So, I just inherited my Great-Great Grandmother's wedding quilt (1882)

[Coventina]

Made for her by her mother, my Great-Great-Great Grandmother.

Holy cow! I had no idea such an heirloom even existed until my Grandmother got it out of her cedar hope chest, where she's stored it all these years.

I don't know if I can take this much responsibility!

Yikes!



It's beautiful, though. It does not look its age at all!!

[kimbutgar]

1. You should get it framed in glass

[Coventina]

2. That's exactly my plan.

I'm going to have it professionally conserved, and then hang it on my bedroom wall.

[kimbutgar]

3. I met this women recently who did quilts as a hobby

She had these beautiful quilt framed on her wall like pictures. They were gorgeous.

[Coventina]

5. Quilts are (or can be) beautiful works of art.

This one has a black background (and the black has not hardly faded at all!) with a bright "crazy quilt" pattern. The back side is gold.

It's really visually striking. I don't know that I've ever seen a black quilt before.

[teenagebambam]

33. Sounds a lot like one I inherited from my g-g-grandma

Made in the 1880's I estimate. Black background with crazy quilt stitching. Lots of velvets and lush materials.

[Zoonart]

9. Lucky you...

Enjoy your treasure. My only suggestion...careful about sun exposure when you look for a place to hang it. ( I had a restoration business for many years)

[Coventina]

10. Yes! Thanks! My bedroom has an east facing window.

So I plan to hang it either on the north or south wall, which do not get any direct sunlight.

[Zoonart]

11. Sounds perfect.

[handmade34]

16. out of the sun

wonderful to have the keepsake!

I have a couple of my grandmother's... postage stamp quilts made all by hand!

[Coventina]

18. Had to look up what a postage stamp quilt is.

Very cool!

(looks like a lot of work!)

[True Dough]

4. You're not going to post a picture?

The collective DU Lounge curiosity has been piqued...

[Coventina]

6. I wish I could! I've never figured out the picture posting thing on DU.

Also, I left it with my grandmother, for the time being, as it is safest (I feel) in her cedar chest until I can get the conservation plan in place.

[kimbutgar]

7. Love to see if when you post the picture.

[Coventina]

8. I promise I will figure it out once it is safely framed and all!! n/t

[Thekaspervote]

12. Yes, please a picture!!

[Coventina]

13. I will! I will once I get it conserved and mounted.

I'm excited to share!

[applegrove]

14. I inherited a lace tablecloth made by ancestors way back. So far back my grandmother

did not know who made it and she was born in 1898. I lost it in an accident. I felt awful. The hundreds of hours that it took to tat or crochet that. All gone. I inherited a quilt from an aunt a few years ago. It was made by my grandmother's sister. I have it safely put away in a cedar chest.

[Coventina]

15. I can imagine how you felt!

It's a little terrifying to be responsible for these kinds of things.

[OregonBlue]

20. My sister-in-law gave me a hand made lace table cloth. In her life, her grandmother, who was from

Cypress had made a total of 6. This was in 1970. They were very large and very finely worked. I was stunned when she gave me one and I absolutely treasured it. I used it only for holidays and I used it for every holiday year after year and everyone who came to my home would comment on what a beautiful table cloth it was.

We were moving and I took a large garbage can that I didn't actually use for garbage and I put all my candles, my place mats, my napkins, napkin rings and of course my table cloth in the can. I got my husband and brought him in to the dining room and showed him the big blue plastic garbage can and specifically told him THIS IS NOT GARBAGE. THIS IS JANICE'S GRANDMOTHER'S TABLECLOTH so don't throw it away and be careful with it.

Of course we all know what happened. A few days later when I was looking for my can of dining room stuff I started to panic. My husband had already made a few trips to the dump. I found him and asked him about the blue garbage can. He thought for a moment and the light went on and he looked so panicked. I just burst out in tears and I was so upset I could not speak to him for 2 days. I didn't want to shout or blame or accuse or anything. I was just hurt beyond belief because he knew how much I treasured the table cloth, not because of what it was worth but because Janice's grandmother made it and she had passed away and because Janice was a very stoic person and she had actually given me something she valued. I can't even describe how devastated I was. I did of course start talking to him again but it took me a long time to get over the hurt.

