Monday, July 1, 2013

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

23 comments:

  1. WOW oh WOW!!!! Awesome - I love the first one!! Someday I want to make one like it!! How fun - maybe someday I'll come and you can show me around!!

    Blessings

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  2. I'm speechless! Such wonderful pieces of art...makes me feel NOT WORTHY! Thank you for sharing and I look forward to seeing more.

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  3. Absolutely incredible vintage eye candy. And if I don't go back and look at the others again I can say that last one is my favorite. : )

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  4. Amazing !! thanks so much for sharing - they are wonderful.
    Hilda

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  5. l am sitting here glued to the screen! What wonderful quilts!!! Simply stunning, each and every one! How can l thank you for sharing them???

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  6. Thank you for this lovely trip, the antique quilts are breathtaking, i want to go there one day

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  7. the quilts are amazing, thank you so much for sharing them
    wow, I can see why you stayed every night till 6!
    I would have been right here in this section all day!
    LOL
    again thanks so much for sharing your trip with us
    Kathie

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  8. Oh Regan , what a show. I have enjoyed the photos while sitting here having my morning cuppa.
    Their is now way I could pick a favourite they are superb.

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  9. The stories these amazing quilts could tell...
    Interesting in every way. I enjoy seeing the fabrics through the years.
    Regan - how does this show compare to the one in Lancaster, Pennsylvania ??
    Rose

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  10. What a treat! I love the quirks in antique quilts but we modern quilters are so compelled for perfection. I think the obvious problems make for a much charming quilt. I LOVE the red, white, and blue one! I don't think it would be fun to bind it, though.

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  11. I so love seeing the old quilts (even if I am a machine quilter, my roots and preferences are for the antique and traditional styles). This was a hard show to miss! thanks for the many pictures :-)
    Margaret

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  12. Incredible! Thanks so much for sharing each and every one of these. I am intruigued by the "potholder" technique, that's a new one to me! Amazing that both halves have been reunited at long last! I cannot even imagine sitting down and binding that Rose Wreath quilt, whew! It's a beauty. Someday this Quilt Show is in my future... some day.

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  13. Beautiful, absolutely beautiful! I would think each one was my favorite ... until I saw the next one. Thank you so much for sharing these with us. I can't wait to see what's next.

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  14. Gorgeous quilts - thank you for posting the photos.

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  15. Amazing! So many beautiful quilts!! Thank you for sharing these with us and thank you to the owners for allowing photos!

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  16. There are more? Wow! Thanks for sharing these awesome quilts. I so love the tight quilting.

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  17. Really, really wonderful inspiration - thanks for sharing, especially the close-ups!

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  18. Thanks for sharing your pics. What a beautiful show!

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  19. Those are FABULOUS!!! Thank you so much or sharing them. (I have 5 posts of the Shipshewana Quilt Festival on my blog if you need more "show fix"). I hope some day to make it to New England for that show.

    In stitches,
    Teresa ;o)

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  20. What wonderful eye candy to greet me this morning during my catch-up blog reading. These are such incredible historic quilts. I hope the owner is storing them properly so they will last as long as possible. And your pictures are so clear! I can easily sketch patterns from these. Thank you SO very much! I'm so envious that you got to see these in person.

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  21. Had hoped you would provide great photos for those of us who did not make the show and you did it! Gorgeous photos and I look forward to seeing the Janes!

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  22. Wow, wow, wow!! Thanks so much - your pictures are fabulous and the quilts are out of this world!!

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  23. Thank you so much for these pictures, a goldmine for dreams and inspiration! These quilts are gorgeous, I really love the Center Medallion Applique, circa 1880!
    And thanks Megan for your visit and your anniversary wishes! ;-)

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