Yesterday while I was at the UFO with my friends, two exciting things happened. One, I finished the blocks for my Two Color Challenge! Here you see my finished Union Square blocks. Keep in mind, that the completed quilt top will have alternate blocks of the red and white toile and a border made up of a gazillion half square triangles.
The other thing that happened was truly quite amazing. Our little group was sitting quietly stitching away, when three women came into the nearly empty classroom. One of the women used to teach at Eddie's and was a quilt historian. She evidently had agreed to meet two friends at the shop for an antique quilt show and tell. Eddie must have directed them upstairs where we were so they would have room to hold up their quilts. They were all three of them quilt collectors and excitedly shared with us how they had acquired their amazing antique quilt collections. EBay was the hands down winner if you want to get your hands on an old quilt. Other than that, antique shops, thrift stores and garage sales had all yielded good results.
I had just finished telling my friends about our Two Color Quilt Challenge, so the timing was pretty incredible when these gals pulled out a number of gorgeous two color antique quilts. The stars must have all been in alignment, because I had my camera with me and the women enthusiastically gave me permission to snap away. Here are some of the things they brought–
How sweet is this simple nine patch? As you see, it is done in two fabrics (not scrappy) and set on the diagonal. The unquilted top had been sitting in someone's attic since the late 1800's, was discovered 100 years later by the quiltmaker's decendant. She then had the top beautifully hand quilted in 1999. Doesn't this just make you have goose bumps?
Here is another blue and white, again not only two color, but just using two fabrics. I do not know what the block is. They may have said, but I was so excited taking pictures I missed it.
This next quilt just took my breath away. It is a redwork quilt, which I guess qualifies as a two color quilt, even though only one fabric is used. I took several photos of this, but it was hard to get the entire quilt in the picture because the women were just kind of tossing the quilts over a table.
These blocks were discovered in an antique shop I believe. The quilt historian managed to buy them and sewed them into a magnificent quilt top. You may recognize the lattice fabric as a modern one. The emboridery work done here is just—-adjectives are failing me…… If you look close, you can see the top is lightly pencil marked for quilting in a shell design.
Notice how the embroiderer put her initials and the year she completed the blocks on this center block? Don't you wonder what life event happened that would cause her to put this masterpiece away unfinished?
Check back with me tomorrow, as I have lots of other amazing photos of the antique quilts to share!
20 Responses
That embroidered quilt is just amazing! I love the center square. I need to do a quilt like this.
OMG I love those two color quilts and your blocks are beautiful!!! I’d love to have that first antique quilt. BEAUTIFUL!!!!
Talk about being in the right place at the right time! Absolutly amazing. I really love the blue and white nine patch. I’ve seen several and while simple they really are striking.
That redwork is amazing! How lucky for you to be there and be able to see them.
Absolutely gorgeous quilts! With a date of 1929, I’m gonna guess that after the stock market crash and the Great Depression started, our embroiderer no longer had the resources (money for fabric, or maybe time?) to finish her blocks into a quilt.
Your blocks look beautiful, too. Can’t wait to see how they look set into the top.
Amazing and Beautiful! Your quilt is going to be gorgeous and I LOVE those antiques. The blue and white is great. So simple and perfect! I’m inspired.
I really do like your red 2-color quilt and can’t wait to see it with the toile setting. Thanks for sharing the “antique” quilt show. Yes, you definitely had the stars on your side when this happened! Nancy in WI
Your Union Square blocks are breath taking (as usual!!)
You really have a great eye for putting things together that look fabulous!
Your quilt will be wonderful when it is done! Thanks so much for the pics of the antique quilts. I do not ‘collect’ but I have my grandfather’s (yes-grandpa) quilt. It is a full size penny block, redwork. He embroidered it and quilted it approximately 125 years ago. Family story is he had to do it for physical therapy for ‘tuberculosis of the elbow’ (tendonitis? He was a farmer.)
Your Union Square blocks are beautiful. And the antique 2-color quilts are lovely too. I espeically like the redwork.
Your Union Square blocks are looking great. The antique quilts are beautiful too, I like the simplicity of the nine patch one.
Oh my gosh, I do wonder what was happening in her life that caused her to leave this unfinished. Oh Nicole.
I’m totally taken away…
Your red and white quilt looks good cant wait to see it finished.WOW all these old quilts I bet if they could talk they would tell some great stories of the past.
Hugs Mary.
They are simply beautiful. Thank you so much for sharing them.
Your Union Square blocks are looking good! I have the same book they come from, think I’ll dig it out and follow along.
Wow — the embroidery is incredible! The blue and white 9-patch is fabulous to look at. Your Union Square blocks are gorgeous — can’t wait to see the top finished.
Those 2-color quilts are beautiful! What great luck to get to see them. Love your Union Square blocks too. You quilt is going to be stunning!
I’m a fanatic for redwork so I would have fallen in love with it for sure! But how lucky you were to get to see these….
Wow!!!! Thanks for sharing the photos. You were certainly in the right place at the right time.
Oh just gorgeous. The red/white embroidery one is just stunning!
WOW WOW WOW those quilts are stunning and that redwork one is beautiful. So much work in those embroidery blocks and then to tuck it away unfinished. What a find all of those quilts was. Talk about being in the right place at the right time and with your camera. Can’t wait to see more
Hugs – Karen