Last night I finished my vintage sheet quilt. You remember, the one I wanted to finish last summer. The one that has been quilted and has had naked edges for months... that's the one. I suddenly got the urge to finish her. And I'm so glad I did. She's brought some sunshine to the gray days of my Oregon winter...
And has made me think of "The new Jan Brady" and her fake boyfriend George Glass.
Before the unveiling I'd like to share a quick binding tip with you. I love a nice hunky binding. Empty feeling binding makes me sad. When it's time to trim the backing and batting off of my quilt after quilting, I don't trim it completely flush with the quilt top. I leave about 1/4" of the backing and batting beyond the quilt top. Then I sew the binding on like normal.
This way, when I fold the binding to the back to hand stitch, the top edge of the extra batting and backing fold over on the inside creating a fuller feel to the binding. A quilting lady showed this to me when I first started quilting years ago. I love this tip!
I love hand stitching binding.
The finished quilt. All washed and dried, ready for snuggling. I think I'll name her Jan. Since I was a middle child and all.
I love how the big blocks really show off the prints. I cut the squares at 10 1/2", and set them 7 across and 7 down. I search thrift stores for vintage sheets, but haven't had great luck. I had much better luck searching on Etsy, where I purchased fat quarter sets. I've also seen lots of great old sheets on Ebay. Vintage sheet hunting is fun!
I hope you have a blessed week. Please remember to keep the devastated Haitian people in your prayers. I know we are all heart sick and wish we could do more to help. I know there are many great organizations that we can give through. We sponsor a child through Compassion International and love that organization. Donating on their website is very quick and easy, and our donations are sure to help many children and their families.
Thank you for visiting. x
I love this quilt - you did a beautiful job. I wonder if the recent love of vintage sheet quilts is because it helps us remember our childhood when we slept under so many of these same prints! :)
Posted by: Elizabeth | January 20, 2010 at 11:59 AM
AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAGHHHHHHHHHH!
IT'S THE MOST BEAUTIFUL QUILT in the universe.
I need to go look at it again. Just a sec.
Posted by: Alicia P. | January 20, 2010 at 08:43 PM
Yep [wipes tear from eye] you've done it. It's the most beautiful quilt in the universe.
Posted by: Alicia P. | January 20, 2010 at 08:45 PM
Beautiful Quilt! I can see Cindy Brady curled up in bed with this quilt! With her curls and that weird doll that she had!
Libby
Posted by: Libby Dillard | January 21, 2010 at 03:16 AM
Your sheet quilt is lovely...I like how you combined pastels with some brown, too - it really works.
I'm gonna try to remember that trick about the full binding - yes, one of these days/months/years I will finally make a quilt! I've got a big collection of vintage sheets 'cuz I love them, and find them at the thrift stores, but I'm not sure what I'll do with them...ha, maybe a sheet quilt...we'll see. Some are pretty thin, but the edges are still usuable. I think the part I fear about quilt making is the quilting part on the machine...I can just picture trying to manuever the big bear of a quilt and my machine jamming and me screaming like a banshee! Yep, that's what I see...I really don't think my machine is strong enough and neither am I.
Posted by: tammyCA | January 21, 2010 at 04:04 PM
this is absolutely gorgeous!!! i love everything about it. stunning
Posted by: Leslie | January 21, 2010 at 09:20 PM
Oh that quilt is beautiful. Looking at it makes me go ahhhhhh.
And I'm also doing my favorite impersonation EVER... "My boyfriend, George. George........ Glass". KMA, Marcia.
Posted by: happy zombie | January 23, 2010 at 12:39 PM
your 'Jan' is lovely- but then all Jan's are in my experience :-) !
Jan(et) x
Posted by: janet clare | February 03, 2010 at 08:47 AM
I must say that your vintage sheet quilt has turned out quite lovely. I also happen to love old vintage sheets. I simply love the one you have made. :)
Posted by: Blankets | February 12, 2010 at 11:41 AM
I absolutely love this quilt!
Posted by: fiberdoodles | February 12, 2010 at 11:56 AM
Soooo pretty!!!!
Posted by: Michelle | February 15, 2010 at 05:07 PM
Oh my your quilt is absolutely beautiful. I love how you have found the sweetest fabrics to put together and the colours...and that it is vintage! Now did you do some hand stitching with it as well.
Just love it!
Come by and visit some time when you have some time.
Judi
Posted by: Judi | February 15, 2010 at 05:09 PM
Just the sweetest most feminine quilt I have seen in a very long time.
Di
The Blue Ridge Gal
Posted by: Di | February 15, 2010 at 05:44 PM
What a lovely quilt. I have lots of shabby chic sheets that I have collected from Goodwill and yardsales.........I am just going to have to make me a quilt : )
Posted by: Susan Newbigging | February 15, 2010 at 08:13 PM
I stopped by Sweet Cottage Dreams and was led to your page. Great quilt. Congratulations for finishing it. I have been hand quilting one for a couple of years now. I am anxious to finish it because as I am sure you know, there is always another in mind. Love the idea of using vintage sheets.
Love,
Susan and Bentley
xxoo
Posted by: Susan Freeman | February 15, 2010 at 09:28 PM
Thanks for the hint on attaching binding. Your quilt is so pretty!
Posted by: JG | February 16, 2010 at 05:45 PM
Okay, your binding has me so excited!!! I've always created binding by hand (like the binding makers but never used them). And never liked them. I've always just machine stiched the binding on. Your binding looks like it's a a large strip folded in half and then machine stitched on the front and folded over to the back to just cover the machine stitch lines. Would you mind telling me how wide is the strip of binding and can you point me to a place where I can learn how to hand stitch it properly to make the stitches hidden? You may have it somewhere in your archives so I'm off to look.
Thanks.
Posted by: Tami | February 24, 2010 at 11:19 AM
Happy Birthday!!! Wanted to share how much I enjoy your blog. I especially found this post inspiring in wanting to make one of these quilts. Yours is beautiful and I hope mine comes out somewhere close to nice. I am using pillowcases found at thrift shops and some odds and ends I had in my stash.
Posted by: Yvette | February 26, 2010 at 09:54 AM
I love your quilt! I saw a link to your blog from Carla, at Sew What's New? and just had to look. I recognize the sheet on the back! I bought that sheet set for my mom in the mid 70's! I see it often at Goodwill, but have never bought it, as orange doesn't fit into my decor, but I just might, now that I have seen your quilt. I hope it has warmed you and your family on many cold, dreary days and evenings. Be blessed, Michelle
Posted by: Michelle | February 27, 2010 at 06:22 AM
OMGosh I love this quilt! A new thing for me to keep my eye out for on my thrifting adventures! Absolutely love it!
Posted by: Kim | March 11, 2010 at 07:51 PM
Oh my Word ! This quilt is just luscious !
Oh, no.......now I have to start collecting these linens !
Were yours poly/cotton blends, all cotton, or what? Any advice?
Posted by: ...dotty... | March 24, 2010 at 10:14 AM
I love this quilt. What a great idea to use vintage sheets.
Posted by: Brenda | April 19, 2010 at 04:35 PM