Wednesday, August 4, 2021

Introducing Mother's Quilt



This friendship quilt has been in my collection for a few years. It hasn't received a lot of attention. I don't even have a good photo of the whole quilt, it's quite large.  I call it Mother's Quilt because there are not one but two blocks that say "Mother"; the second one has the date 1936.




 I spent two days on Ancestry.com and I now know a lot more about the quilt and its makers.  I found the majority of names in the 1930 census for Richland Township, Clarion County, Pennsylvania.  Very conveniently, most of the names were recorded in just three or four pages of the census.

I think that "Mother" is most likely Lizzie Shoup with blocks made by four daughters, three daughters-in-law, three granddaughters, a few nieces and so on.

 

 


 

One of the likely resources for design ideas was Grandma Dexter Applique and Patchwork Designs, Book 36A, published by Virginia Snow Studios about 1932. This 24 page book contained a small picture of each pattern and full size templates to trace. Instructions were minimal.  The applique block at the start of this post is Sweet Pea Wreath.  



This block is Tropical Butterfly.  Note that the template for the insect body is included, then you just "Embroider wings."




 
 Baseball. This block shows the quilting, free-form flowers joined with stems around each applique.



 
Dervish Star.  This pattern was particularly popular, there are four in the quilt. 






 
Grandmother's Flower Garden, a classic.
 
 
 
 

 
Triple Stripe in Grandma Dexter, more usually named The House Jack Built.  The maker's name is Avanell Shoup, one of the daughters-in-law.





I can't wait for chapter 2 of Mother's Quilt, hope you join me then!


3 comments:

  1. These are lovely. Are you planning to have a quilt-a-long?

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    1. Chris, when I first got the quilt I was finishing the Chester Criswell, and I certainly was planning a quilt-a-long for this one. However, probably not now. The background information is looking pretty interesting so maybe an ebook with photos rather than patterns.

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  2. I always love the research quilt bloggers find to fill out the info on a quilt they may have in their collection. In the 1990's I was reading all the quilt books I could find at that time... even the really old ones. In one I saw a lovely applique butterfly quilt, so I drew my own, made my quilt blocks, but at that time I had no access to the 1930's reprints that I would use today. The butterfly wings are all small floral prints. I did not inherit but 2 quilts, so I am making my own heirlooms.

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