DECEMBER 21, 2018
Star of Hope Crib Quilt, late 19th century, 36 1/4″ x 36 1/4″, maker unknown. Found on Liveauctioneers.
I did mention, didn’t I, that one of the things that was very appealing, as I was choosing examples for this year, was that there were plenty of opportunities to highlight quilts with lots of small pieces! And does this quilt ever fit the bill! I think that is what partly stopped me in my tracks on this one and caused me to experience a sharp intake of air (aka: audible gasp).
The auction listing stated that there are 35 blocks each one measuring 5 1/2″, and then I realize that the description is identifying a block as four of the star blocks set with the cross sashing, so rightly so that is how it should be described. But the math! The sashing bars between the four star blocks are around 3/8″ – 1/2″ (some are bigger and some are smaller). The broken dish blocks in the star units finish around 7/8″! Remember it is likely hand pieced!
I’ll leave you a moment to catch your breath! It is far from perfect.
The quilt police would have had to sharpen their pencils in making notes about it, but oh what a phenomenal work of love for a sweet babe! I wouldn’t change a thing.
DECEMBER 20, 2018
Log Cabin Crib Quilt, c.late 19th century, 25 1/2″ x 34″, maker unknown. Found on Skinner Inc.
When it has a cheddar binding, well you know right there that this little quilt quickly won my heart over. And then there are those wee logs … yes wee. Be still my heart! One of the challenges of looking at photos of quilts is that it can be hard to understand the scale of the pieces. Let me do some math for you. The quilt measures 34″ long and there are 12 blocks, so each block is around 2 7/8″. There are nine pieces across each block so that puts those little logs … those adorable little logs … at around 1/3″ each. Between the cheddar binding and little logs … pass the smelling salts.
So technically this pattern is Courthouse Steps and not Log Cabin, but none of that changes the skill in making this quilt and the deft use of colour. Cheddar strips have been liberally sprinkled throughout the quilt creating a common anchor of colour, when combined with the cheddar binding, And the cheddar nicely balances off the red which has also liberally been sprinkled throughout. The colour palette is happy and cheery without being overwhelming or overstimulating … the perfect combination for a crib quilt!
DECEMBER 19, 2018
This quilt has been so carefully planned out and beautifully executed. The moment I saw it , it went on my favourites list (this is the one I had to dig deep into my hard drive to find!). I know about this quilt because a dear friend, and non-quilter, saw it on a website she was looking at (for another reason) and then sent me the link, thinking I might be interested. Thank you LK. It’s great to have friends who get your love of quilts!
Where to start? I love how the the four patches on point reflect the movement of the Irish Chain elements. I love that it is a rectangle and has those four patch “bands” at the top and bottom. I love how the four stars in the corner match and the centre is just a little bit different. I love how the dashes of red in the four patches encourage your eye to dance away from the star centres and then back again. In many of the four patches, the use of lights almost blend into the background fabric really let the darker colours in the other portion of the four patch float. I love how the single fold narrow binding is a print and adds a delicate frame around the whole composition. I love that the quilting is simple: single and double rows on the diagonal or forming chevrons.
Yup, it still makes my heart sing and is on my favourites list!
DECEMBER 18, 2018
Album Pattern Crib Quilt, c. 1850, Maryland, 37 1/4″ x 38 3/4″, maker unknown. From the Collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
Sometimes it cannot be better said than by an expert quilt historian. This is from the museum curatorial notes:
“Our red and green appliqued crib quilt is a rare example of a Maryland Album quilt in miniature. Its four blocks each contain a floral design similar to those found on large Album quilts, and the swag border is also a common finishing element for quilts from this period. The imperfect quality of the applique work throughout the quilt leads us to suspect that it is the work of a child. Stitching down the appliquéd designs so that they remained symmetrical, and planning out the correct dimensions for each swag on the border would have been challenging even for an adult.” [Peck 2015; adapted from Amelia Peck, “American Quilts & Coverlets in the Metropolitan Museum of Art,” 2007]
It is precisely the imperfections that endear this quilt to me. I love that the border is not perfect. It would be too static if it was. I love that they have still managed to almost achieve balance in the design of the four blocks. The reality is that the lower left block does feel a bit heavy, but I also see it as “anchoring” the design; my eye is drawn back to it repeatedly. The delicacy of the designs of the upper left and lower right blocks add to the harmony of the quilt as they provide a visual foil to the other two visually heavier blocks in the composition; they give the eye a place to rest. Plus I am a sucker for a good tulip design!
DECEMBER 17, 2018
Square in a Square Chintz Crib Quilt, North Carolina,
c. 1800, 38.75″ x 38″. Maker unknown. Found on Liveauctioneers.
Remember what I said about loved and worn. That certainly is this quilt. But there is still so much to love about it despite it’s worn state. Delicate is a word that comes to mind. Whoever designed it used a very light hand making the most of the few elements that they did use.
The central square and the borders while they look “empty” actually are filled with stuffed work. The central square has a basket filled with fruit and the border work details vine and berry motifs. If you look closely you can see the shadows of these elements.
One of the things I like about this design is how the inner triangles on the outer border are a lighter shade than the outer border. This detail gives definition to the border, helping to frame the wonderful stuff work that it contains, but at the same time not ensuring that it does not compete visually with the red borders that are right next to it. This allows the red borders to form the wonderful graphic lines that they do in the centre of the quilt.
And those triangles. Give me a good tiny triangle any day to make my heart sing!
