so much for "dutch" !

We very recently acquired

a

*Treasure Trove*

of marvelous Antique Pennsylvania Quilts

... and thought it was a great time to look at the tricky term

"PENNSYLVANIA DUTCH"

The first half of the term is clear and straightforward ~

these quilts were indeed made in Pennsylvania,

before and up to the turn of the 20th century...

 

However, Word Two of the phrase,
"DUTCH,"
is a bit misleading ...

"DUTCH" is acutally a corruption of the German word "Deutsche," which means, of all things: "German."

So the term translates, more accurately to

"PENNSYLVANIA GERMAN"

The phrase refers to a distinctive decorative style used by descendants of the German and Swiss immigrants who settled in Pennsylvania in the 17th and 18th centuries.

In Pennsylvania German quilts, we see their highly decorative design heritage expressed in exuberant color, densely covered surfaces, and liberal use of printed fabrics -- both on the fronts and the backs of quilts. 

Often the separately applied bindings are yet another colorful print.

Borders tend to be plentiful and imaginative.
 
These "Dutchy" Quilts,as they are often called.
 exude energy and whimsy.
 
But, make no mistake ...
 
Technically speaking, these beauties are
Pennsylvania German.
 
 
To see descriptions and more photo details of these quilts:
http://shop.thequiltcomplex.com/2008/06/tqc-quilts.php
 

  

Merry's 96th Birthday!

Happy 96th Birthday, Mom!




A couple of months ago, I took my Mom, Merry Silber, out antique-ing!

We came upon a velvet Crazy Quilt with a big circle near the center. Embroidered in that circle? "1914" ~ the year of my Mom's birth!

Mom has been collecting quilts for about 45 years ~ and she loves it. So my gift to her could not have made her happier.

Her actual day of birth was July 10, 1914...

I hope you enjoy the quilt, too!

Thanks for tuning in...

rare and wonderful "string quilts"

Please enjoy
Three Great Antique Quilts
made of "strips."




Strips of fabric, of random widths,
were sewn onto squares of cotton.
Then four of these squares were sewn together,
creating the illusion of "X"'s
in this "String Quilt," made circa 1900.






This fabulous circa 1890 "Kaleidoscope Star,"
as the former owner called it,
combines Strip Piecing (in the Four Point Stars)
and Crazy Quilt (random shaped pieces)






Check out this wild, unique interpretation of 1880s Log Cabin!
Note the Log Cabin blocks set within Strip Diamonds,
and the Strip Piecing in the centers of each Cabin.

Quilt Adventure II

We Had Some * FUN * at QUILT ADVENTURE II


On January 31, Joe and I were joined by
Barbara Brackman
and
Jane Przybysz
(Director of the San Jose Museum of Quilts and Textiles)
to host 30 enthusiastic participants in a
FULL DAY of Crazy Quilts and more...


Circa 1900 Crazy with tobacco premiums border

We enjoyed a guided walk through of the Museum's terrific exhibition, "Still Crazy."

After a yummy lunch, we had presentations by Julie, Joe, and Barbara.
A Fun and Enlightening Time was Had by ALL...



All of us intently listening to the
super-knowledgeable Jane Przybsz (door way)
Director of the San Jose Museum of Quilts



Sharing our various (and occasionally differing) thoughts



Circa1900 Pine Burr ~ String/Crazy Quilt



Joe & one of his recent quilts "Safety in Color"



Julie discussing a circa 1900 Victorian Sampler quilt



Happy Valentine's Day
from
Joe and Julie
QUILT ADVENTURE






For more info and photos on our Second QUILT ADVENTURE See Unsolicited BLOG entries by two participants:

http://alliesinstitches.blogspot.com/2010/02/julie-and-joes-quilt-adventure-crazy.html

www.DianeSteeleQuilts.blogspot.com

crazy quilt ~ "crazy teas" !

Ever Heard of A "CRAZY TEA" ??









I am doing my homework for the upcoming
"Julie and Joe's QUILT ADVENTURE"
this Sunday (January 31) in San Jose, CA.

I found this *WONDERFUL, hilarious* passage in
Penny McMorris's 1984 seminal work, the book
"CRAZY QUILTS."

Check it out:

From the magazine “The Ladies’ World,” 1890:

“Crazy quilts, pillows, etc. are going swiftly ‘out,’ but crazy teas are a new and very pleasant diversion.”

Penny McMorris adds:

"The theme of a crazy tea was to be made plain from the moment that the guests received their invitations, for these invitations were to be written in various colors of ink on cards of different shapes and sizes and were then to be stuffed into envelopes that did not match.

The guests, arriving at the stated time, would find the hostess’s home suitably decked out with crazy quilts (“nearly everyone has friends who will lend them”) hung on the walls and draped over the doors. Pictures were to be turned upside down and rehung on the walls. Sofas were to be covered with books, vases, and fancy work (making guests sit on the floor?) Lamps, topped with shades of all colors and sizes, were to be placed in out-of-the-way corners.

