Meet Florence

41.4" x 37.25" Reproduction

This post is dedicated to the extraordinary work of Florence McConnell. In addition to making quilts, Florence is a quilt historian and collector from California.

The first reproduction quilt is one of my all time favorites! Imagine my delight when I was able to meet the maker and see more of her work.

Florence made this quilt for the American Quilt Study Group (AQSG) 19th Century Star Study. The original quilt is in the collection of the New England Quilt Museum.

Photos, history and the pattern can be found in the book, "Stars! A Study of 19th Century Star Quilts" by the American Quilt Study Group.  Kansas City Star Books.
You will want to read about the connection to Lizzie Borden!

Florence made this doll quilt for fun, using some of her favorite reproduction fabrics.

It is machine pieced and hand quilted.

The design show cases the border prints.

The Chintz Stars reproduction quilt also showcases reproduction prints from early 19th century textiles.

Over 60 reproduction prints were used in this quilt.

Notice the setting triangles on the left edge - inspired by an antique quilt. The Calico and Chintz book, puts the original at c.1830.

It is machine pieced and hand quilted.

36.75" x 54.75" Reproduction

The Irish Bear Paw Puzzle was recreated with permission from Stella Rubin HERE.
Florence used it for her AQSG Colonial Revival quilt study project.

The quilt is machine pieced and hand quilted.  Read the history of the pattern and see this quilt in the book, "Revival! A study of Early 20th Century Colonial Revival Quilts" by Kansas City Star books.  The book includes the pattern for this quilt.

The entire quilt is so striking - the setting and and edge treatment!

There's more!

31" Square

For the 2015 AQSG Civil War Quilt Study, Florence chose a Peony Appliqué Crib Quilt (with written permission) from the New England Quilt Museum collection. (#1999.10).
This quilt is currently touring the country with the AQSG Civil War Study Exhibit - September 15 to December 15, 2016 it will be at the DeVos Art Museum, Northern Michigan University
Marquette, Michigan
It is included in the book,
"In War Time: A Study of Civil War Era Quilts 1850-1865".

One of a pair, you will enjoy reading about the quilt.

If you are going to "Maine Quilts" - Augusta, Maine to the Pine Tree Quilters Show July 29-31, Florence has two quits in the exhibit, "Little Quilts From Antique Inspirations".

She sent her full size original and her small reproduction for the exhibit. The little quilt is machine pieced and hand quilted.


I would love to see this exhibit but cannot, so if you go, please share photos.

33" x 55" Grandma's Quilt

Florence has a quilt from her childhood.

It was made by her grandmother in the 1950's.
Made in a small size for a child at 33" x 55".  Florence remembers as a child thinking it was a huge quilt. It is tied and has a thin blanket for filling.

Florence didn't see her grandmother often, she lived far away. Perhaps the quilt was a way to wrap some long distance love around a grandchild.

Fabric detail

Attendees of the 2016 AQSG Seminar will see some of Florence's antique quilts.

Isn't Florence's work amazing?
Have a great week,
Dawn

Thank You, Bloomington Indiana

Thanks to generous reader Diane, I have a virtual tour of the American Quilt Study Groups 2014 Civil War Study Quilt Exhibit.

First, I big thank you to the organizations that are supporting this touring exhibit the next four years.  Their support enables this informative and beautiful exhibit to be seen around the country.

Main Street Bloomington Indiana

We enter beautiful downtown Bloomington, Indiana...driving down a wonderful American Main Street.

Diane tells me 40,000 college students fill the town during the school year.  The weekend of her visit was a basketball game so the town was filled with activity and excitement.

For those of you who may not know, America is a little crazy for basketball in March - March Madness.

Let's continue the tour...we need to find the exhibit host - Monroe County History Center.

Monroe County History Center

Here it is...
What a beautiful building.

Diane tells me the building used to be the Carnegie Library - just about every county seat in Indiana had a Carnegie Library.  Most have been converted into history museums.  You can read more about it HERE.




