Buried Treasure.

This is why I help my mom clean her closets.  Because you just never know what we might find. 

I have loved digging through boxes of stuff hidden away in closets ever since I was a kid.  I did quite a bit of it in my grandparents' house as a kid.  Back in the days before Smartphones and hundreds of cable channels, I had to entertain myself, and so sifting through old photographs and other items in my grandparents' house was my idea of fun.  I'd find photos and other stuff and then ask Grandpa or Grandma questions about them.  I learned a lot about their history that way.  I remember asking my Grandma about her life as a young woman which led to a conversation about the dress she got married in, which led me on a search through the closets and eventually down to the basement where I found the dress.  I was thrilled to have located such a treasure. 

I was just as excited Friday afternoon when I opened a plastic tote from one of my mother's closets and found this quilt.  I have never seen this quilt and my mom had completely forgotten about it. 

We know absolutely nothing about it.  My mother can't remember who made it and I, of course, am much too young to know!  Hmmm...am I interested in antique quilts because they make me feel young?

This quilt is totally different from all the other ones in our family's collection; no floral prints, no pastels.  The fabrics are mostly not cotton; I would guess there are pieces of men's shirts in here, which would explain the darker colors.  I suspect some of these fabrics might have been cut from old curtains.

The quilt is backed with a wool blanket of pale gray (sorry I didn't snap a photo) in excellent condition.  There are a few spots/stains and a few small holes on the top, but overall, the top is in good condition.  As you can tell from the photos, it's tied rather than quilted and there is not any batting between the quilt top and back; batting wouldn't be necessary anyway, since the fabrics which comprise the quilt top are heavier than cottons and the back is wool.  This quilt is heavy and no doubt warm. 

Now if only we knew who made it.  Our first guess is my grandfather's mother.  If she made it, that means it was made before 1952.   But we don't know for sure.  If only my mother had been nosier as a child and asked more questions.   

So, don't ever overlook those boxes in your (or your parents' or grandparents'!) closets or basements or attics.  You just never know what treasures might be hidden there.