quirky old crib quilt

The first time I saw this quirky old crib quilt was December 25th, 1999. It was a housewarming and Christmas gift from Mom and Dad, the year I bought my first house. The quilt came from an antiques dealer in New England, and it was made somewhere in the eastern United States in the first quarter of the 19th century, around 1825.

There are 54 appliqué blocks, brown on white, and the design could be described as an abstract, four-branched, paper-cut snowflake. No two are the same.

The quilt is in fair condition with fading, loss of the glaze on the brown fabric, stains and fraying of the binding. Otherwise it is in good condition.

It is all done by hand and the materials appear to be linen and cotton. The brown fabric is a lovely chestnut color, with variation due to fading.

Quilting is sparse, about five to six stitches per inch, with lines running through the sashing and diagonal zigzag or chevron rows around the border.

The backing is solid white, and it has a wonderful patina from age. There are some small brown spots, and you can clearly see the quilting design.

It is bound with the same glazed brown fabric used in the top. More of the glaze is intact on the binding, but it is fraying. Conservation can be done to stabilize the piece, but at this point it remains in original condition.

The quilt is 32" x 46" and is oddly shaped and roughly rectangular. The blocks are about four inches square and the sashing is a little less than an inch wide. I love this quirky old crib quilt! Thanks Mom and Dad!