1973 Vintage Bow Tie Quilt

 Today was a happy day ~ I got my 1973 vintage quilt back; I had given it to one of my daughters, and since she passed away, I got it back. My husband's maternal grandmother, Emma Fikes, made it in January 1973 for our upcoming wedding that year. In many of the white blocks, she wrote little endearments to us, such as "Have fun," "smile every day," "made by Grandma Emma Fikes," etc.

Grandma Fikes used a fabric pencil to write on the white octagons. Here she wrote, "From Granma Emma Fikes." 

I either didn't know or remember the name of the quilt, so I looked it up, and it's a bow tie quilt, a classic pattern dating back to the 1800s. Some believe it was used as a symbol by the Underground Railroad to signal to the escaping slaves to dress up and blend in with the local population.

That is a popular opinion about quilts and the Underground Railroad, not sure if it's true or not, but it is still interesting...

My old quilt is fraying and worn, and now delicate, but after all, it is 52 years old! I won't use it anymore; it will be displayed on the back of my couch.