I bought this yo-yo quilt earlier this year with the intention of re-selling it. It didn't cost too terribly much because there were many broken threads and even a few missing pieces, and when the auctioneer held it up, it looked tattered and sad.
(As an aside, the auctioneer referred to it as a lollipop quilt. Sweet.)
I spent two full days with the quilt stretched out across the dining room table, looking for spots that needed to be repaired, then fixing them.
I made lots of replacement yo-yos. In fact, at some point I thought it would probably be easier to make a yo-yo quilt from scratch than it would be to repair one. Then I roughly calculated how long it would take me, at my top speed of 8 yo-yos an hour, to make a quilt. I went back to repairing.
But it seemed as if every time I thought all the repairs were finished, I found another spot that needed to be stitched. And I realized that every time the quilt was handled, more threads seemed to break. I didn't want to sell something that was in the process of self-destructing. (Most of the fabric is fine; the threads seem to be the problem.) And I'd be happy to keep it, but I don't really have a place for it here. (If unfolding a quilt results in damage, imagine what a 70-pound dog jumping up on it could do.) So I did what I think any of you would do. I folded it up and put it in a closet and I'll figure out what to do with it some other time.
On to other problem projects. I got quite enthused about these tiny hexagons a few months back, and I even began sewing them together to make ... something. I hadn't quite decided what. I thought the vintage percale was the perfect shade of green for the project, so I dove in. I failed to calculate, however, how many of those little green hexagons I would need. And, naturally, I only had about a quarter-yard of green fabric. So until I come across a piece that perfectly matches it, this whatever-it-is is on hold.
Today I was trying to take feedsack photos for Etsy, and I had the hardest time figuring out what squares looked good together. It occurred to me that I was only taking Etsy photos - I wasn't making something that would take weeks and last for generations. I wondered how quilters ever got beyond the picking-fabric-out stage.
Quilters, I salute you. If you have words of wisdom, please share them. But until I'm convinced otherwise, I think I'll stick to finding things, and leave the making things up to the pros.
Yo Yo's are just so darn heavy really. I cannot imagine an old thread that is going to be able to withstand the test of time there. Should you sell it some crazy ass fool (like myself) will sit for a bazillion years fixing it.
I think you can't decide which fabrics go together because you dont have any white space in between them for your eyes to rest on. But never mind that, again, some one will buy them!
Even though your hex project is small it is still enough to be a mat/rug/thingy under a bowl or whatever on the hoosier! The Japanese love those hexagon mug rug type things. (And so do I. I put them under lamps even. A sickness I tell you.)
Posted by: Sarah | June 21, 2012 at 08:56 PM
Claire and I had a discussion about yo yo's the other day. Spoken like an innocent child she proclaimed that yo yo's must have been for people who couldn't sew all that well or they would have stitched them together. Never thought of it that way. We talked about it and decided in the end it was still a nice way to see the fabric. At least you took a picture! Smiles...Renee
Posted by: Renee | June 21, 2012 at 09:13 PM
You certainly have more patience than I do. I give you a lot of credit for repairing and working on that special quilt and taking all those pictures of your precious feedsacks.
Posted by: Kim Kenward | June 21, 2012 at 10:05 PM
Your to-finish pile is very impressive...I hope you find more green fabric as those hexagons are so pretty. Loved your gardening vs junking post, my two favorite worlds.
Posted by: Kate | June 21, 2012 at 11:07 PM
My mom has been making me a yo-yo quilt. She has something like 1900 yo-yos made and she has been working on it for 3 years or so now. Someday it will be done....someday.
Posted by: laurie magpie ethel | June 22, 2012 at 12:20 AM
Any time I see a yo-yo quilt, all I can picture is a quilter with the absolute patience of a saint. Who else would take on a project of that magnitude? I think I would get about 20 yo-yos in and abandon ship.
Posted by: Into Vintage | June 22, 2012 at 01:17 AM
I love that yoyo quilt. I have a lot of old clothes I don't know what to do with, maybe slowly making yoyos from the family clothes would be a nice continuous, long term project...by the way you describe the amount of work it would be ready for my first grandchild lol(my kids are 7 and 5...)
Posted by: Ruth | June 22, 2012 at 02:44 AM
Wow, fixing the yo-yo quilt is a test of extreme patience, i take my hat off to you. As to the selection of fabrics, that's pretty much one of the best bits of quilting! I think the combination of patterns and colours just comes to you pretty quickly, after all there's always another quilt to be made with another combination. Have messaged you via Etsy as am in need of those pretty feedsack squares...
Have a super weekend,
Hen x
Posted by: Hen | June 22, 2012 at 02:50 AM
It's definitely more fun to treasure hunt! Hugs!
Posted by: Lavender Dreams | June 22, 2012 at 12:52 PM
I once tried to launder a very old yo-yo quilt for a friend. I didn't want to crowd it so I filled the bathtub with lukewarm water, swished in some gentle detergent then submersed the quilt. And stood there watching as it disolved before my eyes.
I have another quilt that lives a peaceful life inside a vintage suitcase until I am dead and gone and it becomes someone elses problem.
I am with you on the finding and leaving the making to someone else when it comes to quilts!
Posted by: Kathy | June 22, 2012 at 03:50 PM
Regarding the Grandmother's Flower Garden hexagons: now you know why the fabric companies came up with the pre-printed design! :) Textile companies did these patchwork designs even in the 19th century; proving our quilting ancestors wanted a "better way" of achieving the pattern. However, yours look quite beautiful in the vintage fabric and make a good project for sitting quietly when the weather is so "freakin'" hot. :)
Posted by: Patty | June 22, 2012 at 04:03 PM
I am still amazaed at your luck in finding the yo-yo's and feed stacks!! Isn't it fun to figure out what to do with it?
chris
Posted by: chris mckinley | June 23, 2012 at 09:05 AM
When the yo-yo qult get found again in your closet, summon up lots of patience and applique it to a light weight blanket or plannel sheet. The applique process should take care of the original bad threads and you will have a vintage looking bed spread.Teach that dog this is the one bed he cannot sleep on.
Posted by: Donna | June 23, 2012 at 01:39 PM
Several years ago I made a yo-yo pillow for my sister...yikes, it took forever because I was doing it the old-fashioned way. Now, there is a handy yo-yo maker you can buy at the fabric store. I can't imagine the time it took making a vintage quilt. Now, I'm trying hexagons - English paper piecing...still slow, but easy to do sitting and watching t.v., but we'll see how far that goes. lol.
I have a vintage quilt (postage stamp size squares), that has the same shade of green in the backing/binding as yours. This was one of those miracle finds at a Goodwill...and, for $4.99! (Thank-you thrifting gods that it came to me instead of possibly ending up in someone's doghouse). :)
Posted by: tammyCA | June 23, 2012 at 02:08 PM