Antique Yo Yo Quilt

Antique Yo Yo Quilt - 48" x 65"

My friend and former editor, Jean Ann Wright (Eitel, in the olden days) gave me this antique yo yo quilt about 15 years ago after it had been gifted to her from a reader. (Can you believe someone parted with this?) All these authentic 1930s prints are phenomenal! My oldest daughter Audrey fell in love with it and begged for it and so it sat in a cotton pillowcase for years. Every so often she would pull it out and say, "Mom. I really need to get this framed." My opinion was that it would cost SO MUCH, and so it went back into the pillowcase.

Last week she came over with the quilt and said, "We've got to do something. I want to hang it in my guest bedroom (in her new apartment)." I put on my thinking cap and we did the following:

1. Measured the length and width of the quilt (yes, I know, a yo yo quilt isn't really one)
2. Made a trip to Home Depot and bought a piece of foam core (the type used in insulating), and had the guy who helped us cut it so we could get it into the back of my husband's jeep.
3. I pieced together various cotton batts (Warm & Natural) to fit the foam core
4. Attached the batting around the foam core (pins on the sides; blue tape on the back)
5. I pieced together my Roclon muslin to fit over the batting
6. Attached the muslin
7. Had to buy short pins that wouldn't poke through to the back
8. Yesterday, we pinned through almost everyone of the yo-yos. Gasp!! (get over it)
9. I drove the jeep and followed her to her apartment in downtown DC near Union Station (that is PROOF to Audrey that her mother loves her; I totally freak out driving into the city)
10. Walked through the streets with this thing flapping in the slightest breeze
11. Got into her apartment and we placed it on the headboard in her bedroom.
12. We were awe-struck!

OK. Hate me if you must for desecrating an antique. But she wanted to ENJOY it and she will - every single day. The quilt was made to be enjoyed. Yes, it has parts that are shredding, but I honestly thought I heard a whispered, "Thank you!" from the quilt. It was tired of living in a dark pillowcase. How would you like to live your life in a pillowcase? Didn't think so. And I bet this will give a lot of quilters permission to do the same thing with their yo yo quilts!

Have to share one little funny story about this. I get an email from Audrey asking if I made it home alright (3 hours after I should have been home). I texted her back from my iPhone: "OMG. Jesus help me. I'm still on New York Avenue. Call dad!" She believed me and called the home phone (huh? I don't take the home phone in the car with me) Anyway, I got a good laugh from that one. But, hey, I could have been lost. All the way home I saw various places I HAD gotten lost on previous trips (like the parking lot of the Pentagon - don't ask!)