A Madder Themed Week

Yellow background fabric:  Judy Rothermel Lancaster Lines

If there was a theme to my week - it was Madder.

I'm working on Calico Paradise - with beautiful madder reproduction prints.

It is a great project I can pick up and put down.

I've also been auditioning some blues for the birds.

This got me thinking about this child's madder print dress in my collection.

The sweet little dress is entirely hand sewn.

Interesting to explore the construction techniques facilitating years of use from the garment.

Here is the inside waist.

The hem and large tuck in the skirt allow for extending the length several inches.  The fullness can be decreased - as a waist expands.

The wide waist band is lined in a purple print.
On the right side waist band is piped on both edges.

Here's a close up of the purple print.

Note the fullness in the bodice and skirt gathered on the waistband.

There is no side seam in the bodice.

This is the side with the sleeve pulled up.











What put me over ... calling it a 'themed week' was my hair appointment.

I got my hair done this week - always an adventure in a new city - but I trust Aveda.  As J cut my hair she started telling me about their Madder hair product.  I didn't bite at the prospect of leaving it in my hair over night, head in a bag, with a dark towel on my pillow... and I didn't want to burst her bubble - plant based dyes are hardly new...

She didn't know I was a quilter, loved antique textiles, or that I would even know about the use of madder....

Maybe I should have more color based weeks.  I wonder what color next week will be...

Are you using lots of madder prints in your projects?

More Madder Related Links:
Madder Style Prints
Early Dyes
Cotton Dyeing
Books of Interest

Reverse Applique

The shadow behind flowers is from the untrimmed red showing through

I ran across this little crib quilt yesterday at the RMQM - Sandra Dallas Library.

There it was, in all its glory - hanging above the copy machine.

It is tagged c. 1830
    Maker Unknown
    Irish Chain Crib Quilt
    36" Square

Besides the small scale (3/4" squares) 3" border
The ENTIRE border is reverse applique.

This is the corner detail.
The center red circle is 1/16th of an inch.

Spectacular needlework!

Three fabrics in the quilt, still in good condition.

Hope to see this one again - soon.

Pavilion 4 Quilt 1166 

I recall some other spectacular quilts that made use of extensive reverse applique.

This one is from the Infinite Variety exhibit in NYC.

It is reverse applique, embroidery finished with exceptional hand quilting.

Here are some detail pictures of the hand work.

Embroidered stems, reverse applique berries, leaves and stems.

Along the right edge of the picture you can see some of the embroidery.

This is a close up of the 1/4" - 1/2' berries - every one of them reverse appliqued.











The other quilt that is primarily reverse applique is in the Shelburne Quilt Collection.  I think it is pictured in the book, Art of the Needle: 100 Masterpiece Quilts from the Shelburne Museum,  
Another book:  Enduring Grace - Quilts from the Shelburne Museum Collection
It is a medallion vessel with flowers - but my books are still in storage - one of you will tell me and I'll update this!

Are you doing any reverse applique?
I have a but in some of my floral applique - but nothing as extensive as these examples.

Have a great weekend!

Catherine's Garden Progress

One of the 36+ flowers on the quilt

Reproducing my Catherine's Garden quilt was a joy.

When I wasn't stitching I was reseraching the information that came with the quilt.

The detail is wonderful, and it was all the more fun stitching it with friends.

We compared colors and fabric choices.

My friend chose the Amy Butler Banana fabric for her background - just like Catherine did.
Isn't it wonderful?

Mine version is the cream ground.

The quilted example pictured is the original 1855 quilt.  Ours are still tops.

We had great days comparing our tops to the original.

There are reproduction fabrics from Pat L. Nickols, Nancy Kirk, and some newer reproduction fabrics from Moda's Friendship line.

We got the wonderful Amy Butler 'Banana' background fabric from Fat Quarters Quilt Shop in Vista Ca.

We are constantly amazed by the original makers imaginative garden.  There are more than 36 unique flowers, and numerous leaves.

As I put the finishing touches on my top - I am thinking ahead to the backing.  The original is backed in solid cream, I just might so the same, but I love surprise backings.  I'll be posting my finished top any day now.  Wish me luck ;-)

Have a great weekend!