If you have been reading our blog for a while, you will know that Teri and I (Kara) have a love for all things vintage, especially quilts. Over the past few years, our collection has grown, and while most of my quilts are still in storage, that hasn't stopped me from purchasing a few more since I have been back stateside. My most recent purchase was a quilt style that I have been hoping to add to my collection—an appliqué quilt—and the Rose of Sharon block is one of my favorites. This Rose of Sharon quilt may be the closest thing to a Baltimore Album quilt that I may ever own. The pattern, sometimes called a Whig Rose, is quite old and often used in Baltimore Album quilts. Unfortunately, my current budget does not include purchasing an album quilt should one come up for sale.
I haven't had a chance to take it to my favorite appraiser, Phyllis Hatcher, but I do know a few things about it. It most likely came from North Carolina and the auction house gave a time period of the first quarter of the 20th century. I think it might be a little older than that, but I will have to wait and see.
It is apparent in a couple of spots that the tan areas used to be green and have degraded over the course of time. There are just a few spots that show what the green looked like before it faded
I am hopeful that the red is Turkey Red and will have that confirmed when I take it to be appraised. The fabric has a similar look to a Turkey Red Snowball quilt that I already own.
It is a summer-weight quilt, and what little batting is in it has definitely shifted a bit, as you can see when it is held up to the light.
An unexpected surprise upon receiving the quilt, was the initials that were embroidered on the bottom.
We have had an interesting time trying to interpret them, but the periods after each two initials lead us to believe that maybe it was three different makers. One thought is they were all sisters with the same initials but they all three had different ways of making those initials. Of course, that is just an assumption, and we will most likely never know the story behind this quilt.
So why purchase old quilts that have very little information attached to them and are in various states of disrepair? To me, each quilt I buy is a piece of a puzzle of what quilters of the past chose to create. Every quilt has something special that spoke to me and connected me to the original maker—whether it be the pattern, materials, or technique used. Do you have any old quilts that have spoken to you? We would love to hear about them!
Both Teri and I (Kara) have a love of Baltimore Album quilts—especially since we live in the great state of Maryland, where these quilts originated. Most of these quilts were created in a short period of time and have not just fascinated us, but they also intrigued the well-known father of occupational therapy, Dr. William Rush Dunton. Dr. Dunton believed that quilting could be therapeutic for women (and men) who suffered from mental health issues. He was also fascinated with old quilts, specifically the intricacies and detail of the Baltimore Album quilts. This interest led to groundbreaking research in these quilts and helped to shed some light on the mysteries that these quilts hold.
