Road Trip Day 1 thru 3

The ramblings of three quilt buddies on a week-long road trip - Days One thru Three

Day One:  After converging from various points the night before, our trip began with a two hour drive in the rain to visit the beautiful Hagerstown, MD Washington County Museum of Fine Arts quilt exhibit, 'Beauty in a Time of Scarcity: 19th Century Quilts from the Collection of Lewis Allen and Katherine Haag.  Unfortunately, pictures weren't allowed - this was one of the highlights of the trip.  The quilt exhibit included some choice pieces.  We finished the day with power fabric shopping at Zook's in PA Amish Country - we arrived 45 minutes before closing.  We lucked into a 30% off sale - Woo Hoo!  This was our only night at a B&B - Kimmell House in Ephrata, PA, a 1795 Colonial Shaker stone farmhouse - delightful!

Day Two:  Morning fabric/antique shopping (fabric at Sauder's and antiques in Adamstown) before an adventurous drive to the NJ quilt exhibit celebrating the 300th anniversary of Hunterdon County, 'Common Threads:  Quilting Traditions in Hunterdon County, NJ'.  Info on the exhibit can be found here - http://www.hunterdon300th.org/events/QuiltDisplay-CommonThreads.html.  The border image above is from this exhibit.

Update:  You can receive the exhibit catalog by contacting Judy Grow (judy.grow@comcast.net).  The cost is $13.50 which includes shipping.  Make checks out to 'Hunterdon Tricentennial'.

The exhibit included two period dresses.  Wouldn't you love to have yards of both of these fabrics?

Unusual treatment for block seam coverage - applique over them to add secondary pattern.

Another beautiful, airy border













Day 3:  A trip to Winterthur Museum to visit the Downton gowns!















  Two quilt treasures were on display in the museum:

This Medallion English quilt was made for Joanna Southcott in 1808.  She was an English religious prophetess with a large following who published on her faith and prophecies in England from 1790 until her death in 1814. 

This album quilt contains 85 different blocks, each with a unique signature.  The quilt was begun in 1851 in Lewisberry, PA by Margaret Potts and was completed in 1858, the year of her marriage to David Reeser Miller.  In 1886 she gifted the quilt to her son for Christmas.  He noted the names and relationship to Margaret of each block contributor.  Margaret made 13 of the 85 blocks - one in memory of her sister.  Margaret's two twin brothers Andrew and William each stitched a block for the quilt at the age of twelve.





This mahogany miniature bed from the early 1800s is complete with original hangings, mattress, bolster pillows and quilt.

 
At left is the staircase within the Winterthur estate.  I loved this wall of chairs (at right) - wouldn't it be great to incorporate this idea on a blank wall in your home!

 

The Baltimore Orioles have returned for their Spring Visit