A workhorse survives

Sometimes I find a quilt that was clearly meant for use and marvel that it has survived for us to study. Quilts made for utility in a thrifty style fascinate me. This one is constructed of strips of squares, 4 squares wide, with strips of fabric inbetween.

Pecualiarities can be exposed when I add a sleeve to the back of a quilt and hang it on the wall. Look how this one is skewed. Was it stretched that way by siblings tugging for a bigger share of the blanket on a cold night? and wouldn't you like to see what the home was like where this was used? I imagine a cabin on the prairie....

Indigos are predominant in this quilt. I looked up the chapter about that in Barbara's book about quilts and fabrics from 1890 to 1970, Making History.  Synthetic dye developed in 1897 made this shade cheaper and thus widely used in quilts made between 1890 and 1925.

I also love the way the plaids are wonky in some squares. And notice the backing on this quilt. it's a wonderful indigo woven with lots of slubs. (I use the word slub as often as I can.) And note the whisker guards on each end of this quilt. They are well worn....

This quilt measures 65" x 76". It is machine-pieced and hand quilted in diagonal lines.

Check out Barbara Brackman's blog for more information about indigo, she wrote about it just days ago......