One Patch Quilts

10 Monday Apr 2017

Posted by mcinnesjanette in antique fabric, antique quilts, hand piecing, hand quilting, old fabrics, old quilt tops, Old Quilts, Quilt Collections, Quilt Restoration, Quilt Stories, Scrap quilts, stitching

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1890s to 1910s. Antique Quilts, Fabric Study, hand quilting, One Patch Quilts, quilt collections, reproduction fabrics, vintage fabrics

Diamond Quilt

One patch quilts have been a mainstay of quilters since people picked up needles, thread and scraps of fabric.

Squares, triangles and diamonds or more complex shapes such as hexagons and clamshells have been used time and time again to create sophisticated designs.

One patch quilts can follow a formal layout of scraps and colours or can be randomly pieced out of the scrap basket.
Either way they make wonderful quilts.

Some of the one patch quilts in my collection include squares, triangles, tumblers, hexagons and apple core shapes.

Diamonds circa 1960s.

I purchased this quilt top at an antique market and hand quilted it in the Baptist Fan design. The maker had some great fabrics in her scrap basket including one with the American State flags and the year the states joined the United States of America. The last two to join were Alaska in 1958 and Hawaii in 1959. So we can presume this fabric was purchased in 1959 or later.

The quilter used great skill in her fabric placement. Solid colours are used for the diamonds in one direction and patterned fabrics in the other direction.

Detail of quilt and vintage fabrics used for the backing.

Old Fashioned Spools

Work in Progress

This is a quilt that I am presently hand piecing. I prefer the name Old Fashioned Spools but it is more commonly called Apple Core or Double-Bitted Axe. I am alternating light and dark fabrics throughout.

Vintage Tumbler

This quilt top contains shirtings, mourning prints, florals, plains, stripes and checks. Two cheddar yellow tumblers and the use of red and white spotted fabrics brighten up the sombre tone of the quilt. The top is hand pieced.

Tumbler Quilt top circa 1900s.

1910’s Triangles

The maker of this quilt planned her use of fabrics carefully making sure she had enough of each one to stitch a row of triangles across the quilt. The fabrics used are typical of the 1910’s but the indigos appear to be from earlier. The indigos are patterned with white and cheddar designs.

Simple shapes make wonderful quilts

I hope you enjoy seeing some of my one patch quilts and may be inspired to use your scraps to carry on this lovely quilting tradition. Happy Patching and thank you for visiting, Janette – The Plain Needlewoman

Dressmakers’ Quilts

19 Sunday Mar 2017

Posted by mcinnesjanette in Australian Quilts, old fabrics, old quilt tops, Quilt Collections, Quilt Stories, Uncategorized, vintage quilts

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Hexagon Quilt circa 1970s

Prior to the influence of the revival of quilting in the 1970s quilts would predominately have been made using dressmaking cottons and the scraps remaining from home sewing. The majority of these quilts would have been Hexagon quilts stitched over paper or simple shapes machined stitched together.

I attempted a hexagon quilt in 1973 having found a pattern in an English Womens’ Weekly magazine. I used scraps from dressmaking and fabric cut off from shortening hems of bought clothes. The Mini skirt being the fashion of the time. This piece remains unfinished but it is interesting for the fabrics it contains.

Hexagon Quilt Top

This hexagon quilt top contains myriad fabrics obviously saved from dressmaking. The fabrics were probably saved over a number of years. The maker fussy cut many of her fabrics to create a wonderful time capsule of the fabrics used by modern dressmakers.

Fussy Cutting

The quilt was stitched over papers and the papers still remain on the outside edges. The papers have been cut from recycled paper. Wrappers from many household items can be seen such as loose tea wrappers, cigarette wrappers, labels from cans and letters and note paper.

Papers still in place

This quilt was found in an op shop in country Victoria but unfortunately no other information is known. I am happy to leave this quilt unfinished as a document of the times.

Hexagon Coverlet

This coverlet contains a great collection of dressmaking fabrics including some brushed interlock. The pieced section has been hand stitched to a new cotton sheet. Fortunately the maker left the label on the sheet which states Made in Australia. The maker positioned a row of hexagons to sit over the pillows when the coverlet is placed on a bed.

Detail of hexagons

One Patch Coverlet

This patchwork coverlet is pieced of squares in two sizes. Small squares measuring 7 cm are centred between larger squares measuring 14 cm.

The fabrics are cottons in plains, florals and a good selection of seersuckers. The border is a buttery yellow cesarine and is applied to the front, folded to the back and top stitched through all layers. The corners are neatly mitred.

