There really was so much antique quilt inspiration that I couldn’t do it all in one long blog post.
And it didn’t seem satisfactory enough to put them in a slide show because it is really hard to discuss something, point out details and give speculations when photos are flipping by you silently in a slide show.
These quilts need to be SEEN!
If you missed this morning’s post click HERE.
I love BOTH of these quilts hanging on this antique wash stand. Both from two separate eras with the string quilt on the left being approximately 1940 while the one on the right --WOW -- do you SEE that one on the right?
Applique Rose Variation!
Once a very stately green, red and cheddar!
This beautiful hand applique quilt dates I believe between 1850-1870, the batting is very thin, and the applique is very well done!
Love this border vine!
What I don't know if you can see or not is this quilt is machine quilted! Most likely by treadle, and the stitches are very small. Early sewing machine work used tiny tiny stitches. It's not often that you find LARGE machine quilting stitches on any quilt anywhere near this era.
But think about the introduction of sewing machines into the world. By the 1880s only those who could afford machines had them, but they were becoming more and more a staple in the home, and a sign of wealth and prosperity.
While I don't know the story behind this applique quilt, the stitches tell the story of the finishing. Is this quilt any LESS valuable because it was machine quilted?
I personally don't think so as quilts like this are more rare.
This quilt, though faded and worn has stood the test of time because that machine quilting marches straight across every single appliqued piece anchoring them securely to the quilt.
But this quilt did not come home to me --though it almost did!
Now this is a great scrap quilt!
Buckeye Beauty in diagonal rows!
Browns and blues straight from the scrap bag. I LOVED the prints I saw in this one. Aren't those gingham patches great?
And no, this one didn't come home with me either, but it could have!
Oh MY! Be still my heart!
All of my favorite things!
4 patches! Strips! Tiny Triangles! Plaids! I dearly love this one, and it's now on my list of "quilts to make" But no, I didn't bring this one home either.
Pine Burr variation!
Well loved and made from scraps.
I love the fabulous fan quilting!
But this one didn't come home with me either.
Quilts of a utilitarian nature!
This one weighed a ton, and was tied to possibly an old quilt inside. I wonder how many people it kept warm and safe and comforted through cold Appalachian mountain winters?
Oh sweet!
I will always love Lemoyne stars!
But what is this?
Signed and dated 1875!
This one. This is the one. Simple brown and cream triangles form pinwheels that alternate with double pink squares. This is the one.
So simple, so perfect!
The stitching isn't perfect, the blocks aren't perfect, but together they make the perfect quilt for me to hang from the banister at Quilt Villa.
Check out the lovely crosshatch quilting!
And the fabrics!
My favorite print is this floral.
But I love the stripes!
And that whole "make do" when you run out of that fabric!
There is some shattering in these browns.
Browns were a tough fabric, and the mordants used in the dye process made many of them brittle over time. I will handle this quilt with care.
There is some age staining, but I don't dare wash it with those shattering brown calicoes.
Home on my railing!
The price on this one? It really doesn't matter WHAT it cost, it is my Christmas gift to myself. But I still smiled all the way to the cash register when the ticket said $68.00.
How long did it take to piece this by hand? How many hours of quilting went into that very fine crosshatching? $68.00?
Color me a very happy Bonnie!
Remember that tomorrow is our Mystery Monday Link-Up for Part 4. The entries for part 3 close tonight at 11:55pm Eastern. We've got 113 shares so far and they are well worth taking a peek at! Click HERE to view.
I'm planning to settle in with some more binding to be done while watching some relaxing TV tonight. Tomorrow morning after our post goes live I'll head back down the mountain and get the last batch of mail order out before Christmas. If it doesn't go out tomorrow, it won't be going out until AFTER Christmas because I won't be returning home until the 27th!
Have a lovely Sunday evening, everyone!
I enjoy your commentary as I look at your pictures, so I appreciate that you shared the photos of these special antique quilts via two blog posts rather than the photo album. (I do enjoy the albums when it's a bunch of photos from a workshop! Don't always need comments for all those photos. Always love to see the different variations on colors that people use.) Enjoy that sweet 'new' machine!
ReplyDeleteBonnie thanks for the commentary on how to looks at these much older quilts we are likely to run up on while antique shopping.
ReplyDeleteWhen I buy antique quilts, I call it quilt rescuing. It is a noble profession. Thank you for sharing these treasures .
ReplyDeleteBEautiful quilts Bonnie, and your purchase is priceless.
ReplyDeleteThanks so much for this Bonnie! A slide show would not have been as interesting. I love the one that came home with you but my heart sings for that old machine quilted applique. It is absolutely MARVELLOUS!! Merry Christmas!
ReplyDeleteI love antique quilts and antique and vintage sewing machines.
ReplyDeleteMy two oldest sewing machines, a Folsom and a New England Style, date from the 1860s as does a star quilt I found at a local thrift shop.
The quilt is carefully folded and placed in a clean pillow case and carefully stored. While the two 150 year old sewing machines are displayed with my other treasured machines.
Wow. I love to see them all. and the one which came home with you is a thrill Bonnie. I do remember so good the time we spend together in those antique malls :-)
ReplyDeleteI have been following your blog for 7 or 8 years now and the 2 favourite things I love to read about most are the things you have been making or the things others have been making be them new things or very old made well before we were born. Thank you for sharing noblequilts@gmail.com
ReplyDeleteI have been following your blog for 7 or 8 years now and the 2 favourite things I love to read about most are the things you have been making or the things others have been making be them new things or very old made well before we were born. Thank you for sharing noblequilts@gmail.com
ReplyDeleteI love the Appliqué Rose variation but would never have guessed that the original colors were red and green with the still vivid cheddar. Your first picture, with the quilt hanging on a display unit, seemed very "modern" in color, almost Zen-like. I think that if I were to try to achieve the same effect, I'd use modern fabrics in the colors that this quilt now exhibits. It really is beautiful.
ReplyDeleteLove the pinwheel quilt. I saw a pattern for one in a magazine years ago and always wanted to make one. I finally did and hand quilted it to death!!! I won awards for hand quilting at our local show and my friend bought it from me after the show. It was all done in blue and white.I love two colour quilts!
ReplyDeleteI am a bit behind on the mystery but will catch up in the new year. So many deadlines I set for myself for Christmas!! yikes!!
OH that was so nice . . . part two of the antique quilts. Congratulations on your 1875 beauty! Looks lovely hanging over the QV banister.
ReplyDeleteAllison in Plano, Texas USA
That Lemoyne Star quilt.... I have one just like it. My grandmother made it but I'm not sure when. It has a poly batting but the top may have been made in the 40s or 50s.
ReplyDelete