Frenchy's Find

For those of you living outside the Maritimes who don't know what Frenchy's is, a little explanation. Easy...it is a chain of secondhand clothing (mostly) store, great place for books too. Everything is in big bins, they must be a good 4'w by 6' l and about 1' deep. They are labelled "ladies pants", "babies", "household", "boys 7-14" etc. The bins are all a jumble and it takes some time to sort through and search for the bargains but it is always worthwhile. In the 35+ years I have been searching I have found a few odd quilts...nothing much to write home about until a couple of years ago when I saw something in a small plastic bin under the table, a bit of overflow. I was calm and slowly pulled it out. At first I thought it was maybe a "cheater"style quilt or sheet. But I soon discovered it was a real top and as I pulled it out I had to contain my excitement. It was an unquilted top with hundreds of 30's and 40's fabrics all foundation pieced.

I really wanted to hand quilt the top but all my very best efforts to baste it failed. It would not lie flat. I mentionned it to Debbie Vermeulen who has a log arm and she was happy to accept the challene to machine quilt it for me. She did a wonderful job and I am thrilled with it. I had to lose a lot of the points on the outer stars when I bound it, there was no seam allowance. I used a reproduction print for the binding as well as for the backing. There are 5 different prints on the back. I am thrilled with the results and it has found a happy home with my daughter and her family, close enough that I can visit!

Some of the blocks are perfectly pieced, others are off quite a bit. I did try and re-sew one to see if that would help to make it lie flat but by the time I got to the last seam it was way off. I wonder who pieced it? Why did someone not quilt it? Why did it end up at Frenchy's? Most of Frenchy's stock comes from New England. It is a mystery for sure but one I was happy to rescue and you can't beat a $2 bargain!