QUILTS & FABRIC: PAST & PRESENT


Monday, February 6, 2012

More Thoughts on The Sixties


While scrolling through eBay quilts recently I came across this example of the 1960's-70s genre.
This is the type of quilt being made when I learned to quilt.
Needlework standards were, shall we say, minimal.
Now, I don't mind minimalistic sewing skills and standards. I always admire someone who plows through till the binding is on---despite the personal challenges.



The white back shows the machine quilting, a good 8" apart

It's the design that frightened me. Where did ideas like this come from?
And then in the very same page on the very same day was an auction for this pattern.


Oh, I see. The ideas came from a professional pattern designer.

Nevermind.

Some of you may find the quilt above quite interesting.
 This, children, is what we used to call a generation gap.

20 comments:

  1. I'm one of those peoples who actually likes it. *hides head in shame*

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  2. I love it! Those colors remind me of my childhood!

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  3. I remember those days very well!

    Strange things happened. A dear friend (who didn't know how to sew) made us a wedding quilt out of pastel flannels. She cut small yellow triangles and sewed them back together to make a long yellow strip and did the same with the other colors. The work of the triangles was totally lost because of sewing the same colors back together. We loved that quilt!

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  4. This reminds me of my first quilt. In the mid 70's I decided to make this fancy biscuit quilt. Little squares of muslin and larger square of fabric with a little pleat on each side. Then stuffed with polyester. Later a backing is put on the the layer are tied with floss in each corner to hold it together.. found these directions in ? McCall's magazine. All good, but, I decided to use brown and cream taffeta! LOL......the quilt never stayed on the bed! ever hear the song....slip sliding away.

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  5. Susan-my sister's only quilt was just like yours, individually stuffed triangles. Stayed on the bed maybe 60 seconds every night. I think it was stuffed with balls of pantyhose.

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  6. Susan,

    The story of your slippery quilt made me burst out laughing and I do love that song.

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  7. I love these just for the nostalgia. Although, that sashing is cool, man.

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  8. I made my first quilt in the 1960's without having a clue how to go about it.

    I sewed up two large squares and filled the quilt with old pantyhose.

    Of course the filling shifted to create a large sausage at the bottom.

    Learn't to quilt properly in the 80's when quilting arrived here in NZ.

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  9. Oh, I remember those days, just rather forget about them, lol.

    Debbie

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  10. Becky, you can laugh all you want but I won a blue ribbon at the Windsor Fair with that quilt! Still have it in the attic in mint condition except for the mice nibbles. hee hee

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  11. It's bright and colourful and would cheer up a rainy day, I like it for those reasons. I do love your post, it really made me laugh!!

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  12. Absolutely loved your post today, certainly made me chuckle.

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  13. Too funny, I do have a quilt or two like that, my sister & my daughters called them the "funky quilts".I think quilting was trying to re-invent itself during that era. My first quilt in the
    60's was sewn with yellow kettle cloth,some over the top ugly polyester, and mens silk ties......NO Blue Ribbons here!
    Wendy

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  14. You've come a LONG WAY, baby! :O)

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  15. The aqua fabric with blue flowers sure looks like some I used to make a dress in the early 60's. My mom used it in the Star Dahlia she made for me using a lot of scraps from cloths I made.

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  16. Congrats on the blue ribbon, Susan. I guess it's slipperyness kept it from being worn out!

    Our flannel wedding quilt has been loved to death by our daughters family and looks like a rag.

    I've never heard of using pantyhose for stuffing. We have indeed, come a long way!

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  17. Is it just me? or can you see that pattern used as a pocket on an apron. Top-stitched in place with the top folded over. I'm looking for a paper bag. Nevermind!

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