day 18 Christmas French Stars

The French Star block is one of my all time favorites. Especially this beauty in red and green and gold .

The quilt was found in Pennsylvania. Thanks Sharon Stark of Sharon's Quits and RickRack.

Here's a c. 1940's version of that same pattern. This top has wonderful, vibrant colors.

And the full quilt shows the elegant applique swag border - a throwback to the 1850s

Here is  a closer look along with the earlier French Star.

The pattern requires some careful curved piecing and Y seams and insets

17 ish - Happy Birdie Days of Yore

Some charming eye candy from my antique quilt collection. Both quilts are circa 1850.

Enjoy

Sweet sixteen - Maryland Album

Sixteen block -early 1840s Maryland signature album quilt that contains one of my favorite signature blocks done by Evalina Shaw and dated Dec'r (December) 1841. The quilt is from Carroll and Frederick County, Maryland.
Love the swag with music notes and "Peace to the Mind" and the fab tassels at the ends. And the lyre and the flower basket and flowers, etc. etc. And all of this in just a 2 inch square.
  Be sure to click on the images to see the wonderful details. I think the art work is from an extremely detailed stencil.

The fabric paired with Evalina's amazing block is a faux needlework print - imitating crewel work.

Here's another with block printed (stamped) green leaf details. It was hard to get the stamp in just the right place and they tend to look clunky. (sorry for the glare but it made the details stand out)

more interesting fabric

A beautiful leaf print - buff and tan

The full quilt - it is crib sized but has 3 different bindings/edge finishes which is unusual. Purchased from Julie Silber- Quilt Complex who did NOT cut it.  Unknown if it was cut down from a full/bed sized quilt to make 4 quilts for 4 family members or cut into "crib quilts" in the 1980s when people were doing that to cash in on the crib quilt/doll quilt market. Maybe some day, I will find more of it - I can dream! 

15 and counting - Novelty Ships Wheel

Okay - they really can't all be my favorites? Or can they???
Please be sure to click on the individual photos to see the details and all the amazing novelty or conversation prints.

The block pattern is "Ship's Wheel"

The quilt is circa 1890**, these steel engraving novelty prints are mostly from the 1880s.
**The top is c. 1890 but was minimally quilted a few years ago with a polyester batting. I've since unquilted it and removed the poofy poly but left the backing to protect the seams.

More wonderful fabrics

And even more

Day 14 -- Hickory Reel 1830 or earlier

Most of my collection is multi-fabric or scrappy but I do have a few fancy 2 fabric quilts. But most of those are red/green appliques. This beauty is a quilted tour de force. The milk chocolate floral is beautiful and the neutral is actually a blue/white ribbony stripe which adds a lot of interest. The applique design is delicate and the swag border is the perfect finish.

Isn't she lovely?

Larger segment of the quilt

And one of my favorite things about the quilt -- the backing is an early cheater cloth (preprinted patchwork). It looks like pieced tumbling blocks but is actually a printed design.

The full quilt in all its simple elegance.

Day 13 Hexagon Medallion

Wow, can't believe I'm on my 25th post of the month between my two blogs. Don't foget to visit Quilt Art Star to see my antique repro and art quilts. That is more posting than I did in 2013 and 2014 on both blogs combined. Thanks again to Cheryl Sleboda's 31day blog writing challenge.

Today's quilt is a stunning hexagon medallion from Stella Rubin. c. 1890. It has lots of novelty prints including many from a cheater cloth crazy quilt print from the 1880s and a couple of 1876 centennial prints.

Love this fox whose after a butterfly :)

And this lovely lady though the bird next to her didn't fare well in the fussy cutting

And this gentleman appears to be her companion. Charming flowers too.

And a little bugler with a bird from the crazy quilt print and a delicate little cheater print bottom right.

day 12 French Star variation

I like most early antique quilts from the 1800s but there are a few special blocks that I have been studying and collecting and one of them is French Star. This quilt is a variation of that pattern as the center is one piece and not divided into 4 or 8 segments.

Lovely purple block.

Nice double pink- like the delicate prints.

The full quilt

                                               Here is a detail of my 1860's French Star quilt,
To see more of my French Star collection click here or put French Star in the search box at the top left of the page.

Day 11 Farmers Fancy

Love this circular darling - it is truly cheddarlicious and yummy! Another treasure from Julie Silber and the Quilt Complex. Didn't come with provenance but it is very like from Virginia or West Virginia where this pattern is seen the most. This pattern is a great example of regional patterns.

Yikes day 11 means this will be post 21 and 22 of the month as I have 2 blogs
stop by and see my art and repro quilt blog too.

Full quilt - isn't it wonderful!

And the spiky border is such a great finishing touch.

And here is my booth at the 2014 HMQS - Home Machine Quilting Show. I do love cheddar!

day 10 - Quaker Signature quilt

Love sharing this beautiful signature quilt that is also a genealogical treasure.
It was made in 1850 (dated) for Enoch Worrall and Mary Hoopes Worrall from Chester Co. Pennsylvania.

Detail showing center block which lists their children (living and deceased) and states that it is "Enoch and Mary Worrall's Quilt".

Amy Davis, Forget Me Not. You can see the whip stitching from the English paper piecing technique used to piece the quilt blocks.

Mary Ann & Edith Trego's block has a whale. Many of the whalers of the time were Quakers. So maybe these girls (age 10 and 12) had an uncle who was a whaling captain.

Day 9 Caesars Crown

I've had a single Caesar's Crown quilt top for about 8 years but this spring/summer I (somehow) ended up with 4 more including 3 signature or name inscribed quilts. The most striking one is this red, green and cheddary SE PA signature quilt from 1851. From 2 small townships in Berks/Montgomery Co, PA

A presentation quilt for Elizabeth Bickel with sentiments of "tribute of respect" and "when this you see, remember me" on the blocks. The makers used a professional scrivener - a person paid to inscribe the names and the blocks and the also the dedication block. There are Pennsylvania German's - note it says "his" property. The scrivener likely lived in a German speaking world.

Beautiful quilting - unusual to see so much lovely quilting in a signature quilt.

Day 8 and post #100 1858 Heart Quilt

This beautiful signature quilt was made for Sister McAlister of the Willett St. Methodist Episcopal church in New York City. She was a founder of the Sunday School program and her husband was the Reverend at the church. She was born in England and he in Ireland. It is dated 1858, they were both in their 30s. Full of love for Sister McAlister.

This block's sentiment is from the Bible 1 Peter 4: 12-13
"Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you: But rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ's sufferings; that, when his glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy." Signed by Almira Losee, NY 1858 (quilt made in New York City for Methodist Episcopalian Sunday School Leader Esther McAlister.

I adore how this quilt literally exudes love - look at how many blocks have multiple hearts in them!

And if you look very closely, you'll see there are hidden hearts in the centers of the 2 wreaths on the right. Lots of Methodist Episcopal hymns and Bible verses and other expressions of love.

Would anyone like to do this as a pattern? Perhaps as a sew-along?

Day 7 Birds and Baskets

A Christmasy bird popping by to say hello!
c. 1860 basket quilt purchased from Julie Silber of the Quilt Complex. Beautiful piecing, applique and quilting and such attention to detail - look at that tiny piping next to a fine binding below the bird.

From New York State, probably made by member of Howe family. The quilting is 11- 12 stitches per inch - very small.

Love the birds, flower buds or fruit and the hearts in the corners - so charming.

76" x 92"