Tuesday, May 11, 2010

We think it's underwear

I found this little quilted piece in Missouri last month. When I got it, it had pillowcase-style purple backing. But when I held it up in light, I could see letters showing through.

Off came the back! Sure enough, I discovered that the piecing was done on a foundation of a flour sack. I went to my local fabric store for some fabric to bind the edges so the back would show.

Sarah the shop owner looked at it and opined that the pieces were all underwear. The light pastel colors of slips, probably from the 1930s or 1940s.

How's that for thrift? Or a new idea for a memory quilt!!

7 comments:

  1. Very interesting!I have used boxers and pajamas before but this definitely puts a new stretchy twist on it!

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  2. Having just cut out some, uhm, underwear to sew, it looks like a lot of the pieces and shapes that were left from cutting out. ( Why am I sewing underwear? long story.)You know the arm scythes and the curve in the neck, and the left overs from the sweep of the skirt. Just a guess. The fabrics are woven yes? I can imagine someone giggling away, making an underwear quilt! Was it a scandal? Was it the talk of the bee? Thanks for showing us a treasure!

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  3. That's hilarious... A memory quilt, indeed! Thanks for sharing!

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  4. This is utterly delightful. Good for finding the feed sack back. What an inspiration and sad we will never know what movitated the quilter.

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  5. the fabrics are not woven. they're silky and stretchy, rayon likely.......

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  6. Hmm. Could it be a Valentine for a secret lover?
    Fantastic find!

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