Pretty scraps

The quilt was made in country Queensland. It measures 87 cm by 160 cm and may have been made for a small single bed. There is no batting and the backing is an open weave cotton. Very neatly made and so pretty.

Little Cot Quilt

I purchased this cot quilt at an antique market and all the seller knew about it was that it came from Mildura, Victoria. It is a simple quilt made of randomly pieced squares stitched in rows of 6 by 6. Fabrics are typical of the 60s with plains, checks, florals and a juvenile print. The pieced binding serves as a narrow border on both sides of the quilt. The backing is a very nice floral that appears to be an older fabric.

Pretty backing fabric

The quilt is not quilted but does have an inner layer of an open weave cotton.

These pieces of patchwork are not remarkable in their execution, style or design but they are special because of the time and place of their making. They are very special to me and I admire the women who made them.

Thank you for visiting and Happy Quilting.

Piece by Piece

19 Monday Sep 2016

Posted by mcinnesjanette in Feed Sack, hand quilting, Mending, old fabrics, old quilt tops, Quilt Collections, Quilt Restoration, Quilt Stories, quilting projects, Repairing old quilts, Scrap quilts, stitching, Uncategorized, vintage quilts

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1930s quilts, Fabric Study, old quilts, quilt collections, vintage quilts

Two new additions to my postage stamp quilt collection arrived recently.

Pieces of Irish chain quilt

One piece is an incomplete Irish Chain quilt top. The maker had nearly completed the top when something caused her work to be discontinued. Fortunately all the pieces were kept together, including an incomplete row, many extra squares, the little cardboard template and a large piece of muslin.

Blocks and plain fabric for finishing the top

I will complete the row, tidy up some of the piecing and appliqué work and finish the top.

Love the plain red.

I have enough of the plain fabric for the borders and possibly enough cut squares to add another narrow pieced border. The patterned fabrics include florals, plaids, stripes and novelty prints.

The maker of this assortment of tiny pieces hadn’t progressed beyond stitching some of her one inch squares into rows.
The bundles of pieced sections were rolled into sets and a number was written on the last square to record how many squares are in the row.

Pencilled Number on the wrong side of fabric

It appears the maker was planning a particular design but the pattern is not clear to me. The basic square can be arranged in many ways. This could be a simple grid of continuous squares or a more complicated pattern such as Steps to the Altar or Trip Around the World.

Two strips of cardboard were sent with the piecework and there is a name written on it, but unfortunately it is too faded to read.

Faded writing

The squares measure 1 inch finished size and were hand stitched by an experienced seamstress. The fabrics are dress weight cottons and include novelty prints, floral designs, checks, stripes and geometrics.

My two Postage Stamp projects demonstrate how the quilters of the Depression era were able to create beautiful quilts out of so little. It is my intention to complete the work they started – Piece by Piece.

Happy Quilting from Janette, The Plain Needlewoman

Sweet Old Things

22 Friday Jul 2016

Posted by mcinnesjanette in Feed Sack, hand quilting, Mending, old fabrics, old quilt tops, Quilt Collections, Quilt Restoration, quilting projects, Repairing old quilts, Scrap quilts, stitching, Uncategorized, vintage quilts

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1930s quilts, Fabric Study, feed sacks, hand quilting, handquilting, old quilt tops, old quilts, quilt collections

I have recently acquired a couple of very sweet old unfinished projects.The first of these is a house block quilt top. It is predominately made from feed sacks and contains plains, florals, plaids and one polka dot.

Florals and plains

House block

A deliberate mistake perhaps!

The quilt was not particularly well made and is slightly wonky. Despite this it has a certain charm and as I love feed sack fabrics and house quilts I couldn’t pass it by.

I am stabilising the edges by stitching narrow ribbon to the outside edges and easing the blocks onto the ribbon to bring them back to size.

Ribbon stitched to outside edge of each block

I am hopeful that I will achieve a flatter, straight quilt that I can then quilt and finish.

The second project that I am working on is a collection of signature blocks.

Album Blocks

The fabrics used to piece the blocks are typical of the 20s or 30s.Some of the blocks are complete with an embroidered name while others have been signed but not embroidered. The piecework ranges from basic stitching to an expert level. The blocks were not all exactly the same size. With a little trimming I have a working measurement of 12 3/4 inches. I am setting them together with lattice and setting squares cut from feed sack fabric and adding these to each block. When joined this will create a nice scrappy design.

Lattice and setting squares

On the design wall.

