Do your eyes go straight for the stack of quilts at an antique store? Mine do. It’s like little magnets were sewn into the puffs of the quilts that pull on my glasses. Well, today for the first bimonthly Lifestyle of Love hop in 2024, we are sharing quilt ideas, starting with 5 ways I love to use and decorate with vintage quilts.
If you’ve hopped over from Lora Bloomquist, Create and Ponder, howdy! Her ideas are always beyond what I can imagine. Love her!
5 Ways I Love To Use And Decorate With Vintage Quilts
Gratefully I have several quilts and they all have a fond memory. The memory could be of the person I was with and how the day played out, the small town where I bought it, or who passed it on to me and when.
Fold and stack quilts in chairs to keep people from sitting in a fragile chair.
My very first quilt was given to me by my grandma Dora. One day when I picked her up for lunch and errands, I happened to mention it was so pretty and that pink was my favorite color. She quickly said, I don’t need it, please take it home with you. When I said no, she insisted and said – it doesn’t match my things, take it.
Fold one to add color to the room or highlight vintage pillow cases.
I know she said that for my benefit. Just like when a mom sees there are 9 people and only 8 pieces of pie. A good mom (or grandma) smiles and says – Oh heavens, please have it. I never liked pie anyway.
Vintage quilt for extra cushioning under foot or to distract from an eyesore.
That beautiful quilt with the hexagon flowers has been so loved and well taken care of. I’ve caught the mister trying to use it and in a panic I scream YOU CAN’T USE THAT ONE! After I apologize for the outburst, I snatch it away and give him another. There are just some things that can’t be replaced.
Use them as tablecloths for coziness and something unique.
Have you ever tried using a quilt as a tablecloth? They seem to keep the energy casual or girly and I can’t get enough of the girly vibes. Plus, if you prefer to leave your manners behind, it’s quite comfy on the elbows.
Decorating With Vintage Handkerchiefs
Not only do quilts make the elbows feel good, they definitely help when sitting on hard or cold surfaces. So be careful and choose wisely. I don’t recommend using one that has seen better days.
3 Bedrooms Brimming With Countrified Charm
Mostly because I like to wash mine on the delicate cycle instead of sending them to the dry cleaners. They come home with a weird odor and I’m not sure it’s really clean.
Hang them up as wall decor.
I have one that is so tattered and torn that I can’t use it anymore. It stays hanging on a ladder or on this rod under the mantel at the farmhouse. That’s the other decorating idea – hang them on a rod for wall decor. This was popular decades ago but now it’s so 2024! Hint – If yours is a king size, it’s helpful to have 4 hands so it doesn’t look messy like mine. Boy, that was a day.
Okay, so that was 5 ways I love to use and decorate with vintage quilts. But wait, there’s more!
Easter Vignette in a Chair
I have a bonus idea and it’s so stinkin’ cute! If you have quilt pieces or don’t mind cutting one up, make gift tags out of them! I didn’t make this myself. A few of my friends and I drove up to Petit Jean National Park in Arkansas for the weekend. I like to drive off the beaten path if I can and in doing so we found a thrift store with some very inexpensive treasures.
One was a quilt (not shown) that I planned to use for stockings. That was a couple of years ago and I still can’t bring myself to cut it up. As we were paying for our goodies, the lady who owned the store had a small basket of these handmade quilted tags. I think I purchased almost all she had. When she saw the grin on my face she told me how to make them.
Simply cut out the size of the tag you already have and stitch them together. Voila! That was it. Gaaaah, so cute! I thought I’d use the leftovers from the stockings to make more tags but as you can guess, that plan is still a plan. I can’t even give away the tags yet! What is wrong with me?!
So just to recap, here are the ideas for using vintage quilts:
1. Stack them in chairs to keep people from sitting in a fragile chair.
2. Use them for added color or to highlight a bed with vintage pillowcases.
3. Use them as tablecloths.
4. Use one for extra cushioning.
5. Hang it up for wall decor.
Bonus: Make gift tags out of them.
After seeing these ideas I hope you found something you’d like to incorporate with these sentimental treasures. I got a craving to find more quilts!
