1985 – Fence Rail

After seeing me quilt over the years, a long-time family friend asked me to make a quilt for his mother.  At the time, we were a little strapped for cash so I thought this would be a great opportunity to earn some ‘play’ money. We agreed upon a price for a single-bed size, simple quilt.  I sat him down with some pattern books and he selected Fence Rail.  We then headed to the nearest fabric store where he selected fabric he felt his mother would like.   I found some fabric and other items for garment sewing and paid for the entire purchase, knowing I would collect when the quilt was finished.

I contacted the friend when the quilt was complete.  He loved it but when I presented him the invoice, he hemmed and hawed and said he’d hoped I would give the quilt to him.  I really couldn’t afford at that time to give away my work nor my fabric investment so I folded up the quilt and told him I would hold it until he could pay.  I’m still holding the quilt and our friendship (for many similar reasons) is no longer close.

Anyway, this is a Fence Rail made with pricey (at the time) matchy-matchy ‘family’ fabric, hand pieced and quilted on a pale blue sheet which was brought around the edges to make a border/binding.  It is single bed size.

Fence Rail – 1985