Friday, October 11, 2013

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.

26 comments:

Ellen said...

Such a wonderful treasure for your cousin to find. It is a lovely quilt and it deserved to be found by someone that does appreciate it.

Barb said...

wonderful quilt and in such great shape!!
it is so nice to see a real one so vibrant

Maureen said...

What a treasure! Fun to have someone in the family who is also a quilt lover. I love hexies and 30's fabrics so this was a treat to see!

Dolores said...

What a great find. How was she able to get the smell of mildew out?

Debra said...

What a beautiful quilt! And how lucky your cousin was to find it and be able to clean it. It is amazing how the colors still pop almost 80 years later.

Deanna W said...

Lucky cousin that someone left that behind...how could they!@! It is beautiful and very colourful. I am making a flower garden with reproduction prints...think it will be a life long project!!

Alcea Rosea 31 said...

The quilt is lovely. What size are the hexagons, please?

Barb Neiwert said...

It is truly amazing to look at the hand stitching that quilters used 'way back when'. Most of the hand stitching that I see done today is very large compared to what was done in my grandmother's day, i.e., like this 30's quilt. What a great find!

The Cozy Quilter said...

Nice to see a 30's quilt with such vibrant colours!

Pokey said...

That's my kinda treasure to find! It is beautiful ~
:-}pokey

Julianne said...

Wow! How wonderful!

Kindred Quilts said...

A truly wonderful find... it's gorgeous!

Lee said...

What a sweet quilt and wonderful find for your cousin! We had a bed-size hexie flower garden quilt growing up, but I don't know what ever happened to it, sadly. I'm sure it was loved and worn to death though, as appreciation for these back in the early 60's wasn't as high as it is now. Again, beautiful quilt now in a loving home :)

Mary said...

So adorable. Great that is a Finished quilt from the era and not just a topper. It has found a great home.

Josie said...

What a gorgeous quilt. A brilliant find for your cousin and lucky for the quilt that it is in the hands of a person who will take good care of it. The hexie flowers are beautifully stitched and the colours look so fresh.

Lesley said...

Absolutely gorgeous! What a treasure!

audrey said...

what a fabulous find! Thanks for sharing.:)

Carla A Few Of My Favorite Things said...

I love looking at old quilts! Great find! So glad that it has been saved from the plastic bag!

Debbie said...

Wow! I think Grandmothers Flower Garden was one of the first quilt patterns to draw me into this wonderful obsession. What a great opportunity to see this quilt!

Razzle Dazzle Quilter said...

Amazing find. I love old quilts.

Thanks for sharing

Linda

margaret said...

what a wonderful find to find when moving into a house. So good your friend appreciated it and did not bin it, thank you for sharing this quilt, wonder if quilts we make will we talked about and admired years after we have gone.

Raewyn said...

What a find, and how great that your cousin recognised something of value in that old plastic bag.... and then shared it with you!! It is beautiful.

Kate said...

Absolutely gorgeous quilt. Your cousin did a wonderful job with the restoration efforts. It could pass for almost new.

AnnieO said...

Glad that beauty is being admired once again and did not get thrown in the trash by some uncaring person! Adorable.

Sally Ann said...

What a wonderful beautiful Quilt for your cousin to find and be able to wash it and see it in its beauty! I love the colours in the 1930's prints.Now I want to get making my hexi's! Thanks for sharing this wonderful little treasure!

fatquiver said...

What a treasure.
How far from the edge was the hand-quilting done?