What would you do with an old quilt?
Posted By margaret on March 1, 2009
What would you do with an old quilt? No one really wants to cut up a quilt; but the smaller pieces can be turned into just about anything from ornaments to coasters or bags or oodles of other things.
Recently, at the end of a lecture I presented to a quilt guild I asked if there were any questions. A quilter held up her hand and the first question asked was, “where did you get your jacket”. I had just presented information on how to use a computer as a quilting aid and several ways to expand a quilter’s concept of computer uses within their homes and communities, yet, the most important thing on her mind was my jacket. Right on!
I began the story of the jacket by asking if any in the group had heard of “First Monday”. Although we were no where near the area, at least two-thirds of the group of about seventy held up their hands. If you aren’t familiar with First Monday Trade Days in Canton, Texas check out this link. First Monday is the world’s largest outdoor trade days, although many of the booths are within covered areas.
Thousands of people flock to First Monday each month, in fact, due to the number of people visiting, the local residents don’t even pay property taxes. Booths are everywhere and it is impossible to see everything in one day.
Back to the jacket. I tend to enjoy the old antique/junk areas, rather than the formal booths and that is where I spotted the jacket. Well, it wasn’t actually a jacket at the time; it was an old quilt. It was full of holes and batting was oozing out of it, but I knew it was going to be my new jacket.
Old torn and tattered quilts have so many memories stored up in them; they exude warmth and love and so it is with my jacket. There were so many holes in the quilt I didn’t know if I could match the pattern or even get enough pieces for the jacket, but, alas, the jacket was complete.
I cannot go anywhere wearing the jacket that I do not receive a compliment. I have even heard footsteps behind me in the grocery store and moved out of the way for someone in a bigger hurry than I, only to find out they were trying to catch me! “Did you make your jacket”?
I don’t know if I will ever be so lucky to find another work of art in fabric as this quilt, but I’m continuing to look…
I bought the old quilt for ten dollars and it is worth a million in memories.
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