New Arrival

This gorgeous thing arrived on my doorstep the other day. It came from an Etsy seller in Naperville, Illinois. It is from the middle to late 1800s, my guess is c. 1870, and the maker and exact location of origin are unknown. It is all cotton, all solid color fabrics, and entirely stitched by hand. Dimensions are 78 X 100, a nice large size!

There are six complete blocks through the center, and 9 half-blocks around the edges. The pieced cornerstones are especially complex. Each has 33 pieces, and there are ten complete cornerstones including one in each corner of the border. There are more than 5,000 pieces in the quilt, including the appliqué.

Speaking of the appliqué, it is very unusual to see applique elements in this motif, which is most popularly known as New York Beauty even though that name was applied more than half a century after this quilt was made. Very few of these quilts have appliqué, so it was a special touch. I think it found a good home.