Church rummage sales can be wonderful things. Some are better than others, it’s true. I like the ones that aren’t too organized. When you have to really poke through everything there’s more chance that you’re going to find something which the person before you missed. And it’s more likely that the items will be priced ridiculously low. Such was the case at the rummage sale where I picked up this vintage quilt. The lady with the cash box looked it over and only saw the rips and tears and all the places where the cotton stuffing was sticking out. “$1.50” she pronounced. To her it was nothing more than a rag, something you might use as a painter’s drop cloth. But when I looked at it I saw a piece of someone’s history, made of the fabrics of life.
I turned to a quilter friend for any information she could give me about it. With help from her copy of Dating Fabrics: A Color Guide, 1800-1960 by Eileen Jahnke Trestain, Nita estimated that my quilt dates somewhere between 1910 and 1940. She explained that it’s a utility quilt, made from scraps that most likely date to various times.
This well-worn quilt was meant to be used rather than to show off someone’s quilting skills. And used it is. Thrift was likely the motivation behind the use of all these scraps of material. Since quilts like this were often made during tough times, maybe this quilt was created during the Depression. The dates would make it seem likely. Never mind that it’s in pretty rough shape and will require lots of repairs, I think it is thoroughly charming!
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