Everyone has favorites...well, this is one of mine...and no surprise that I am an early fabric textile junkie...Here we have a folk art Log Cabin Quilt executed in very expensive early wool challis and other very, very fine wool fabrics. To me this is an oxymoron as affluent families usually created sophisticated quilts, not folk art. There are dozens of different fabric patterns, including early block prints, plaids, stripes, solids and calicoes. huge variety of colors...
It is pieced from strips (called logs) mostly measuring 5/8" in width to create 5" wide blocks. These blocks are foundation pieced. All work is executed by hand as this quilt was made before the public use of the sewing machine. Finishing the quilt is an applied 5/8 " wide plaid fine wool binding.
I am showing you the quilt on one of my beds as my lighting does not seem to work with these fabrics ...another reason to be sent on approval for viewing in your home.
An amazing piece of art for your wall or your bed.
Please call for more information.

A quilt very possibly created during the Civil War era.
This is a very rare and unusual Amish piece that is comprised of early wools and wool challis fabrics, some of which appear to be home woven. The backing fabric of this quilt is a grayish tweedy flannel, an early flannel. The squares created here, using a variation of the Log Cabin pattern, measure 11-1/2 inches. Each log measures approximately 1 inch in width. Yes, this a Log Cabin but an oxymoron because it's so very folksy and it's such an early Amish piece.
This quilt is not only a rare piece but would create an artistically amazing wall hanging. There's a lot of other information that I'd like to share. Please call or email.

This funky little fragment is comprised of various wool fabrics, both in texture and design. Pieced by hand and tied with colorful yarns, this little fragment has a very folk art feel. The four patch blocks are joined with a 2-1/4” brown wool challis fabric sashing. Each block measures apx 7” square. The backing is a c.1890 stripe in muted black, lavender and yellow. The binding used here came off the original quilt. This quilt art fragment, for your wall. is ready to be sent on approval.

This quilt is currently featured in the exhibition Cut and Paste: 400 Years of Collage held at The Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art, Edinburgh, Scotland, from June 29 to October 27, 2019. It may be seen on page 21 in their book Cut and Paste: 400 Years of Collage, published by the National Galleries Scotland.

Many Victorian women were resourceful, creative and loved embellishing. In the homes of today, when we have stopped embellishing, Victorian women have just begun...I like to say that these women embellished the embellishment. However, in addition Victorian women loved to be creative and excelled in needlework of all kinds. As a trendy habit most Victorian men smoked cigars. These cigars, in clusters, were wrapped in beautiful silk ribbons denoting the manufacturer. This advertiser design resulted in exquisite silk ribbons waiting to be creatively assembled in a piece of textile art. This Massachusetts woman, whose husband may have attended Harvard, has taken the silk cigar bands and created a version of the log cabin completely from these ribbons. The reason why I date this mid 1880’s is because of the vibrant colors. Later, the colors (mostly blue, orange and red) faded more easily due to a change in dyeing techniques. These miniature quiltx are rare not only because of their scarcity, but because of the rarity of the colors and the manufacturers, notably Harvard. There are numerous ribbons from Massachusetts companies and over a dozen crimson Harvard University ribbons. One ribbon includes a patriotic golden American eagle holding an arrow. What an amazing piece of textile art for your home or office. In perfect original condition and ready to be sent for your approval.

Most Victorian men smoked cigars and as a result Victorian women could collect the cigar ribbons and create decorative quilts in beautifully embellished variations of the log cabin pattern. This miniature quilt has some very rare ribbons, including 4 red, white and blue ribbons used to frame a center square design on point. Also incorporated in this sophisticated collector's quilt are very rare green ribbons, Harvard University crimson ribbons and even red, and red and white stripe ribbons. This Massachusetts quilt is filled with cigar maker manufacturers names along with ribbons showing American flags and other symbols. This is a truly sophisticated collector's piece in perfect condition. This miniature quilt is one of four that I found at the same time. Each has its own unique characteristics. A perfect piece of antique wall art for your home or office. In original condition and ready to be sent for your approval.

I will classify this original folk art Crazy Quilt as “off the charts”! It’s spectacular! This quilt is truly a piece of art. Comprised of 12 20” square blocks, using fabrics that are mostly 1890’s wool and wool challis. The backing is 1880’s - 90’s flannel thus creating not only a warm, but a very cozy quilt. Much of the embellishment on this quilt is three dimensional. There are a lot of unanswered questions on this piece. I have a feeling it was made by Grandma, whose initials may have been V.B.M. Many of the blocks are initialed. Does this mean that many people made a block or were the blocks made in their honor? There is a similar style so I believe it was made by one person, however that is up for discussion. One block has 5 sets of initials all ending in M. Could this be Gandma's children or grandchildren? This major piece of textile folk art can be hung in either direction. If you want to rotate it, you’ll see a totally different piece of art work. This is such a happy quilt. I think the creator must have adored her family. Ready to be sent for your approval at home.