Up next with her fantastic quilt ideas is Rachel at The Ponds Farmhouse. Sign me up for her cozy vintage charm! Make sure and check her post and my friends below. You will love them all!
Your quilts are beautiful, Cindy, and I love the idea of hanging one in your faux fireplace. I have a space just like that and have nothing there, I think I’m going to try this. Thanks for the tips, Cindy!
Author
You are so welcome. I know exactly where you are talking about and a quilt would look amazing there. Looking forward to seeing it soon! Thanks Ann.
Cindy
What a fun post. I love all your quilts. Thanks for organizing.
Author
My pleasure Rachel. Thank YOU! I can hardly wait to get out in the cold and into a new fun antique store somewhere. Cheers to finding more goodies!
Adorable, Cindy!!! I do love old quilts but I just can’t seem to find one that is in my price range. They have gotten so expensive! I love each of the ways that you use them in your house but my favorite is the tattered white one hanging on the wall. Thanks for sharing these ideas!!
Author
You are so right about the price Rachel, so expensive! Keep looking. Hopefully you’ll find one some man put in a booth that doesn’t even know what he has. Fingers crossed for the both of us! And thanks for the sweet comment.
Cindy what a cute post. I love all the ways you have decorated with the quilts. You made me laugh when you said to Hubby you cant use that quilt!! 😄 You just gave me any idea .. I have this one crewl embroidery piece that is stained in parts of it. It has meaning to me..but just doeant look good anymore. Im thinking ..why dont I make tags from it. Thats if I can bear to cut it but what good is it folde in a drawer. I wanted to frame pieces of it, but once again I didnt want to cut it. It sounds so silly when you think about it. Give me strength!!!😉
Author
I have grand ideas for making things with a quilt but when it comes right down to the first snip, I freeze so I totally get how you feel. One of these days I’ll be able to cut it. Hoping you are braver than I and can make those tags or frame some parts of your crewel piece. I bet it’s gorgeous! Cheering you on from afar! Go Lorri. Go Lorri. Go go go go Lorri! 🙂
I love old quilts, some were from an aunt, and I had one from my grandmother. I have bought a few too. A few years ago I bought a quilt that was old and someone had cut a piece out of it so, I have made placemats, little stuffed hearts, and have cut out stars to sew on other throw pillow covers. I’m still thinking of ways to use it. Thanks for these cute ideas.
Author
I would so love some placemats and that is a fantastic idea! And the stuffed hearts. Valentine’s is coming, maybe I can get around to doing that. I’ll have to try and talk myself into cutting up a quilt though and that will be veeeerrry difficult. Thanks Marlene for the great ideas!
Love all the quilts Cindy. My first quilt was from my paternal grandmother in a “Sunbonnet Sue” pattern. You’re right, they just cannot be replaced. LOVE love the quilted gift tags. I have several cutter quilts, but I just cannot stand to cut them up. Maybe someday I’ll take the plunge.
Author
We are the same when it comes to cutting a quilt. I just can’t yet. I think I’ll be able to make some of the tags by purchasing quilt squares and batting. It won’t be exactly the same but still super cute. Cheers to more quilt hunting this year!
I could never use any of my quilts for a tablecloth! I would be too worried it would be ruined by spills!
Author
I can totally understand your concern. That why I use only the quilts that are in great shape and if they need to be washed, they go on the delicate cycle. Or are spot cleaned. Thankfully, my family drinks water at meals. Now, I would definitely not use one with certain friends. They are way to clumsy! 😉 Thank you for the comment Anne. Hope you’re having a wonderful January.
You came up with even more than I had! I absolutely love that tag idea; gotta do that with some of my cutter quilts. So stinkin’ cute! Such great quilt tips and ideas today; thank you!
Author
LOL, I doubt it. I have a “cutter” quilt but can’t bring my self to actually cut it (insert rolling eyes). One year, I’ll do it. Some year.
Well I see I am not alone when cutting our beloved pieces. Maybe one day…🤔 Just thinking how stinking cute it would be as gifts tags ..gotta do it. Then I will send you pics… thats an incentive I need..
Author
Yes! Please send the pics. Maybe I can add them to a blog post. Have fun!