The blocks are very charming and include interesting fabrics. These friends made use of fabrics they had on hand and the cream backgrounds include calicos, taffeta and a heavy linen.

Nellie ran short of fabric!

While peacefully stitching these two projects I am reflecting on the lives of the ladies who made the original pieces. It is lovely to finish a quilt started many years ago. While contemplating the lives of these quilters I am also giving some thought to another little set of blocks.

More Feed sacks in these gorgeous blocks

I am waiting for inspiration of how to set these adorable blocks together into a quilt.

I will keep you posted. Peaceful Stitching from Janette, The Plain Needlewoman.

Nanna Good’s Ocean Waves Quilt.

18 Wednesday May 2016

Posted by mcinnesjanette in antique fabric, Feed Sack, hand quilting, old fabrics, old quilt tops, Old Quilts, Postage Stamp Quilts, Quilt Collections, Quilt Stories, Scrap quilts, Uncategorized, vintage quilts

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This Ocean Waves Quilt was made by Nanna Good in Orrick, Missouri, USA. It was passed down to her daughter Kathryn Sue Bogart McAfee. Kathryn was born on the 21 December 1922 and died in 1982. The quilt was then passed onto her only ancestor – a grand daughter. Her grand daughter decided to sell this quilt as she has a number of quilts made by her mother and grand mother that were made specifically for her. This one was not one of them.

Detail of fabrics

This lovely, scrappy version of the Ocean Waves pattern epitomises a Thirties quilt. The fabrics include florals, solids, stripes, juvenile prints and a couple of pieces from an earlier era. The placement of the solid red creates the effect of pinwheels across sections of the quilt.

Red Pinwheel

The backing is a wonderful Thirties green and the binding a pretty pink. The quilt is quilted by the piece with a simple design in the plain areas. The batting is an uncarded cotton. The seeds are clearly visible when the quilt is wet.

Quilt backing and binding

Ruby Short McKim published a pattern for an Ocean Waves Quilt in 1931, although we see many earlier examples. It is a very effective design in a two colour combination as well as a great scrap quilt.

I have been busy with hand quilting and have just completed my Courthouse Steps quilt.

Courthouse Steps made with mid 19th century fabrics.

I am now settling in for the Winter months and have commenced the quilting of another of my old quilt tops. This one is a Trip Around The World – a very large quilt made of very tiny squares.

Trip Around the World.

I hope your quilting is bringing you much pleasure. Thank you for stopping by, Warmly Janette

A Trip Around the World or Two

22 Thursday Jan 2015

Posted by mcinnesjanette in hand quilting, old quilt tops, stitching, Trip Around the World, vintage quilts

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1930s quilts, Antique Quilts, Fabric Study, feed sacks, handquilting, old quilt tops, old quilts, Postage Stamp quilts, Trip Around the World

Trip Around the World – setting one

Trip Around the World – setting Two

If You wish to take a trip around the world today, you only have to book a ticket with an airline and off you go. Paris, London, New York, Rome or Melbourne can be your destination.

To quilt makers of the grand quilt making epoch of the Thirties and Forties, a trip around the world would have been an incredible dream.

However, during this era ‘A Trip Around the World’ was made not by boat or plane but by cutting numerous tiny squares of fabrics and stitching these squares together to create quilts of great style and design. These quilts also demonstrate a sophisticated use of colour and pattern.

Wonderful use of colour

Tiny Squares – these measure 3/4 of an inch finished.

In Barbara Brackman’s Encyclopedia of Pieced Quilt Patterns these two Trip Around the World designs are to be found.

This design is identified as Trip Around the World – – Aunt Martha and Home Art

The second design is accredited to Holstein and also called Trip Around the World.

My quilts represent examples of both these designs. In the book ‘The World of Amish Quilts’ by Rachael and Kenneth Pellman. The Pellmans state that this arrangement of squares was a favoured design predominantly made in Lancaster County, PA. from where it spread to other Amish settlements. The Amish call this design Sunshine and Shadows. These quilts were made in solid colours and nearly always featured at least one large border. It is also stated that ‘the squares are arranged by colour to form a series of brightly coloured expanding diamonds. Sometimes the squares are tipped on point to form a pattern of squares. The Pellmans also state the ‘the Sunshine and Shadow arrangement of squares worked in printed fabrics rather than plain, may be called Trip Around the World and is often made by non-Amish women’.

