From the Library - What's in a Name

One of my newer books in my small yet rapidly growing collection is from the International Quilt Study Centre & Museum at Lincoln , Nebraska.  It is called "What's in a Name?: Inscribed Quilts" by Carolyn Ducey & Jonathan Gregory.  Ducey is the Curator of Collections and Gregory is the Assistant Curator of Collections at the museum.
This book is a catalogue of an exhibition at the museum of nineteenth-century quilts.  This is one of my favourites in the collection.





Hargest family quilts from IQSCM, Lincoln, Nebraska

This quilt was made in 1845 in Baltimore, Maryland and records the members of the Hargest family. The family history surrounding the quilt has been complied by a descendant of the family.

Red and green are always a winning combination, but I expecially like the geometric sashing between the blocks. There are a variety of red prints but the same print is used for each block.  I wonder if the red diamonds and squares are pieced or appliqued?

Fabric Requirements

If you are making the whole quilt you may want to buy all of your background fabric first.  The finished quilt is square, 6 x 6 blocks and each block is finished at 12 inches.  If you make the larger central block the finished size is still the same;  the large block replaces the 4 centre blocks.
The standard width of cotton fabric is 44 inches : 112cm.  You can cut 3 - 14 inch backing squares across the width of the fabric.  I cut my fabric in 14 inch lengths and cross cut 3 squares.  That makes a block bigger than you need, but if your applique is off centre than you can square it up before the blocks are assembled.
You need 12 widths for 36 blocks.  Cutting at 14 inches requires 168 inches : 4  2/3 yards : 4.3 metres.  Cutting at 13 inches requires 156 inches : 4 1/3 yards : 4 metres*

* That doesn't leave any room for error - better get 4.5 yards or 4.2 metres *

This is my first reproduction quilt so my stash isn't very big (yet).  I always wash my fabrics; many quilters don't.  I have used white quilters' muslin for my background (quilters' calico in the USA).  I want my finished quilt to look as if it was new so I'm using white and strong reds and greens.  You may want an aged look and use off-white with soft greens and pinks. 

You don't have to use one fabric for all of the background.  You may choose to use a selection of shirting prints and make the appliques in blues and reds and browns.  You may dig into your stash and use whatever you have on hand.  You may only make a nine block lap quilt with pieced sashing; just over a yard of background fabric would be enough.

An Introduction to The Quilt

I'd like to introduce you to a special quilt.  This quilt celebrated it's 160th birthday earlier this year and the time has come to get out of the chest and make some friends.

This quilt was made in 1852 in Chester County, Pennsylvania.  It was made as a quilt for Mary McClellan Criswell on her engagement to Jesse Jackson Smith.  Mary's family, friends and neighbours all contributed to make blocks for the quilt. And on each block the maker signed their name, where they lived and a few added some best wishes.

The Criswell quilt is typical of signature quilts made in the 1850s.  Red and green was a popular colour combination for the period, and by 1840 red and green fabrics were reliable and affordable.  Friendship quilts such as this one were first made in the early 1840s in the Delaware Valley region of Pennsylvania and the trend quickly spread through the eastern United States. (Source Roderick Kiracofe, The American Quilt: A History of Cloth and Comfort 1750 - 1950)

So, please accept an invitation to come on a journey of discovery about Mary Criswell's quilt and the friendship it represents.  You may even make a quilt of your own!