Week of October 23, 2016 – Trip Around the World Quilts
When I started collecting antique and vintage doll quilts, I thought I would collect mostly Log Cabin or Bears Paw block quilts since they are my favorite. I soon found that you can’t always predict what will come your way. I guess that’s because life is like that as well. We don’t always know what will happen next week. And our favorites can change over time.
For some unknown reason, I began to find myself with several Trip Around the World Quilts. The first one I am sharing is a little quilt I found on E-Bay. I loved the vibrant red, yellow and black colors put into it. I also appreciate the nice hand quilting that holds it together. It turns out that what appears to be black blocks actually has little red cars in the fabric. What a fun conversation print from a long time ago.
The next one is a little quilt I made my mother for Mother’s Day in 2005. She loves pastels, so the sweet pink, yellow and green seemed perfect for her. She was also a quilter when she had good vision. Even though she doesn’t get to make them anymore, at age 92 she still loves to collect and admire them.
I think I have come to realize why these Trip Around the World quilts come to me. It is because I have been fortunate enough to have many travel opportunities in my life. With my husband’s business, we went to Europe once or twice a year for about 15 years. We also went to China and I have been to Africa and India as well. So of course, I should collect Trip Around the World quilts!
This next one is also a treasure from E-Bay. It is only a top and has never been quilted. At first I thought I might finish it myself but I can appreciate how precious it is just like this. It has wonderful solids and prints from the 30s.
Four years ago I made a reproduction quilt from the 30s based on a quilt in the IQSC collection from Mary Ghormley. It is pictured in her book Childhood Treasures. You can see it here to the left.
The last one to the right is not a doll quilt. It is just over 50” x 50” and I made it as the final project for a Heather Thomas class on color theory. It combines all 12 colors on the color wheel and I love it hanging in my bathroom. Is there anything better than lots of colors traveling Around the World. It makes me feel like I just got back from vacation!
Just for you – Quilt Quote: “A Quilt is a Treasure which follows its owner everywhere.”
If you have any comments or questions, please contact Phyllis at: MtnQltr@aol.com