Documenting Quilts part 2

       Why do I do all this I ask myself, my kids will probably chuck it all into the dumpster when I'm gone.  I hope they pause and realize how much I loved sewing and quilting and color and design.  I hope they keep the pages of the quilts that each of them owns and are astounded by how many quilts I have made.  How many quilts have I made?  The answer to that tomorrow.

       My documentation has evolved over the years from a form to a summary with more and more photos.  Sometimes I look through to find a particular pattern to see how I quilted it.  Sometimes I need inspiration for a quick quilt for someone or I have handed my books over to someone special if I was planning to make a throw size quilt for a wedding gift.  It is more likely to be used if it is colors that she likes. 

        I make a folio with quilt care and a little information about the quilt when I  give a quilt to someone or sell a quilt because I want the recipient to know that the quilt is washable and is meant to be used. Quilts that are not used do not have memories and quilts need memories to become treasures, treasures become heirlooms.  I usually make a second copy of the folio and call it good for documenting that quilt.  I  write on the folio who the quilt was given to or who purchased it and the price, date and location of the recipient.  

       I usually include the names of specific tools that were used for a particular block if I ever want to make a similar quilt.  If there are things that I would do differently I make a note of that also.

       In recent years I have signed my name in machine stitching on my quilts with the year it was completed. It takes a little practice to write with the needle and sometimes I incorporate it into a border design other times it looks more like an afterthought.   I don't always label quilts when I finish because I like to make a personalized label if I give that quilt to someone or sell it.  I write the bride and grooms names, wedding date, or the baby's name and birthdate,  the name of the quilt, my name, and my location.  And if is for a niece or nephew on hubbies side of the family financed by Uncle Bill.  You have no idea what that has meant to them.     

    My quilts, my life, my history.  --Ann--

Documenting Quilts part 1

The week before last when hubby was off fishing  I updated my photo book of quilts.   I had papers and photos all over the living room floor; no one was there to complain about the piles so I could work at my leisure.

A few years after I started quilting I heard a speaker talk about the importance of documenting our quilts so I started a list on my computer the one that had the make it fit button, I was very diligent in keeping the list it included when I started a quilt, working title of the quilt, special information about the quilt and even family and news worthy events and when I finished the quilt.  The last time it was updated and printed there were 150 + listed.  I even made my own form based on one the speaker had given us.  

 I was becoming a whiz on the computer, I had a file full of quilt documents.  Then that computer died and I got behind on my documenting.  A few years ago I put all my pages in photo books and was caught up then I let it slide again or maybe that was when I started blogging but I had a stack of quilt photos that were not in the books.  

  I have simplified my documentation so that I am just writing a short summary of each quilt.  My list has been very helpful in determining when I started a quilt.  I should start a new list........more tomorrow on documenting quilts.  --Ann--

Labeling Quilts

Around the World Quilt made by my grandmother but no signature or label on the back

I had a wonderful wonderful afternoon one day last week.  First I went to the eye specialist and the pressure in my eyes was excellent. Then I met a girlfriend for lunch, we had Italian food and coffee.  Three of my favorites! Then we went to the quilt shop because I had two quilts to show her.  The quilt shop owner had an heirloom postage stamp around the world quilt. She didn't know who made it for sure or when or anything about it other than it belonged to a great aunt.  We were having a great show and tell then another lady came in the shop who was going to do a truck show in the shop that evening.  We quickly volunteered to help her bring in her quilts and set up for a sneak peek.  Her quilts were fabulous.  Each quilt had a label with her name, name of the quilt, who machine quilted it, when it was made and what quilt shows it had been in and if it received special recognition at the show and another label for that.  She documented each of her quilts on the back.  It would have been so nice if the shop owners great aunt had put at least her name and date on her quilt.  All that history is lost forever.

I have quilts made by my grandmother and great grandmothers. One has a stitched label the other is written on the quilt.  The makers are identified as Grandma Sanford (click for the post of these quilts) and Grandma Nelson, not much to go on really if I want to learn more about my great grandmothers.  And the quilt made by my grandmother, my mothers mother has no signature or initials on the back.  I need to label them so my children will  know who made them.  I heard a quilt historian speak years ago, she asked us if we knew the full name of our great grandparents, if we couldn't name them then that information is lost unless we can still learn that information from parents or grandparents.  
Being more diligent in labeling quilts.--Ann--