Tag Archives: vintage quilts

A Learning Curve

24 Monday Oct 2016

Posted by in antique fabric, antique quilts, Feed Sack, hand piecing, hand quilting, Quilt Collections, quilting projects, Repairing old quilts, Scrap quilts, Uncategorized

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Curved piecing is considered more difficult to accomplish than geometric designs. But with so many beautiful patterns to choose from it is worth attempting to learn to sew curves. There are many fine quilting books available that provide step by step instructions for piecing the curve.

I have made a few curved pieced quilts including two Robbing Peter to Pay Paul quilts, a Double Wedding Ring and a Mill Wheel quilt. I have recently hand pieced a quilt in memory of my mother which I have named “Marjie’s Star”. It is a six pointed star set with melon shaped pieces. It was a challenging design but enjoyable to hand piece.img_4676img_4681img_4677

Amongst my collection of old quilts, I have a Friendship Circle quilt.img_4641

This quilt is pieced from woollens, old suiting fabrics, velvets and silk. The block measures 17 inches. There are 16 full blocks and 4 half blocks to finish one side of the quilt. The seams are stitched with feather stitching and the quilt is tied. The backing is a paisley flannel.img_4685img_4684

Curved designs were popular during the 1930s and 1940s. These included the Double Wedding Ring, Drunkard’s Path, Fan and Dresden Plate quilts. Two unfinished projects that I have recently acquired both contain curves. The first project consists of 14 Dresden Fan blocks pieced and appliquéd onto a white background and set with hot pink. Also included with my purchase is extra hot pink fabric and the start of a scalloped border for the quilt. There is certainly enough to complete this 1930s beauty.img_4665img_4664img_4666

The Maker of the second project hadn’t progressed very far along with her piecing. There was a paper pattern with the partial blocks which I have identified as Mohawk Trail.img_4667

There are pieced blocks, partially pieced and many wedge sections cut.img_4668

I have re-drafted the pattern and will stitch a couple of blocks to see if it is going to work out. These sweet old pieces have sat undisturbed for many years and may have to wait sometime yet.

As this year is fast coming to an end, I will add these projects on my list of quilts to finish in 2017. Meanwhile I am busily hand quilting, and hope to finish a vintage Trip Around the World quilt before we bid farewell to 2016.

Happy Quilting, Janette – The Plain Needlewoman.

Piece by Piece

19 Monday Sep 2016

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

Pieces of Irish chain quilt

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

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.

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.

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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

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

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.

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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.img_4419

Happy Quilting from Janette, The Plain Needlewoman

Darting Birds

09 Saturday Apr 2016

Posted by in antique fabric, antique quilts, Double Pinks, hand quilting, Mending, Old Quilts, Uncategorized

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I purchased this charming old quilt as a ‘cutter quilt’. This is the term used for quilts that are in a very sad condition and can be cut up for small projects with out feeling guilty about cutting up an old quilt. I could see it had potential for salvaging into small keepsake pieces.

A heart shape cut from the Darting Birds quilt .

A heart shape cut from the Darting Birds quilt .

When the quilt arrived in the mail, I realised I could not contemplate cutting up this beautiful old quilt. I identified the block pattern in Barbara Brackman’s Encyclopedia of Pieced Quilt Blocks as Darting Birds designed by Nancy Page.

The maker of this quilt had a good collection of fabrics dating from the 1880s to 1900s, including the gorgeous double pink used in the alternate blocks. The birds are pieced from reds, blacks, indigos and browns. The patterns are florals, checks, stripes and polka dots. The backgrounds of the blocks are mostly shirtings.

Detail of fabrics.

Detail of fabrics.

Darting Birds block

Darting Birds block

The beautiful backing fabric used on this quilt was a pleasant surprise as the seller had not mentioned this. The majority of old quilts have plain muslin backings.

Gorgeous backing fabric on display.

Gorgeous backing fabric on display.

Obviously made by a skilled needlewoman the piecing is neat and accurate. The hand quilting stitches are tiny and even and the maker chose cross-hatching for her quilting design.

Most of the wear on the Darting Birds quilt was on the outside edges. I decided to cut the outside rows off the four sides of the quilt. Removing the damaged area has provided me with some scraps for cutter quilt projects. I stitched a new binding – nice and narrow in keeping with the original. Even though some of the remaining blocks are worn, I can still admire and enjoy this old and obviously much loved quilt. I hope you can too!

Softly aged and worn.

Softly aged and worn.

Lucy’s Quilt

01 Saturday Aug 2015

Posted by in Feed Sack, Old Quilts, Quilt Collections, Quilt Stories

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Four Petals made by Lucy M. Hauser

Four Petals made by Lucy M. Hauser

The Four Petals quilt was made in Kentucky by Lucy M. Hauser during the 1940s. It is hand pieced and hand quilted. The fabrics used in this quilt are feed sack and dress fabrics. The borders, lattice strips and setting squares are a bright pink and aqua. The backing is a feed sack print in a dainty pink floral which compliments the pink and aqua fabrics perfectly. The binding is of the same fabric and is machine stitched. The machine stitching is very fine indeed which indicates it was probably stitched on a treadle machine.