I purchased the Trip Around the World quilt from the collection of The Donnellys. They bought this quilt in Groton, Massachusetts in 1995 at The Quilt Loft from Dianne Reece. It is hand pieced and quilted. The squares measure 1 inch finished and the quilter has used a great variety of fabrics, including dimity, feedsacks, shirtings and early dress fabrics. The inclusion of the solid red and black in this quilt shows the quilt maker’s great flair for colour and design. The quilt contains 3,125 squares. The backing is a plain white homespun which displays the lovely hand quilting to great effect. The binding on this quilt is noteworthy as it is stitched around the edges of the tiny squares, creating a dainty scallop finish.

Binding detail

The second Trip Around the World Quilt in my collection was bought as a top from the quilt collector Jan Baker. I have basted this quilt and hope to start quilting it this year. The squares in this top are even smaller, three quarters of an inch finished. This Trip Around the World is an example of the quilt maker tipping it on point. The edges finish square so there is no fiddly binding to be done. This quilter came up with a nice border design for her quilt.

section of border

The fabrics in this quilt appear to be very well co-ordinated. The pretty, little floral patterns match up with a complimentary solid colour. On studying this quilt, I wonder if it is an early example of a kit quilt, which were available at this time. Well, I will have lots of time to examine the fabrics and think about the original quilt maker when I undertake the task of hand quilting it.

I consider myself extremely privileged to have two Trip Around the World Quilts in my collection. I hope you might be inspired to create your own, as one of my friends already has. Good Luck, Sally and Happy Stiching to you all. Janette, The Plain Needlewoman

With my quilt

Spiders and their Webs

01 Thursday Jan 2015

Posted by mcinnesjanette in old fabrics, old quilt tops, Spider Webs, vintage quilts

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Antique Quilts, Fabric Study, handquilting, old quilt tops, quilt collections, vintage quilts

Turkey Red and White Star Quilt

This quilt is another Variable Star pattern. It was probably made late 1890s or early at the turn of the 20th Century. I purchased the top from the quilt collector Jan Baker in 2009. This quilt is basted and is next in line for hand quilting. I am quilting my Seven Sisters quilt at the moment and have a long way to go on this quilting project just yet.

I was taking this photo of the quilt to post on a Facebook page and as I took the photo a spider crawled out from the folded quilt. Can you see it in the photo? As I am not afraid of spiders and never kill them (it is bad luck) I caught it and placed it outside in the garden. As I was folding the quilt to put it away, I remembered I had marked this quilt ready for quilting with the spider web pattern. The spider may have thought this was it’s home. As I mark my designs very lightly with a HB lead pencil it may not be visible in the photo. The Spiders web quilting design is a favourite of mine and quilts up beautifully. Can’t wait to get started on the quilting. As for the spider I shall look on this as a good omen for 2015.

Wishing you all a very peaceful, kind and wonderful year of quilting and happy days!
Best Wishes from Janette – The Plain Needlewoman

Fabrics and Styles in Double Wedding Ring Quilts.

31 Wednesday Dec 2014

Posted by mcinnesjanette in hand quilting, old fabrics, old quilt tops, old sewing books, stitching, vintage quilts

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1930s quilts, Antique Quilts, Fabric Study, feed sacks, handquilting, old quilt tops, quilt collections

The Double Wedding Ring pattern was one of the most popular patterns made during the Great Depression Era. Although a difficult pattern to piece it was made many times over. Double Wedding Ring quilts still remain a favourite with today’s quilters.

Vintage Double Wedding Ring Quilt

Detail of quilt

Backing in that green!

Laser cut templates, paper piecing and books devoted entirely to constructing the Double Wedding Ring pattern are readily available. However, the older quilts show some variation of the numbers of pieces of fabric in the arcs. Perhaps patterns were used from the syndicated newspaper columns popular in the 30s or patterns were adapted to make use of what was in the quilter’s scrap basket.

The yellow and green in this quilt clearly identify it as a 1930’s to 40’s quilt. This quilt was probably made from the scrap basket as it also contains shirtings, dimities, plains and a liberal use of a gorgeous red polka dot. The red polka dot fabric reminds me of confetti. This quilt is beautifully stitched, with six fabric pieces in each arc set against two pinks and a green. The background is yellow and the backing is Thirties Green. The hand quilting is neat and even. This quilt was purchased by The Donnellys in October 1997 at Buckhannon, West Virginia.

1930s Wedding ring quilt top

Detail of quilt top

Another quilt from the thirties contains a fabulous array of dainty florals and prints. This quilter chose to use 12 fabrics in her arcs, enabling her to use many designs throughout the quilt. The background is a fine weave cotton and the arcs are set with green and yellow. A wonderful collection of prints, plaids, florals, checks, stripes and geometrics were used in this top.

