What a difference that sashing and the blanket stitching make! You rescued that quilt. Are you really gonna hand quilt through a quilt top on each side? I wouldn't volunteer for that one. Hope the needle gets through it all easily for you. I have always liked the baptist fan quilting motif. That might work for a quilt that has a different design on each side. Or else a very simple grid of squares? I have always liked the grid with double lines of quilting. I know I'm not very creative with thinking up quilting motifs, but I'll get better with practice, I'm sure.

OH Sandra! What a transformation!! You sure do have an eye for color. The black centers really seem to ground the block as does the blanket stitch and cornerstones, and the red sashing picks up the reds in the plates...now it looks like it was supposed to be made this way! That aqua and pink didn't seem to belong at all.
I've never done anything like this...but it's now something to keep in mind when I see quilts for sale and I say "UGH!" what were they thinking?
Thanks for showing us this...and what a fantastic job you did!!!!
Lynn in PA

Oh, Sandra, the term rescue can't be used, you "saved it's life" major work, the centers are wonderful, I know you do all work by hand, so it is a beautiful work . Great Rene

You did do a beautiful job, but the aqua and pinks didn't "bother" me. You bought it in an antique shop, but it looked in perfect shape in the photo. Do you figure it was made in the 30s or 40s?
Wouldn't an authentic quilting pattern from that time be the Baptist or Methodist (or whatever church!) arc? It would look good on both sides and seems one of the easier hand quilting patterns. You really have patience to take a quilt apart and fix it! I like your work.

My goodness you made it look like a new quilt Sandra, really gave me a lesson on using the right sashing I thank you for that, what did you do around the plate to make the colours pop out?
Gillian

What a great facelift! The colors look so much more vibrant and lovely.

I'd have to think about the quilting pattern before I offer my opinion. Sometimes waiting a bit helps and the quilt will sort of talk to you. I usually take a photo of a quilt and look at it awhile before making a decision on the quilting, but I have never made one that is reversible.

I know that you are thinking geometric, but my first thought was a feather design around each fan. My first thoughts are not always good ones and that is why I wait before making a decision.

Well, scratch the double quilt idea....I held it up to all my other feedsack tops, and NOTHING is even remotely the same size. I thought maybe I could just add another border here or there and get 2 to 'fit'...but, no go. Those that are about the same one way, say in length, but WAY to wide, etc. So, good idea - it just didn't work. (and, I hadn't thought of any quilting 'challenges' of a pieced top on both sides..... so, it may be for the best!) The top is probably from the 30-40s era, and in pretty good shape...a few spots and rips here and there, but those don't bother me...I fix the rips and forget the spots.....feed sack fabric is looser weave than the cotton fabric we use nowadays, with a tendency to stretch, but the quilting will hold it in place. It would benefit from a LOT of quilting, but I probably won't invest that much time...too many other things to do. I'm actually excited about starting on my family tree quilt again....(see, if you leave things long enough, they appeal to you....again!!!)
I'm not very creative with quilting patterns, either. I generally do a combination of echo quilting and some sort of grid....the latter often with masking tape of different widths...no marking, that way, which is a bonus to me, I'm afraid. I did a couple Celtic design type wholecloth quilts, where EVERYTHING was marked, as the quilting was the only design feature...and, those about did me for marking. They were pretty, though...both baby quilts, and I quilted in the baby's name and birth date, too. I'd like to have one for myself, but it hasn't been long enough since I made them that I've forgotten all that precision marking...yuck!

What a masterful job you did on that quilt! It is really stunning now.

Though not a very practiced quilter, I would like to see something that plays up the shapes of the plates--rays coming out from them, echo quilting, or a design made to fit into the white areas (this last one meaning more precision marking for you, ha ha). I suppose you are facing more quilting on the plates themselves, too, with the loose weave of the feed sacks. They make me feel so nostalgic. In my childhood, I had some skirts made of feed sack material, and we also used it for fringed tablecloths.

Gillian, Using black pearl cotton floss, I did a blanket stitch around each plate, (which not only covered the original stitching, but tied all the plates together with a 'design element). To me, the original quilt had no cohesion, and I thought by using the red sashing, more in keeping with the colors in the plates, and then black plate centers, black joining squares and black blanket stitch, it made all the elements 'go together'....
My original plan, after giving up on the double sided quilt, was to echo quilt around the center medallion and around the plate, with geometric in the white portion, but I'll just have to see how that looks....I'm afraid it'll leave the plate itself, too 'floppy'...so, I may need to quilt in the ditch of each plate segment, too...I'll just have to try it and see.

