Twelve Quilts of Christmas 2019 – #5

Lattice Crib Quilt, Haven, KS, c. 1930, 43″x53″, Maker Unknown. From the Collection of Faith and Stephen Brown.

 

Where do I begin with this one?  It is wonderfully complex in it’s simplicity.  Is it a strippy quilt or is it a medallion?

 

The layers … the optical layers … of this quilt create great visual intrigue, and this is most apparent in the centre section of the quilt. The delightful palette of the one patches is unified by the consistency of colour in the strings of each strip. That red string strip.  Wowzer.  Again, if you were to change out the red strings in that row to green or blue or more pink/peach one, you would miss the red.  It makes the quilt. Equally important is how the some of the pink string blocks in the right two strips are blended out, the strings being so close in colour to the “background” of the block.  This gives the eye a place to rest in what is a very visually active quilt.

 

The black outer border does all the work in holding this quilt together.  That being said, it relates beautifully to the delicate border that is created with the black string blocks on the blue and pink borders, adding again to the sense of complex yet simple.  The fact that the top and bottom black string border block colours are different colours from the side black string border blocks adds to the visual interest.  Using the lighter pink based black string border blocks (sorry no easier way to say that!) on the sides seems to visually expand the width of the quilt. The delicate difference in the shades of pink in those blocks creates even more visual variety in a subtle way.  By the way, it didn’t bother her one bit that the corners of the black string block border did not resolve consistently in all the corners.

 

And that one black block in the one patch section is the perfect balance to both the purple one patch and the red string strip.   

 

I like the spunkiness of this quilter.

 

What’s your favourite element of this quilt?

COMMENTS

  1. Complex in its simplicity- that was perfect. Rather striking for a crib quilt (IMO)

    • mekinch says...

      Perhaps not the most peaceful of quilts for a wee one, but so stunning!

  2. Linda Pyke says...

    Wowzer!!!!! This is gorgeously complex for a simple pattern. Loving the quilt show.

    • mekinch says...

      Thank you so much Linda. This one just leaves me grinning with delight. So much to look at!

  3. Pam says...

    I definitely see 3 dimensions …

    • mekinch says...

      I wonder if all this dimensionality was her vision or if it just happened and she looked at it when it was done and went … “Oh wow! Look at that!”

  4. Audrey says...

    So much depth! I see a quilt on a clothesline through a lattice paned window, sort of–but lattice isn’t plain. I am mesmerized. Also, the pink-blue balance with tones of flesh (any race if inside a mouth) and sky is lovely. That intensity of green doesn’t compete with the lipstick red. So much to take in.

    • mekinch says...

      I could look at this one for ages. Gives me goosebumps.

  5. I LOVE this one. Simple and so complex what a great design.

    • mekinch says...

      I sit here slightly shaking my head because it is such a phenomenal execution of the design. I hope the maker knows how much we are loving it.

  6. I love everything about this little quilt….but especially that one black square!

    • mekinch says...

      Couldn’t. Agree. More!

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