Quilts, Wildflowers and Majestic Views

We took a little drive last weekend.

When we set out, we were fairly certain there would be quilts and antiques involved.  What else are weekends for?
The lawn mowing could wait.

After all, the wildflowers are at their peak.

The views are majestic

Mountain Top Quilts - Closed Weekends

Leadville Colorado is the highest incorporated city (10,430 feet elevation) in North America.

 It is a town rich in history as the frontier west's wildest, rich mining town - a Boom Town in every sense.

Leadville is a National Historic District.  We used the walking tour map to see some of the 50 significant 1870 Victorian buildings.

The town is filled with little cottages, restaurants and shops - of course quilt shops and antiques were our first stops.

Back of the shop looking to the front

This is one of the original hardware stores, 'The Western Hardware Antiques and Variety'.  You can see their photo gallery HERE.

We spent a couple hours here!

There are two stories and about 10,000 square feet in the building.

The original front doors are 10 feet tall.

Most of the fixtures on the lower level are original - massive walnut and cherry counters topped with display cases filled with treasures.

if it looks like the stairs tilt, they do!

The stairway leading to the second level is lined with the original wallpaper.

Should you need to pause on the way up, old prints and photos line the way.

The upstairs is filled with rooms of antiques.
The rooms used to house doctors, lawyers and dentists.  The original marble directory is still there.

You can read more about the building HERE.

There were lots of quilts and quilt tops.

I didn't see any quilt blocks.

This is the inside of a large cabinet of textiles.

This printed patchwork, or cheater cloth, was the back of a very, very worn pieced quilt.  There was so much fabric loss on the front, I could barely make out the pattern.

This is a more recently altered old quilt.

Note the 1980's lighter blue fabric in the binding and along the right hand side of the quilt.  I think it could be more accurately 'updated' today - but, I wasn't looking for a new project.

The original portions of the Drunkards Path quilt were hand pieced and hand quilted.

This charm quilt in kite shapes was also more recently finished with poly batting.

It was draped over the open door of the textile cupboard.

Hand quilted, I could picture it in one of the many mountain cottages in the area.

I am sure it will find a new home very soon.

I was very tempted by these sweet little children's furniture pieces.

They were about 36" tall.

I can just imagine doll quilts and clothes filling the shelves and drawers.

They weren't a pair, and are not being sold as such, but they do seem like a fun pair.

I did bring home a couple quilt tops.

This one is all hand pieced and includes a wonderful assortment of vibrant circa 1870 prints.

At least three different double pinks.

Lots of stripes in this top.

A nice example for fabric study.  I have no plans to 'finish' it.

This top is also includes a nice assortment of fabrics.

Whoever the maker, I think she was brilliant to
place the floral block in the center of the top.

It is all hand pieced - a little more wear than the pink top shown above, but nice in its own way.

Here are some of the fun prints.

I love the over print on the blue ground.

Stripes, dots, plaids - so much wonderful detail.

In the very lower right corner - note the piecing within the small triangle.











A nice 'Caifornia Gold' or chrome orange print.

This print is shown in Trestain - Dating Fabrics pg 117.  Still in print HERE.

The combination of the copper-toned madders and the chrome orange is wonderful.

This one also has a great lace print.
Looks like they were trying to get a Battenburg tape lace look.

There are a few pieces of 'that' green - minty, light ground green...wonderful fabric study.

All too soon it was time to head home.

Every where we looked there were reasons to come back!  I hope you enjoyed the pictures.

Have a great week,
Dawn

PS
The Catherine's Garden Month Eight was posted last week HERE.