Vermont Quilt Festival! Oh My! What a show!

My friend, Pat, and I just got back from the Vermont Quilt Festival!  It was FABULOUS!!!!!  In every way!!!!!  We spent 2 solid days (they pretty much had to kick us out at 6:00 each night!  Ha!), and we had a ball!

I have a TON of pictures to share.......but I think I need to start with the fabulous antique quilts that were on special exhibit "For Fellowship, Love and Farewell" curated by Debra Grana and Sharon Waddell.  These are quilts from their private collections or on loan from friends.  AND they allowed pictures to be taken!  Woot!  We thoroughly enjoyed following them around the exhibit while they took turns talking about each quilt, pointing out specific quilted, pieced, appliqued or inked items symbolizing fellowship, love or farewell sentiments.  It was really wonderful to see these beautiful quilts, and have so much information about them!  And, of course, there are a over a dozen of them that I want to reproduce!  LOL  I need to live to 120!

Get comfy!......you won't want to move for a while!  lol

 Pennsylvania Tulip, circa 1850.  .......Yep!, it's on the list!  LOVE that pop of cheddar!

Floral Four-Block with Bird Border, circa 1850.   .......Yep, on the list!  SO beautiful!  I love those birds in orange and red!  Oh!

 Heart Wreath, circa 1850.

Center Medallion Applique, circa 1880.     I love these appliques 'just anywhere!'  So fun!

Yeah!....piece that border right over that applique!  Why not!?!  lol

 These next two quilts are amazing!.......

 Portland, Maine Potholder quilt - LEFT HALF, 1843.

Portland, Maine Potholder quilt - RIGHT HALF, 1843.

From the show book......"Each block in these quilts is individually pieced or appliqued, quilted, and then the edge finished before being tightly whip-stitched into a finished quilt.  This 'potholder' technique is believed to be a Maine tradition and is the ongoing research project of Pam Weeks in NH.  Found in Upstate New York, these half quilts have a label indicating 'patches made by the members of a Congregational parish in Maine for their minister.'  Preliminary research places those named on the quilt in Portland, Maine, though we do not yet know which minister or congregation.  Nor do we know why it was cut in half!"

I think it's amazing that these two halves have survived and are together......170 years later!!!!  Wow!

 I love this block......I can see a entire quilt made from it!

 Gorgeous!  And fantastic fabric!

And I love this 'make it fit'......chopped off star points.

 Memorial Basket, circa 1880.    "We believe everyone named on this quilt lived in Greenville or Westerlo, NY and were related to each other through birth and marriage.  Family history tells us this quilt was passed from Mary Stone to her daughter, Anna, on her 16th birthday in 1886 or her 1888 wedding to Gilbert Powell."

 Centennial Signature, 1876-78.  "This quilt not only commemorates the 1876 Centennial International Exhibition held in Philadelphia, PA (the first World's Fair in this country), but also has what appear to be wedding wishes from family and friends."

 Elephant Friendship Album, circa 1857.  "Mary Palmer Ogden was the recipient and probably the maker of this friendship album.  The elephant may seem to be unusual, but Mary lived only a few miles from where the first elephants brought to the United States lived.  During the time the quilt was made, Mary married and moved from Yorktown to Ossining, NY."

 I love this eagle block........I think I need to use it in a quilt!  :o)

 Ohio Eagle, circa 1860.  .......I'm in LOVE with this quilt!  Oy!

 Fantastic eagle......AND quilting!

Lovely spine down that feather in reverse applique!  And the quilting.....Wow!  I just can't get enough of this quilt!  lol

 Wheaton Peacock, circa 1850.  "Attributed to the Wheaton family of the Geneseo, NY area."
 ......Fabulous in every way!

 Mechanicsburg Nine-Patch, circa 1830.  "Found in Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania, this quilt contains a large collection of early fabrics and intricate quilting that includes fylfots and other symbols."

 .......And an incredible border fabric!  LOVE IT!  (And yeah, I had to look up fylfots, too!  lol)

 Oak Leaf and Reel with Center Heart Block, circa 1876.   "This is likely a friendship quilt; the blocks appear to have been done by several different people with different skill levels and techniques.  The heart symbol in the center is embellished with embroidery; some of the colors have changed (fugitive dyes).  The flags were probably added due to the increase of patriotism around the Centennial."

 Rose Wreath, circa 1920.  Done in red, white and blue, with a very unusual border/binding treatment.

Pennsylvania Green Leaf, circa 1870.  "This unusual and graphic leaf applique has needlework initials in the center of each design."     ......Fantastic!  And I love that bold triple border!

Amazing applique and quilting on this.......love the reverse applique!


Ok........so there are the first 15 quilts!  Fantastic, right!?!

I'll post more of the antique quilts in a day or so.......and then on to the show quilts!  Woot!

If you are ever in New England during this show........you MUST go!  It's wonderful!

regan