The exhibit is in the Rechter Gallery, where rotating displays are FREE to the public.
American Quilt Study Group Presents: Quilt Study of Civil War Era Quiltcan Quilt Study Group Presents: Quilt Study of Civil War Era Quilts
The purpose of the Quilt Study is for members to replicate, either exactly, or as an interpretation, a quilt of a particular style or period. In this way, members can learn from the textile the history, techniques, and perhaps something of the person who made the original. This year, the Quilt Study replicated 25 Civil War Era Quilts. Opens: February Closes: June 2015.

Exhibit Entrance and Sign

This is the entrance to the exhibit.
The sign explains the exhibit and the study AQSG Members undertook.

This is the gallery shot Diane sent.

The next best thing to being there!

It is impossible to get all 25 quilts in one photo.

Here is another angle.

The music stands hold the information card for each quilt not on a wall.

Besides each beautiful quilt, there is a wealth of information about quilts in the Civil War era on the important tags that travel with the quilts.

If you get a chance to see the quilts, I hope you go!  PLEASE tell the venue that you came to see the quilts.  We need to get the word out that  quilts related to antique quilts (as well as antique quilts) attract attendance!!

Diane also provided a shot of my little flag quilt.

You can read more about it HERE, and see my inspiration quilt.

My quilt is hand pieced and hand quilted, and includes the 19th C. setting and construction.

I hope you enjoyed the virtual tour.

I am so appreciative to Diane who made this post possible!

Have a great weekend,

Dawn

Traveling Quilt, Can you Help?

My Quilt Hanging at Seminar

My 2014 American Quilt Study Group Civil War Era Study quilt was chosen to travel for exhibit the next four years.  

What's an AQSG study quilt?  Click HERE to read to the guidelines.

With permission, I am adopting an idea from Racheldaisy, of Blue Mountain Daisy's blog.

Here's where you can help!

If you visit a venue where my quilt is on display, will you take some pictures and email them to me?  I am making a journal to go with my quilt.  It can be whatever inspires you!  You with the quilt, my quilt next to other quilts, the building etc...feel free to be creative.
From the first stitch of the quilt, to the time it arrives back home it will be a six year journey!


Exhibit Travel Schedule:

Quilt on my wall before Milwaukee

• February to June of 2015 
  Monroe County History Center, Bloomington IN
• July 1 to October 2015
  New England Quilt Museum
• November 2015 to March 1, 2016
  Virginia Quilt Museum
• March 11-13, 2016 
  The Dallas Quilt Show
• April 1 to July 30, 2016
  Quilter's Hall of Fame, Marion, Indiana
• September 15 to December 15, 2016
  Northern Michigan University, DeVos Art Museum
• December 20 to February 20, 2017
  Baldwin Reynolds House Museum, Meadville, PA
• March 1 to May 31, 2017
  Gilbert Historical Museum, Gilbert AZ
• June 2017 to October 20, 2017
  Rocky Mountain  Quilt Museum, Boulder, CO
• November 1 to February 28, 2018
  Sheerer Museum of Stillwater, Stillwater, OK
• June 1 to August, 2018
  La Conner Quilt and Textile Museum, LaConner, WA

Antique Inspiration Quilt

My inspiration quilt was chosen because it had a patriotic theme for the 1850-1865 time period.  By current judged quilt show standards it also has an unusual layout.   The unique setting with the central flag appealed to me. 

I was fortunate the owner of the quilt, Jeananne Wright, generously allowed me to borrow the treasured original.  I took close up photographs of the quilt including each star, the flag, binding and backing.  On the photos I added observational notes on thread, fabric and stitching.

In designing my reproduction I reduced the size to fit within the study guidelines and to have a wall size quilt.  It was important to me that I used the same layout as the original and incorporated what we might consider mistakes using today’s aesthetic quilt standards.  The layout includes omitted sashing, partial stars and cut off star points.  In executing the design I stitched the entire quilt by hand as the original maker did.   I used 100% cotton fabric, batting, light and dark thread to replicate the materials of the time.