A treasured fragment

Another example of a 1930s Wedding Ring can be seen in this quilt fragment. A notable feature of this quilt is the use of Prairie Points to finish off the curved edges. The arcs consist of seven pieces and are set with pink and green patterned fabrics. The quilting was done in the Hanging Diamond pattern. I love this little fragment and can only wonder at what an exquisite quilt it must have been.

My Double Wedding Ring quilt

I completed my Double Wedding Ring quilt in 1996. There are six pieces in the arcs and they are set with a red and tan solid. I was inspired to make this quilt from a photo of an antique quilt in a Hallmark Calendar. I used primarily checks, plaids,stripes and geometrics. There are very few florals used in my quilt. I machine pieced this quilt and it is hand quilted. I carried the check and plaid theme through to the backing, using up all the remaining fabrics.

Pieced backing

I hope you enjoy studying the Double Wedding Ring quilts. Thank you for stopping by, Janette, A Plain Needlewoman

The Stars Are Shining Bright

13 Saturday Dec 2014

Posted by mcinnesjanette in hand quilting, old fabrics, old quilt tops, old sewing books, vintage quilts

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hand quilting, old quilt tops, quilt collections, reproduction fabrics, vintage quilts

The Variable Star Quilt Top

Star Designs are one of the most numerous and splendid of all quilt patterns. If you only made quilts featuring Stars you would have many beautiful quilts.

The Variable Star quilt top is a recent purchase from my friends and quilt collectors The Donnellys. Eileen and Bernie identify this quilt as a ‘Time Span’ quilt. The Donnelly’s date this top as being stitched from Circa 1880 to 1930. A Time Span quilt is a quilt which has been made over a period of time, and in this case it is over quite a long period. The fabrics appear to be dress cottons including some fabulous shirtings, turkey reds, double pinks, a 30’s dark maroon and some pretty florals, stripes and gingham.

Dark Maroon and floral print circa 1930s

Shirtings circa 1880s

Another from the 30s.

I love the way the maker of this Variable Star quilt placed similar colours together making for a very strong focal point. This practice seems to be common in older quilts, whereas today we would place them apart.

Reds side by side

In studying and documenting this quilt Eileen has noted ‘The patchworker has essentially used the same pattern when assembling the blocks but occasionally she seems to have reversed the pieces, and also altered the centre of some blocks. She has therefore created the impression of different block patterns forming the quilt. Perhaps, as it took so long to make she made some blocks without looking at the ones already constructed and just forgot which pattern she was following.’ Many of us can relate to this.

Variation in design

Also noteworthy is the pink setting squares and bright blue sashes and borders. The Donnellys purchased this top from James Carrol through the Quilt Loft at Groton, Massachusetts, USA in 1996.

When I first saw the Variable Star top I loved it immediately. I thought it was the same block that I had used in a quilt I had recently completed. However, on returning home and placing the two together, I realised that my design is another variable.

Constellation Star

I had long admired this quilt from the book ‘In The Beginning’ published by That Patchwork Place in the Quilt Shop Series and written by Sharon Evans Yenter. Sharon calls this quilt Constellation Star and I think it is also known as Annie’s Choice. Which ever name you prefer it is a lovely design. I drafted the pattern for rotary cutting and machine piecing. I made it a fraction smaller to make use of my collection of reproduction fat 16ths. The lattice and borders are vintage fabric that proved difficult to hand quilt, but the colour is just perfect. As my block is smaller than Yenter’s I made 36 blocks, which is the same number as in the Variable Star quilt top.

In The Beginning

Inspiration from the book

The Constellation Star Quilt is dated Circa 1910. Perhaps there are similar fabrics as in the Variable Star.

I think my Constellation Star Quilt could be described as a ‘Time Span’ Quilt as well. It contains some vintage fabrics, including shirtings. It has been inspired by an old quilt from a book that was first published in 1992. I pieced and quilted the Constellation Star during 2013 and 2014.

Finished quilt showing reproduction backing fabric

Constellation Star prior to binding

May all your Stars shine brightly,
Janette – The Plain Needlewoman

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The Plain Needlewoman

~ Quilt Study, Sewing, Vintage Textiles, Collecting quilts and other old odds and ends.

Category Archives: old quilt tops

One Patch Quilts

Dressmakers’ Quilts

Piece by Piece

Sweet Old Things

Nanna Good’s Ocean Waves Quilt.

A Trip Around the World or Two

Spiders and their Webs

Fabrics and Styles in Double Wedding Ring Quilts.

The Stars Are Shining Bright