Sandra,

You did rescue that quilt, and bring its look up to more modern. Like Mollie, the pink and aqua didn't bother me--it showed its 'era'--but I'd be way more likely to *use* it the way you finished it. Great job!

Cheryl

That is not only a transformation, but a rescue. You made the perfect color choices and the blanket stitching is fabulous. I don't know what to recommend for quilting, but you might want to look at some other Dresden plate quilts for ideas.

Sandra,,,thats beautiful!!! Please post when its all quilted too!!!!

I liked the pink and aqua, LOL, but I absolutely love the red and black.

When I made my mother a fan quilt I did a swirly thing in the sashing, and I did rays out from the fan blades. Looked really nice. I'll see if I can find a close up of the quilting.

Mary

Well, I like pink and aqua -- for a BABY! That red and black REALLY Sharpened up that quilt! And the blanket stitching too -- gave it great definition. Looks FANTASTIC now. Striking!

Sorry, no ideas for the quilting.

Wow Sandra that really made it look different. I love your color choices. Colleen

Since you're not going to make it two-sided, you'll be able to quilt it with something echoes the Dresden plate design much better. Maybe the sashing could have a chain, and the keystones could have some other motif, like square in square. Maybe that wouldn't require too much marking.

Absolutely stunning what a wonderful rescue!

Wow Sandra! What a difference. I know I have a similar quilt top stashed somewhere with hideous eggy yellow sashing. I need to dig that out and give it a life. Thanks for the inspiration. Now if I can just remember where I stuck that thing! LOL
Sue

That was more than a facelift. You sewed new life into it.
Suellen

Wow what a difference!! I love what you did to it.I also didn't like the pink and turquoise.So the transformation you did is outstanding!! Looks like a totally different quilt.Great job.
Kathi

What a difference! Was it hard to replace the center of the plate? Your new colors make it go from dated to ageless.

Oooo! What a difference! I like them both but your remake really pops!

Very Pretty!

Suellen's right, you gave that quilt new life!

Great job.

doris=^.^=

You wouldn't think the plates were the same. A wonderful transformation! Sow's ear to silk purse comes to mind!

Goodness me, this quilt has really captured the interest of so many....do you suppose it's because it sort of epitomizes, for many, what quilts are all about?.....someone in a rural setting, creating something for her family from the economical use of what she has on hand. I get this pic in my mind's eye, of a farm lady, in a floral apron, quilting away! (gray hair in a bun and 'sensible' shoes!)
The center medallions weren't hard to replace. I just ripped them off, made a template of one, cut new ones from the black Moda marble fabric, adding a seam allowance when I cut..... and used the template, spray starch and a paint brush. I did a running stitch around the outer edge of the medallion, put the template on the wrong side and brushed spray starch onto the seam allowance. Then, I pulled up the threads around the template and ironed it dry. Then, release the running stitch enough to get the template out and re-iron. This makes a really nice, smooth edged medallion, and is how I make all circles, from grapes to big 'uns like this one. You really need to use the heat resistant template material..the other gets all wharped with the heat from the iron...for small circles, I use washers of whatever size I want the circles to be. (if you use a metal washer, watch your fingers...those babies get HOT!)
Sue7972...dig out that old top you have and give it some thought...to make it easier for you, don't rip out all the old seams...yikes!!! Going just square at a time, sew the new fabric on over the old, and then cut the old away at the old seamline...this will make each square a bit smaller, but not much, and it sure is better than ripping all those seams! Also, when dealing with older fabric, the less handling you do, and the less stress you place on it, the better it is. You're going to loose the fabric next to the old seamline anyway, so my way is less 'stressful' to the fabric and a heck of a lot easier on your and your ripper! Actually, if you're going to machine quilt, why even bother to remove the old sashing?...who cares if it's under there or not?....unless you're thinking of replacing it with a fabric enough lighter that the old will show through....if that's the case, make a darker choice!
This whole thing has been a real eyeopener for me to the VAST importance of sashing and border fabrics. I really think that it makes a COMPLETELY different looking quilt...and is proof that elements other than the main one in a quilt are every bit as important!

Oh my goodness, what a difference your improvements make! Lovely job and how creative of you to think of doing that!

Sandra,
I love what you have done with your quilt. It was fine before but it is stunning now. The red with black sashing brings out the bright colors of the plates so well. Thanks for sharing this with us. It is a good lesson for me not to be timid about sashing colors and how important the choice can be in the overall look of the quilt.
Kay