Looking For Clues Part 2 wBlue Flag Update

I had so many questions I thought I would answer them for everyone here.

Yes, I rescued the quilt and it now lives with me.  It will not become a cutter or craft project.

The binding is original and was hand applied on both sides.

This photo shows the binding on top, worn so you can see hints of the original green inside.   The outer border with triple line quilting.  The triple lines continue through the outer border, the green and narrow white center border.  The is no hand quilting in the repaired narrow yellow border.










The maker treated the corner by ignoring the border seam.


The triple lines go right through the seam until they meet the adjoining edge.

You can see the yellow does kind of look a little "off".

I was also asked about the original red.

It was a red print, not a solid red.
It s a little golden eyelet/sunburst print.  Similar prints have been reproduced.

The green was a dot style motif.

The green was an over dyed green - you can see the hints of blue.

I can easily restitch what I took out.  For now I will use it as a quilt study example.

While the hand quilting is exquisite - the piecing was a challenge.  By today's standards this might not even make it in a juried show, let alone win a ribbon.
There are small seams with pieces filling in the block piecing.  The corners didn't meet very well and they were 'quilted' into place when she stitched into that area.
So glad she didn't give up and leave the blocks as an unfinished project.

The back also has places where smaller pieces were hand stitched together so there was a large enough piece.

There is no sign of the yellow thread on the back.
All of the "cover up" applique was done in yellow thread.  The yellow stitches only going through the top and batting.  Quilting in the covered sections also only the top and batting.
The hand quilting seen on the back is the original stitching.

I do plan to leave the quilt as it is.

Now you know!
If you have more questions - feel free to ask!

On the stitching front I am working on the Shenandoah Valley Botanical Album Quilt (SVBAQ).  You can see the progress of many participants on the dedicated sew along blog HERE.  There are many pages on the blog dedicated to the history of the 1859 original.

All proceeds from pattern sales benefit the Virginia Quilt Museum.  You can join in at anytime.

My blocks are smaller than the original, but I'm trying to stay close to the original colors.  Stitchers are making it in wool, batiks, brights...Amazing and beautiful support for the museum.

Happy Stitching,
Dawn