Detail of The Four Petals

Detail of The Four Petals

Fabulous Feed Sack fabrics

Fabulous Feed Sack fabrics

The story of Lucy’s Quilt was passed onto to me by Eileen and Bernie Donnelly who have entrusted this quilt and it’s story to me. The story of The Four Petals quilt is reproduced here as told by Eileen and Bernie. ‘We were driving through West Virginia and Maryland on the last part of our trip.(October 1994) We were looking for old quilts and had been told by one of our son Stephen’s friends, who came from West Virginia, that “old” or Antique Quilts were no longer easy to find. They suggested we stop at some of the old general stores in the small country villages and ask. We did just that and were sent to see Mrs. Lucy Mae Hauser on her farm a couple of miles away. At this stage we we were right in the middle of the Amish country in Maryland, just near the West Virginia border. Lucy invited us in to show us what she had. She was absolutely thrilled to see us as she had not met Australians before. She told us she was 79 then she remembered she was only 76. She took us into a spare bedroom and pulled back a crocheted afghan to reveal a very bright quilt. “Railway Tracks” design. She said she had not sold quilts before, but would sell one to us. So we bought it, literally off her bed. Then she remembered she had some other quilts in the cupboard. She showed us “this one” and we liked it better than the one we had bought, so she agreed to exchange it, so we remade her bed.

Quiltmaker - Lucy Mae Hauser born 9 May 1920

Quiltmaker – Lucy Mae Hauser born 9 May 1920

This quilt was made mostly from Feed sacks and dress fabrics and she said she had made it in Kentucky in the 1940s. The design Four Petals, is very unusual and comes from the Farmer’s Journal which was first published in 1877. The design has probably been handed down through the family.’

The Label beautifully hand written by Eileen.

The Label beautifully hand written by Eileen.

Feed sack backing

Feed sack backing

The instructions for reproducing this quilt were written by Eileen and published in The Australian Patchwork and Quilting Magazine Vol. 9 No. 4 February 2002.IMG_2997 Hope you enjoy seeing The Four Petals Quilt and reading the story of it’s journey to Australia. It is wonderful to have provenance of the maker’s of old quilts, so thank you to Bernie and Eileen for sharing the story of this lovely old quilt. Thank you for visiting The Plain Needlewoman.

Spiders and their Webs

01 Thursday Jan 2015

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

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Turkey Red and White Star Quilt

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

The Stars Are Shining Bright

13 Saturday Dec 2014

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

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The Variable Star Quilt Top

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

Dark Maroon and floral print circa 1930s

Shirtings circa 1880s

Shirtings circa 1880s

Another from the 30s.

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

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

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

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

In The Beginning

Inspiration from the book

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

Finished quilt showing reproduction backing fabric

Constellation Star prior to binding

Constellation Star prior to binding

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

All Things Thirties

04 Thursday Dec 2014

Posted by in appliqué, hand quilting, old fabrics, old sewing books, vintage quilts

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China Swans in Shades of Green

China Swans in Shades of Green

An early childhood memory of mine is of our cream and green kitchen. This lovely soft colour scheme was replaced in the 60s by a much brighter colour scheme. Every cupboard door (and there were many) was painted alternating colours of hot pink, aqua, yellow and red. We thought it was fab.

Green and cream colours for the kitchen

Green and cream colours for the kitchen

Bright colours for brighter times

Bright colours for brighter times

It is understandable following the decades of the depression era and World War 2, that bright colours became popular as the world celebrated peace and prosperity.

Quilt Designs from the Thirties by Sara Nephew

Quilt Designs from the Thirties by Sara Nephew

During the Great Depression quilters turned to soft, pretty colours to use in their quilts. There was a multitude of patterned fabrics to choose from. These dainty prints were more often than not offset with bleached calico and a solid colour. Nile green was a favoured choice. In the book ‘Quilt Designs from the Thirties’ by Sara Nephew,
Nephew states ‘Many of the colours of this period are pastels or softened colours. Most common among these are ‘thirties green’, pink, lavender, a buttery yellow, a light blue or blue green, and soft brown or tan. Popular solids also included a strong burgundy, a bright, clear red and a bright clear blue’.

Original greens.

Original greens.

If you have the chance to buy reproduction or vintage fabric in these shades, don’t hesitate. It is invaluable in reproducing quilts with the look of this era.

Reproduction Green, pieced with contemporary, vintage and reproduction fabrics.

Reproduction Green, pieced with contemporary, vintage and reproduction fabrics.

Missouri Daisy quilt made with reproduction and vintage fabrics. Includes some feed sacks.

Missouri Daisy quilt made with reproduction and vintage fabrics. Includes some feed sacks.

I love working with both vintage and reproduction fabrics from the 30s and 40s and look forward to sharing future posts on All Things Thirties.

