One of my most favorite things are vintage handmade quilts.  Maybe it is part of the legacy of having had a Pennsylvania German grandmother, I don’t really know.  I am not a quilter, but I admire it as a  usable folk art form.  I actually have a couple of friends who are quilters .

Quilts are just cool, and quilting has been a popular craft in the United States since the 1700s.   In a sense, it is the ultimate folk art . ( A fun blog to check out on the topic is Tom Miner Quilts and Folk Art.)

Some of these vintage quilts can be very expensive, and they come in all colors and patterns.  Many tell a story, yes story quilts. Or memory quilts.  I hear there are quilt shows, but have never been to one. Quilts are history in textiles.

I look for simple quilts.  I find them at tag sales, church sales, flea markets and there are a lot on eBay if you know what you are doing.

I will admit I am cheap, so I won’t pay much.  A lot of people decorate with quilts, and there is a Pinterest Board about that and a little video on HGTV’s website that is about decorating with quilts.

I use my quilts, and I like to look at them so you will often find a stack perched on a guest room bed.  I know people who have quilts tabbed and semi-mounted for wall hanging.

Country Living Magazine periodically has things about decorating with quilts. (Speaking of Country Living Magazine, you can still nominate this blog for a Blue Ribbon Blogger Award until July 29, 2012!)

A couple of quilts I have acquired have needed a little TLC and I have learned to patch them with scraps of ribbon, lace, and fabrics that meld with whatever the quilt has as afar as color and pattern.  And you know what? For a loving hands at home bit of TLC, it works just fine!

Vintage quilts were made to be used, so seek them out.  I will note that no vintage quilt ever goes on a bed without being cleaned first.  I have never bought one that is dirty, truthfully, just something I think makes a common sense best practice.

If you know of places to find fun quilts, or shows that feature quilts, please feel free to post a comment!