JOY and LOVE

We need to spread love and Joy

Hope this brightens your day!

The paper piecing pattern is available in my Etsy store

Rocky Road to Kansas

Attended a lecture today by Jean Impey and she was working a lot with wonky stars, spiderwebs, and kite shapes. Made me want to look at kites in RR pattern. Thought you might looking at them too. Enjoy

T is for Trapunto - Antique Quilt

T is for Trapunto (stuffed hand quilting) on this treasure from the Starley Collection. Part of the Antique Stars trunk show. Look at the star quilting in the alternating blocks between the pieced stars. Circa 1840s.

And this is the border quilting - got to LOVE that quilted pineapple!

The star block with trapunto showing in the corners.

The full quilt.

More Antique Firework Quilts

More firework quilts - kapow! Enjoy. From the Starley Collection - available to come to your quilt guild or show. Have Quilts, Will Travel!

Multi-generational quilt top from Michigan, 1860s blocks, pieced in about 1890.
Wild Goose Chase

Farmers Fancy Quilt, circa 1890. Likely made in West Virginia or Virginia

French Star Quilt (Ruby McKim pattern).  1940/50

Flower Pot Cheater Print Wholecloth quilt

Revisiting this wonderful chintz cheater fabric (preprinted patchwork) featuring a rose flower pot and separate roses surrounded by simulated (printed not pieced) 9 patches.

Several books list it as dating from 1850s to 1870s but I've seen it in a dated 1843 signature quilt from Pennsylvania/New Jersey so it actually from late 1830s to early 1840s.

The alternating faux 9 patch blocks have fabulous fabrics that seem so modern. I especially like the jungle inspired pattern that look like giraffe

And here is the lovely backing - buff and blue stripe

Chintz Glorious Chintz

Come to Kansas for the Chintz!! Birds and Blooms and sew much more ! June 7-9, 2018, Kansas City Kansas. You can't have an early fabric event without wonderful chintz and pillar prints. Here's a peek at some from the Starley Collection that will be flying to Kansas this summer.

Signature Quilts and Chintz - Kansas, June 2018

Here's just a hint of the treasures I'll be bringing to MOKA Quilt Study Group, June7-9, 2018 in Overland Park, Kansas. Plus I'll be joined by 3 other wonderful presenters!! Must see Mid-west event of the year

1850 Embroidered Quilt - New England Quilt Museum

Love learning (and keeping my quilt appraisal skills sharp) by studying antique quilts as well as vintage and new work. So my trip to the American Quilt Study Group and the New England Quilt Museum were very enjoyable continuing education. So glad to see the "Gilding the Lily" exhibit.

Summer spread from 1850 Vermont. Scroll down to see informational placard and more of the quilt. Don't forget to click on photos to enlarge and see details or read info. card.

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.

Quilt Appraising Adventures - Seeing Stars

I love sharing my antique quilt collection in trunk shows and classes.
I also love seeing other people's quilts (both old, new, traditional, modern, and art) and sharing my knowledge with them and helping them appreciate their treasures. With antique and vintage quilts, it is a joy to be able to help them connect with the past.  And sometimes, I even get a minute to investigate quilts in my own collection (what I'm doing in the photo) between answering quilt appraisal questions.

 I was visiting my home state guild, the Utah Quilt Guild, in September and sharing my Antique Star Quilt trunk show. Here's a bit of the show.

More from Schwenkfelder Museum - Seeing Stars

I thought you might like seeing a close-up of some of the Stars I shared in full shots. Here is one and the full. Stay tuned for more

Antique Signature Quilt -Wild Goose Chase 1850 New Jersey

An unusual antique signature quilt, part of my Sign of the Times antique quilt trunk show and quilt study class. This one is from North Western New Jersey, Warren County specifically. Wild Goose Chase is the pattern name. Quilt is dated 1850 and 1851.

It has unusual sentiments that are often focused on end of life or how neighbors should behave. The auction house listing noted "religious quotations, many associated with death". It appears that the maker surveyed her community and then did blocks listing neighbor's name and her advice for them of her opinions of them. Quite different from the ususal signature quilts where block makers would sign their names and write messages for the recipent of the quilt . 

In this block with Catharine M. Ellicot's name the message is
"Shun the paths of sin and folly.
Which lead to abject melancholy.
But walk the road to joy and bliss.
Where peace and love and Jesus is."

And in this block for Sarah E. Cole
"May Sarah be wise in this
valley below-
And look to the skies
where her spirit must go,
O may it there sing
To Jesus her King.

And on a textile note: in the block close ups, you'll see symmetrical hole in the turkey red fabrics. Those are caused by mordant to get dye to stay on the designs added to the fabrics or where the fabric was bleached to add patterns.

If you'd like to learn more about this quilt and other interesting antique quilts/ quilt history or about antique fabrics and quilts, please feel free to contact me to arrange a trunk show or antique quilt history class. Or pass my name onto your guild or shop or show director looking for an entertaining and educational presenter. Thanks.

Antique Cheddar Quilts or Its Better with Cheddar

Did I mention I LOVE antique cheddar quilts and remaking them as well? I DO! Thought I'd share a bit of my collection.

Antique Mennonite Basket quilt  from Pennsylvania, c. 1890 -detail

Antique Compass Quilt c. 1880, likely Southern

Antique Compass quilt from Pennsylvania

A bit of my quilt appraisal booth highlighting my love affair with cheddar quilts.

Antique Quilt Uneven Nine Patch

Detail of  1885 uneven 9 patch in the Starley Collection

The dark print with cheddar was 1st printed in 1881 by Hamilton Printworks so fairly easy to give the quilt an approximate date.

This uneven 9 patch or Puss in the Corner or Sheepsfold always makes me smile! The wonderful zigzag border really makes it sing as does green/pink combo and the cheddar accents.

**note for those making antique reproduction quilts**  You can never go wrong with a zigzag border . They are crowd-pleasers!