About Me

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Sandi Underwood was born a PK (Preacher’s Kid) in the beautiful East Tennessee Mountains, where family stories were passed down, generation-to-generation. Her love of writing was cultivated at an early age when family get-togethers and Church dinners-on-the-grounds provided an idyllic backdrop for memories that fuel her stories. Sandi’s early career included working with children in both the public and private sectors. Later in life, her path took a different direction, but her love of books was ever-present. Today, she shares a home with her rescue dog, Gus, and draws inspiration from her grandchildren as she continues to write for both children and adults. Learn more at www.sandiunderwood.net and track her writing journey at www.sandiu.blogspot.com, follow her on Twitter @SandiGCY, and like her Facebook page at Sandi Underwood/gcywriter or email her at sandiu@comcast.net.

Tuesday, October 16, 2012

Vintage quilts are used for anything from bed covers to wall hangings. If you're lucky enough to own a 1930s Antique quilt, display it for others to enjoy.

Recently, I embarked on a journey. I didn't purchase airline tickets, I didn't fill my car with gas, I didn't even buy new rubber-soled shoes. This journey was back in time.

Shortly prior to her death, my son's grandmother gave him a vintage 1930s quilt that she and her mother hand-quilted. The pattern was different size squares, hand sewn to form a quilt top, then hand-quilted onto a back, with batting in between.

For centuries, quilts were made by the women of the house to keep their families warm during the cold nights.  Many a young lady's hope chest wasn't complete until her very own quilt lined it's bottom. The actual making of the quilts often provided entertainment for housewives and Mothers. The earliest quilts were made from linen, wool and silk and the fabric was often imported. In the 19th Century, cotton was used for the first time from  scraps of leftover material from other sewing projects.

I remember visiting the boys' grandmother's house and seeing the huge quilt frame set up on saw horses in the living room. This particular quilt frame was square and had pins all around the edge. The quilt was stretched onto the frame and secured using the pins. This  allowed the quilter (s) to move around the room to quilt each section.

Today, I'm headed to the fabric shop to pick out the fabric needed to restore the quilt. As I begin this journey, I'll share my progress and my setbacks (I'm sure there'll be many!). Hopefully, at the end of this journey, I'll be able to post a picture of the finished project.