Blue and White Antique Quilt

Blue and white antique quilts are the most popular color combination in America. There are blue-white antique quilts in every size from crib to queen, and colours from the indigo shade of the 1800's to the cheerful blues of the 20th century.

I never dreamt of finding another antique quilttop. This year I was for the first time at the QA Quiltshow in Monroe (close to Seattle). QA stands for Quilters Anonymous. And there I found two quilttops from around 1860-1880. Oke, there condition isn't great, they're smelly, they got some spots, they need to be repaired and they don't have a back and a batting. But I really really love them. Think about the fact that 130 years ago, there was a woman who worked on this quilt and thought about wich pattern and fabrics she would use. I think it's worthwhile repairing them. Although they're different opinions about repairing antique quilts. Some people think you should let the quilt as it is, because repairing would devalue them. But I like to make a "new" quilt. Those quilttops deserves a second-chance, to honour the women who made them. So their work isn't lost.

Facts and figures:

Size: 76 inch x 72 inch

22 different blue fabrics

white muslin

Size of the squares: 2 1/4 inch

Rows: 34 x 35

Bought in: Monroe, Washington (North-East of Seattle), 19 march 2010 (62 dollars)

Pieces: handsewing

Quiltingpattern: tied, square knot, through the muslin, each time at two corners, see the picture.

Background

I don't know anything about this quilt. I don't know who the woman is who made this quilt. I only know she must have been very careful about her fabrics, because some of the blue and white squares are made from several pieces. They told me it's dated about 1860-1880, and if I compare the fabrics on the internet with other white-blue quilts from that period, I think that's correct.

What did I do?

I washed it very carefully, and ironed it. Unfortunelately I had to remove a two rows at the top, one at the bottom and one at the left side. They were partly cut half through, or in a very very poor condition. I will use those scraps to repair other parts of the quilt. Next week I will start basting the quilt. I will take muslin for the back.