Utah Antique Quilt Study Event

I will be doing appraisals on May  9, 10 and 11, 2013 at the Home Machine Quilting Show (HMQS) in Salt Lake City/Sandy, Utah. I am certified by American Quilters Society (AQS) to appraise all types of quilts-antique, vintage and newly made and traditional and art quilts. I will be in booth #512 so please stop by.  Appointments are still available, so please bring in your quilts.  And I can also appraise quilts that are hanging in the show or in special exhibits or booths.
    I will be doing a lecture/trunk show Thursday at 2:30 p.m. on Bird and Blooms showcasing quilts featuring birds or flowers or both. On Friday at 4:00 my lecture/trunk show is "Patterns Through Time  -- Revolutionary Changes in American Quilts" showcasing 30 exceptional antique quilts,
  And in my booth #512, I will have several wonderful antique quilts.

Antique Odd Fellows Quilt

Detail of center block, c. 1840

A few months ago, I happened upon a very interesting quilt with an extra unusual center block.  The auction house said it was an 'Odd Fellows' quilt.  I didn't know much about the fraternal organization but our antique quilt group on facebook quickly provided me lots of info on the symbols (iconography),  Ronda Harrell and Tim Latimer were amazingly helpful as was Ronda's 1850's manual. 

From Ronda -" Odd Fellow emblems are divided by Degrees. The emblems of the Initiatory Degree are: 1) the All-seeing Eye which symbolizes the scrutinizing gaze of Omniscience is ever upon us; 2) the Heart and the Hand which denotes candor, frankness, sincerity; 3) the three links for friendship, love and truth; 4) the Bee-Hive which denotes the power of association, order, and industry in the promotion of good works. The shining sun is an emblem of the Frist Degree which teaches impartiality in general benevolence and represents truth in its purity and glory. The emblems of the Second Degree are the arrows which to the Odd Fellow, these weapons of war are emblems of peculiar means to preserve from danger and to maintain peace. The piece which looks similar to a yoke, and the two bowls on either side of the hand is symbolic of the scales along with the crossed swords under the hand is a symbol of the Fourth Degree which represents just prudence which weighs will and truly every motive and every action and corrects every aberration from right. Finally, the crescent moon, usually seen with 7 stars, represents friendship, love and truth shining in the night of misfortune. . .  . "hour glass which is an emblem of the Royal Purple Degree. It symblolizes the speedy passage of time and admonishes us to improve the moments as they fly in a manner that shall reflect the glory of God and our own and our neighbor's good."

The center block has lots of dense quilting while the other blocks have little. 

Antique Hexagon Medallion- crazy quilt cheater fabric

I'm sharing more of one of my very favorite quilts (it probably has the largest number of different fabrics of any quilt in my collection and wonderful fabrics are they), my 1885 Hexagon Medallion.  It is almost a charm quilt but has a several repeats from a pre-printed patchwork, faux patchwork or cheater cloth of a crazy quilt.  But those hexagons all look different because the maker selectively cut them to highlight various motifs such as the butterfly. Note the faux embroidery stitching around the butterfly.

And here is the full quilt again. Don't you just love how it is assembled in rows of color!

Here's the crazy quilt cheater cloth that is featured so prominently in this quilt including the very center hex. Circa 1885, the heyday of printed patchwork and it is from Pacific Mills of Lawrence (Mass) and has the initials PML seen under the floral sprig in dark brown on black at the bottom of the swatch. (A big thank you to Deborah Kraak who has been researching printed patchwork).

 

 

And speaking of cheater cloth, there is another piece right below the lovely lady (stripes and dots). And the serenading lad and lady also appear to be cut  from the same fabric but again carefully cut to appear as 2 different fabrics.

Here's another shot (yes the dots and the single paisley are both from the PML cheater print -- she got a lot of bang for her buck out of that crazy quilt fabric)  And if you look closely you'll also see that the floral next to the dots also has a pieced look -- it is from another very similar faux crazy quilt print. 

The brown rosettes on tan fabric is the wonderful backing.  You can also see the simple but well done quilting, this was not a time of lots of fancy quilting.  Fancy embroidery on crazy quilts was instead the thing to do.

I think the maker must have had a keen sense of humor because there are some fun neighboring pieces, like the lad and lady and the butterfly and fox above.  And how about the egret? and the fancy Spanish gentleman

 

 

To see more pictures of this quilt in a prior post, click here or click here to see several entries with cheater fabric.

