it's no wonder that poor tin has gotten a bit battered!
 

The embroidery thread has seldom been exposed to light and is still as bright and strong as when I bought it.  Check out the thread photo; some of it only cost five cents a skein.



The pattern is crumbling with age and needs to be scanned and preserved as a pdf or at least photocopied. It's amazing that it's still readable. The red ink is stamping ink and a few years ago I tested it to see if it would still stamp. It did. Amazing!


These are just a few of the blocks I embroidered. I have to wonder if I'll ever get another one done or even the whole quilt. Guess it gives me something to plan to do - sometime.


From time to time we read about a family inheriting such treasures and not knowing what to do with them. Way too often they end up on craigslist or eBay. I'm determined that this won't happen to any of my UFOs or even my fabrics, tools and sewing machines. Everything is in my will so that I know someone will get them who will take care of them and not dump them at a yard sale. I am also making a list of everything to tell my family what to do with it all.

So what is your most ancient UFO? Share your comment below and on our Facebook page where you can include pictures. We want to see them!

Happy quilting!

Betty

PS: Your comment might not appear immediately because we've had to start moderating to weed out all the spam. If you are not a spammer, your comment will be posted.

2 comments:

  1. Oh, I made a quilt top with all 50 state flowers...just need to put the outer borders on and get the dratted thing quilted!! Thanks for the push!

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    1. I'd love to see it even if it's not done. Post a photo on our Facebook page by clicking on the link above. How did you do your flowers?

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