Summer may be drawing to a close, but I'm just not ready for the change of seasons. I'm still focused on this project, a mid-century inspired doll quilt that features a vintage embroidered strawberry. Perhaps you remember it from here.
Motifs like this are typical of the 1940s-50s when they adorned household linens such as tea towels, tablecloths, and napkins. I added calicos, polka dots, and gingham checks for vintage charm and bordered the quilt with a whimsical retro-style daisy print from American Jane.
The top itself was finished years ago but got set aside when I couldn't do the handwork. What a shame, I thought, to leave something this sweet half-done. Apparently, my friend, Ruth, agreed because when I finally pulled it out to show her she offered to finish it for me. How could I refuse?
Clearly, the quilt was in excellent hands! Just look at Ruth's beautiful stitches and how the lustrous perle cotton subtly catches the light.
It's hard to see the cables quilted in that busy print border. Perhaps a simpler stencil design would have worked better.
Who could resist putting strawberries on the back too? It was a perfect opportunity to add more whimsy!
As it turned out, the quilt preserved a lot more than just a vintage strawberry; it captured the very essence of summertime itself! Thank you to Vicki Haninger for her inspiration and to Ruth, of course, for seeing the project to fruition. I couldn't be happier with the result. 🍓
15” x 17”
machine pieced, hand quilted
2019
