Mary Koval’s Palampore Give-Away!

I have something really special for you!

There was so much interest in yesterday’s post about the Palampore and Broderie Perse workshop at Mary’s Quilt Shop I posted about yesterday ---

And Mary ((Who didn’t know I was going to write that post about her workshop!)) being so thrilled with the response and the fact that I wrote about her –has offered up ONE Palampore panel to give away to one of my lucky readers!

For those of you who missed yesterday’s post – you can catch up on the action HERE.

Not only is the historic Palampore beautiful all in its own right, but the motifs from such panels were sought after by needleworkers past in making quilts and coverings.

In French "broderie perse" means Persian embroidery, but it also came to refer to the lovely applique of printed chintz flowers and other motifs onto a solid fabric. These exquisite quilts have been made since the 1700s.


This reproduction “palampore” is drawn from a vintage example of a very popular and fine type of fabric from the 18th century.

According to the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City, of all the exported textiles to arrive in England and Europe in the 17th and 18th centuries perhaps the most spectacular were the painted and dyed cotton bedcovers and wall hangings called palampores.

An investment in fabric of this quality was a sign of wealth and success; families would display them prominently as curtains, wall-hangings or bedcoverings.

The name palampore means bedspread or coverlet. These extraordinarily large cotton panels with their vividly-colored, life-sized flowering trees were coveted for their beauty and as a status symbol.

This reproduction is an excellent example of a typical Palampore hand painted in England ca. 1775.

As usual it combines a complex and elaborate design depicting a wide variety of plants, flowers and birds. The “tree of life” motif is typical of most palampores and is used as a symbol to celebrate birth, marriage and special occasions.

This original Palampore comes from the extensive archives of Mary Koval, and accompanies the "Tree of Life"Collection also by Mary Koval.

I am honored to have seen several of Mary’s Palampores and broderie perse applique quilts in person.

I tell, you it is nearly a spiritual experience being able to see and even gently handle these special pieces!

I am even more thrilled that she is offering to give away one palampore panel as shown above to one lucky reader!

You may choose to add borders to your quilt like this!

Or perhaps select a small portion of the panel and frame it like this!

Applique motifs from the panel like this!

You will find the free pattern worksheets for making these projects on the Windham Fabrics site HERE.

The ideas for working with this panel are endless – if you can even bear to cut it!

So are you ready?

Palampore 55'' x 79''

Leave me a comment in the comments section of this post!  ((Click the blog helps tab at the top of the blog if you don’t know how to find the comments section or how to leave one.))

Leave me a comment on what you would do with this Palampore panel if you are the lucky winner! 

Remember to leave your email address visible in your comment.  Spam-o-phobics can leave their addresses like this: bonnie (at) quiltville.com

Whatever you do, that address MUST be visible, or I will have to choose another winner.

We will draw for our winner on Tuesday evening, September 8th!

Good luck, every one!

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