 

My quilt in process - completely hand stitched

The quilts central flag design inspired me to research the use of flags in American history.  The American flag was changing during the study period (1850-1865) with the split between the north and south as well as the admission of new states to the union.  Patriotism ran high during the Civil War.  Numerous military flags were used in the civil war in both the north and the south.  There were numerous flags for infantry, cavalry, and artillery regiments and battalions. The navy also used multiple national flag styles.  Brigades, divisions and corps also carried designation flags.  In some cases flags were homemade and presented to the military companies.  Flags were protected by a color guard of a regiment’s most experienced noncommissioned officers.  A flag was also a rallying point in the confusion of battle.

Stars on the original quilt 

Flags are enormously important in the history of our nation.  Seeing the stars and stripes in any form evokes strong emotion and sentiment.  The maker of the inspiration quilt identified with a particular flag design that was important to capture and preserve in a quilt.  Imagine the anonymous makers surprise if he/she could see it now."

It is a stunning exhibit and I didn't have nearly enough time to see it in Milwaukee.  I am hoping to catch it at least once as it travels, I hope you can too. 

Thank you!

Dawn

Quilters Hall of Fame

In some venues, the original quilt will be displayed
with the study quilt

The Quilters Hall of Fame is located in Marion, Indiana. The exhibit schedule can be seen HERE.
They are currently exhibiting, "In War Time: A Study of Civil War Era Quilts 1850 - 1865" - 25 small quilts reproduced with permission from private collections and museums.

Each quilt is accompanied by a written statement  that documents the study of the original quilt as well as their journey as a quilt maker.

Original Quilt is in the collection of the Indiana
State Museum and Historical Society

The study quilts will be on exhibit through July, 2016 in the Marie Webster House. They then move to their next venue. The quilts travel for four years.

On June 4 - July 9 they will also have an Indiana Historical Society exhibit titled, "Faces of The Civil War". Deb Geyer, Executive Director says, "This exhibit bring to life the stories of many Hoosiers whose lives were touched, and in some cases taken, by the Civil War and illustrates how regular people coped with the tragic experiences of the day - all from an Indiana perspective."









If you are in the area or planning a trip, you might also be interested in attending Celebration 2016, (July 14-16) when Carolyn Mazloomi will be inducted into The Quilters Hall of Fame.

The 25 quilts represent a wide variety of techniques from quilters across the country.  The next study theme is "Baskets", the 50 entries will be shown at the annual American Quilt Study Group Seminar.

Some of the entries are group projects.
I think you will enjoy the variety of works in the exhibit.
A special thank you to the many volunteers who make this activity possible. In addition to the team of AQSG volunteers, thank you to each location who participates in the program.

Original quilt from Deanna's collection - will
be on exhibit when the study quilts travel to the
Rocky Mountain Quilt Museum - Golden, Colorado 

At The Quilters Hall of Fame - Executive Director Deb Geyer, Exhibits Coordinator Sherry McConnell and the many volunteers who make it all possible.

Photos courtesy of Dale Drake.


The companion book, "In War Time: A Study of Civil War Era Quilts 1850-1865" is still available HERE. It includes all 50 fabulous quilts.






Do you have the book?
Have you seen the exhibit?
Are you going to the exhibit?
Are you participating in the basket study?
Would love to hear from you!
Have a great week,
Dawn
PS
Yes, my little flag quilt is also in this exhibit!

Road To California Quilt Show 2012

Here are some of the quilts from Road To California.  I only had a small amount of time.  There is a link below to the winners.  I took some photos of some to share with you.

Another great show!
Hats off to all quilters who enter their work in shows and all of the volunteers who make the shows possible.

From the Nancy Mahoney Special Exhibit:

1930's Ozark Tiles 60" x 80"

Tag Text: Author's Collection (Nancy Mahoney)   Hand quilted by Laura Lipski
The shades of blue which radiate from the center of the quilt starting with pale blue to a royal blue adds interest to the viewer's eye.  She likely designed the layout of this pattern without a design wall.

