reorganizing and looking for inspiration

I delivered quilts and ornaments to the Mennonite Heritage Center for their PA German Folk Art Sale, which starts this coming weekend.  I have time to plan some new quilt projects and do a little clean up in the quilt lab.  I pulled out some stacks of antique quilt tops, blocks, and cutter quilt pieces that I have been hoarding.  As I sorted them, I found lots of inspiration-color combination, blocks I have never tried, etc.  I also came up with a pile of items that will go on my Etsy site, as soon as I get a chance to take some good photos.

 My antique ironing board covered with my hoard.

 The court house steps doll quilt tucked in the pile on the right, inspired some quilts I made a few years ago.

 Hey, is that cheddar I see?  What a suprise that I would be drawn to this late 19th century top.

 This strippy top was inspiration for my quilt that appeared in Quilt Mania.

 Oh, green and light cheddar.  Love it.

 A rainbow.  No kidding this is a strip that was put together for a rainbow trip around the world quilt, late 19th or early 20th century.  I don't have the heart to take it apart and use the fabric, so I will keep it just as it is.

One of the few subdued quilt pieces in the stack.  The fabric is very early, maybe around 1830-1850.  I did not cut this one up(!),  I bought it this way--somebody was going to make a vest out of the old quilt.  Ouch.

Do you see anything that inpsires you?

More antique quilts and other news

First for the news:
1.  I have updated my website with some new ornaments and quilts.  www.annhermesquilts.com 
2.  I am opening an ETSY store to sell antique and vintage textiles, quilts, fabrics, etc.  I am using this is a way to reduce my collection, not to become a retailer, so the prices will be very reasonable.  The store is there but there are no items in it yet.  As soon as I add some items to the store, over the next week or so, I will  post the link. 

And now for some quilts for your viewing pleasure.  I have had this one for several years and just love it.  Check out that zigzag border.

 Here is the really special feature of this quilt.  It is signed Jacob Harris' quilt, dated 1855.  It came from Washington County, PA.  It has double line quilting.

 Here is a test for you:  This quilt is dated 1855, so what is wrong with the block below?

Here is another quilt I just put up today. This a PA crib quilt, from the late 19th century.  I suspect though, it might have been finished later.

The reason I think it might have been finished in the 20th century is the backing and the binding.  All of these yellow calicos prints were made produced in the 19th century and well into the 20th century.  I have seen these fabrics in 24" and 36" widths.  The back and binding are different prints than the yellow on the front and seem "newer" to me in the texture and color.   Also the binding is sort of wide and covera part of the corner blocks which are actually nine-patches.  So that part of the workmanship doesn't seen to match the workmanship of the piecing design which is rather complex. 

Happy Thanksgiving; changing of the quilts

Happy Thanksgiving to all my US friends and family!  The turkey is taking care of itself in the oven right now, so I took a little time to switch some quilts.  I am not mentally ready for Christmas yet, so I did not get the red and green quilts out yet.  I decided to enjoy fall quilts for a couple more weeks.  In the living room, ca. 1860 PA quilt.  Check out those borders...and the brown print on the back, no plain white muslin for those PA quilters.  This one is about 74 inches square in size.

In the quilt lab...another PA quilt, this time a crib size, 42 inches square. 

antique ironing boards--- people-size and doll-size.

Similar fabrics and colors in both quilts, even the back, another brown print.