My sister-in-law enjoyed sewing and was an avid hand quilter. Sadly, she developed macular degeneration and now can no longer see to sew. She asked me if I would be willing to make a version of a quilt I'd made a few years ago out of fabrics she'd accumulated and saved. Of course I said yes.
This is the quilt she referenced:
And this is the one I made out of her fabrics:
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| About 65" square |
They were some lovely colors and prints to work with but they turned out to be highly toxic to my system. They'd been pre-washed in one of those laundry detergents that chemically bonds to the fibers. Even though I re-washed every piece they let off toxic fumes with handling and especially under the iron. It was a struggle, but I was happy to be able to assemble this quilt for Pat. I only hope her vision will last long enough for her to truly enjoy the fruits of my labors.
If you ever have to do quilting from fabric not your own again, try using several vinegar washes and airing out. Sometimes I pull some fabric that was washed before I had chemical issues(2009) and I can tell they are older, especially by the smell when ironing. At least with a week or so I can overcome the side effects from the exposure in the world today - they are only getting worse. Laura
ReplyDeleteThanks for the tip Laura. Wish I'd thought of that when I was working on this quilt. I use vinegar frequently; don't know why this didn't occur to me. 😊
ReplyDeleteQuiltdivajulie - my mom had macular degeneration. The quilt you've made is beautiful - I'm so sorry the fabrics caused you so much distress.
ReplyDeleteSorry to read it was so challenging to work with that fabric. That was very generous of you to push through and finish it for her.
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