Mandi’s Quilt
This rather large quilt was given to us by Mandi. It had been started by her mother some 30+ years ago but she, unfortunately, died before she had a chance to put it all together as a quilt. She had managed to get as far as basting the quilt top, wadding and backing fabric together.
Following her mother’s passing, Mandi had it in a cupboard in her house for at least 12 years, so we estimate that the fabric is at least 45 years old!
One day Mandi and other members of her family came into our shop to purchase some fabric and asked if we would be able to quilt it for her.
We were gob-smacked when she brought it in not only with the intricacies and quality of the stitching but with the size, it measured 104” x 104” and is comfortably the largest quilt that’s been done on the longarm. As an added extra her mother had cleverly incorporated Mandi and her husband’s names using the hexagon shapes. They are difficult to spot, but they are there.
As with all our commissions, we discuss everything with the client, from colour of the thread through to the pattern, backing fabric, binding, etc depending on the client’s requirements. Because this particular quilt had a special meaning to Mandi, she chose Heart in Heart pattern.
To put any quilt on the longarm I have to do it in three layers. Therefore, with this quilt, I had to separate the layers by removing the basting stitches.
After a quilt comes off the machine we need to remove any bits of thread.
When checking, I found some of the old thread from the hand stitching of the Hexi templates still in place. I could have pulled them out and discarded them, but I decided to leave them in the quilt as these stitches were put there by Mandi’s mam all those years ago. They are also a physical reminder for Mandi that her mam used that very piece of cotton thread.
Mandi was absolutely over the moon with the quilt when it was handed to her and even came back to the shop a few weeks later with her husband so that he could also thank us in person.
