If you are anywhere near San Diego (and have any remote interest in traditional or reproduction quilts) there will be a special exhibit at the San Diego Quilt Show which begins today and runs through Saturday (9/17 – 9/19). It was just about a year ago that the American Quilt Study Group held an exhibit in Columbus, Ohio of approximately 50 red and green reproduction quilts made by members of the organization for what we call a “quilt study”. About half of those quilts were then selected to go onto a two-year travelling exhibit…and for the next few days in San Diego you’ll get to see these 25 quilts up front and in person. For more information on this venue, check out their webpage at www.sandiegoquiltshow.com/.
The quilt photographed above was my entry to the exhibit. Miniaturized from a full-size quilt, my quilt was a near (although not exact) copy of an original mid-19th Century red and green quilt. I cannot tell you how much fun I had working on it…drafting the patterns and selecting fabrics that matched the colors as best as I could. An appliquer I am, but a quilter I am not — neither hand nor machine. So, I relied heavily on my good friend Cindy Needham to do her magic with her Juki and she literally breathed life into it. Wish you could see in the picture, but there is this beautiful feather border that winds in and out of the stair-step border. (For more about Cindy…be sure to check out her website www.cindyneedham.com for more information about her teaching, retreats, stencils and book.)
So, if you are going to the San Diego show…keep an eye out for the AQSG Study Quilts. You won’t be disappointed. And, if you are interested in antique quilts check out the website for the American Quilt Study Group (www.americanquiltstudygroup.org). AQSG is a very dynamic organization that brings historians, curators, collectors and quilters together.
–Penny
I love the stair step border on your red and green quilt. This is only the second time I’ve ever seen this border. The first was at a Somerset County, PA auction this October. The antique quilt was also red and green applique. Do you have any information on the history of this style of border? Would you be willing to share how it is made? Thanks for sharing your wonderful quilt.
Thanks for your post on my blog about the star step border. I’m not saying that they are common in mid-19th century quilts, but they aren’t uncommon either. I’ve seen then in lots of books. Some mirror images from the inside to outside border, others offset (like mine), and yet others that only have the stair step on one side.
Prior to my making my quilt I asked some friends in the know if the stair step borders were pieced or appliqued, and I was told applique. So, because my quilt was miniature and my blocks only 10″ square, I drafted mine out on graph paper in 1/2 in increments. I then used the freezer paper on the bottom method of cutting out templates (with mitred corners) and then just appliqued them on a border strip before joining to the quilt. It was really quite quick; but so many inside angles and outside points. You will be really good at it by the time you’re done if you aren’t going in.
At first I wasn’t too keen on the stair step, I thought it lacked punch. But, I now love it because it is so bold and hope to use it in another quilt sometime.
Hope that answers your question.
–Penny