I can sew just enough to really appreciate the work that goes into a beautiful handmade quilt.
The quilt you see above, was made by my Great Grandmother who lived in North Alabama. It’s a small, baby sized quilt and the pattern is called, “Sunbonnet Sue.”
Our family quilt has hung for years at my Aunt’s house, and now it belongs to a cousin. (I think – need to make sure someone knows where it is!)
I loved looking at each lady on the quilt since I was a little girl.
Granny made one girl hold a birthday cake, one has her parasol snatched away by the wind, and one is watering her garden.
There are picked flowers, baskets of berries . . .
seeds being planted, cleaning and washing to do.
The parasol blowing away was a favorite. She was dropping her little purse too.
The background is pink with a blue border.
All the fabric she used was from other sewing projects she had finished.
Waste not, want not.
So, where are the girls with the ipad, cell phone, tennis racquet and yoga mat?
Enough with this simple, clean, wholesome stuff. Get with the times!
Do you have any old family quilts? Have you ever seen the Sunbonnet Sue pattern?
Hi Leslie,
Of course your Sunbonnet quilt brought me to your site. I used to live in Andalusia so I know about Florala. I live in Robertsdale now and have been here about 18 years. Just wanted to see if there is a pattern.
Thank you,
Charlotte
Hi Charlotte. So glad you found my blog! I’m sure there’s a pattern for Sunbonnet Sue out there, but I have no idea how to find one. I’m sure a google search would probably turn up something. Good luck!
I was gifted 20 14” fancy Sunbonnet Sue hand embroidered blocks! I’m making a quilt with Aunt Graces fabric. Making a double sashing with corner stones. I can’t wait to hand quilt it and give to our son and his wife. ( the blocks were going to be thrown out until I spoke up that I quilted)!
So glad you rescued the blocks, and what a treasure to have in your family! I hope it all turns out well and is treasured for many generations to come.
This really is a special quilt. I have been collecting days-of-the week tea towel transfer patterns. This is one of them or very close. So either grandma did what I will do, that is make a quilt using tea towel patterns, or maybe the tea towel designs came from quilt patterns? The tea towel patterns work like this, Monday washing day, Tuesday ironing day, Wednesday mending day, Thursday shopping day, Friday Cleaning Day, Saturday baking Day, Sunday Church. Variations added in ‘visiting day’ ‘gardening day’ and left out ironing or one of the others. You can see the variations in the quilt and maybe they were modified but there is definitely a washing, baking and gardening day and probably a visiting day.
What a pity there wasnt one to go to each of you. IT is an absolute beauty
I’ve seen the days of the week towels and love them. What a great thing to collect! My cousin has this quilt now and it hangs over her daughter’s bed.
I love this quilt! The skirt positions, the sash in back! Utterly charming! <3 it! Do you have the patterns for these lovely girls?
What a darling quilt!
Such a beautiful quilt! I am a quilter too and can really appreciate all of the fine handwork and love that went into this one. Such a treasure!
Big Hugs,
Susan and Bentley
So sweet. My grandmother made one of those as a baby quilt for one of us girls
This is adorable! What a treasure! I do love the red gingham girly – but, all of them are just precious. How neat that it remains in the family. LOVE it!!!
Oh! What a treasure! So charming and how wonderful to have been made by your great grandmother. I can imagine how absolutely delightful and entrancing it would be to a child’s eyes, with all the wonderful details.
I love this post! My mother adored Sun Bonnet Sue quilts, thanks so much for the sweet memories.
Happy weekend!
I love the textile artists of earlier times. They would not define themselves as artists I expect, but that was the medium readily available to most women of that era. My Grandmother had an eye for color and design even though she had no artistic training. It’s amazing what she was capable of doing. I have one of her quilts that I have slept with for 40 years and I still see scraps of the little dresses she made me within the quilt. Beautiful post. Thank you. Jude
I remember my grandmother had one of these. I loved looking at all the different girls too. Sweet.
I’ve seen lots of Sunbonnet Sue quilts but this one is extra-special with each girl doing something different. I love it!