We found this quilt when we were beginning to clean out my grandparent's house. It was tucked safely away in a closet. In all the times I'd visited my grandparents, I'd never seen this quilt. I knew that my grandmother hadn't made it, because although she was a talented woman, quilting was not among her interests. A little research revealed the only quilter in my grandmother's family was her sister, Grace Sawhill, 17 years her senior and deceased for many years (since the early 1970's). We are assuming that she is the maker of this beautiful quilt.
The quilt is hand-quilted, although I believe it was machine-pieced. The binding was made by turning over a bit of the backing onto the front.
I'm afraid the photo simply doesn't do justice to her tiny stitches.
Ever since this quilt came into my possession, I've used it at the foot of my bed every winter. The binding is starting to fray. One part of me says that as a vintage quilt, I should quit using it and try to preserve it. However, I can't help but wonder how many years my grandmother "saved" this quilt, and because of that never got the chance to enjoy it. My philosophy about newer quilts is that they should be well-loved and used until they wear out. I'll admit though, I'm a bit puzzled about what should be done with this lovely treasure.