Two Color Quilts, Color Journey and 18,124 Hexagons (Ann Hathaway Cottage Quilt)

Feathered Star 82" x 86"

 I visited the new exhibition at the Rocky Mountain Quilt Museum, "Twice as Nice". 

It is a great exhibit, so if you have a chance GO! 
To tempt you, enjoy these highlights.

Detail picture of a Feathered Star quilt displayed in a case.

Made by members of the Mill family, started in 1850, New York State.

According to the family, the quilt pieces were cut by the donors great-great-grandfather and pieced together by her great-great-grandmother.  It was quilted by her great-grandmother who was a young woman at the time.  c.1850

First names of the Mill family are unknown.





The case holds the quilt folded and protected.

You can see the wonderful texture created by the quilting.

You can see a bit of the brick wall behind the case.

76" x 76"   c. 1880

This is one of my favorite quilts in the exhibit.  I want to make one in indigo and white so it was wonderful to see the hand quilting - which is fabulous!

I think it is fabulous against the brick wall.

Pattern:  True Lovers Knot or Carpenters Square









This is a detail of the hand quilting on the Carpenters Square.

Another detail of the hand quilting motifs.

This applique motif is another example with wonderful hand quilting.

64" x 77"    c 1880

The applique is by machine.

Detail of an applique block.

Note the details in the corner stones and sashing.

Hand echo quilting around the motif.


Note the tiny machine stitching on the applique.







Sorry for the angle - this was in a smaller area of the museum.

Quilt Name:  Creek Mary's Blood
79" x 100"
Eugenia Mitchell (RMQM Founder)

Eugenia Mitchell made this quilt after seeing the motif inside the cover of the book, "Creek Mary's Blood" by Dee Brown.

She hand quilted teepees, fish, deer, bows and arrows, buffalo and other animals in the blocks.












This is one of the first quilts you see entering the exhibit.


Beautiful piecing and quilting make a wonderful greeting.

Pickle Dish
63" x 73"
c. 1880

Check the change in scale in the quilting.

Hand pieced and hand quilted.

This classic two color triple irish chain is precious.

Triple Irish Chain
74" x 81"
c. 1900

Look close at this detail shot, in the alternate block the corner square is appliqued.

A nursing home resident, known only as Anna, was said to have made this quilt for her hope chest.

After Anna's death, Eugenia Mitchell traded 10 lap robes for the quilt, which she repaired and rebound.  Where would the quilt be today if not for that trade?

Tree of Life
76" x 78"
c. 1890-1910

The donors purchased the quilt from an antiques dealer in Omaha, Nebraska.  The maker is unknown but the origin is thought to be Alliance, Ohio.

Detail of the hand quilting and border.











The exhibit has many more two color quilts, I just chose a few to share here.




A very special quilt on exhibit is the
Ann Hathaway Cottage Quilt.

Click on the photo of the exhibit poster for the story of this quilt.

Short version...garage sale find, the quilt is hand stitched and hand quilted of 18,124  half inch hexagons.

The family of the antique dealer who found the quilt has loaned it to the museum for display.

This photo does not do the quilt justice.

69" x 86"
18,124 Half Inch Hexagons
Ellen L. Austin (Also known as Aunt Ellen Austin) made the quilt based on the small 'yarn picture"in the 1945 McCall's Needlework magazine.  With help from her mother, daughter and granddaughter, Aunt Ellen completed the quilt in five years.  She entered it in a contest sponsored by the Detroit News, and it won second prize.

In case you aren't in the midst of the current hexagon resurgence, this is a detail picture.

My hand model B, graciously put her finger tip on the hexagon so you can see the scale.

Each hexagon is individually hand quilted.

Last but not least is the Color Journey exhibit.

32 quilts designed and constructed by National Quilting Association Certified Judges.

It is a row of quilts with a line consisting of 12 hues of color visually connecting each quilt.  The photo is of a portion of the installation.





I hope you can visit the museum soon and enjoy all of the quilts in person. 
Have a great week!