Happy Making, Janette

Fabric Study in Old Quilts

19 Wednesday Nov 2014

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

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Four Poster Bed Quilt

Four Poster Bed Quilt

Straight Furrow - Log Cabin Quilt

Straight Furrow – Log Cabin Quilt

These two quilts came into my collection from ‘The Donnellys’.

They purchased the Four Poster Bed quilt in 1997 in Groton, Massachusetts, USA from The Quilt Loft. This was owned by Diane Reese who has a Master’s Degree in Antique American Textiles from Boston University.

The quilt is dated circa 1876, which is substantiated by the fabrics used as they are very distinctive. A lovely fine red and white stripe fabric was used for the sashing, borders and binding. The quilt is backed with a coffee coloured linen type fabric that was possibly a homespun fabric. It is beautifully pieced and features well executed hand quilting. The red and white stripe fabric sets off the nine patch blocks beautifully and lends the quilt a timeless quality.

Detail of the nine patch blocks and sashing

Detail of the nine patch blocks and sashing

Fabric detail to study

Fabric detail to study

There is no other information available regarding this quilt but Bernie and Eileen did see George Washington’s bed at Mt.Vernon in Virginia, it was a four poster and they were surprised that it was so short.

Quilt Collectors - Eileen and Bernie Donnelly

Quilt Collectors – Eileen and Bernie Donnelly

The Log Cabin quilt was passed on to me by Eileen and Bernie as they thought I might have the time and patience to repair this very old but still beautiful quilt. It contains a stunning collection of fabrics including many shirtings. It is very faded and has worn to shreds in some sections.

Log Cabin block detail

Log Cabin block detail

Log Cabin Construction Method

Log Cabin Construction Method

Primarily Patchwork published in 1975 includes detailed construction method of foundation piecing log cabin quilts

Primarily Patchwork published in 1975 includes a detailed construction method of foundation piecing log cabin quilts.

However, the worn areas allow for studying the method of construction. The strips have been foundation pieced onto squares of patterned and plain fabrics. The squares were then stitched together and backed with a plain homespun. There is minimal hand quilting, also with a linen or coarse cotton thread. The Donnelly’s believe this quilt to be circa 1850s to 1860s. The process of repairing this quilt is ongoing. I am re-stitching the strips back onto their foundation block and in some instances the fabrics have frayed away completely. I trim these off to reveal the foundation fabric underneath which is quite fascinating to discover. Although the Log Cabin quilt is very fragile now, its beauty will be enjoyed for another generation and provide a unique study of the old fabrics.

Still beautiful Still beautiful

Happy Quilting, Janette

A Rescue Mission

26 Sunday Oct 2014

Posted by in appliqué, old fabrics, old sewing books, vintage quilts

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I was entrusted with this quilt which I have named Prairie Rose from the quilt collectors Bernie and Eileen Donnelly.

When I first saw this quilt I could see that it had been well made, the button hole stitching on the appliqué and the hand quilting with a perle thread was extremely well executed. Although faded over time the colours are still very pleasing – soft apricot, green and blue on the white background.

Prairie Rose quilt in it's original state

Prairie Rose quilt in it’s original state

There were two rather large holes and the curved blue binding was in tatters. The quilt was reasonably clean considering it has such a large area of white and had obviously been well used.

Removing the binding

Removing the binding

Preparation for repairing

Preparation for repairing

A soak in Retro Clean

A soak in Retro Clean

Retro Clean

Retro Clean

I decided to give this quilt a soak in Retro Clean to remove some of the stains and to generally freshen it up.
After a good soak in the old wash tub I transferred it to the washing machine and washed it on the gentle cycle. As it was a nice sunny day the quilt dried very quickly and I could plan the steps for repairing it.

I decided to cut off the old binding. This also removed some of the damaged areas which were near the edge of the quilt. There were two large tears remaining, that I thought I would be able to patch. Apart from that the quilt was looking very pretty.

this book contains a wonderful chapter on darning and patching

this book contains a wonderful chapter on darning and patching

Following the steps on patching in The Big Book of Needlecraft I proceeded to repair the damaged areas.

Patch placed on the wrong side of the quilt

Patch placed on the wrong side of the quilt

A neat patch in place

A neat patch in place

The next step in repairing the quilt was to re-do the binding. Rummaging through my collection of old fabric and trialling a couple of blues, I found a nice old, blue gingham. Gingham is a favourite of mine and it has a timeless quality. I cut many metres on the bias and machine stitched it onto the quilt. The hand sewing of the curved binding was a slow but rewarding process. I was very happy with the fresh look the gingham provided.

I now have a lovely new/old quilt. I think this quilt was made circa 1940s. It was probably a kit quilt with the quilting and appliqué placement pre marked. The original quilt maker chose thicker threads to appliqué and quilt with, giving this quilt another dimension in texture and colour. I haven’t been able to identify an exact pattern name for this design but I think Prairie Rose suits it very well.

Restored Quilt

Restored Quilt

I thank the quilt maker of the past who so lovingly stitched this quilt and I hope I have honoured her workmanship and I will enjoy having this quilt in my collection. Happy Quilting from Janette, A Plain Needlewoman.