Sunday, September 4, 2011

Quilted with embroidery floss


I bought this quilt at an antique shop in Peabody, Kansas a few years back. I know it's raggedy and a fairly traditional pattern but I was fascinated with how it was quilted. I have not seen this before in an antique quilt.

It is quilted with embroidery floss (4 strands), using what we call today the big stitch. The quilting follows the fan shapes, then rows of stitching run from the top to the bottom of the quilt - all 1 1/4" apart. Rows of quilting also run on the diagonal so the stitching forms diamonds. It's all stitched with varying shades of blue floss.

The fan and bow are machine pieced and appliqued onto the 12" x 16" block with machine stitches. I'd date these fabrics to the 1940s..... The entire quilt measures 70" x 80". It's been well used and well washed.  I'll let this one go at the upcoming garage sale too, now extended to run 2 days - Sept 16 and 17 (weather permitting)....

Here's one more peek at some of the interesting fabrics....

 
at

8 comments:

  1. Nifty QuiltsSeptember 4, 2011 at 4:01 PM

    A wonderful quilt! I'm glad to know someone quilted with embroidery floss way back when. I've been doing the same, with three strands, when I can't find #8 perle cotton in the right color. It's a good thing I'll be nowhere near your garage sale. I'd come home with a truck full!

    ReplyDelete
  2. sewprimitive karenSeptember 4, 2011 at 4:02 PM

    Hi, I have a really beautiful one like that, same color blue thread, I think it's a Dresden. I LOVE that look.

    ReplyDelete
  3. NickySeptember 4, 2011 at 5:13 PM

    Isn't that a beauty? Surprised the floss has lasted so well!

    ReplyDelete
  4. ChrisSeptember 4, 2011 at 6:22 PM

    What a beautiful quilt and what a shame we can't get to the garage-sale-to-die-for!
    I hope it all goes to good quilty homes.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Rosalyn ManesseSeptember 5, 2011 at 12:33 PM

    Someone's labor of love--it must have taken a long time to make, and kept a lot of folks warm on cold nights.

    ReplyDelete
  6. Jean CarltonSeptember 5, 2011 at 10:03 PM

    Love it - I found a crib quilt also quilted with floss. Eventually I'll get it on my blog - so many quilts; so little time! Thanks for sharing it.

    http://quiltsetcetera.blogspot.com/

    ReplyDelete
  7. Taos SunflowerSeptember 6, 2011 at 4:09 PM

    I really like that look. It must have been fun for the quilter, also.

    ReplyDelete
  8. AnonymousSeptember 9, 2011 at 10:59 AM

    Tell us about the stars and squares quilt in the picture of you giving a lecture on the opening page of your website. Thanks. Mary

    ReplyDelete