Hope Your Christmas Was Merry and Bright!

Darwin D. Bearley Antique Ohio Amish Quilts

Antique Ohio Amish Quilts from the Darwin D. Bearley Collection is the new exhibit at the San Jose Museum of Quilts and Textiles.  There's a beautiful book from 2006 which I've had for a couple years that documents the collection.  I was so fortunate to see this amazing exhibit presenting 'Quilts as Art'!

Ocean Waves, cotton, 35" x 41"
c. 1890 - 1900, Holmes County

Broken Star, cotton, 79" x 79", c. 1925-30, Holmes County, made by Mother of Mrs. Henry Raber

 

Courthouse Steps, wool, 76" x 81", c. 1880 - 90, Holmes County
Log Cabin, Straight Furrow, wool, 67" x 82", 1914, Holmes County, made by Mariann Yoder
Log Cabin, Light & Dark Variation, wool, 66" x 82", c. 1880-90, Holmes County
Nine Patch Variation "Winter Quilt", heavy wool, 67" x 88", initialed R.T. 1884, Knox County

Sampler, cotton, 64" x 87", c. 1890-1900, Holmes County
Diagonal 16-Patch, cotton, 76" x 77", c. 1880-90, Mt. Hope, Holmes County
Zig Zag Nine Patch Variation, cotton, 79" x 81", c. 1890-1930, Geauga County

Chinese Coins, cotton, 79" x 90", c. 1930-40, Plain City, OH
Tumbling Blocks, wool, 70" x 87", c. 1900-1910, Holmes County, made by Anna K. Yoder

 Twinkle Stars, cotton, 72" x 89", dated 1895, made by Dena Miller, Holmes County

Bear Paw, wool, 77" x 92", c. 1900-1915, Holmes County

Amelia Heiskell Lauck

Amelia Heiskell Lauck (1760 - 1842) lived in Winchester, VA where she and her husband, Peter, ran the Red Lion Inn and raised their family (eleven children of which six survived to adulthood).  Amelia was an accomplished quiltmaker with possible assistance from household slaves.  At least four of her quilts have survived (three of which are inscribed as gifts to her children), two in the Colonial Williamsburg collection and two owned by the DAR (one of the DAR quilts could have been made by Amelia's daughter-in-law).  All four quilts are currently on display - two in the Williamsburg's exhibit 'A Rich and Varied Culture, The Textiles of the Early South' and two in the DAR exhibit, 'Eye on Elegance'.  The quilts from this post are from the Williamsburg exhibit where photos were allowed.
 

 
This quilt was a wedding gift to Amelia's son Morgan and his bride married on May 26, 1824. The quilt's outer border was removed and incorporated into at least one pillow cover which survives with the quilt.

 

 

Sunday Shopping

Yesterday was the last Sunday antique market at the local fairgrounds for 2014.  My first purchase of the morning brought sunshine to my day.  This late 19th century top has a couple double-pink fabric tears, but its been reproduced and repair shouldn't be a problem.  I think this top was meant to find me.  The dealer had the top for only one day - fate!

 

I found this beautiful pitcher.  I love serving iced-tea out of old pitchers

because the tea highlights the glass detail.  Be sure to let the brewed tea come to room temperature before pouring into the pitcher - learned the hard way on that one.   
These old linens will look great in the summer kitchen.  The top one is a towel and the bottom one looks like a table runner ($2 each and in perfect condition).
 

 I found a mulberry transferware plate to add to my collection. Fall is the perfect season to display mulberry dishes.

I also found a glass frog for flower arranging for $.50 and old perforated quilting stencils for $1.  A crisp autumn morning for a treasure hunt!  And the BEARS WON!!!   



Where's Waldo?

October 17th is the last day for the 'Civil War Quilters: Loyal Hearts of Illinois' quilt exhibit at the Illinois State Museum Lockport Gallery.  This exhibit has made its way thru multiple locations, so you've probably seen these quilts on other blogs.  They are worth another look.                                           This Oak Leaf quilt (ca. 1860) was made by Sarah Ann (Elliott) Dunn from Elliottstown, IL.  Sarah's husband, Andrew, enlisted in the IL U.S. Infantry at age 49.  Her son, Thomas, served his country at the age of 18.

 
The Sunburst Quilt (ca. 1855) was made by Jan Gaunt (Richards) Russell.  This crib quilt was made for Jane's granddaughter, Sadie B. Fulkerson (born 1866).  Sadie's father was a confederate soldier. The fabrics in the quilt predate the Civil War.

The Seven Sisters Quilt (ca. 1870) was made by Mary Ellen (McLain) James and George W. James from Indian Creek, IL.  Following the war, George (an injured veteran) made the template and cut the 14,320 pieces for the quilt. 

