more whitework pictures

Here are a couple detail shots, and some photos of the back. The embroidery is all done by hand. It has a fluffy appearance on the surface, and running stitches with visible knots on the reverse.

The piece arrived in good condition with some stains and discoloration, but I think a little TLC will improve it significantly. Mom used to wash antique textiles when she was part of the Moorestown Historical Society in New Jersey, and she gave me good instructions. Stay tuned...

happy day

It's always a happy day when something great arrives on your doorstep. This magnificent object is an early American candlewick spread - handmade - and it took my breath away when I opened it up.

Most of these pictures are lit from behind, making the spread look gray- but it's really white. Candlewicking is a form of whitework.

It came from Julia Kelly-Hodenius of Pique, who found it in Massachusetts. Since I don't know a lot about candlewicking - this is the first piece I have acquired - I'll look forward to learning more about it.

more blue resist

18th century indigo resist hanging over my banister - a place of honor!

My friend Georgia is very helpful when it comes to quilt history information. She's got quite a library, and a good memory for what information can be found, and where. Georgia was telling me about a book I'd had on my wish list for a long time, but hadn't gotten around to buying - "Printed Textiles: English and American Cottons and Linens 1700-1850" by Florence Montgomery.

Today the book arrived, and I also received a letter from Georgia with a copy of the page, 207. That's where I located the illustration of the blue resist print seen in my recently acquired quilt. Here's the illustration, and a photo of a section of the quilt.

There was also a nice surprise. A few pages after the illustration was another print- the same one from the French whole cloth quilt in my collection.

Georgia really nailed it! I had a copy of Montgomery's other book, and wasn't finding the information. Silly me- I was looking in the wrong book! Now I'm looking forward to reading more about these blue resist fabrics, how they were made, and where to find other examples. 

Some San Jose Pictures

Mom and I in San Jose - she came all the way from Maine!

My family and I had a great time in San Jose, where we gathered together to see "Collecting New York Beauty Quilts: Bill Volckening's Passion" at the San Jose Museum of Quilts and Textiles. It was my first time visiting the museum, and I was very impressed. The space is great, and the staff and volunteers are even greater. It made me happy to have my family there. The only time the three of us usually get to see each other is briefly each year at Christmas. Here are a few pictures from the museum.

with Roderick Kiracofe (left) and Joe Cunningham (right)

late addition to the line-up: two of 32 "lost blocks" by Chris Wrobel

a note in the sign-in book written by a young visitor

My sister, Libby and I - she came all the way from Massachusetts!

Thank you to the staff, volunteers and friends of the San Jose Museum of Quilts & Textiles. My family and I enjoyed the warm welcome, the local attractions, and of most of all, the museum.

The New Oldest Quilt in My Collection

This one's an oldie and a goodie. It's an 18th century American block-printed indigo resist wholecloth quilt. What a rare and beautiful thing it is!

There is a quilt with the same print at the John Brown House in Providence, Rhode Island- a place I remember well from my first two years of college at Rhode Island School of Design from 1984 to 1986. That quilt dates to approximately 1750, and the print is an absolute match.

According to a Quilt Index essay called "Rhode Island's Early Quilts" by Linda Welters, printed whole cloth quilts were designed to show off the latest textiles from overseas, primarily England and France. Early indigo resist fabrics were printed with various types of printing plates, from carved wood to engraved copper.

French indigo resist, c. 1780 - the previous oldest quilt in my collection

The resist printing technique was done by block printing a cellulose resist paste on to cotton and flax fabric, and immersing the fabric in an indigo dye, which would turn blue upon exposure to air. The American examples include rich blues in various tones on white or cream colored backgrounds. French examples were often a deeper blue and included picotage- a method of printing dots using carved wooden printing plates studded with metal nails or tacks.

If you have a copy of "Down By The Old Mill Stream: Quilts in Rhode Island" by Linda Welters and Margaret Ordonez, you can see a picture of the quilt that's now at the John Brown House and read a little more about it. And for now, my new quilt is hanging over the banister- a very handsome, albeit temporary addition to my living room decor.

Houzz.com Review of "Collecting New York Beauty Quilts: Bill Volckening's Passion"

Show News: Rare Quilts Get Museum Time

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the "missing" blocks

Last weekend I was at the Pacific West Quilt Show in Tacoma, and spent the day with Georgia Chiarella and Chris Wrobel- maker of the magnificent Great Cities quilt, which is currently on display at the San Jose Museum of Quilts and Textiles. Chris said she had some spare blocks for the quilt, and asked if I wanted them. Of course I wanted them! So she sent them, and they arrived yesterday.

There are 48 blocks in the quilt, and 32 spare blocks!! I couldn't believe my eyes. It's wonderful to have these blocks along with the quilt, and I also have two large pieces of the fabric, one of those given to me by Georgia. Back when I'd first made an offer on the quilt, I'd told Chris the quilt was worth more than what I was offering, but I promised it would be seen by many people. Hopefully I've held up my end of the bargain. :)

Thank you, Chris and Georgia - you're the best!!