1930's Ozark Snowball 70" x 84"

Tag Text:  Author's Collection (Nancy Mahoney)  Hand Quilted by Laura Lipski

This was an old quilt top I bought many years ago at a flea market in Mass.  It is pieced with old feedsack fabric and the squares subtly set the busy patterns in the blocks.  This was pieced by hand during the depression but I think it's a very happy quilt with all of the pastel colors that were used.  Laura left the natural edge and appliqued the edge to the border.

1930's Snowball Quilt 70" x 84"
Authors Collection
Hand quilted by Laura Lipski

Tag Text:  An antique top I purchased many years ago.  The special appeal was the 'left over' star scraps the quilter used to border the quilt.  Laura kept the natural edge and blind stitched it to the backing fabric.  The choice of solid and printed feed sack prints makes this a cheerful quilt.

1860's Ozark Tile 80" 80"

Tag Text: Author's Collection (Nancy Mahoney)   Hand quilted by Laura Lipski
This quilt was pieced with scraps from men's shirting and other household clothing.  Most of the center squares are shades of red and burgundy, sometimes thought to be the fire reflecting the warmth of a home.  Notice a few of the center squares are pieced from flannel fabric.

Baltimore In The Provence Eileen Heck Somis CA

Tag Text:  Hand Appliqued and hand quilted by Eileen.
The inspiration came from French Toile fabric with its pastoral scenes.  When a piece of sheep fabric was given to me by a friend this was the beginning of Baltimore in the Provence.
Maker's Original Design
Traditional Applique Ribbon Winner

The Bizzy Bird Farm Julee Prose Ottumwa IA

Tag Text:  Since it is so heavily appliqued (660 Circles), I did the same with the hand quilting, using curly Q's and outlining.  Much 'fussy' cutting with Kaffe Fasset fabrics.  Changed the outside border from the original pattern by adding cats, many birds and one goat.  There is so much to look at, thus the name Bizzy Bird Farm.
Traditional Applique
Kim McLean Pattern?

I have to tell you - the quilt below - about 4" or 5" blocks!! stunning hand quilting too...

Mon Petit Maltimore  Susie Wimer  Ranson WV

Tag Text:  I love 19th century style applique, but did not want to make a quilt using someone elses pattern.  I didn't plan this quilt.  I started by making one small block, then another, using fabric left from other projects.  I loved letting the designs emerge, using themes from antique albums and other 19th century genres.  For the cutouts I just put scissors to paper and experimented.  The quilting took two months, stitching everyday.

Traditional Applique Ribbon Winner

Makers Original Design

Detail of fourth block last row - about a 4" block!!

A Thousand and One Berries?  Charlotte Schoonover Rapid City SD

 Tag Text:  I enjoy hand applique and fell in love with Susan Garman's pattern "The Lily Roseberry Quilt"   I did add the scallop border which made the quilt pop.  It is machine quilted on my Bernina 180.
Commercial Pattern:  The Lily Rosenberry Quilt by Susan Garman   (Link below)

Civil War Bride Janice Hartmen Gilbert AZ

Tag Text:  I had been collecting civil war fabric and fell in love with this quilt and its history when I saw it on the Internet.  I enjoy hand applique.  It was fun choosing fabric for each block.

Innovative Applique

(The authorized book is listed below)

There was also a special exhibit by the McLean Quilters (Virginia).
As part of a guild challenge they were asked to take a 1940s quilt block and use it as the inspiration for a new quilt.  The vintage blocks were taken from two sets.  The link below will take you to their photo album.
Thanks to fabulous sponsors this exhibit is able to travel!

I could never be a quilt show judge - could you?

Have a great week!!

Links:
Road to California Winners 2012 HERE
Nancy Mahoney HERE
McLean Quilters Unlimited Special Exhibit - Vintage Revisted HERE
   Also HERE (Scroll to the bottom)
Lily Rosenberry Pattern HERE
Official Civil War Bride/Bride of Paradise Book HERE
Kim McLean Patterns HERE

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

The Next Layer - Chester County Historical Society

See the tiger?

