Sunday, September 19, 2010

Lancaster Quilt and Textile Museum

                  The Lancaster Quilt and Textile Museum's current exhibit, Family and Friends: Quilts and Their Collections, is amazing.  There are three similar quilts (circa 1860 to 1880) made by mother, daughter, and neighbor.  This first quilt (circa 1860) was made by a member of the Brubaker/Keller family from Lancaster PA. 

The next quilt was made by Fanny S. Bucher circa 1860 (neighbor to the quiltmaker above).  These two quilts share many of the same fabrics and patterns.


This last diamond quilt was made by Barbara Bucher Snyder (daughter of Fanny Bucher) circa 1880.







It was quite a site to see these three quilts hanging side-by-side.  The current issue of Quiltmania has great pictures of these quilts.




Also exhibited are three Joseph's Coat quilts from the 1890's.  The exhibit placard explains 'Although similar patterned and colored quilts were made in other areas, this particular arrangement containing the six vertical stripes repeated and surrounded on four sides by the same striped slanted borders appears to have been made exclusively by Lancaster County Mennonite and Reformed women.'  Note the quilting in the close-up (poor color representation) - alternating stripes of braid and unique quilting pattern (same format holds true for the slanted border stripes).

The current exhibit of the Museum's Esprit Amish quilt collection is wonderful.  The quilts are exhibited in glass cases which includes encased lighting, so pictures aren't worthy of posting.  The Friends and Family exhibit runs thru December 31, 2010.

This last picture is of the trip's stash enhancement (sitting on my new-old porch bench snagged at the fairground antique market, griffin too).  The stars aligned to plop me at Sauder's on the first day of their truckload sale (after fabric shopping at Zook's at 8:00 AM)!  My luggage earned a 'heavy' tag and I had the sore muscles to prove it! The pile on the left is from Sauder's 5 yd flat-fold table ($2.19/yd).  There are two pieces missing from the picture that were enlisted in a new project - fodder for my next post.

16 comments:

Karen said...

Interesting information about the quilts. I find those diamond quilts very intriguing.

You sure hit the jackpot getting $2.19 a yard fabric!

mmquilter said...

I really like these older quilts and the imagination these women had. I love the colors and quilting looks nice. WOW fabric for $2.19 great buy. Know will go to a good use.

Meredith said...

If you are interested Ann Holte has a pattern/template.

Mary Lou Casada said...

Yuu-uuummmmy! I love the old quilts -- the coloring of the first one makes me think of Nearly Insane...and the piecing, too, I imagine! I'd love to give one a whirl (someday! LOL). Great fabric finds, too! Eager to see what's up your sleeve!
Blessings,
Mary Lou

quiltingnana said...

I've been to that museum...and hope to go back....sounds like a productive trip...I am so looking forward to an annual retreat there in Nov....

Michele said...

These quilts remind me strongly of the Nearly Insane quilt, except they are diamonds rather than squares. Michele

Barb said...

Thanks for showing those quilts...really amazing work.

Love your stash and bench!

Kath said...

What a very interesting post, I enjoyed this very much.

ann hermes said...

I went to that exhibit too. It was fantastic.

Lisa said...

I just saw these in Quiltmania earlier today! How nice to see more pics of them. It looks like a great exhibit. Your display on the bench looks so artfully arranged.

*karendianne. said...

These are incredible. What a fascinating post. Thank you for sharing.

Barb said...

wow those pink quilts are amazing! thanks for posting them together.
I love Dickens - my favs are David Copperfield and Great Expectations.

Lori said...

I've been to sauders truck load sale! Isnt it fantastic!?!
Love the family quilts! So beautiful.

Vivian said...

These quilts are beautiful treasures. Thanks for sharing the photos with us. I'm very tempted to get that magazine.
Some of the fabrics on your table look familiar. Aren't sales wonderful?

LuAnn said...

What beautiful quilts...there's a lot there to look at. Looks like you are having a good trip. And, stash enhancement is always a plus!!

LuAnn said...

What beautiful quilts...there's a lot there to look at. Looks like you are having a good trip. And, stash enhancement is always a plus!!