New Book BASKETS A Study of Nineteenth- Century Basket Quilts

I have shared information about the American Quilt Study Group program for study quilts before. (HERE to review)

The book for the 2016 Basket study is now available on Amazon, HERE.

It is a fantastic book, and ALL profits go to the American Quilt Study Group.

I was one of the participants and am honored to say I know most of the 50 quilt makers in the book. A wonderful body of work.

The traveling exhibit of 25 quilts will be at the Minnesota Quilt Show June 14-16 in Saint Cloud. More on that in a future post.

"There are thousands of patterns found in quilts. One of the perennial favorites is the basket. Nineteenth century basket quilts show an amazing variety. As with other quilts, the quiltmakers had many reasons to create these basket quilts. Some of these makers and their stories are known but many have been lost to time. Members of the American Quilt Study Group were challenged in the most recent quilt study to study a basket quilt from the nineteenth century and create a new quilt of their own that was inspired by the original. The new quilt could be a reproduction or simply reflect the original in a way that spoke to the maker. This book showcases the nearly fifty study quilts created for the quilt study, along with images of the antique quilts that gave each quilter their inspiration. AQSG invites you to enjoy the quilts, and follow each quilt maker’s journey from inspiration to creation, through the thoughts and reflections they have shared about the history, process, and significance of quilting from the nineteenth century into the twenty first century."

My entry, all white, was from my collection and a bit of a risk - not the kind of colorful quilt that might catch the judges eye. It also is hard to photograph all white textiles. However, it is intended as a study and I wanted to try something new.

I did a tufted technique with white schwalm/dresden embroidery.  The project is 100% hand stitched.

I reduced and reproduced, a design from an antique piece in my collection.

The edge is sewn and finished in knotted fringe.
No binding.

The quilting is simple cross hatching - serves just to keep the layers together. The white work is the "feature" of the quilt.

While my fringe was machine made purchased fringe, the antique is hand tied fringe.

My basket is a simple shape, in the fashion of some found on school girl samplers.

The interior of the basket is filled with rows of embroidery stitches.

My quilt will travel with 24 others - I hope you get a chance to see it!  The variety is exciting, you won't be disappointed.

Basket Exhibit Travel Schedule ***

March 24 - June 30, 2017 

     Ohio County Historical Society: Rising Sun, IN

October 1, 2017 - January 4, 2018
     Iowa Quilt Museum: Winterset, IA

March 9-11, 2018
     Dallas Quilt Show: Dallas, TX

June 14-16, 2018

     Minnesota Quilters, Saint Cloud MN

July 1 - September 3, 2018
    Baldwin Reynalds House: Meadville, PA

September 18 - December 5, 2018
     Virginia Quilt Museum: Harrisonburg, VA

March 1 - May 31, 2019
     Gilbert Historical Museum: Gilbert, AZ 85296

***Subject to change, always check the venue before traveling

AQSG Civil War Book (HERE)

The Civil War Study exhibit is also still traveling
(My flag quilt is in this exhibit)

June 2017 to October 20, 2017
    Rocky Mountain  Quilt Museum: Golden, CO

November 1 to February 28, 2018
    Sheerer Museum of Stillwater: Stillwater, OK

March 2018 to May 31, 2018
     Alabama Dept. of Archives and History, Montgomery, AL

June 1 to August 31, 2018
La Conner Quilt and Textile Museum: LaConner, WA

Happy Stitching,
Dawn

Quilt Along Noah and Matilda

Done.
Finished.
Complete.

When I was in the corporate world we often had to ask for clarification on what that meant!
I finished my Noah and Matilda reproduction top - but it isn't quilted. Which means it really isn't finished.  This has worked to my advantage as students often want to see the back of my work.
So, I am starting another one! That, combined with new customers buying our pattern and seeing recent full finishes I have started a Facebook Page for a Noah and Matilda Quilt Along.


The purpose of the page is to provide encouragement, quilt history and advice as you work on your project. Participants are at all different stage of the project. Participation is by invitation only, contact me for an invite.  As always, I am still available by email to also provide information.

Hope you join us!
Happy Stitching,
Dawn

Links:
Patterns available HERE
Read more about the quilt HERE

Red Touch Me Not SVBAQ

I loved Stitching my little red touch me nots.

All the overs, unders and small details.

Yes, there were some tricky sections - but those are so, sew rewarding when finished.

I chose to use two greens, one for the leaves and one for the stems.
The flowers are the same solid red - unlike the pink when I varied the shades in prints.


I'm quilting mine - as we wrap up the appliqué blocks, we will continue with posting. We have some people just getting started.
It is also an opportunity to cheer each other one through the quilting, binding, labels - and maybe some sleeves.

My red Touch Me Not

Have a great week!

Dawn

Antique Shopping and The Schwenkfelder Events

The rest of my Pennsylvania trip was spent antique shopping, attending a New Jersey Study Group and at the Penn Dry Goods Market (and lectures) at the Schwenkfelder Library & Heritage Center.

I made several stops at favorite antique shops.  Some inventory was recognizable. Interesting to see quilts sit for years in a shop.
This is probably over priced due to the green.  Nice design!  Once again I admired it and left it hang.


There were more quilts than ever for sale this year.

Neatly folded looking for new homes

Book case repurposed for quilts

Beautiful 20th c. Prince's Feather
All Hand Stitched to perfection

Small collectibles in a glass case

After a couple days of shopping I drove to New Jersey with a friend to attend a quilt study group meeting. No photos, but it was a fun day! Nice road trip with a friend, good study examples and a gourmet lunch. I like spontaneous days like that.

Friday and Saturday was the Penn Dry Goods Market and lecture series.

They had a special exhibit in the gallery, "Blooming'/Blumen:  Flowers in Pennsylvania German Textiles and Folk Art"

An extraordinary pair of embroidered wool quilts flanked the entrance.  It was a stunning greeting to the exhibit.

Wool Embroidered Quilt (1 of 2)

Embroidery Detail

Details of the Quilts

Artwork inspired from the garden - becomes embroidery

"Cactus Applque Quilt"
c. 1892
Mahella Rhodes Wolfgang (1871-1947)
Earl Township, Berks County
Gift of Nancy Roan 2015.26.02

"Coverlet"

Cotton velvet and silk

c. 1900-1920

Maker Unknown

New Hanover Township Vicinity, Montgomery County

Gift of Betty Moyer   2017.03.01

"Flower Pot Applique"

c. 1880-1910

Made by a member of the Gerhart or Schultz family

Upper Hanover Township or vicinity, Montgomery County

Gift of Alma S. Nash    2002.11.02

In addition to the market (24 select dealers in all manner of textiles) and the special exhibits, there are lectures.  

This year I signed up for four of the eleven - I want to take them all but then I would miss shopping!

Sorry I can't share photos from the lectures.

I can share the book cover from Lori Lee Triplett's lecture, "Celebrating The Blues: Africa to America".  They brought all of the quilts from the book, "Indigo Quilts". I highly recommend this lecture for your guild, study group or special quilting event.  The book is a nice addition to any quilters library.

Then, all too soon it was time to catch my flight home.

I hope you enjoyed the photos and seeing a bit of textile history from Pennsylvania.

Happy Stitching,

Dawn

Visit our Eaty Shop:  Here

Next Lectures: Illinois and Overloon Netherlands - contact me for details