Isn't She Lovely?

Good morning! I have to share with you this latest treasure that has crossed my path, I couldn't be more tickled! A friend has trusted me with the safekeeping of this Sunbonnet Sue quilt made in 1930 by her maternal grandmother. This was her grandmother's first and only quilt! She was part Cherokee and likely learned to stich from her mother. She was from Missouri, later moved to California where she married and gave birth to my friend's mother when she was forty years of age!

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!

Hand Pieced~ But By Whom?

I had the privilege of quilting a hand-pieced beauty this past week. Oh, how I'd love to know the history of this one. How old is it? From where did it come?

 

If you study closely, you can see the hand stitches that were lovingly placed, joining together this lively array of feedsacks and vintage fabrics. The top was purchased by a friend of a friend. She machine washed it (!!) before I received it for quilting. The stitches were strong and the top sturdy enough for a trip through the washer. I carefully pressed it with Magic sizing and squared it up the best that I could. 

Once loaded onto the rails I gently quilted an open, modified clamshell design. The result speaks for itself, I thought that the overall effect was just perfect. The quilt's owner plans to use it for display.

🤍

Oh, if this quilt could only talk!

More From the Museum

Another current exhibit at the National Quilt Museum is one entitled: "Southern Quilts".  From the exhibit description: "This is a collection on loan from Mary Kerr and examines the rich history of southern quilts, steeped in tradition and passed down through generations. These glorious designs, colors and patterns are unique to this region of the United States and reflect the influence of multiple cultural traditions brought to the region over the last four centuries. The earliest patchwork quilts came from the traditions in the British Isles; unique designs and interpretations emerged as German, Scots-Irish and other European settlements converged on the American South. Each quiltmaker made her choices based on the styles, patterns, traditions and fabrics available at that time. These quilts have a distinctive look and feel that sets them apart; many are made of heavy cotton and finished with the Baptist Fan or "elbow" quilting. These thick pieces are usually thought of as utilitarian, but many have simply been created from available resources and, since cotton was King throughout the south, this abundant crop was the primary batting in quilts of this region. Southern women didn't shy away from difficult patterns and there are many examples of circular designs particularly those with points, spikes and teeth. Women at that time made do with what was available; across all socio-economic situations the quilts reflect the resources available." 

This is just a small sampling of pieced quilts from the exhibit, it was historically rich and a treat to behold.

This quilt was of special interest, read about it below:

A detail of the World War 1 Scripture Quilt; it's hand pieced, too! Started and completed in only 45 days!! This is an incredible exhibit, I'm going to post tomorrow about the applique quilts in this same collection and how they, and some current quilts borrowing off that tradition have inspired me to pull out a UFO that had been long-shelved and what my plan is to finish it up. Seeing that quilt above that was finished in a month and a half demonstrates that there really are no excuses for languishing!

Life is Good! 

Strawberries and Cream

Strawberries and Cream ~ 60" X 68"

I finally finished piecing and quilting this scrappy quilt from years ago, it was inspired by an antique quilt that I saw at a  Quilt Guild "show and tell" and fell in love with. I drafted the pattern and set to work. This may just be one of my favorite all-time quilts. 
I backed it with this precious strawberry print. Naming this one was a natural. 
I don't usually save selvages but just look as what I trimmed off the backing. 🍓 I can't bear to toss it.

I quilted it with Willow Leaf's "Plumage", a pantograph by Jodi Beamish. 

And remember how I mentioned that I might just round more corners now 

that I'm no longer afraid of bias binding? Well, I couldn't help myself! 

Life is Good!

Up next: A Ride Along

A Product Of Era And Area

I remember attending a lecture some time ago presented by a quilt historian and taking notes; I wrote: "quilts will be influenced and can be identified, most of the time, by the time period  and the geographical region in which they were constructed". Isn't that true of people as well? A high school classmate had posted the dress code, the one to which we were all expected to adhere, on Facebook. I have copied it here for your information and amusement. I graduated from high school (public school) in New England in 1971,   I am a product of time and place! I know, inherently, what a "school dress" is; I believe that term would need further explanation today. The notation that "thongs are not acceptable" brought a smile to my face, before they were flip-flops they were thongs and back in the day were not appropriate footwear for school.  Sneakers were acceptable for girls (but not recommended) in Spring and Fall and boys were advised not to wear footwear designed for out-of-doors in the Winter!?! Both boys and girls' hair was an issue, the length of bangs was of enough concern to be regulated; and I seriously wonder how this authoritarian statement: "any item of clothing or style of grooming deemed by the faculty to be distracting is not acceptable" would be viewed by students/parents now; I can't even imagine what is printed in rules for dress and appearance today, but I suspect that tattoos, T-shirt slogans and/or visible underwear are on "the list" (or should be)! I don't recall many challenges to these rules when I was a student; there may have been a few rebels, but then I am blessed nowadays with a shorter memory! I do remember the "hem police", teachers who were stationed in the halls between classes checking how short skirts were, but that was about as dictatorial as it got, the rules weren't a problem. This probably explains a lot about me; an oldest child from a Puritan place who has always been an ardent rule-follower, but I'm also like an antique quilt, influenced and identified by the era and area from which I came! 

~not to mention being soft, worn and wrinkled~ 

Life is Good!

One Word Wednesday

Restoring~

Life is Good!

Wheel Of Fortune

Back in early August our Guild was treated to a program featuring the antique quilt collection of a fellow member, Susan McGirr. Her trunk show was vast and all-encompassing, everything from pieced and appliqued tops to glorious finished quilts. Pictured here is a "Wheel of Fortune" top, a Carpenter's Wheel variation. I love this one.

There was another pieced quilt, an older one; I can't identify this block name.

heard it referred to as "Texas Tears" but I can't confirm that. Most of Susan's collection was acquired while she lived in Texas, so that might be right, but I'm not sure. Does anyone know? I adore the simplicity of this block and the way it is set alternating dark and light backgrounds.

Susan's latest obsession is purchasing quilts and tops for her collection from E-bay; as well as from on-line auctions for a cause, like Ami Simm's AAQI quilts.

She passed around a few of those for us to see up close and imagine my surprise when I was suddenly holding this quilt, made by none other than our very own blogging buddy, Quiltdivajulie! I felt momentarily overwhelmed by the connection. Blogging has certainly made our world a smaller one. The Wheel of Fortune was certainly spinning for me that evening, I drove home humming and happy; feeling like the luckiest woman out there for all the inspiration and connections to other quiltmakers through time and space, both near and far!

Life is Good!