This treasure is hand appliqued and machine quilted. The pencil marks that she followed for the quilting are still visible. The background fabric is a coarse-weave muslin, the calicos used for the dresses contain some feed sacks along with some heavier twills and poplin-type fabrics, probably salvaged from worn out clothing at the time. It measures 62" X 80". Extremely typical of this time period is the bubble gum pink and bottle green solid fabrics used for the sashing and binding. It is backed with the same muslin as is in the background of each block. 
As you can see there are some dark threads shadowing behind, along with quilting lines; but, in my mind, that only makes this quilt all the more precious. Can you imagine this being your one and only quilt? All that applique in the form of hand embroidery must have done her in! I've made label to fully document the work of this quiltmaker with as much identification and pertinent information as my friend has been able to glean. Every quilt tells a story and this one couldn't be sweeter or any more lovely.
Life is Good!
4 comments:
what a treasure and wonderful story to match...
That is such a special quilt. Thank you for sharing it and the story with us.
I can't imagine making that as my first and only quilt.
My sister slept under the Sunbonnet Sue quilt my maternal grandmother made and my mother turned into a tied puffy comforter - and when I first started making quilts, my sister asked me if I could "fix" her quilt since the muslin squares were deteriorating (unlike the beauty you've shared). You can see the results of my "fix" by going here: https://quiltdivajulie.blogspot.com/2007/09/sunbonnet-sue-going-to-fair.html (and to see more detail, click on the photos). Yours is in such good shape, there's no fixing needed!
What an heirloom!
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