On the quilt's back, a small square of brown fabric is appliquéd down along the edge of the binding. In fact, the patch goes beneath the binding (the attaching of which is usually the last step in completing a quilt) and is composed of a fabric that appears in several blocks on the quilt's front. For these reasons, it seems that the repair was made as the quilt was being sewn, or shortly thereafter. What could have happened here?

Pattern: 
Birds in Air, detail
IQM, 2003.003.0040