 

Go Team Cheddar - Vote now

My miniature repro Cheddar Stars Over Moab is in a Star contest and I'd appreciate your vote.  As a prize for my readers: eye candy (aka antique cheddar quilts).

Antique Compass Star Quilt, circa 1880, probably Southern U.S

.

Brief commercial break: 

Here's a close up and the full reproduction quilt  and the original antique

and the voting link

http://quiltinggallery.com/2012/11/30/vote-now-star-quilts-3/

 

Cheddar Stars Over Moab, 20" x 24"             Antique Ohio Star Quilt, circa 1890, 74" w X 87" h

 

Antique Sunburst/Sunflower Quilt, circa 1860 Pennsylvania

Detail of Whig Rose quilt, circa 1870, with unusual cheddar bird border

Another Cheddar Sunburst/Sunflower, circa 1850

 

Thanks again for reading and voting

http://quiltinggallery.com/2012/11/30/vote-now-star-quilts-3/

 

 

 

Zigzag-alicious Bloggers Quilt Festival

Update: contest voting has begun:
1st --Vote now thru end of Nov. 8th for your #1 overall favorite quilt (hope it is my Batik Tulips, entry #46). I'm asking for votes for that quilt because it is the one I created while the one below is an antique quilt top.  Click here to see photos and links to all the quilts and click on the star below your favorite quilt pic.

2nd --Click here to nominate quilts for individual merit awards, ie best bed quilt. I suggest applique, hand quilting, and wall hanging for my quilt #46. Open thru end of Nov. 4.
3rd -- nominations will be counted and top 5 quilts in each category with then go to a final vote.

Nov. 5-8   Thank you for your comments and support.

 

Antique 1880's Wild Goose Chase

owned by Sandra Starley

78" x 82"
Best category – Scrap Quilt or Bed Quilt

 

I am a quilt maker and historian/collector and for each Quilt Festival I like to share one of my new quilts on my Art Quilt Blog whie I share an antique treasure on this one. I love to share pieces from my quilt collection in lectures and trunk shows and exhibits:  "Have Quilts, Will Travel!"

 

This quilt top is from the 1880's but the blocks have many earlier fabrics.  It is a multi-generational project, blocks made by the earlier owner's great grandmother and then set together with that graphic red by her mother.   It is from Michigan.  I think the earlier maker probably wasn't planning on a red sashing but boy does it make the blocks pop and the quilt sing!

And one more close-up

Enjoy
Thanks Amy. click below to see the rest of the wonderful quilts.

 

 

Falling for Cheddar Baskets

Just in time for Fall, hope you enjoy this yummy cheddar orange baskets quilt.  So bright and cheerful.

 

 

From the ebay listing: "ANTIQUE BASKETS QUILT, Lancaster County PENNSYLVANIA, MENNONITE, 1880's. THE COLORS OF CERULIAN BLUE, CADMIUM ORANGE AND PINK ARE STRIKING AND LOVELY TO SEE." 

 

 

It has absolutely charming heart quilting designs -- look closely at the above picture to see them under the basket handle and at the bottom of the basket.  It also has feather quilting.

 

The blue is a denim chambray and the pink is a delicate pink floral pinstripe.
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And great news -- my  1890's cheddar star reproduction  miniature quilt, "Cheddars Stars Over Moab"  is in the new issue of Quilters Newsletter Magazine in an article about the American Quilt Study Group's 2010 Quilt Study Challenge. It is 20 x 24 inches.  Hand quilted, machine paper pieced.

Antique quilt study day today

I will be at This Is the Place Heritage Park on Saturday July 28th. http://www.thisistheplace.org/what_to_do/quilts.shtml

 I will be doing a free antique quilt presentation from 10 a.m. to noon and then appraisals from 1-5 p.m.  We will be at the Deseret Hospital building, north of the visitor's center.  I will be sharing 30 or more masterpiece antique quilts from 1800 to 1899. The Park will also have antique quilts on display.  Entry into the Park that day is free with Utah Quilt Guild membership. Let me know if you have any questions about the trunk show and if you see any quilts on my blog or on facebook that you would like me to bring to share with you. https://www.facebook.com/#!/sandra.starley
https://www.facebook.com/#!/TextileTimeTravels

Here's a close up of the Maryland Reel shown above:  note the spoons and scissor quilting

1844 PA Signature Stars

One of many signature/name blocks in my dated 1843-44 Ohio Star quilt from Philadelphia and surrounding towns.  This block for Henry Jones was stamped with a signature stamp with 2 charming cherubs (angels) on top and anchors and maybe a lyre on bottom.

