Here are pictures taken at this study group meeting.  Click on the thumbnails to see them up close. 

What we saw: Three small quilts from 3 different periods. The first one was made from a circa 1900 top that the owner rescued, took apart and remade with half-square triangles. The second one was a quilt she made from 1930's-40's fabrics using the exact same format, and the third was the same but made with contemporary fabrics. All the same, but different.

We saw some quilts and blocks that were also rescued by buying them from a crafter before she could turn them into teddy bears. One was an early 4-patch strippy made from wool solids and cotton prints.

We looked at 3 different versions of quilts in the 4-T pattern, all from the 1800's. One was a scrap T quilt, where the Ts walked across the quilt horizontally. This was a tessellating design which looked very much like a kimono pattern to modern eyes. Another was a typical PA German T quilt, constructed differently than the first, in green and pink, where the Ts appeared to be more on a diagonal. The third was a scrap Double T quilt, on point with sashing, and we discussed how quilt-makers of that period made whole blocks and then cut them into halves and quarters to fill in the edges of on-point quilts, whereas we would be more likely to make the half and quarter blocks individually.

We saw an early Touching Stars quilt made with a wonderful single fabric, Prussian blue Ombre alternating with a narrow plaid stripe in red, all on a white background. We hung that quilt and noted how the maker had tried to "fussy-cut" the diamonds in some blocks and then gave up and let the stripes fall where they may in other blocks. That wasn't apparent when the quilt was on the table.

The studio has a wide staircase up to a loft area and so we were able to climb halfway up the stairs to see quilts on the table from a higher vantage point if we wished. A flat board hung high on the wall opposite the stairs, and clamps, made it possible to hang any quilt in just a moment or two, and view it from across the room on the stairs. Sometimes getting farther away makes more things visible. The entire building is only 16 x 20 feet so you can never get too far away.

We saw a 1930's quilt in the Snake-In-The-Hollow pattern made from pastel colored bias tape on muslin. The same attendee showed an early medallion star with checkerboarded stars surrounding the large star. This was a two-fabric quilt, made in white and a very soft pink-&-blue flowered/striped fabric. We all agreed that the printed fabric had had all the brilliant color bleached out of it. The quilting was superb.

Another attendee showed us a 9-patch privy bag, a machine quilted Pa crib quilt in medallion style, and a quilt top from the 4th quarter of the 19th century of 3 1/2" Evening Star blocks, hundreds of them, set edge to edge. It was a great scrap quilt study.

One person brought a 20th century (contemporary) quilt that she was hand quilting. The top had been made by Anna Williams, a famous African American quiltmaker from Louisiana, who has influenced many more famous American quiltmakers. The top was a riot of color with blocks and sashing all string pieced.

The hostess showed a Turkey Tracks quilt from Franklin County, Pa, in pink yellow and green, with purple sashing, still un-faded; a 72 block sampler quilt from Lebanon Pa, circa 1870; also a dark blue and double-pink with white 25 block NJ signature quilt from 1843; a red, yellow and white rolling stone signature quilt from Heidelburg Township, Lehigh county, Pa. dated 1858; and her own reproduction Mariner's Compass quilt, almost completed. It is on-point and yes, I did make the half and quarter blocks and did not cut up whole blocks.

We agreed that the theme for the November meeting would be RED AND GREEN, to suit the season. We would bring quilts in those colors from any period, and in addition, we would bring anything else we wanted to share with the group.

Our next meeting is Tuesday, November 19th, 2002, same time, same place.  You are invited to attend.