Little Blue Houses - Antique House Quilt

Love this antique house quilt from my collection full of wonderful little blue houses. Starley quilt collection.

Yes, it is a Blue House quilt ... except for this outlier block - a white house (reverse colored block) 

Isn't that oddball block such a charming touch! And the sawteeth borders that seem to each march to the beat of their own drummers.

Antique logcabin quilt 1876 centennial fabric

Remember all the hoopla with the Bicentennial in 1976? Well, the Centennial in 1876 was a pretty big deal too. All sorts of celebrations and you can't have a proper party without commemorative fabric. This is one of my favorites from 1876, a faux patchwork (cheater print) and it includes scenes of war and peace.

Below is the liberty bell detail from the above fabric but in the brown colorway. Part of an antique logcabin summer spread (not quilted) from my collection.

Another detail with the peace shield.

The full quilt.

Dated 1864 Civil War Antique Quilt Potholder Quilt

Another amazing treasure from the New England Quilt Museum, a potholder quilt made for a Union soldier by ladies from Boston, Massachusetts. *Potholder is a method of quilt construction where each block is an individual mini quilt that is batted, backed, quilted and then bound. The mini quilts are then joined to create a large quilt.

Wonderful inking, drawing on this block made to comfort a Union soldier in the South.

1880s Antique Fabric Workers Toile Fabric

I love learning and sharing history through unusual fabrics and so this flowery idyllic fabric factory worker toile has been a favorite for a while. I really need to find a piece for my own collection.

From American Toile: Four Centuries of Sensational Scenic Fabrics and Wallpaper, page 154, by Michele Palmer, it is called "Capital and Labor in Accord" by Cocheco Manuf., Cotton, 16" repeat. 1886 original roller print. "This toile was produced as propaganda during a period of strikes and labor unrest, factors that contributed to the Colonial Revival. It sought to soothe the American worker with images of a happy working life. The legends below each vignette read 'Labor is Honorable,' 'Honor to the Iron Worker', 'After Work the Happy Home and 'The Two Powers in Accord.'"

A sample card advertising the fabric

Here's a whole quilt made using the Labor Toile. Part of the New England Quilt Museum Collection --donated by my friend SW. 

 And there is the tile quilt we looked at a few days ago. And I still need to share the 3rd quilt with the crazy teeny pieces ... stay tuned.

More antique quilt treasures from Manchester NH

Just loved this wild zigzag quilt from the 1920s at the Mill Yard Museum. It is an unusual pattern that I hadn't seen before. But in proof of 'everything old is new again', I found that Victoria Findlay Wolfe has created a very similar effect with new modern methods in her new book "Modern Quilt Magic".

And I can never resist a log cabin especially a graphic barn raising like this one

View of the old Amoskeag Mills in Manchester New Hampshire

Pennock Family Album Antique Signature Quilt

Love early antique fabrics - you are going to drool over this post. As part of continuing education with my quilt appraising group (PAAQT) we visited to the Chester Co. Historical Society in Pennsylvania and examined a number of antique signature quilts. These are especially educational because they are dated or the date can be determined easily.

The Pennock Family Album is one of the treasures of the Chester Society's collection. Made in Chester Co. in 1840, it has a sampler of block patterns along with inked drawing and signatures on the blocks. Look at the amazing florals in this delicate 6 pointed star!

And the florals and inking and wonderful chain link print in this circular block. don't forget to click on the picture to enlarge to see the details. The center inking is an amazingly detailed drawing of a boat sailing with full crew.

More amazing early fabrics

Look at the inked flag in the center of this lovely 8 pointed star

Another inking and more fab fabrics

More delightful florals and the signature on a leaf. Names were often disguised in inkings. Btw, the threads visible are basting threads to secure the english paper piecing templates.

Antique Cheddar Quilt Antique New York Beauty Quilt

New York Beauty, Rocky Road, Crown of Thorns, etc., part of Starley Quilt Collection. Enjoy

Unusual Green Leaves -Antique Leaf quilt

If you are ever near Boston Massachusetts -be sure to visit Lowell Mass and the New England Quilt Museum!! Here's another treasure - unique leaf quilt circa 1850. Summer spread -finished textile without quilting.

quilt information - click on pic to enlarge

To see a chart of the trees visit my Facebook page - Sandta Starley or my Instagram - Textile a Time Travels 

Early Antique Quilts - Chips Whetstones (compass) and Mosaic Hexagon Diamonds

Two more wonderful quilts from the special exhibit at the American Quilt Study Group Seminar 2017 by Debra Grana and Sharon Waddell. Both of these are owned by Ms. Grana.

1st up is this stunning Chips & Whetstone, similar to a Mariner's Compass. Great early fabrics and fun dots in the block corners and finished up with a can't miss --- Zigzag border!!

 Click on pic to enlarge

Hexagons are often set in routine rosettes or flower garden settings but this hexagon mosaic or diamond setting is much less common. C. 1830

What is a Tile Quilt? Antique New England Tile Quilt

Tile Quilt?? For many of you this will be a new antique quilt style. Tile quilts are generally appliqued onto a background with space showing between patches like grout around ceramic tiles. They are fairly rare/uncommon. This beauty is from the New England Quilt Museum. Circa 1885

My favorite is this block with a cat highlighted in the center of the block and surrounded by a bird, a good luck horseshoe, a rooster, and a sunflower.

The decorated fan is lovely.

I think this owl and butterfly are fussy cut out of a period crazy quilt cheater print.And the fan and several Asian scenes another strong clue to the 1880s date.

The couple with lady in long dress playing a raquet game could also help date the quilt by a costume expert.

Fab Folk Art Applique Antique Quilt

This charming applique quilt from the 1850s was on display at Mercer Museum at the entry to the Schafer exhibit last year. I love this little basket of birds. Isn't it sweet~  Scoll down for more info...

Don't forget to click on photos to enlarge  and see the details like these polka dot butterflies !

The quilt was a multi generational, multi-state, multi-century project

More birds and folky applique