The Art of Make-Do Quilting

Everything you need to know to add vintage pieces to your contemporary quilt!

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Vintage is gold to contemporary quilters, and for good reason. This guide from the quilt world's expert in vintage shares the how-tos, inspirations, and ideas to make your project work!



The "make do" trend means incorporating vintage items—cute 1950s handkerchiefs, 1890s tattered quilt pieces found at a yard sale, a relative's 1970s gown—into contemporary quilt designs. The task can seem overwhelming, since many times a lovely old item doesn't translate easily to a new quilt. Here's the info that quilters of any level need to escape the common fear of "But you can't do that to a vintage textile!"



These tips and techniques, together with hundreds of photos of examples, allow you to beautifully include vintage pieces like feed sacks, old quilt fragments, calendars, linens, vintage ephemera, old clothing, jewelry, and more. Be inspired to think outside the box and create amazing quilts with generations of meaning.