Monday, March 9, 2009

Vintage Monday- YO-YO Quilt

Today is "vintage monday" so I looked around my house to see what I could show you before I dashed out the door to meet with my Dear Janiacs! One of my favorite finds is a yo-yo quilt that I have hanging over the back of an old church pew in my kitchen.
About 15 years ago a friend called me and told me that she had seen it at a thrift shop in Salt Lake. It was marked $70.00 and she did'nt want to spend her grocery money so she passed it up but then worried about it all the way home. She knew what a treasure it was! So as soon as she walked in the door she called me.(this was BEFORE cell phones!)

Of course I made a beeline right to the thrift store, I'm surprised that I even stopped for the red lights! I said over and over again "please still be there please still be there" just willing the quilt to wait for me to get to it first!



Well, as you can see, it waited just for me and I bought it and brought my treasure home. Besides- who needs grocerys anyway? There's always Campbells tomato soup and grilled cheese sandwiches, right?



The quilt is old and so cute and wonderful! All of the yo-yo's are made from original feedsack fabric. I showed it to my Moms and Grandmas and they recognized alot of the prints. It's been so fun to look at all of them.
The quilt is very large and HEAVY! It fits a Queen bed. It's very well made and has only a few of the yo-yo's that need repair. Each yo-yo finishes about 1 1/2". I have no idea how many there are but I will count them one day.
I would love to know the woman who patiently made it. I wonder how long it took her. Did she make it for her bed? What other things did she make with those feedsacks? Did she know that it would be a treasure? I thank her from the bottom of my heart:)



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18 comments:

little acorns said...

The one thing I'm certain of - is that she would be so pleased that it found it's way to someone like you - who would love it so, & appreciate all the work she put into to creating it! What a wonderful treasure (& great friend to tell you about it!)
xo, Bren

Linda said...

Lori, I want you to get busy and start counting those yo-yo's! That's the least you can do for that sweet little lady that made ALL of those! *wink* I will be checking back for a number! :)

Kim Walus said...

That is definitely a FIND and what a BEAUTY too! I'm not in the stores enough to find a treasure like that and how lucky to have a friend who would call you and let you know it was there. You were even luckier that it was still there! I'm so happy for you!

Nanette Merrill said...

I'm glad someone that would love it and take care of it got it. That is if I couldn't have it!!

Anonymous said...

What a Find! I remember when you told us about that at our "Retro Club". That gives all of us an idea for all those yo-yo exchanges we are doing. Bring it to our next meeting we will all ooh and awe over that. If I give you all my yo-yo's, will you let me have your yo-yo quilt? I know the answer to that one. Thanks for sharing. And I like you vintage monday idea, I love to see your stuff. see you! I enjoyed lunch with you today with all the janiacs.

Judy said...

What a wonderful treasure. I'm so glad it was still there waiting for you. I always wonder about the history of things.

Insightful Nana said...

I love yo yos. My sis make a pillow top and covered a round pillow with it and gave it to me for Christmas. It was from some of the fabrics my mom used to make us clothing. It's a treasure to me.

Red Geranium Cottage said...

What a great find. Love yo yo's

Anonymous said...

I LOVE it. Centerville has a quilt show on the 4th of July each summer. Someone always brings their yo-yo quilt. I'd love to talk to whoever's quilt it is and find out if they know anything about the maker. Each year I have to stop to look at it as if for the first time.

Sandi Linn Andersen said...

What a lovely yo-yo quilt. I have a really old one that is not quite so nice as your yo-yo quilt is. It is octagon shaped and I always wondered if it was used on a table. There is an area where it has come apart and some yo-yo's are quite worn. I do have a lot of vintage scraps, though, and one day I can replace those yo-yo's. Nanette led me to your blog. I love it. Will be adding you to my favorites!!

Carrie P. said...

What a great yoyo quilt. One of these days I am going to make one.

Beata said...

What a treasure!!...lucky you....

Anonymous said...

Hi Lori, I'm excited to see how many yo'yo's are in your quilt and I want to guess how many, because I would love to get you 10' squares of fabric. My guess is 3,365.00. Hope I win!!

Linda said...

I am guessing someone inherited this and didn't know the value and donated it to the thrift shop. They probably thought it was just a bunch of scraps! Their loss, your gain! I have a Quilter's Will stating what should happen with my stash, etc. Just in case my husband calls DI to clear it out!

Anonymous said...

What a treasure! Not just for you, but the person who made, that it is in your loving hands. She may never know that - but she may. Beautiful!

Anonymous said...

That quilt is so neat! I've never seen anything like it before. I'm glad it was still waiting for you.

Anonymous said...

I have a fullsize? one of these packed away somewhere. My gg-grandmother and g-grandmother made it, I am told it was not a labor of love since the two did not get along. It was also the only yo-yo my g-grandmother ever made. It has a white border the rest is various scraps, I think I see some of the same in your quilt. I got this quilt because out of the 15 or more my g-grandmother made this was the only one others didn't want. The sad thing is I am probably the only one who still has thier quilt. Now that I have a house I should take it out and see if I can find a place for it. Having no children I don't know what I will do with it later in life. I am not sure I would give it to my family, when the quilts were devided I was a teenager and several women in the family were selfish and greedy about it; two people probably got over 7 quilts each, while I got the left over. I don't think they even really apperciated the quilts. Maybe one of my cousins kids will be the type to apperciate it, otherwise I think I would give it to one of my friends. Someone who really likes it and doesn't just want it because they think it is worth money.

Anonymous said...

Awesome!
A friend sent me a link to this old post because she knows I'm into making yo yos right now! :)

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