Weekly Finish...Or Not: Shoo Fly & Vintage Inspired Churn Dash Tops

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This Shoo Fly top is a re-do of the very first quilt I made on my own way back in 1999.


This is my darling granddaughter who decided the quilt was hers.  She was only 3 years old at the time.  The quilt is long gone as it was very much loved.


This is the magazine pattern I used to make both quilts.  I wanted to use a similar floral print with white daisies and red background as my original but couldn't find anything I liked.  I'm happy with my re-creation and I think I'll give it to her for her birthday.

I don't know what possessed me to recreate an old damaged quilt top I found in the wild.  Maybe I was influenced by other quilters who have been inspired by vintage quilts and have created beautiful quilts from them.


This is the original top I found a few years ago, probably in the clearance bins at the thrift store.  I'm sure I only paid a couple of dollars because it was badly damaged.  There are burned edges are the big hole.  I knew if I didn't save it that it would be trashed so I brought it home.  

I originally intended to take it apart and salvage most of the blocks to make a smaller top.  But the blocks are not well made and some of the fabric is faded so I decided to recreate it.  I found some red fabric that resembles the calico fabric used in the original and tried my best to duplicate the original.  
I'm satisfied with my recreation and I think I'll love it more when it's quilted.

I think I'll keep my initial intention and salvage the original blocks.  Their wonkiness and faded fabrics just add character.

These tops are the 13th and 14th ones I've made so far in 2023.

I'm happy to join these linky parties.  Be sure to visit them to see what other quilters are sharing.
Until next time ... 
Be happy and keep on quilting!


Comments

  1. DeonnMay 5, 2023 at 10:54 PM

    Oooh, I always love vintage-inspired creations, and the shoo-fly block is a classic! That's such a sweet photo of your granddaughter with her quilt - she's going to love the new one too! They're both treasures. Thanks for linking up with TGIFF today!

    ReplyDelete
  2. Sylvia@TreadlestitchesMay 6, 2023 at 4:59 AM

    Shoofly and Churn Dash--two of my favorite patterns! Your quilts are lovely. And what a nice idea to remake a quilt for your granddaughter. I've bought quilts in bad shape before, just to save them from the landfill, and it's fun to recreate them.

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  3. Pat at Bell Creek QuiltsMay 6, 2023 at 5:50 AM

    This is such a wonderful and happy quilt!

    ReplyDelete
  4. PauletteMay 6, 2023 at 9:08 AM

    Oh, I totally get why you would be inspired by that thrift store quilt! There's definitely a charm to it. Your replica is beautiful!

    ReplyDelete
  5. quiltingbydawnMay 7, 2023 at 7:03 AM

    Nice work on recreating old quilts! I'm sure your granddaughter will enjoy hers!

    ReplyDelete
  6. Jennifer Fulton Inquiring QuilterMay 8, 2023 at 5:15 AM

    How wonderful to recreate an older top! Reusing the original blocks is a great idea. Thanks for sharing on my weekly show and tell, Wednesday Wait Loss.

    ReplyDelete
  7. Rebecca GraceMay 9, 2023 at 11:21 AM

    I love this idea of remaking your very first worn-out quilt! When I was doing vintage quilt repairs, there were several that I was so enamored with that I wanted to recreate them myself. The only thing stopping me was the ten bazillion other projects already in progress... ;-).

    ReplyDelete
  8. Alycia~QuiltygirlMay 10, 2023 at 7:08 AM

    What a cool re do!
    but your granddaughter steals the show - I love that at 3 she knew what she wanted!

    ReplyDelete
  9. Nancy @ Grace and Peace QuiltingMay 13, 2023 at 5:08 AM

    Some fun quilt remakes going on in your studio, Rita!!!

    ReplyDelete

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