A quilt with history, but no name....

This is what I called "Rescued Orphans". It had been a quilt in some far distant day, and left to rot out its years in a trunk in an old barn. The backing mostly gone, the batting chewed up to make mouse nests. It was NOT a pretty sight, but despite the strong smell of mouse urine, I took it home and stuck it in an outdoor washtub. I didn't want to examine it the way it was which is understandable, I think! Several water changes and disinfectanted added, I could finally drain the water away, add warm water and a mild soap and wash it. It pretty much was beyond damaging it. Once it was rinsed and dried(laying flat on the grass) I took my seam ripper and removed the backing and batt remments. A few badly damaged blocks bit the dust, but a fairly large center section remains. It could be quilted or tied. Will I?? I don't know. Time is running out for hand quilting for me, do I want to spend time quilting this one? I'd happily pass it along to someone who loves these odd, old beauties, but I haven't heard from that person yet...*VBS* Maybe today??? Anyway.....this is a rescued orphan quilt and of an unusual sort.The blocks
may or may not be actual orphan blocks...that is: leftovers from other quilts. There is a second kind of quilt that is a cousin to Orphan block quilts. That kind of a quilt is made from the very bottom of the scrapbag...not the orphans, but the "dregs".
If the scrap bag is running that low, the maker uses what falls to her hand...totally real, very hard choices. This second pic is a log cabin block and illustrated my point. Yes, the little purple and white square IS a center with log radiating out. Hard to tell, isn't it? In the Jacob's ladder blocks, some strange fabrics wandered in to make up the needed patches....lots of strange fabrics! And
sometimes the choices were easier and a quilter could 'almost' get the usual look from what was available. This log cabin is easier to recognize than that first one. All in all, it's a challenging quilt to study. You eye really has to work to seperate the blocks. Not alot of care was given to the sizing of things. Four patches, nine patches and even 16 patches were pieced and stuck in as needed. The fabric cover quite alot of history. Some very old black prints, early 1900's. And tons of feedsack scraps, a few things from the 40's and 50's. Beyond that I'm not sure. So, there is the traditional "orphan blocks to be used" tops and then there are what I call the "desperation" tops. Where the quilter felt compelled to piece another top and had limited resourses, or
perhaps, none at all except a needle and thread. No beautiful leftover applique blocks here.

Post-s-note: My Blog-a-versity is coming up on July 13th...2 years of blogging and nearly a 1,000 posts. I want to have a 'give-a-way' of several things. I'm formulating a list of what I'd like to 'gift' to you. I'm giving you fair warning because at the beginning you don't know what you are signing up for. But if you think you might like to have something uniquely "Finn", tell me to add your name to the drawings. I'll add it each time you tell me...(multiples ok)*VBG*I'll take names starting today, and right up to the 12th of July. I will post a list of 'winners' on the 13th. Within reason, I'm willing to do some foreign mailings..*S* Not fair otherwise. What will I give you??? Examples: elderly redwork blocks, a set of no certain number, and a huge stack of 1930's Dresden plates purchased in Galena, Ill, some vintage lace and such. I also have way more containers of vintage fabric and scraps than I can or will ever use. I'd like to package some up and see it go to you gals who love the old stuff. Many pieces are small, but then so are minature or doll quilts *VBS* Some can be cut into FQ's or fat 1/8ths. I also have vintage orphan blocks that could use a new home..*VBS* And some newer stuff for those who don't LIKE old stuff. If you think you might want to give a good home to the quilt top shown above, the one with no name, but a history, please email me...it's up for adoption, as orphans should be...*VBS*