70.5" X 72" - another family quilt. Perhaps this is my Great Aunt Eva's wedding quilt? She married in the late 1800's. I just don't know...
When I was growing up, this quilt was beautiful - always kept in the closet and brought out only once in a great while to admire... but in recent years it has been heavily used and left on a sunny bed. Due to fading - it is hard to get a good photo.
The piecing/applique is absolutely perfect! The quilting is a little flower in the center of each block. Each heart is quilted inside and outside the line, so you have a double heart. And - can you see? The borders are quilted with little tiny ripples.
Like many New England quilts - this one has cut-outs for the 4 poster bed. The cut-out is 4.5", the side and bottom borders are 4.5", the top white border is 4" and the blocks are almost 7". I think it probably would have fit the 3/4 size beds - they were bigger than a twin, smaller than a double - some of my beds from when I was younger were this size.
And - a photo of the backing.
Some of the pieces are pieced to use every scrap of fabric... and I think the quilter probably ran out of blue, hence the light top border. If you think about it though - you never really see that top border anyway if you put your pillows on top of the quilt so a top border is a good choice for a different fabric.
I imagine it was a special quilt when it was made as there are only 3 fabrics total (2 for the top and 1 for the back). A very special purchase, indeed, for that day and age, if this quilt really is as old as I think it may be.
And - I've never seen another quilt like this one before, so, despite it's fading and stains, I am happy that I at least got a chance to measure and photograph it!
10 comments:
The fabrics don't look like late 1800's. Those were the double pinks, blacks, browns and other dark colors. Pastels and little prints like this are more like the 1930's.
I'm sure learning a lot about dating fabrics from the class I'm taking - it's fascinating!
What an interesting pattern! It makes a nice secondary pattern too. The fabrics are also beautiful.
What agreat family quilt, and I agree- it must have been very special to merit NO scraps!!
This is a really neat quilt. Thank-you for sharing it with us.
what a wonderful antique. Glad to hear its being enjoyed, even if it does wear it more...
Thanks for sharing, there's a lot of history there. Can you imagine someone looking at our quilts 100 years from now.?!?!?!
Great family heirloom, Evelyn. It must have been for a very special occasion to have only 3 fabrics in the whole quilt.
Oh I think used and loved quilts are the best! This is a treasure!
What a treasure, and quite lovely.
This is such a beautiful quilt. I didn't notice the curved applique on the small picture, and was thinking that it would be a great quilt to duplicate. Looking at the closeup, it is so intricate and beautiful, I wouldn't have the skills to do it.
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