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The Plain Needlewoman

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

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Tag Archives: embroidery

Australian Crazy Quilt

20 Friday Jul 2018

Posted by mcinnesjanette in Australian Quilts, Crazy Quilts, hand piecing, old fabrics, old quilt tops, Old Quilts, Quilt Collections, Quilt Stories, quilting projects, Repairing old quilts, Scrap quilts, Sewing machines, stitching, Uncategorized, vintage quilts, Waggas

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collections, Coverlets, embroidery, Handmade, handwork, Hard times, old quilts, original designs, Quilting, quilts, vintage fabrics, vintage quilts

There is no provenance on this crazy style patchwork coverlet, but it was found in Melbourne. The fabrics suggest it was made in the post war era, probably 1950s. This style of quilt making is documented in Margaret Rolfe’s books on the traditions and history of Australian quilt making.

The coverlet contains a time capsule of dressmaking and home furnishing fabrics from an era when most women stitched clothing for themselves and their families. The fabrics used include ginghams, barkcloth, stripes, checks, double knits, woven houndstooth and many bright floral and geometric designs. The border is a sunny yellow Cesarine. Cesarine was used extensively in the 1950s and 1960s.

The maker of this quilt carefully turned under the raw edges of her patches and hand tacked narrow hems before overlapping the irregular pieces which she stitched directly onto the one piece of calico backing.

Working on such a large piece must have been difficult at times. The coverlet measures 170 cm x 202 cm

The seams are finished with featherstitching. The border was stitched by machine to the right side of the coverlet, neatly folded over and hand sewn to cover the raw edge at the back.

Small opening shows the construction method used

It is interesting to study the back of the coverlet which is as neat as the front.

Front border detail

Detail of fabrics

Gingham, florals and geometrics

The quilt appears to have never been used or washed.

I am very happy to have another wonderful example of an Australian quilt in my collection. It is much valued. I am glad this quilt maker saved her sewing scraps and made this quilt. It provides a great opportunity to study the fabrics and designs of this era. Happy stiching, Janette – The Plain Needlewoman

Redwork – Excellence with the Needle

21 Monday Dec 2015

Posted by mcinnesjanette in antique quilts, hand quilting, Quilt Collections, Redwork, Turkey Red, vintage quilts

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Tags

embroidery, hand quilting, Redwork

Emil. Mae's Redwork quilt dated August 1917

Emil. Mae’s Redwork quilt dated August 1917

The popularity of Redwork during the period of 1885 to 1925, coincided with the development of a colourfast dye that produced a lovely clear red. The name given to this red was Turkey Red. The name came from the country where this difficult and complicated dyeing process was created and produced under much secrecy. Even today it is not known beyond all doubt how the original methods were carried out.

Patterns for Redwork were published in the Women’s Magazines such as The Ladies Home Journal, The Modern Priscilla and Godey’s Lady’s Book. Stamping Kits and Patterns were offered to entice customers to take out subscriptions. This is an early example of advertising. The patterns used in Redwork were not specifically for quilts, but for all household linens. They were also known as Penny Squares, Storybook, Pictorial or Nursery Rhyme designs.IMG_3520

Due to the simplicity of Redwork and the basic requirements needed Redwork was a good project for beginners and children. Redwork quilts were often made up without batting and in some instances they were simply backed and not quilted.

A story book Redwork quilt -quilted without batting

A story book Redwork quilt -quilted without batting

A stanza from The Needles Excellency by John Taylor published in 1631 describes embroidered pictures. It is also a fitting description of the variety of images found on Redwork quilts made nearly 300 years later.

“Flowers, Plants and Fishes,
Beasts, Birds, Flyes and Bees,
Hills, Dales, Plains, Pastures,
Skies, Seas, Rivers, Trees,
There’s nothing ne’er at hand or farthest sought
But with the needle may be shap’d and wrought.”

Sheep in the Meadows

Sheep in the Meadows

Pigs in the Farmyard

Pigs in the Farmyard

Horses - a favourite subject

Horses – a favourite subject

Daisies

Daisies

A Crib Quilt

A Crib Quilt

Any-one for tennis?

Any-one for tennis?

Wishing you all a safe and peaceful Christmas. I hope you find time during the busy festive season to spend in pursuit of excellence with the needle. Sending my best, Janette – The Plain NeedlewomanIMG_3510

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Recent Posts

  • (no title)
  • Cathedral Window Quilt circa 1930s
  • Marjie”s Star Quilt
  • Australian Crazy Quilt
  • Clarence Valley Coverlet No. 2

Recent Comments

mcinnesjanette on Marjie”s Star Quilt
Lowana Radel on Marjie”s Star Quilt
Jill on My Wagga Quilt
mcinnesjanette on My Wagga Quilt
Sherry on My Wagga Quilt

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Categories

  • 19th century Madder Fabrics
  • antique fabric
  • antique quilts
  • appliqué
  • Australian Quilts
  • Cathedral Window Quilts
  • Christmas
  • Crazy Quilts
  • Cumbria
  • d'oyleys
  • Doll Quilts
  • Double Pinks
  • English Quilts
  • Feed Sack
  • hand piecing
  • hand quilting
  • handquilting
  • hexagons
  • Mary Brooks Picken
  • Mending
  • North Country quilts
  • old fabrics
  • old quilt tops
  • Old Quilts
  • old sewing books
  • Paper Piecing
  • Postage Stamp Quilts
  • Quilt Collections
  • Quilt Restoration
  • Quilt Stories
  • quilting projects
  • red and green quilts
  • Red and White quilts
  • Redwork
  • Repairing old quilts
  • Scrap quilts
  • Sewing machines
  • Signature Quilts
  • Singer Sewing Manuals
  • Spider Webs
  • stitching
  • Stripe Quilts
  • Strippy Quilts
  • Trip Around the World
  • Turkey Red
  • Uncategorized
  • vintage quilts
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