I have about 50-70 antique handkerchiefs/hankies that belonged to my Mother, Grandmother and Aunt and I would LOVE to make a quilt with them. I have seen a basic pattern for handkerchief quilts, but it required cutting the handkerchiefs - I COULD NEVER DO THAT! Any ideas/suggestions?
They can be folded into the shape of a butterfly and appliqued to a block--I can give you more details if you are interested----right now I'm supposed to be writing a sermon for Wednesday evening worship (was asked to lead worship today), so I should get back to it. Just let me know if the butterfly idea sounds like what you might want to try.
Hi bhhubl and welcome to QCA. Sorry I don't have a suggestion. If you don't want to cut them maybe a wallhanging would be a good way to use them.
Life is like a quilt...bits & pieces, joy & sorrow, stitched with love
Hi Pat and welcome to QCA. I would love to se a picture of your butterfly block, maybe you could share it here.
Hello bhhubl,
welcome to the club. How big are they? Maybe you could sew them together with sashing or make blocks the same size as the hankies and alternate them.
Welcome to the QCA forums, bhhubl! I like Pat's suggestion of the butterflies. Another thing you might consider is just basting or stitching them with a blind hem stitch to a block of fabric. You could then, as Kris said, make patchwork blocks or just plain squares for blocks in between.
Gillette, WY
I would love to find out about the folding hankie pattern...I also have many old hankies and hated the thought of cutting them
I have some old handkerchiefs of my mother and grandmother as well. Many of the old handkerchiefs were very delicate and had tatted or crocheted edges. I like the ideas of the folded butterflys or placing them on top of another fabric to make a block. I have mental plans to make a crazy quilt wall hanging with fabric printed old pictures of my mother and grandmother, tatting as my grandma used to tat, printed excerpts of my grandfathers love letters to her, and now want to incorporate some of those old handerchiefs as well. And of course, lots of velvet scraps and beading and embroidery.
Patti
Chiliwist Valley
Patti, that sounds gorgeous. You can also take hankies and fold them into victorian style fans and applique to blocks. Have fun ladies. Nancy
Vinton, Virginia
Patti--
Your mental plans sound so lovely--now it's just a matter of getting the idea to your fingers, right? It is sure to be a thing of beauty that will have all of us oohing and ahhing.
Kissimmee, FL