More from the Antique Mall!

I honestly FORGOT I had more pictures to upload. How could I forget?! Well, it’s not hard to do when sticking a mystery part into the equation and everything else going on.

I get so much inspiration from finding old quilts – even the shabby ones. Maybe the shabby ones even MORE SO – because those are the ones that actually had a life in keeping someone warm and tucked in. The thread bare, worn out quilts are the ones that could tell the stories of living, couldn’t they?

Don’t you love this display of stockings made from antique quilts! OH! OH! OH! I wish I could see the whole quilt….the piecing and hand quilting on these stars is so beautifully done. And it ended up as STOCKINGS?! What was the story of this quilt?

Oh, and the one from the other day? I showed the pics to Pepper Cory, and she got back to me on them saying

About that antique quilt: I studied those pictures long and hard. I think it's a c1860s quilt. The wide border of faded older fabric (1850) and the style reminds me of VA or Maryland quilts of that era.

Thank God for ignorance--that's not a bad price.

The piece is intriguing and (spinning a yarn here-) I'd say the quiltmaker was older (high standard of workmanship and very competent), was referencing quiltmaking styles of a generation earlier (1830-1850) and worked with fabrics from two different time periods.

That makes sense to me! I’m still sewing with 1970s , 80s, 90s fabric…and here we are almost 2012. It makes sense that a quilter in her later years, would quilt in the style she loved from her earlier years --- the stars being out of newer fabric, and the border from a cherished piece of “vintage” to her fabric as well….wide print borders being a style from an earlier generation. Oh I wish these quilts COULD talk! “Maker Unknown” is such a sad thing when it comes to quilts, isn’t it?

Here’s another one from an older era…..red and green hearts. VERY HEAVY fan quilting…these blocks are gi-normous! Very fun! This one had no history on the tag at all, just said “old red/green quilt”. Hmmmmm…..

I love the texture of the fan quilting!! I just couldn’t keep my fingers from running over the stitches. That’s the other good thing about antique malls…you can HANDLE the quilts. I’m a touchy feely person, and when in museums, I just can’t get close enough. This was a treat!

Ahhhh Blue/White!! Goose in the Pond! More fans! There is some pretty bad fading going on in the borders of this one, but I love it for its simplicity!

I love the simple dot fabric in the sashings as well…..even the muslin, though so simple, shows the quilting stitches and texture so well. Busy background prints just do not ---but simple muslin is such the perfect blank canvas for showing off the quilting --

THIS was my favorite of all! It’s a PA Dutch Sugar Loaf! I know it looks like it’s covering a casket – seriously! But it’s a jewelry case and it was the only flat surface I could find to spread stuff out on. The blue background of this just is SO WONDERFUL! I’m going to have to add this one on my to do list. The crazy thing about this one…all the sugar loaves are pointing side ways. The quilt is on the case side ways..what you see as a “bottom border” is really a “side border”.

Love love love the chrome yellows with the red against that blue! Yeah Baby!

Simple Pinwheels…Striped fabrics can give such motion and interest to a quilt! I like how the pinwheels look so masculine, but they are set against this terrific floral background fabric:

But it is really the simple humble ones that get me…this one was really shredded in spots, which meant it was put to good use! Just look at the colors!

Simple framed 9 patches set with sashings and cornerstones….I love the power of RED! It has no borders, and the sashings do not even go to the edge of the quilt. It was just done when it was done, and bound by bringing the backing around the edge to the front. SO CUTE!

Who doesn’t love a simple double 4 patch? This one was also in tatters. It was a tied comforter, and it must have comforted quite a bit…..love how those deep reds pop amidst those other scraps on the creamy background. Quilts don’t always have to be rocket science projects to capture my heart!

Loved to death as well….a 1930’s double wedding ring. Feed sack fabrics included! The rings on this one were large, and on the narrow scale. Someone put a LOT of work into this, and then a lot of use into it as well!

Aren’t these fabrics great?! Love the double stitching inside of the melon shape.

The thing about antiquing is that you never know what you are going to find, if anything at all. Sometimes I don’t find a single thing – sometimes I hit the mother lode….But if you don’t look, you won’t find.

I love the connection to the past that finding these treasures bring. So --- 50 years or more from now…are MY quilts going to be found in some antique mall somewhere? Will someone be wondering why in the world I chose to put these fabrics together, and what the story of this quilt is? Maybe! I like the thought of leaving a bit of mystery behind! ;c)

The other thing I love to do at antique malls is take pics of really weird items that I can’t believe are THERE to begin with…maybe I’ll save THAT post for tomorrrow…LOL!