Monday, April 15, 2013

an old quirkie


This unusual crib quilt was made in the eastern United States around 1820, and it was the topic of much discussion in the Facebook group for Quilts-Vintage & Antique last night and today. I don't know much about it, but all the blocks are done with variants on the same basic design. It's like a gothic, paper-cut snowflake with arrows pointing outward from each corner.


Susan Atwell posted pictures showing how the applique could have been cut.


This quilt was a gift from my parents, and was one of the first quilts in my collection. I like to pull it out every once in a while, and every time, the reaction is the same. Nobody has ever seen anything like it, and we would all love to know more about it. The quilt is 32" x 45", and the brown fabrics were possibly walnut-dyed. There is glazing evident on the edges of the quilt, especially in the border and binding.


An unusual quilt, for sure, and one that continues to stump historians since there's no history and not much frame of reference. It was fun to see the paper snowflakes and consider how it could have been made. 

1 comment:

  1. When I look at it, I see the pattern the white makes, not the brown. They look like 4 flowers facing the center. They look real cool!

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