So, now for the "Where's Waldo" reference.  I've been absent from the blog for the summer.  I had a couple of deadlines that monopolized my free time.  The first project was a knitted shawl for my niece's Paris honeymoon.  Knitting is a great travel project and I got alot accomplished on my work commute.  She returned home last Sunday - can't wait to catch up with her.

Second project - in mid May my number came up on the AQSG Civil War Quilt Study waiting list.  The deadline for quilt delivery was Sept. 11, 9:00 AM.  It literally took every minute - I am now re-acquainted with hand quilting.  The label was sewed on the night before the 5:30 AM road trip to Milwaukee.  Unfortunately, I had no picture taking opportunity in daylight hours prior to handing over custody.  The lighting in the exhibit area was a tad dark.  The quilt measures 42.5" square.  The inspiration quilt is from The Quilt Index #09.0207.  Now we're all caught up!



Quilt for Caelyn

My granddaughter loves bright colors, red in particular.  She is quite a good, little artist (9yo), and chose fabrics for a nap quilt herself.  She approved a simple design -

Not wanting the remnants, I pieced the back, and kind of like it.  But I'm yearning to work with repros again soon.  First I have to work on my daughter's modern quilt of aqua and grey.

Doll Quilts

If you remember my find in Iowa a few months ago, it finally has fulfilled it's purpose.

The inside of the box was quite rough.  Varnishing still left it that way, even after three coats, so I decided to line the box.  While looking for the right fabric, I came across some scraps of low- loft poly batting.  I have no recollection of why it was there, but there was just enough to do the job.

Looks more like a dolly coffin, doesn't it?  The batting stuck to the rough wood, so I didn't bother with another liner.  Easy, peasy!

Fabric Search

I'm looking for 1/3 yard of this fabric.  I think it's 'Seaweed' from P & B - an older line.  If you have some you're willing to part with, I'll buy or trade (if I have something you're looking for).  You can leave a comment or email me (click on my name from right sidebar and then click on 'email' from left sidebar).

Thanks so much for checking!

Vicki

Update:  Ding, Ding, Ding - we have a winner!  Thanks to the wonder of the internet quilting community, the fabric is found.  Thanks so much to Jan at 'Bemused'!!!

Teapot, Peony and Frog

Instant success.  A perfect, aromatic bouquet every time.  If you don't have a small collection of glass frogs, start collecting.  Peonies don't last long when cut, but they are a showstopper. 

Continued

 Close-up of a beautiful star quilt.  I didn't find this one in the book.  I have no details about the quilt.  The tour is sensory overload - quickly snapping pictures while quilt treasures fly by.  The fabric colors are still so vibrant on this quilt.

I've updated yesterday's post with info on the current 'Workt by Hand' exhibit in Sacramento, CA.


 

The excerpts in this post are from The Smithsonian Treasury American Quilts by Doris M. Bowman.

The Copp Quilt from Stonington, Connecticut (pg 23 if you're following along) was one of the first three quilts collected by the museum in the late 19th century.  This is a framed center quilt with cut out corners.  From The Smithsonian Treasury American Quilts, 'Two dresses in the Copp family collection are made of fabrics that appear in the quilt.  One dress dates from about 1800, and the other from about 1815, the time when the quilt was probably made.'

 

 

Double Irish Chain (pg 25)

So amazing!  This quilt was started in 1825 and finished in 1830 by Jane Valentine in Cayuga Co. NY.  From the book, 'There are 348 white cruciform-shaped pieces, and 348 pieced blocks made of 10,092 squares, each 5/8 inch.'

Rising Sun Quilt, quiltmaker Betsy Totten (pg 28-29)  From the book, 'The Rising Sun pieced pattern in the center of Betsy's quilt is an eight-pointed star measuring 76 inches across, and containing 648 diamond-shaped pieces of printed cottons arranged concentrically by color.  Appliqued between the points of the star are elaborate vases of flowers and birds, combining floral glazed chintzes with some of the same fabrics used in the star.  A matching floral vine runs around the four sides of the quilt between a swag-and-bow border on the inside, and a chain along the outer edge.  The appliqued flower stems, vine, swags, bows, and chain are only 3/32 inch wide.'

Betsy Totten, born 1791 in Tottenville, Staten Island, NY, married twice but had no children.  The quilt was willed to her sister's granddaughter.  

 

Groom's Quilt pg 48  Presented to Benoni Pearce for his betrothal.                                From the book, 'This quilt was made for Benoni Pearce in 1850 when he was twenty-eight years old.  The eighty-one squares are signed by friends and members of his family...  Benoni was then a farmer living on his father's farm in Pawling, Duchess County, New York.  By 1860, census records show that Benoni was still farming with his father, but he had acquired a wife, Emma, and two childresn, seven-year-old Augusta and three-year-old Jesse.'

