Monday, August 12, 2013

Workt Part 2 - The Stars

 Workt Exhibit - Brooklyn Museum

Touching Stars
circa 1850
84 x 82

All solid fabrics
The exhibit catalog states, "Star patterns were difficult to create, and this maker had trouble piecing the diamond shaped fabrics together, as evidenced by the uneven diamonds and puckering in the fabric where she eased it together..."

 Beautiful quilt, and interesting they felt the need to critique the piecing.






Corner Detail
Pictorial Quilt
1795
103 x 91

Linen, Multicolored Thread

Click on the photo to enlarge to see the stitching details.  Applique stitches include a tiny herringbone or blanket stitch.







Medallion Center

Pictorial Quilt
1795
103 x 91

Linen, Multicolored Thread
Click on the photo to enlarge to see the stitching details.  Applique stitches include a tiny herringbone or blanket stitch.

Note the dots, only surrounding this star.






Star of Bethlehem
circa 1850
91 x 86
Silk

The insets that on the side and bottom that look like strips are actually pieced diamonds.





Album Quilt
circa 1850
Cotton
84 x 72



Sometimes called Rising Sun or Sunburst


Mariners Compass
circa 1850
Cotton
85 x 84

Technically a compass and not a star - but I'm including it here anyway.  I like this angle for the photo so you can see the texture the hand quilting provides.



Same quilt viewed straight on.


Amish Star of Bethlehem
circa 1940
82 x 79
Cotton , Wool

Diamonds are outline quilted.
Vivid blue ground is quilted in flowing, feathered plumes.

Star of Bethlehem Quilt
circa 1830
Cotton
95 x 95

Chintz motifs are broiderie perse (French for "Persian embroidery")  The exhibit catalog has some interesting points about the term, and when/how it was used in quilting.







Fabric detail from the center star.
Click to enlarge and see the quilting stitches.















Pictorial Quilt
circa 1840
Cotton, cotton thread
85 x 67

The star is a stripe print left of the Freemason fraternal symbol.

Note the seam technique between the blocks.





I hope you enjoyed the stars.
I have been hand piecing some 3" stars.
Are you working on any star quilt projects?

Have a great week,
Dawn




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15 comments:

  1. Janet O.August 12, 2013 at 10:43 PM

    There is much to like here, but I love that first quilt--Touching Stars. It is so visually stunning to me, puckers and all!
    I am currently working on a 6" Sunburst block, well, technically a Mariner's Compass.

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  2. libbyquilterAugust 12, 2013 at 11:17 PM

    i really like that album quilt block with the crescent moons and stars. very sweet. and the amish quilt is quite striking~!
    so much to see ~ thank you for sharing these fabulous pieces of quilt art and history.

    what great timing on this post as the perseid meteor shower is at it's best. i went out last night and watched for about an hour. several times there was more than one falling star at a time.


    :-)
    libbyQ

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  3. audreyAugust 12, 2013 at 11:18 PM

    Love the colors of some of those quilts. The piecing may not have been perfect on the stars, but her tools were not as updated as ours either! The mariners compass quilt is really gorgeous--thanks for sharing!

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  4. Jenny MAugust 13, 2013 at 12:36 AM

    Thank you for sharing these photos. My favourite is the Touching Stars quilt, even if it is not perfect, I love the colours.

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  5. SusanAugust 13, 2013 at 1:37 AM

    All the more amazing for being made so long ago without our modern conveniences. Thanks for sharing the photos.

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  6. SueAugust 13, 2013 at 2:45 AM

    Fabulous fabrics in the medallion quilt and lovel the The Star of Bethlehem.
    Thanks for sharing Dawn.

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  7. BertieAugust 13, 2013 at 3:07 AM

    It must have been a joy to see these stars, nice to be able to see them clos-up, thank you.
    I did buy the Mariners compass by Petra Prins and will give that a try soon;))

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  8. KyleAugust 13, 2013 at 8:44 AM

    Such beautiful patterns, colors, and designs. I hope those quilters realized the masterpieces they are creating. I especially liked the mariners compass and the lone star with the chintz cutouts. Thanks for the inspiration.

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  9. reganAugust 13, 2013 at 9:22 AM

    I love them all! And I can't believe how critical they were about the Touching Stars quilt! I thought it looked amazing.....and didn't see any issues that they should be so quick to point out! I am always amazed when I see an antique quilt with such amazing geometry....they didn't have the tools we have now, and yet they managed to pull it off so well!

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  10. Nancy in MTAugust 13, 2013 at 10:20 AM

    Amazing quilts!

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  11. DebAugust 13, 2013 at 10:50 AM

    I guess they really took time to make a quilt! the work is just amazing! I finished a giant star and have been trying to bite the bullet to start hand quilting it. it is the design that I have to decide on..I love star quilts any star quilt and these are just gorgeous.

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  12. Aunt 'ReenAugust 13, 2013 at 4:24 PM

    Just love those beautiful quilts!
    From here the Touching Stars quilt looks perfect... ;) I think it's my favorite of the bunch!
    I'm working on some diamond stars via EPP method of sewing.
    Thanks for sharing these fabulous old quilts!

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  13. LoriAugust 14, 2013 at 1:33 PM

    These are really wonderful quilts. I love the fabric on a few of the close ups. It's amazing artwork!!

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  14. MaureenAugust 23, 2013 at 9:04 PM

    Just catching up on my blog reading. What awesome quilts! I keep clicking back and forth on the photos for another look! What a collection!
    No, I'm not currently work on any stars. 3" stars sound fabulous!

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  15. Missie of Traditional Primitives August 28, 2013 at 9:23 PM

    Mmmm, I just love stars of all kinds! These are beauties!

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Thanks for your comments!

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