Another vintage patchwork complete

When the bug bites, go with it. Following in the wake of the hexagon patchwork quilt, I’ve finished the patchwork cushion. This is my first patchwork cushion. Not that it is a new project. My mother started making this patchwork about 30 years ago. We were living in Italy at the time. We had an English neighbour who was amazing at patchwork. Encouraged by her friend, my mother joined in with a local group of ex-pats for their crafting mornings. I’m not sure how many sessions she went to, but by the time I picked up the project, the squares were cut and the shaped around the paper, using the english piecing method.

I sewed the squares together, but just didn’t know what to do next, so I left it. Abandoned in a bag. Roll on three decades and, with the quilt now under my belt, I knew I wanted to finish the cushion. I used some more of my binding tape as a border and blue fabric left over from a dressmaking project for the backing, and its done. I’m not sure why it took me so long.

It was fun to look at the pieces of paper my mother had used for the squares. When I pulled them out, I could see that some of them were from my old school start and end of term dates. Not unlike the sheet I have stuck to the fridge for my own children’s school. The patchwork is finished and, I can’t help thinking that it shows the passing of time. It took so long that I’m now the Mummy receiving the term dates.

Oh and the doll. She was made by my Grandmother and lives in my bedroom. My Grandmother made a beautiful orange outfit, and a nightie and bonnet for bedtime, for her to wear. My girls like to dress her up according to the season. Hopefully, with Spring as good as here, she will sporting the little orange dress again.

Linking up to Natural Surbia’s Creative Friday.

4 comments

  1. Well worth the wait..it looks lovely :0)

    The doll is lovely and has an extra special history too ….We have a few dolls clothes knitted by my Grandmother that are being played with again…it’s a nice sense of continuity isn’t it .

    1. I have lots of bits and pieces handed on to me from previous generations and I do treasure them. It does connect the generations. Makes me wonder what of the pieces that I have made will be held onto by the next generations. I was given a lot of Grandma’s sewing things when she died. In among them is the pattern for this doll. Not sure I’ll ever make one though.

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