Early Fabric Dyes Blues

One of my all time favorite quilts, a charming, 9 patch top. Blocks are circa 1830/40 but joined together later and fabrics are 1830s and 1840s and earlier, even 1790.

The four corner blocks feature stripes with Prussian blue and the lighter (less often seen) Prussian Green. 

And here's another block from the same quilt top with a Prussian blue plaid often called a buff and blue (top right corner).

And this block features dyed indigo fabric with a resisted or bleached diamond design.

More of the top.

More 1830's top

I'm so glad I pulled this top out to scan images, as I'm having a great time visiting with all the prints. This block shows the indigo resist, more block prints. Note the whipstitching. The center square is a twill type weave. Note how many squares have several pieces. Click on photo for larger image.

Banner Quilt

In my banner (top of blog page) you'll see one of my earliest quilt purchases and one of my earliest/oldest textiles. It is a large segment of hand sewn 4 patch quilt top c.1830 (rows/strips were later joined together by machine). It is pieced by overcast/whipstitch and running stitch. Fabrics range from 1790 (linen floral) to 1830's; there are block prints, indigo resists and an early preprinted patchwork (aka cheater cloth shown in the banner above) to name a few. As a top it is a useful printing technique study piece since I can view both sides of the fabric. Purchased from eBay for $70, it was sold as a segment of 1880's quilt so it was a very pleasant surprise.