Antique Quilts!

Last week our speaker at Colorado West Quilt Guild was Julie Silber.  She is not a quilter, but she buys, sells and appraises antique quilts:
https://juliesilberquilts.com

She gave a very fun power point presentation talking about old quilts in her possession and what may (or may not) be the stories behind them.  The moral of the story is that she can tell a lot about the quilt by the fabric, the block patterns used, how it was constructed etc., but if you don't label your quilts then the "rest of the story" may be lost!

We did have a lot of fun making up stories about some of the interesting antique quilts in her collection though :). It makes me wonder if some day someone will look at one of my quilts and say, "What WAS she thinking??"

Now, speaking of labels!  Don't you just love the one above?  Can't miss that one! :)

On Thursday, Julie hosted a class where members of CWQG and Sunset Slope Quilters could bring in old (preferably pre- 1960) quilts and she would talk about them and give them a verbal appraisal.

I asked permission to take photos of the quilts so the next few days I'll share a little of what we learned about them.

This is a Trip Around the World with a knife edge finish.  It was made by Hazel Long Preston, circa 1950.  (I learned that circa means give or take ten years in either direction.). It was machine pieced and hand quilted.

This is a Snowball quilt, also circa 1950.  It is hand pieced and hand quilted.

Variation of Rose of Sharon, circa 1860.  Hand pieced, hand appliquéd and hand quilted.  Most of the red fabric has worn away.  Julie said it has no monetary value because of its condition, but it could be restored.

Ohio Star
Hand pieced and hand quilted circa 1860

I don't know if you can see it in the picture but the quilting is beautiful.

Album Patch or Friendship Patch
All of the signatures say 1847, so we can assume this quilt was made in 1847.  It was hand pieced and hand quilted.  Some of the signatures were embroidered on and some were cross stitched.  She said signature quilts are quite valuable because of all the names and information on them.  She valued this one at $1000.

(I have some fabric that looks just like this in my Civil War reproduction stash!)

I will share some more tomorrow and perhaps the next day.  I find antique quilts fascinating and wonder what the life of the quilt maker was like.  This quilt is 171 years old!!  What a treasured piece of history.



To update you on what I'm working on - I am almost done with my Woodland Whimsy top!  I'm so excited!  After I finish it, I have five quilts to pin for quilting.  I think I will be busy this summer!


Happy late Mother's Day to all mothers out there.  I had a lovely day and got to talk to my mother, my husband's mother and each of our children.  I am thankful for such a wonderful family :)