Friday, June 20, 2008

Another book from AQS...

contains this wonderfully scrappy and orphan blocks quilts. The book is "First, Nine and Always", published in 1986 by AQS, and written by Millie Leathers. I came across it at the annual library sale, where they get rid of the books with poor circulation numbers. How sad that this great basic book was considered "outdated" just a few years after its publication.
This particular quilt is called "Fragments". The blocks were pieced by Martha Jane Stanifer before 1900. Upon her death in 1903, the blocks passed to her daughter Alice Stanifer Brinegar. She pieced together and quilted what we see today. A legacy of both her mother and herself. The quilt now belongs to her daughter Edith Lawson.
Millie Leathers commentary on this beautiful quilt is a tribute to all three generations of women whose lives it touched. For a scrappy quilter like myself, and a lover of the unwanted and odd bits, it's like Christmas, birthday and 4th of July all rolled into one!
I've shown these pictures before, I know. But in connection to the crusade to get Gwen Marston's "Liberated Quiltmaking" published again(by AQS), I felt it was worthy of another posting *VBS*. If you haven't clicked on any of the links over to Tonya's to sign up for a copy of a reprint from AQS, please do so now!

15 comments:

Myra said...

What an awesome quilt, and an awesome story to go with it! I love the muted/muddy color tones. Is that the right description? That is how we call them here...
Happy stitching!

Paula, the quilter said...

I spied the block in the quilt that I am making for my summer 4SQS quilt. This time, the whole little quilt is out of my scrap bins.

Libby said...

This girl can just never get enough of scrap quilts . . . the story they have to tell is worth seeing and hearing over and over and over again *s*

Magpie Sue said...

Well, I don't remember seeing this quilt photo before! Thanks for sharing it with us (again!). I LOVE it! I've got a bigger pile of scraps to deal with now and am gettin' the itch to stitch 'em up!

Purple Pam said...

This scrappy quilt is wonderful. And the story, too. I wish I had a quilt handed down in the family. I thought I had one a while back, but my aunt could not find it. She thought my uncle might have thrown it out, or given it away. It was made by my grandmother. I am the one in the family handing down the quilts, I think.

Tonya Ricucci said...

This is definitely one of my favorite quilts ever. ever. love love it. wish I could make one that exciting someday.

Patti said...

Oh - what a neat quilt! That's a book I dont' have, and can't remember ever seeing. I think I'm going to have to be on the lookout for that one.

I'm finally -once again - all caught up with blog reading so I can allow myself time to comment. I'm glad to see you posting quite a bit - must mean that you are feeling well these days.

Not sure if you are interested, but I thought I'd let you know just in case. In this evening's post I talk about making up the beds in the camper with my orphan quilts, and have posted pictures. If you think you'd like to post these pictures on the orphan train blog feel free to swipe them off my post.

Gypsy Quilter said...

What a wonderful, WONDERFUL quilt! Thanks so much for sharing Finn. Now I'm even more inspired to add extra zing to my next kitchen sink.

jovaliquilts said...

Love your new rug and spools header!

Mrs. Goodneedle said...

The Fragments quilt and story attached are worth telling and retelling... I could listen forever. Thanks, Finn!

Quilts And Pieces said...

oooo - that looks like a good book! And that quilt you shared is really cool!

Greenmare said...

good job you snapping that book up! whew you saved it!!

susan said...

well, at least you scored a neat book and it now has a loving home. i am a book junkie. i have a whole shelf just for dyeing fabric and i ordered one of shibori last night at amazon. looking forward to seeing something YOU do from book.

Shelly said...

Great blog. I am going to bookmark you! One question: What does *VBS* mean? :)

julieQ said...

Wonderful quilt book and picture! I have really almost worn out Gwen's books that are at our library. What a neat story of that quilt and it's legacy.