The first day of my May trip was spent at the Chester County Historical Society (CCHS). Their current exhibit is, "Quilts - The Next Layer Rotation #2".  In advance, I enrolled in a special Saturday program that included several textiles from storage just for us!

The group was kept small for optimal viewing.
Quilt historian Barbara Garrett and museum curator Ellen Endslow facilitated two groups through countless pre civil war textiles behind the scenes.

Through July 12 - YOU can still visit the museum and see the public exhibit. (HERE).

The Pennock Album Quilt is on exhibit. Some of you might recall the reproduction fabric line and pattern that was out years ago. That project helped support funding for the museum through licensing.

Our museum collections need financial support!

The museum exhibit includes pieced and appliqué quilts.

It covers several decades of quilting.

Many pieces have local provenance to the CCHS area.








The galleries are arranged with seating so you can soak in the beauty of each quilt.

Good signs and labels tell about the exhibit and the quilts.








I love everything about the quilt.
The fabrics, setting and sewn edge finish.


After viewing the exhibit we went to the storage area where another grouping of pre-civil war textiles was ready for viewing and discussion.

We were greeted with a table of doll beds, a silk bonnet and childs kerchief used as part of a quilt back.

The box at the end of the table is acid free with acid free tissue. The textile treasures are now packed safely away in storage.

Larger tables were used for the quilts.

There was seating here - but who could sit when we had treasures to study!

This wool intarsia quilt is very rare.
Documentation for this quilt has been provided to Annette Gero who collects, studies and writes about this style of textile. She will be exhibiting this quilt style at the American Folk Art Museum in NYC September 6 2017 to January 7, 2018 then in Lincoln Nebraska sometime in 2018.

After a delicious catered lunch, the groups switched again and we were treated to more wonderful quilts. I can only share a fraction of what we saw here. If you have the opportunity to attend an event like this, be sure to grab it!

We saw so many inked blocks in quilts I lost count. Techniques included stamps, stencils, hand script, scriveners - many with drawings and dates.

Once again we were treated to large tables and could walk around the quilts to catch every detail.
Interesting "feathers" on the lower border.
Fascinating array of red prints in the appliqué. The block shapes were probably cut from folded paper.
The center of each block is inked with a name.
Given the large size of the "font" in the lettering there was discussion as to whether it was hand or stamped.

This quilt is all silk. The two colors of silk in the warp and weft gave it a wonderful color change as you moved around the table.

It is embroidered 1857 with the initials A.M.B.

In one corner the hand quilting motif includes an adult size hand with a heart in the center. There were several different motifs in the larger squares of the quilt.  The diamond sashing was outline quilted.



We saw a few mosaic patchwork pieces.
This one was so vibrant, stunning assortment of prints.

Note the hand quilting follows the share of the hexagons.

Wouldn't you love these prints today?
This quilt had a wonderful brown chintz border  (mitered corners) that was quilted in chevrons.

We saw some piecing with lots of prints too!

Oh...the fabrics we saw!

This quilt included prints over a few decades.








The green was rather dark in this 1846 quilt.
We saw many shades of green in quilts dated pre-1860.

This quilt was also quite large, draping the edges of the tables.

Excellent condition, beautiful stitching it was one of many that got a 'gasp' when revealed.

They have 100's of quilts in their collection.

This is the detail of the green print in the 1846 album.

The appliqué was done in all one piece.

You can see part of the light inking on the block.

Look at the tiny hand quilting stitches - very, very thin batting.

When we finished the program we hand show and share. One family heirloom brought to show included all of the paper and templates for the full mid 19th century album quilt. The appliqué paper patterns, hand quilting templates and notes. It was a treasure to see.

We were then free to explore the museum until it closed. I always enjoy opening the samplers drawers. This 1774 sampler is stunning. Thank you to the sampler guilds who help fund this type   of open storage.



Remember you have until July 12, 2017 to see the public exhibit at the Chester County Historical Society.
I hope you enjoyed the photos!
Dawn

Books:
Layers: Unfolding the Stories of Chester County Quilts
    Available used on Amazon and from the CCHS Gift Shop