Antique Hexagon Quilt

While visiting my cousin last month for a little restorative rural therapy, she showed me this old baby quilt that she found in the farm house she moved into a couple of years ago. It had been stored in a plastic bag (horrors!) which is very bad for quilts. The quilt was in terrible shape, smelling of mold and mildew.  She was able to gently wash the quilt and removed the smell and most of the stains.
My cousin eventually figured out that it was made as a baby quilt for the previous owner of the house, who was born around 1935. 
I could not stop looking at this quilt! 

My cousin was delighted in my intense interest in her quilts since there are no other quilt lovers in her family. I could tell by getting my nose right up to it, that the hexagons were completely stitched by hand. Each flower block has a different colour in the centre and is surrounded by a round of solid fabric, then a round of printed fabric. This seems to be typical of the Grandmother's Flower Garden quilts of the 1930's (you can see some examples at Quilt Inspiration).



We are so fortunate now to have a plethora of reproduction prints available, but it is really amazing to see the original 1930's prints - in person!

When the quilt was washed, there was some colour bleeding around some of the hexagons, especially the oranges, purples, and reds. But it was not enough to damage the overall look of the quilt on the front, and it really only noticeable on the white backing.





Look at the teeny tiny hand quilting stitches.  
So amazing. 
I am drooling at how small and even these stitches are.

What a sweet experience to find such a treasure to enjoy.