A couple of years ago my sister bought me an exquisite hand made Irish lace table cloth for my birthday. It is beautiful and I use it for every holiday but somehow, I really miss the one that got away. LOL.

[applegrove]

21. I had not entertained on mine. I blew out a candle the wrong way and it was

gone.

[OregonBlue]

22. OMG. That is so awful. At least I got to enjoy mine for many years before

it was gone. I did Janice's grandmother proud with that tablecloth!!!

[PoindexterOglethorpe]

26. Oh, my god.

I am so, so sorry. I just wish you'd thought (and this is so easy afterwards) to write on that garbage can: NOT GARBAGE!!! DO NOT THROW AWAY!!!!

I do know I'll do something like that if ever in a similar situation.

[OregonBlue]

41. Hindsight and all that. I thought making him stop and really listen was enough. Not.

[Lars39]

17. You might want to get that appraised...

Maybe someone at a state museum. A well preserved Crazy quilts that old might be kinda rare.

[Coventina]

19. thanks! Yes, definitely something to seriously consider.

I took a quick look on ebay, just a while ago.

It seems the price is pretty variable.

That indicates that each one needs an individual appraisal to determine value.

Since I'm the end of the family line, I have to think about where it goes after me.

[applegrove]

23. I have a quilt my grandmother made from old clothes. Pretty cheesy

material but it was clothes her family wore so I like it. I think I have three quilts altogether.

[Coventina]

24. That is a really cool idea.

It's a way of preserving family history in another form.

I'm really fortunate in that I was given two handmade quilts when I got married.

One from my aunt (who makes them for every family marriage) and one from my husband's best friend's mom.

I use both of them pretty regularly, as I have nobody to leave them to.

[applegrove]

25. I know my sister's kids would want them. So I am trying to keep them

As nice as possible. Any idea how to wash them? Can they go in a washing machine on gentle?

[PoindexterOglethorpe]

27. Yes, they can go in a washing machine.

If you have a hand wash cycle that's even better.

[applegrove]

29. Thanks.

[PoindexterOglethorpe]

28. Any chance of taking a picture and posting it?

My sister quilts, and I'm the proud owner of several quilts she's made. Obviously all of them were made a least a century later than your quilt, but trust me, I'm in awe of your good fortune.

If there's a local quilting group, contact them. They will be an excellent source of information and useful advice.

[Coventina]

34. Great idea! Thanks so much.

I will post a picture once I get the conservation done.

[KT2000]

30. Please get advice

from a person who know textile preservation. A local museum could help. Cotton rot can infect quilts if stored incorrectly. Sounds like so far so good though.

[fierywoman]

31. I'm pretty sure you can use a glass or some sort of plastic when you frame it

to protect against light hurting it.

[Coventina]

35. Yes, I know you can get specially treated glass such as is used in museums to protect against light

damage.

I plan to do just that.

[fierywoman]

39. Love your treasure-- enjoy it (I'm sure you will!)-- how wonderful to have

something hand made by a family member who came before you ...

[Tribalceltic]

32. Please Get the Story

My Mother was a quilter for many years, and every quilt has it's own story .. get it on video from her if you can and get it on paper too!

I introduced my Mother to signing and dating each quilt with a sharpie.

Best of luck!

[Coventina]

36. Thanks for this. I will have my grandmother recite the story she told me yesterday.

It's not a story we would approve of today, however.

Basically, my Great-Great Grandmother was 17 years old at the time of her marriage in 1882.

My Great-Great Grandfather was much, much older and a Union veteran of the Civil War. She wasn't even born until after the Civil War was over!

Her parents ran a boarding house, and he was one of the residents when he began courting her.

One of the first things he did was to give her a book of Byron's poetry. (My grandmother also has this book, with his inscription to her).

I said, "Wow! Byron! That's pretty racy! Were her parents OK with that?"

We had a giggle.

I know such age disparities (with the man being older, never the other way around) were common back then, but wow!

[OriginalGeek]

37. I inherited a German family bible

it's at least 150 years old with names written it going wayyyy back. I'm scared to touch it.

[Coventina]

38. IKR?

It's super cool, but a scary responsibility!

[Upthevibe]

40. That is sooooooooooooo cool!

I'm looking forward to seeing a picture of it once you've gotten it situated.