Crafting with old quilts

My grandmother and I'd say all of the women in the family before her were avid quilters. Yes quilting is fun but they did it out of necessity. There wasn't a Target on every corner, but even if there had been my grandmother still wouldn't have gone.

People still quilt, quilts are still passed down but maybe they don't have the same meaning sewn into them as they once did. Like everything else a well loved quilt will get worn in spots or or worse become soiled and unable to be safely cleaned. That doesn't mean they still don't have a lot of use left in them. I personally have a chest of quilts made by my great grandmother and maybe even from before, that never see the light of day. My Grandmother, Elizabeth would be horrified, quilts are made to be used, they were after all mostly made from scraps from other sewing endeavors. So to honor those quilts beyond repair, personal or ones picked up at sales let's imagine ways to give them new lives.

We'll start with family quilts, the ones who have seen a bit too much of rough housing or who belonged to Children and were used a tug toys, camp forts or for naps in the grass. They are a part of their childhood and are often passed from kid to kid. Now they aren't in fit for the next generation, but not quite ready for the trash heap. How about making ornaments for each kid that loved that blanket? Something to talk about with the next generation and so the quilt doesn't really go away it gains a new following.

Jan  from JanMade used an old quilt to make Angels for her tree

How pretty is this and what a story it could tell. you could do other shapes as well, stars, barns, trees, hearts or any shape that fits your style. They make wonderful gifts for Christmas or any special occasion and everyone gets to take a tangible reminder of their special quilt.

If you have a larger quilt or one that you don't mind cutting into, stuffed animals are another option for gifting a quilt to numerous people. Bears, rabbits and even dolls can be made from old quilts.

via Stitch This

My personal favorite idea is one we saw while shopping in the North Carolina Mountains.

Aren't these the cutest sheep? I would think you could cut the shape out of wood and then wrap the quilt pieces and extra battling around it. The would make great decorations or even a foot stool. This idea has been hanging around for a while. I think it's time to get busy making some!

Thanks for visiting with me and my quilt ideas as I blog my way through the Alphabet with Blogging from A to Z. There are still  10 days left to go and I'm hoping you'll enjoy them as much as I am creating them. Thanks for stopping by and I'll see  you tomorrow with my R for Rags post.

Vintage Friday

I love wreaths, there I said it, I might also have a bag problem..but that's a totally different post.

For my First Vintage Friday post, I'm sharing a wreath I just made. The base is a quilting hoop (this is the vintage part) that belonged to my grandmother, Elizabeth (Ms Lizzy to most, even though she hated that name she never corrected anyone). I was lucky enough to have spent many a wonderful and cold winter afternoons working on quilts, learning to sew, and crocheting projects. Summer was dedicated to the garden, snapping beans and scrapping taters. Yes I was born and raised in the rural south, how did you know?

Okay to get back on track, I'm in the middle of moving from one place to another and I'm kind of in a stop in between for a bit, so I keep uncovering treasures. I ran across this hoop in the top of my old craft room closet and knew It was something I needed to work with. 

I sat down and thought about what would work best; how I wanted to showcase the hoop. While it is decorative it is also a memory piece, and it needed to not be over the top. Excess was something she was not a fan of. 

So I started with this pile of mess:

 I dug around and  uncovered some hydrangea blooms, Perfect! My grandmother had beautiful hydrangeas, although hers were blue. Then to have it match my bedroom I added some blue tones and a bit of fern that I had bought for another project, that will be coming up soon.

 I had the hoop on hand but you can always pick them up at yard sales and good will for fairly cheap. Mine is an 18 inch version and it is wood, they come in metal and oval, too. I used pipe cleaners or "Chenille sticks", whichever you prefer to bunch and position my arrangement. 

And this was the end result:

I'm pretty Happy with it personally.

Ribbons didn't make it to the final project, so I'll have them on hand for another project. You can never have enough yarn or ribbons. It's just a simple piece, it feels springy, happy and a bit more like home and as I hung it up I thought I might have heard a little bird chirping her approval too.

Check out Pintrest for other "Hoop Wreath" Ideas, they are a simple and fun way to add to your decor. I did see an idea I loved, brides are using them for their bouquets now.  You could make it simple or extravagant as you wish and then when the day is over hang it on your bedroom wall. Such a great alternative to a traditional bouquet.  

If you are interested in a Hoop Wreath for Easter or any holiday for that matter drop me a line and I'll be happy to brainstorm with you on your design or create one especially just for you! 

Sharing With My Thrift Store Addiction's Vintage Charm