I haven't finished anything in the last few days, so I thought I'd show you a couple of the antique blocks I've purchased on Ebay over the years. The first one is a nicely done single block, about 10" square.
This block is the very first one I ever bought. I'd been looking at antique crazy quilts and blocks on Ebay (as well as restoring them for some time through Rocky Mountain Quilts) and when I saw this single block for a reasonable price, I just had to have it. It was slightly unfinished; the space just around the little girl's patch was not done. Actually, it had been done at one time, judging from the stitch holes on the back, but someone, somewhere along the line, had taken it apart and not refinished it. I was able to finish it out, and now it awaits my further consideration. I fell in love with the chubby little girl with her tricky cat, and have seen this same motif on another quilt since I bought this piece. She might have been an embroidery motif that was printed in a magazine, or possibly a Kate Greenaway girl.
This fabric was also bought on Ebay. I've called it the world's most expensive fat quarter, though that may not be true. It's certainly the most expensive one I've ever purchased. It is cheater cloth; printed to look like a crazy quilt, right down to the spider and web (one of which includes a trapped fly). Sometime after I bought this, I finally got to buy Penny McMorris's book titled Crazy Quilts. Imagine my surprise and delight when I discovered, on page 24, a picture of this very fabric! It was made in 1886, according to the book. My piece was on the back of a quilt at one time; presumably on a crazy quilt, though I don't know that for sure. It does have tiny holes in it that are obviously tie-holes. I have since seen a whole cloth quilt for sale on Ebay that was done in this fabric. How I would have loved to see that in person!
6 comments:
This is amazing!
Gracious! You're stitching up a storm and look at the great things you have collected! Thank you for sharing all your knowledge and these pics of antique treasures!!! That cheater cloth is absolutely amazing!
Great antique blocks! Just to let you know that in the 90s, a reproduction fabric like this was mass produced. I even made myself a pair of shorts out of it. Just wanted you to be aware that it may be antique or it may be a few years old.
As Betty said, this fabric design was re-printed or re-pro'd in the 1990's. I own some of the yardage and it's really great stuff! I have had it for a long time and don't know that I will ever cut into it. Some faux crazy prints I have made doll quilts from and done embroidery over the designs. My granddaughter's loved them.
Beautiful pieces you have collected. I've seen some more recent faux CQ fabric, but this is truly lovely. Don't think I've seen it before. Thanks for sharing!
Thank you so much for sharing. I find antique cq so inspiring.
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