The guests who were not fortunate enough to have eaten recently were treated to the following menu: baked beans covered with currant jelly, cornbread and cheese frosted with chocolate icing, tarts stuffed with chow-chow, and to quench the resulting thirst, hot salted lemonade.

Even the party conversation (assuming anyone was still able to talk after a few sips of lemonade) was made to be “crazy” by being stopped and redirected to a new topic every five minutes, at the sound of a bell rung by the hostess."


I love this ~ Let's have a Crazy Tea!

Julie and Joe's Quilt Adventure II
(details here)

is almost full and oh, it is going to be great!

Guest Presenter: Barbara Brackman!

These are but a few of the many Fabulous Quilts
we will show and explore on Jan.31 in San Jose, CA

For more info: CLICK HERE

birds on quilts

Looking through some of our images for a Holiday image,
I found this fabulous, hand embroidered
TURKEY from a fancy 1890s Crazy Quilt (detail).

We recently sold a 19th century Sampler Quilt featuring
this cocky fellow.


So, I started looking for more Birds on Quilts and found
the cool ones below.



Detail: circa 1880s "Birds of Paradise" quilt, Pennsylvania



Detail of an Album Quilt, circa 1860



Detail of an Album Quilt, circa 1860



Detail of an Appliqued and Stuffed Quilt, circa 1880


Victorian Crazy Quilts tend to be covered with embroidery,
typically worked over every seam.
But the fancy pieces of silk and velvet
are also a nice canvas for embroidered images of
objects, people, animals of all sorts ~ and great birds!









Why so many birds on quilts?
Whoo Knows?

YOU . . . are . . . INVITED !

Julie Silber and Joe Cunningham
are very excited about our


~ QUILT ADVENTURE ~

A FULL Day of Rare, Fun & Informative Quilt Events

Sunday, December 6, 2009
9:20 a.m. - 3:30 p.m. ~ San Francisco

• A Guided Tour: Amish Quilt Exhibition at the de Young Museum
• A Rare Tour: Jeffery Ross and Jonathan Shannon's fabulous home, the Archbishop’s Mansion ~ and quilts (including "Amigos Muertos")
• Janneken Smucker: “A New Look at the Esprit Quilt Collection”
(includes live examples)
• Robert Shaw: "A History of the Art Quilt" ~ Who Knows MORE???
• Julie and Joe: Dog-n-Pony Show on "Maverick Quilts"
and the nature of improvisation
with Live Examples ~ some DOOZIES !

Lunch and Museum Admission are included.
$195
Space is limited.

For More Information and Sign-Ups

quiltcomplex@hughes.net

then ... and now

I HEART Jean Ray Laury...


Jean and I have known each other for a long, long time. Way further back than the top photo here, taken about 15 years ago, on one of my visits to Jean and Frank's home.

Circa 1994 outside of Jean Ray's home in Clovis, California.
My sweatshirt (in Hebrew) translates to "Mendocino" (my home town)



At the annual meeting of AQSG Oct. 2009, San Jose, CA; Jean was the Keynote Speaker
(What a wonderful treat to get in a little visit...)


The late, legendary textile dealer, Cora Ginsburg, once said this to some folks who were complaining about how they looked in a photograph,

"Enjoy it, my Dears. Fifteen years from now, you will look back at this shot think you looked FABULOUS!"

Tempus, she definitely fugits...


To learn more about Jean Ray, and her work, please visit:
http://www.jeanraylaury.com/

Inspirations . . . Sources

Inspirations . . . Sources

copyright, The Quilt Complex, 2009

Original Design, pieced and appliqued, circa 1930-40

In looking through my quilts (and photos of quilts) for a recent article I wrote on CURVED SEAMS in pieced quilts, I came upon this WONDER. Curved seams, yes. Elongated points, yes. Skillfully made, yes.

But WHERE did this unnamed quilt maker get the idea for this totally ORIGINAL DESIGN made circa 1930-40?







The issue of sources and inspirations for quilt designs is a HUGE subject and will not be covered in this simple blog entry.

On this fantastic design, MY best guess for the quilt maker's model -- early 20th century crocheted doilies !








What do YOU think?

appraising antique quilts ...

And The Wonderful Things We Sometimes See...
copyright: The Quilt Complex 2009

Last Saturday I appraised quilts (made before about 1960) at the San Jose (CA) Museum of Quilts and Textiles. The museum organized this event for the public.

I love doing appraisals this way. You never know what is going to "walk in the door."

I do not yet have permission from all of the owners to share their quilts with you, I will post mostly detail shots of what we got to see ...

From the funk-a-delic to the sublime.... pretty exciting!



By far, the oddest "Yo-YO" quilt I have ever seen! Made predominantly of silk stockings, probably World War Two era, 1940s.




Detail of a charming, crudely made, Four Block floral applique, circa 1900, Georgia



A signature quilt from Pennsylvania, with well documented blocks, dated 1870 - 1877. Family owned.




And YES, a true, authentic Baltimore Album quilt , c. 1845, never before shown and right out of the family!

What a great day!