Ann Quilts: Quilts by Aunt Betty

July 16, 2019

Quilts by Aunt Betty

I've recently had a lovely woman visit me with her collection of family quilts. These two were made by her Aunt Betty. The owner says she only met Aunt Betty a couple of times, but remembers her as a very happy women. We both think that Betty's quilts display her spirit quite clearly!

This one is a basic LeMoyne Star block. What I love about it is the happy mix of colors, and the way Aunt Betty played with color placement and combinations in a most enjoyable way.

Sometimes four of the star's points are more prominent, sometimes it's all eight points. And in some places, the block is truly a star, and in others the block looks more like a windmill. That's all due to Betty's placement of light and dark values.

And then, she included a block that's of a different pattern altogether! Surprise! She added a border to two sides to bring it up to size. Waste not, want not, right?

I think the fabric collection in this quilt dates to the late 1940s - 1950s. The quilt needed a very little bit of repair. One of the fabrics, a big blue rose print, was splitting in every place Aunt Betty had used it.

I was so excited to find a nearly perfect replacement in my stash. It's from about 1980, printed on a tan background that blends in nicely with the old coloring.

I couldn't find the pattern for this second quilt by Aunt Betty in Brackman's pattern encyclopedia. The closest thing, with the center curvy-pointy piece and four quarter circles, is called Windows and Doors. Aunt Betty's quilt has the addition of little triangles in the corners. Because she used the same solid green and pink throughout the quilt, they anchor the wide mix of scraps.

I think the fabrics in this quilt date to the 1950s - 1960s. This sombrero and maracas conversation print is one reason I say that, and so is the vegetable conversation print in the next photo. The greys, turquoises, and purples were all popular in the 1950s.