 

Printed Quilt Center (pg 27)

From the book, 'The central diagonal block of this handsome quilt, specially printed to be used as a quilt center or cushion cover, was one of many produced in the first half of the nineteenth century.  It dates from between 1815 and 1830, as do the rest of the printed fabrics in the quilt, which belonged to Mrs. William Alston.  She lived at Fairfield, her husband's plantation on the Waccamaw River, near Georgetown and Charleston, South Carolina.'

Sunburst Quilt (pg 52)  From the book, 'This quilt was made in the mid-nineteenth century, in Funkstown, Maryland, by Anna Sophie Shriver for her sister, Catherine Shriver Knode, wife of Frisbe Knode.  It is exquisitely worked, with a pieced sunburst pattern complemented by elaborate stuffed quilting.'

One drawer included a beautiful sampler from 1826 made by nine-year-old Mary Howard. 

Road Trip - Day 4 and 5 (1st Installment)

Day 4 started with a trip to the National Museum of Women in the Arts to visit the 'Workt by Hand: Hidden Labor and Historical Quilts'. They had a 'no photo' policy and the exhibit book was out of stock; but according to this 'A Quilter by Night' blog post, The Brooklyn Museum exhibit must have had a more lenient photo policy - be sure to click on 'Part 2' at the bottom of the post.  I have one thing to share - not the eagle above - that was Day 5, but I'll get there.  I studied my 'favorite' quilt from the exhibit for quite awhile.  Jan discovered that Mary Koval has reproduced the quilt, Lydia, and the free pattern pdf is available here.
Update - thanks to Sandy's comment on the previous post.  The Workt by Hand exhibit is at the Crocker Art Museum in Sacramento, CA thru Sept 1, 2014 - link.

In the afternoon, we visited the Smithsonian National Museum of American History.  We saw some amazing things - the top hat President Lincoln was wearing when he was assassinated, the Star Spangled Banner flag that inspired our national anthem, Dorothy's ruby slippers, the First Ladies' Gowns, and the original Kermit the Frog.  Here are a few of the items on display that resonated with me -

The 1841 pin-making machine patent model, patented by John Howe.  The machine could produce over 20,000 pins a day compared to 20 pins per day made by hand.

This 1870 sewing machine patent model accompanied William T Smith's application for patent No. 99,743.

Day 5 was the best day ever.  It personally ranks just under momentous family events (weddings and births).  In the morning we were on the Smithsonian 'Behind the Scenes' quilt tour - AMAZING.  If you're planning a trip to DC, you have to plan around this - the second Tuesday of the month excluding January and February (I think - check to be sure).  Space is limited, so sign-up early.  We saw many of the quilts from the book The Smithsonian Treasury American Quilts by Doris M Bowman. If you have this book (and you should - used copies on Amazon for $0.56!), dig it out to refer to to get the overall view of the quilts I'll post pics of.   Remember to bring your copy of the book - I wish I had mine with me to get Ms. Bowman's signature.  This event ran long and we just made it to our afternoon appointment - Textile Tuesday at the DAR.  BEST DAY EVER!!!

I'm sharing a couple photos from the Smithsonian but will post more later (maybe tonight).  The beautiful Indiana sunshine is tugging at me!  These photos have been shared on other blogs, so this might be a repeat, but they're all worth a second look!  

The eagle from the beginning of the post is a close-up from the Maryland Album Quilt on pg 53 of the book.  Book excerpt: 'This album quilt was probably made about 1860, perhaps for a member of the Wilmer family of Kent County, Maryland.  Much of its elaborate applique was made three-dimensional by gathering folded strips of fabric and stitching them down in various shapes, while some of the motifs are padded with cotton fibers under the applique.  Twelve of the twenty-five blocks have embroidered, inked, or stamped signatures or initials.'

Also appropriate to the Memorial Holiday is the Stars and Stripes Quilt from pg 57.  Book excerpt:  'Mary Rockhold-Teter of Noblesville, Indiana, made this quilt during the Civil War, when patriotic symbols were much on the minds of Americans.  The design, adapted from the American flag and named Stars and Stripes, appeared in the July 1861 issue of Peterson's Magazine, a women's periodical published in Philadelphia....  Mary made the quilt for her son, George, a Union soldier.  In the quilting she included his name, the names of Generals Scott and Taylor under whom he served, "Genral Lyon," the president of the United Sates as "Abe" and "Ab Lyncoln," the word "Cat," and the year, 1861.  Written in ink on the lining is "George Teter."'

A beautiful block print that was displayed on top of one of the quilt storage cabinets.














This snippet of applique is the border to a 'sunflower' quilt that I didn't find in the book - amazing edge stitching along the applique edge.

 I'll post more soon!