Maybe this is my fourth or fifth patchwork quilt made from vintage sheets?
Either way, I’m growing more and more fond of vintage items. Last night I went and picked up some old vintage French doors with perfectly divided window panes. I’m still not sure where we can use them in our home, but I’m going to come up with something. 🙂
Just yesterday, my mom sent me a picture of some vintage Fiesta ware that was a bit hard to decline. I love the colors and the recycled items.
I don’t think I learned anything surprising or new this time around sewing with vintage sheets. I still echo much of what I’ve learned in past posts. I used lots of starch because of the wear many of my sheets have already gone through. While I always try to find sheets that are still vibrant in color, many of them are soft and quite flimsy from prior use.
Here’s a list of past posts I’ve written about vintage sheets, and what I’ve learned on my journey of finding and sewing with them:
1. How to Use Vintage Sheets and Where to Search for Vintage Sheets
2. Sewing with Vintage Sheets: A Few Tips I Learned Along the Way
3. How to Sew with Vintage Sheets
4. A Colorful Wedding Shower with Vintage Sheet Bunting
The patchwork blankets I’ve made with vintage sheets usually finish around 50 by 70 inches. I cut 6 1/2 inch squares for this quilt and sewed nine across and eleven down. (The finished squares are six inches each.) I usually sew the squares into sets of nine and then sew the nine patches together to create the quilt. This is a simple way for me to ensure color balance.
This blanket, in particular, I specifically made for a friend to gift at a wedding shower. As a result, it never made it to my Etsy Shop. Check back in a bit and my plan is to list a pillow cover just like this blanket. My long term plan is to finish ten or so of these picnic blankets and list them all at once, but that has been my plan for almost two years now. Ha! Raising my three precious children has rightly delayed that goal for sometime now.
Nesting seams has become a must for me on simple patchwork quilts like this. Since these squares made of vintage sheets don’t hold shape as well as normal quilting fabric, the process of nesting the seams keeps the corners sharp…for the most part. Don’t be deceived thinking there are no puckers at any corners. I assure you there are. I can’t figure out how to complete a quilt without any puckers. Maybe some day!
These are a beautiful (and fun) way to use and recycle thrift store items. Many of my sheets come from the thrift store. With three children in tow now, I shop online from smaller retailers a bit more, but I still make it to a thrift store once or so a month.
Before I go, I’ll leave you with a few fun vintage loving ladies on Instagram:
Susan from SewSugarBeans
Elise from EliseBurkhead
Kelly from VintageFabricStudio
Stacy from ALittleShabbyShack
Here are two Instagram accounts that sell vintage items:
ThriftersGonnaThrift
MarigoldVintageNess
Even if you don’t buy anything, they are still inspiring to glance through. Sometimes it’s fun to browse the feeds before heading to your own thrift store. They may give you some ideas for fun additions to your home that you can find for a few dollars. Or, like me, you find an old mirror for five dollars that you buy for your bathroom instead of buying the $150.00 mirror from School House Electric that you had your heart set on.
What are your recommendations for quilting these vintage sheets? I would imagine the less the better.
Hi Mary Jo, feel free to browse through a few of these posts on vintage sheets: https://www.thewillowmarket.com/?s=vintage+sheets
You may find a bit of useful info that I’ve learned the hard way. 🙂
Hi Kelli,
I will be starting to cut the squares for a vintage sheet quilt. I have reviewed your site – love it – but thot somewhere that you stated you didn’t use batting – just top and back – Is that correct? thank you again
Hhhhmmmm… Right now I can’t remember a quilting project where I wouldn’t have used batting. In almost all cases, I’d recommend using batting. Are you doing something similar to what I’ve posted about above?
If so, I think you’ll want batting. It gives the blanket loft and texture after a wash and a dry. The batting will also give it more weight…feeling more hefty and full.
Does that makes sense?
HI Kelli, Yes it was helpful and I appreciate your reply, but since I have never used starch on quilts (or for ironing now for many years) was wondering: Do you starch every square that you cut and sew, or do you starch the whole quilt at once after you are done making it? Do you also starch the back or just the front? Thank you again.
Alicia
Great questions. 🙂 I starch a large section of a sheet before cutting into it. I spray the starch and then iron it as normal. I then cut that section from the sheet and cut it down into squares. Once the squares are cut, I tend to not iron them again until they are sewn together.
If I do iron the squares again, I only PRESS them. In other words, ironing can stretch and reshape fabric very easily. Once the square is cut, I don’t iron it again.
After I sew blocks together, I use starch again to iron down the seams. Yet again here, I PRESS the seams down. Ironing (moving the iron around over fabric) can stretch and reshape the fabrics.
If I press the seams well as I go, I don’t tend to iron again once the quilt top is finished.
If I start with starch, I starch everything. I starch the back too. In other words, I don’t use starch on half the quilt and steam on other parts. Stick with just one so everything is as uniform as can be.
Below is great to take note of when quilting:
Ironing and pressing are often used interchangeably, but are actually two separate techniques. Ironing is the back and forth sliding motion most of us are familiar with and do regularly at home. Pressing is the placing of the iron on the fabric, holding it there, and then removing. (Great definition from https://www.heirloomcreations.net/pressing-or-ironing/)
Ask more questions if anything is unclear!
Hi – Your quilts are beautiful. I have been collecting vintage sheets, too, from thrift stores. Please tell me more precise details about what kind of starch you use and exactly how do you use it? It would be very helpful to me. If you have the time to reply and help me, Thank you.
Hi Alicia, I’ve used a variety of starches but for the vintage sheets, I almost always use a heavy or premium starch. When I use starch, I do not use steam. I’ve used this brand many times: https://amzn.to/2KjmsDQ
I also use my iron on cotton setting so I keep it rather hot.
Hopefully that’s a bit helpful. 🙂
What do you recommend using for the back of the quilt? Another vintage sheet?
Hi Cher, I have always used another vintage sheet for the backs of my vintage sheet quilts. I have seen other mediums of fabrics (like quilting cotton) used in combination with the sheets, but I haven’t tried that yet.