It is a beautiful day in Melbourne today, a perfect day for airing quilts and taking some photos in natural sunlight.

Mennonite Crib Quilt

This little 9 patch quilt has come into my collection recently. It belonged to quilt collectors, Bernie and Eileen Donnelly. They originally purchased it in South Yarra, Victoria at an exhibition of old and rare North American and Canadian Quilts by John Leach.

It appears to be made in the 1920s and is in good condition, particularly for a crib quilt. The quilt originally came from Elora near Unionville in Ontario Province, Canada and was made by Old Order Mennonites.

The fabrics are florals and striped shirtings as is the backing. It is machine stitched, more than likely on a treadle machine. The binding is very neatly machined to the right side of the quilt. The quilting is exceptionally neat with tiny stitches measuring 16 stitches to the inch.

Another nine patch variation is the Snowball block.

Detail of Snowball quilt.

Snowball Quilt

I purchased this quilt as a top from Jen Hyland from A Piece Of Cloth. It contains a wonderful collection of fabrics.There are many feedback pieces, shirtings, plaids and some older pieces from a few decades earlier than the period this appears to have been stitched. It was probably made in the 30s or 40s.

I quilted it in my favourite quilting design which is freehand baptist fans. I backed and bound it with vintage fabrics from my collection.

My favourite block in this quilt.

Plain and simple designs and lots of fabrics, preferably from the scrap bag make the most wonderful quilts.
Happy Quilting, Janette