...saves 9

Wow, the information you can get on the Internet huh?! I looked for the origination of "a stitch in time saves 9". Only on the Internet can you find so many ways to say the same thing. The proverb does actually use stitching for the example and the idea of closing up a hole so it doesn't get any larger -all to remind us that do something right the first time so it doesn't take more time later, do it right away before it gets more difficult etc. And the "9" doesn't really have any direct meaning but was used to give it rhythm so it could be remembered more easily.

Well, I had the enriching experience to learn this proverb first hand this last week, maybe 2 weeks. I had made this quilt, seen in earlier post, for my son when he graduated from high school 9 yrs ago. He apparently has loved it because when I was in Manhatten last year and used it, I found it lovingly worn in many places. The holes and tears were just evidence that it has warmed and cuddled many a moment all these years. He has taken it from home to college both in Chicago and Holland, MI and then a semester in Australia, then to San Diego, to Manhatten and Williamsburg and then back to Encinitas, CA. That is where I finally retrieved it and brought it to NC to be refurbished.

During this process, I learned how much I did not know about quilting when I made that quilt, which was my first one. I spent almost 2 wks repairing this quilt, more than "9" anyway I look at it.

First, I this is a queen size quilt - he is nearly 6' 4" and needed all that space to cover his toes and fingers. I used a Double Irish Chain - wow what a lot of seams for a quilt that would be used, and washed in laundromats around the world. Also, black fades more than most colors. Then I tied it rather than hand or machine quilting it. That is fine for some projects but for a guy that is going to actually use it, it allows for too much tugging a pulling and sliding side to side. Then I did not put a binding on it. I did the "pillow case" style of putting the layers together. That allowed for too much wear on the edges - a binding may have worn out too, but then I would have only been replacing the binding. Lastly, I used cotton on the top and flannel on the back and I doubt I pre-washed either. The flannel seems to have shrunk some and became slightly smaller so it too "pulled" the edges around to the back allowing for even more wear.

So, after a couple days of assessment I just had to begin. I have never restored a quilt either so maybe later in my lifetime I will be writing this again and telling of how I could have saved time in the way I restored it too.

First I re-tied the whole quilt. I considered quilting the layers this time but decided it should be refurbished as it had been done. Also, the fabric was quite stretched in places and it would have been very difficult to have even gotten a seam without puckers. Oh yes, you read earlier about me trying to find the floss. Many of the 2" square seams had pulled out so they had to be hand repaired with sort of an applique stitch. Then I pinned the whole quilt just inside the borders. One inner border fabric seemed to not hold up well and had shredded in places at the seam. So, I ran a new seam all the way around that inner border, making it slightly smaller but got into better fabric. Then I hand basted in outer borders and cut away the worn edge all the way around. There were 4 holes in the inner border and rather than try to replace any of the borders, I chose to hand sew thread across the holes and give strength to the hold before appliqued small round "patches" over the holes. I used original fabric which wasn't too noticeable even tho it did show how the color had faded. I put a new French binding all the way around. My husband made me a new label for it in the computer and I attached it too. I wanted to add the refurbishing of it to the label, so I opted for an all new one.

After 9 years of quilting, I know now to make the quilt differently in order to last a much longer time. However, I am actually quite please that it lasted as long as it did considering my lack of knowledge at the time and how much he has used the quilt.

I was a labor of love when I made it, a labor of love to restore it and a wonderful opportunity to learn first hand that I really will save time (or 9 ) later, doing it right the first time. Phew!!