Retro Tied Quilt

Frozen winter nights have prompted me to reach for some retro comfort from the closet. I had forgotten about the double-knit polyester quilt that Grandma Imel made me decades ago. Aesthetically, it's never been my favorite. I tend to cozy up to the soft, cottony quilts from my great-grandmothers' quilting days. Yet, when my daughter needed another layer for her bed, I finally appreciated the practical utility of this quilt.

Grandma is certainly an inspiration for my interest in saving and reusing what we have. She must have saved a closet full of clothes from the height of the 60s and 70s when double-knit polyester pantsuits were the rage. This quilt includes multiple solids with waffle weave textures. It also includes patterns ranging from herringbone to plaids to speckles of splattered color.

I remember that in the mid-80s, Grandma made each of her grandchildren one of these heavy duty quilts. In contrast to the roughly textured, tied top, it has a softer jersey fabric on the back. You have to be gentle with the cotton quilts and watch for fraying.  But, this one is durable enough to stand up to lots of laundering and use.

Grandma included a clever covering tacked along the top edge of the quilt, meant to be removed and laundered more often than the quilt itself.