The Ribbon Quilt

It's not often that someone brings me a quilt top that I'm at a loss for words. That is exactly what happened in December. I got a call about quilting services and the more the lady talked I was equally intrigued and horrified at the same time. Karen tells me she has a quilt top that is over 5o years old, satin, and is made from the ribbons from the floral arrangements of her grandfather's funeral.

My first thought is to say absolutely not. Of course what actually comes out of my mouth is that I would love to work on this. WHAT????

So Karen brings over a flower hexagon satin quilt with over 130 seams that need to be fixed, all the threads on the back need to be trimmed, and did I mention that the satin is over 50 years old. The more she talks I realize how attached she is to this top and all I can think is that it could run, the needle on the long arm could punch a hole in it, and after all the horror scenes running through my head, I still let Karen leave without signing a contract or waiver!

Well, after several hours of mending seams, and clipping a quart size baggie of threads, I finally load the top onto the long arm. And color me surprised it stitches beautifully. Karen was so pleased with her quilt that she forwarded several pictures of it in her guest room with the lovely memorial label that tells the story of this quilt for generations to come.