Here is the full quilt, very large 104" x 108" with a variety of signatures/names from Philadelphia, PA and several Welsh Quaker towns like Tredyffrin, Gwynedd, also Bristol, Bucks Co, Montgomery etc.   Some of the surnames are Green, Simmers, Foulke, Lukens, Jones, Downing, Huffnagle.  Based on the towns and surnames and also a Quaker style dating method, I believe this is a Quaker quilt.

And here is the fabulous highly glazed cotton chintz backing fabric

 Love this wonderful little bird carrying a ribbon for RL Simmers.  Several blocks have the Simmers name.

And here's the block for CE Green:  a grape vine branch.  A number of blocks also have Green surnames.

Please let me know if you have any questions or have any information to add.

Your comments and questions are most appreciated.





For the birds- Bloggers Quilt Festival

One of my favorite spring (and fall events) is the Bloggers' Quilt Festival run by Amy Ellis of Amy's Creative Side.  It is a great opportunity to see what is happening now in the quilt world.  I'm sharing an antique crib quilt that has captured my heart.  Here's a close up:

And the full quilt

Whig's Defeat c. 1850
36 x 36



Details of other 1850-60 applique quilts

Enjoy, here's the link to see the rest of the virtual quilt show

Pining for Pillars/ Crazy for Chintz

I love very early antique quilts and fabrics especially 1820's to 1860's.  And my favorite fabrics are pillar print chintz fabrics like this charmer featuring birds and flowers atop a pillar or column.   Pillar prints were only popular for a short period of time and printed mainly between 1800-1830.  They were only printed by English printers.  They are seen in American whole cloth and pieced quilts between 1820-60. 
 This piece is about 10 x 13 inches, large enough to experience and study the fabric but much more economical than purchasing a whole quilt.  Check with antique dealers to see if they have yardage - it is a great way to own a piece of history at an affordable price.  Circa 1825-35.

And here is another glorious pillar print with fabulous baskets of flowers and fruit.  So glad the auction house showed the backing fabric on this quilt, it was definitely why I wanted this quilt.  Though the front is very nice too with tiny double nine patches (individual 9 patches are only 3 inches).  Circa 1835 or 1840.

This gorgeous egg glazed chintz was part of a bedset/bed curtains (drapes around the canopy bed).  It is from about 1830- 40 and the edges are finished with hand loomed tape that is often called "Trenton Tape" as it was very popular in Trenton and other parts of New Jersey. 

Here is a simpler pillar print with flowers and grapes that is perfectly showcased in a whole cloth quilt.  Circa 1830.

Antique Quilt Makeover- PA Inspiration

I'm busy quilting on my latest quilt reproduction/rescue/makeover, etc. for a national challenge. I was  heavily influenced by the PA German aesthetic and inspired by about half dozen antique quilts in my collection. Above is the completed top (40" x 40").  You can read about all the antique inspirations, block by block on my other blog, http://www.starleyquilts.blogspot.com - see the January and February listings.

Here are the block inspirations:

And here are some of the PA color inspirations

and this gem

Again, see 2012 entries on http://starleyquilts.blogspot.com/  to learn about the above inspirational antique quilts.

1880 Hexagon Medallion with Novelty Prints; Antique Quilt

I'm revisiting the quilt featured in the Cupids in quilts valentine's day post.    Here is the center with a great bird from a cheater cloth/printed patchwork crazy quilt fabric (the fabric was used many times in the quilt).  And if you look closely you'll find a centennial 1876 flag print (don't forget to click on photos to enlarge them).

Here is the full quilt, love the graphic nature of hexagon medallions with careful color placement and this is a real triumph of both art and workmanship.  Circa 1880 in the charm style although with repeats (mostly fussy cut from different parts of novelty/cheater cloth fabrics).  It has lots of wonderful unusual novelty prints and I'll share a few in this posting.   You can scroll down to the prior post or click on the link above to see the cupid fabrics.

Probably the most important fabric in the quilt is this dated centennial print from 1876 with 1776- 1876, the  Liberty bell and the names of the original colonies.

Next we find this charming couple and another bird and on the middle of the bottom row another printed patchwork print (see how it looks like a piece of sewn patchwork).  The 1880's were the heyday for such fabrics.

Next we find another person in a lovely striped outfit and a simulated needlepoint flower and look closely, that  flower is from a printed patchwork imitation crazy quilt fabric.