Ann Robinson Bedcover

This bedcover is one of the earliest quilts in the Shelburne Museum collection, and is on the cover of the book Enduring Grace, Quilts from the Shelburne Museum Collection.  It measures 95 x 100, and consists of appliqued calico, gingham, and chintz on a white cambric backing.  This bedcover is not quilted.  Ann started her bedcover on October 1813, and cross-stitched "Finished January 27th 1814" at the bottom.  She must have had a lot of free time!

In 1998 RJR, in collaboration with the Shelburne Museum, put out a fabric collection drawn from the Ann Robinson Bedcover, with a focus on shells, leaves, flowers, and other motifs from nature.  I just love this collection, and hope to make this quilt some day.

And here are the fabrics ~

My Sweet Sister Emma

First things first.  The winner of the toile is Heather!  Congratulations Heather.  I'll contact you about shipping info.  I hope you enjoy your fabric!

The line I'm profiling today is called My Sweet Sister Emma.  As you can see from the photo above, the quilt was made in 1843 in Darby, PA by Martha Warfield Knowles for her sister Emma Warfield Sheppard.  It consists of 64 inscribed blocks, some stamped and some written, as well as bible verses and drawings, interspersed with blocks of bright yellow calico.

These photos are courtesy of The Quilt Index, and you can find out more about the quilt here.  The quilt is also in the IQSC database.

Free Spirit, in conjunction with the IQSC, released a line of fabrics taken from the quilt.  I think this is the complete collection.  If you have one I don't list, please send me a pic and I will add it.

If you are interested in purchasing this fabric, Laptop Quilts still has some of it in stock here.

Toile Giveaway!

To celebrate my return to blogging, I'm giving away a yard of this fabulous toile by Roche and Kramer!  To win, all you have to do is post a comment before Friday night at midnight.  I will announce the winner over the weekend, as well as have a new post (if I can find my notes.)  :)  Good luck!

I also have a Giveaway on my other blog, Stray Threads, if you want to take a look.

The Winner is.............and an Update

I've updated the Pillar Print post with some new pictures you've sent me, and this is one of them.  Luscious, isn't it!  Now, to find some of it.  :)

And, without further ado, the winner of the Smithsonian fabric is Vivian!  Congratulations!

I'm leaving tomorrow morning for Williamsburg, VA for The Elly Sienkiewicz Applique Academy, so I'll see you when I get back.  I'll try to blog a couple of times while I'm gone over on Stray Threads if you're interested in what we're up to there.

Pillar Prints

Although I will usually be showing a particular line of fabric, I wanted to start off with one of my favorite topics, pillar prints. Pillar prints were generally printed c. 1810-1860, although they were particulary popular in the 1830's. They were often glazed with honey or egg whites to give them a shiny appearance. Their bold design made them a good choice for bed hangings. Here's a part of a bed curtain in the collection of Old Sturbridge Village, and the fabric it was made from.

Although you will occasionally see quilts with the top, backing, or borders made from a large piece of chintz, like this quilt made by a relative of Lizzie Borden,

Borden, Lizzie (cousin of). LeMoyne Star. 1830c. From New England Quilt Museum,
NEQM Permanent Collection (MassQuilts Documentation).

Published in The Quilt Index, http://www.quiltindex.org/fulldisplay.php?kid=21-41-2C. Accessed: 01/29/2012

it's more common to see the print cut up and used for piecing, although you might not have noticed it.

I'll start with my favorite, from RJR's Broderie Perse line. I just have a small piece of this, through the generosity of Janet from Quiltsalott, and I can't bear to use it.



This is by Lisa DeBee Schiller for Timeless Treasures, Patt#LISA-C2372.


This is Colossal Columns by Kathy Hall for Andover, from the American Folk Art Museum, Patt. 3334.


Two colorways of Trade Goods by Karen Jarrar for Marcus Brothers.

Two colorways of The Presidents Collection c. 1830 by Nancy Gere for Windham, patt. 28135.

This is the Spencer Museum of Art Collection by Brackman and Thompson Pillar Print 1810-1840 for Moda. This also came in a light blue, and a yellow colorways.

Donna K sent in this pic of the blue colorway.

Another one by Brackman and Thompson, Material Pleasures Floral Trails Pillar Print 1800-1840 for Moda.

Leah Z. sent in three pillars.  First are two colorways of an unidentified print.

And the third is a from The British Heritage Collection with designer J.F. Thorne for Makower.

Ady sent in this picture of a fabulous print called Birds of Paradise by Free Spirit. 

And here are two colorways of Winterthur Toile by Andover, patt. 3950, copper plate printed.

Okay, here's the giveaway, and it's a good one. One yard of this Smithsonian fabric from The Rising Sun collection. Just leave me a comment, and if you send me a pic of a pillar print I don't have, I will enter you again.  I will draw on Thursday night at 10pm EST.  Good luck.

Welcome

Welcome to my new blog! I have some friends that have asked me how they can find out about the older lines of fabric, and know an older fabric when they find it. They wanted to know if there is a book out there, or some place they can read about the older repros. When I thought about it, I realized there isn't a book, or a site that I know of, so I started this blog.

It will be focusing on the older repro lines that were available, and the original quilts or fabric they were based on. Everything on here is information I have dug up myself, so if you can add anything, please feel free to contact me, and ditto if you see a mistake. I'm hoping this will be a reference for everyone to use and contribute to.

I would be more than happy to have "guest authors" so if you have a favorite line of old repros you would like to write about, let me know.