This unusual silk crazy quilt has a center panel with an original adaptation of Adam and Eve depicted in the western part of the United States. The center medallion panel measures apx 22” square and is surrounded by eight crazy quilt blocks each also 22" square. The perimeter of the quilt is constructed using the broken dishes pattern which also creates a windmill pattern. The two side borders measure apx 4-1/2” each in width. The bottom border measures apx 10” in width. The whole cloth backing of the quilt is an early 20th century print. Each silk piece is outline quilted with various Victorian stitching embellishments. The edging is pillowcased and then finished with an embroidery stitch created using various colors. The thread used for all embellishments is a silk embroidery twist. A rare and unusual piece of folk art for a special wall. Please ask for more details.

This pristine mint summer quilt has been foundation pieced. The blocks have been joined together using a method original to New England. This twin bed sized quilt was foundation machine pieced onto an ecru muslin fabric with the blocks measuring 10-1/2”. The logs used in the formation of this pattern are 1” in width, the turkey red center piece measures 2-1/2” square. All of the fabrics on this quilt are unused and date from c.1850 - c.1880. The binding is slightly wider than 1/8” and is made of cotton sateen, usually found used for the lining of women's clothing. The size and graphics of this quilt make it perfect as art for a wall. Because of the repeat pattern, this quilt could be hung completely open, half open or placed over a pole with four blocks showing. Because of the huge array of fabrics, this quilt is a delightful piece for a 19th century fabric junkie. :-) Happy to send on approval...

Such a unique quilt! This Mennonite maker took a traditional fan pattern and turned it on its head by incorporating the fans into a fabulous crazy quilt in warm hues of brown, russet, palest blue and ivory. Each piece has embellishment stitching on the seams in a multitude of softly hued silk flosses. The fabrics are a combination of solids, stripes, circles and soft plaids in a variety of soft cottons - most with a beautiful soft sheen - with some fine wool challis pieces interspersed. The resulting work of textile art is a beautiful mix of soft elegance and folk art warmth.

The sixteen crazy quilt fan blocks measure 13 x 13 ½ inches and are pieced and embroidered by hand. A 6 inch wide fan border surrounds the inner design on three sides with a narrower striped border at the top. The backing of this quilt is strip pieced in paisley and solid brown cottons - see detail images. Hand quilting is in straight lines following the block shapes. The applied 1/2 inch binding is in solid brown cotton.

This is a unique quilt that would please a variety of tastes; from Folk Art to softly elegant to cozy comfy. The perfect size for wall art or for use as a throw on bed or sofa. In excellent condition it is ready to ship to you on approval for private viewing. Please ask Betsey for more details. This quilt already has sleeves sewn on the back in case you would like to hang it as art on a wall.

An Amish Father’s quilt is basically unheard of. The reason for the scarcity of these quilts is that they have rarely survived - especially from the 19th century. I purchased this quilt about 15 yrs ago from a private collection where it had been for over 20 years. The collector is a museum curator. I have in my possession a bible from this family that is being sold separately. The provenance for this quilt will be given upon sale. I have decided after all these years that it’s time for this quilt to be a part of someone else’s collection. This piece is too important to hide. An Amish mother would create one quilt for her son to take with him when he married. This is for the son’s use only and is called The Father’s Quilt. The rarity of such a piece and the fact that they were used has led to the fact of basically being unheard of. Much of the fabric which makes up the quilt is home spun,. Most of the homespun fabric is woolen and dates from the Civil War or earlier. It is an unusual pattern and has a 4 block formation inside a apx 6” square with triangular corners. We also have dungaree fabric (not the 19th century term) and some heavy linen fabrics used in the construction of this rare quilt. Just about all of these fabrics are woolen homespun or home woven. There is both hand and machine stitching, a treadle machine would have been available after c.1850. I am dating this quilt apx c. 1880. This fathers quilt is in complete original condition. Yes, there is wear, but not of importance with this rare quilt. Serious collectors please email or call for a price.

This is a quilt that we love for its graphics. It is entirely pieced and quilted by hand. It has a 1/4 inch tape binding and a 6-1/4 inch turkey red outer border with arch quilting. . The inner border has wave quilting. The diamonds making up the tumbling blocks have apx 2-3/4 inch sides and almost primitive straight line quilting through them. The backing is pre-1860s or earlier solid turkey red fabric. The diamonds in the tumbling blocks are purple red white. The border is blue red. Amazing graphic quilt for your wall. Clean and ready to use. Professionally hand washed by Betsey.

An original design by the maker for this wonderful bassinet quilt. The center medallion has a stylized tree design in blue and white windowpane plaid, and double pink calico. Surrounding the central design are seven borders; multiple sawtooth edges alternating with solid bars. The outermost border is the widest at 5 1/4 inches with the smallest border at 1 3/8 inches wide.

Pieced entirely by hand with outline and echo outline quilting also executed by hand. The maker used another quilt - a cotton broken dishes pattern in soft blue, white and lavender - for the backing of this piece. See detail images. The applied 3/8 inch binding is pieced fabrics in tan stripes and a blue plaid and shows slight wear at the fold on one area of one side. This is a wonderful small quilt that would be fabulous art for the wall. Professionally hand washed by Betsey it is in excellent used and lovingly cared for condition. Ask to see it on approval for private review.