Red, White, and Sweet

I'm showing this quilt because it's simple and sweet.  The owner wrote:

"The quilt measures 60 x 78.   It is on the smaller size.  I picked it up at a quilt show a number of years ago.  I love it!  As you can see, it is white with red quilting."  

      

The pattern name is Sawtooth Star.

There is concentric circle quilting in the alternate blocks.  I do love circles!  

 

There were a few places with small tears and holes, and some worn spots just about to break open, which I was able to mend.  A few years ago, I bought two, or maybe it was even three, yards of this great-looking version of the red of the era (known as Turkey red), and I still have plenty!     

 

 

This block shows stitching from an earlier repair.

These two triangles are quite worn and fragile.

 

Here's a photo with completed repairs.  You may be able to identify the newer fabric since it is just a touch darker.

I am intrigued by this little quilt since the edges are finished with a narrow facing on the back.  I haven't seen many quilts finished this way, but it's how I like to finish my art quilts.  An edge without a binding is often called a "knife edge", but is more usually done by turning the edges of both the top and back fabrics under, towards each other.  The facing, instead is an added strip of fabric which was turned to the back and stitched down.

 

The owner sent a fun bird's eye photo of the quilt on her antique wrought iron bed.  

1897 Wool Crazy Quilt

This family heirloom quilt has some unique embroideries and provides a glimpse into the quiltmaker's personality.  (And no, I did not leave my scissors on the quilt by mistake.  They are embroidered with a variegated wool thread, giving them a wonderful metallic appearance!)

Here's what the quilt owner told me about the quilt:
I believe it was made by my great-grandmother, Johanna Gerbracht (born: 1865).  She was married to Henry Gerbracht (born: 1863).  They lived in Chatsworth, IL.  The best record I have online says that she married Henry in 1888.  That would make the quilt (dated: 1897) around their 10 year anniversary.  Online records show that she had three children, one of whom was born in 1898/1897.  You would know better than I, but that quilt doesn't scream baby quilt to me.  So I'm assuming that she made it for her and her husband. 

There are plenty of photos below, and you can see some other views of the quilt and listen to more descriptive information in a short video.

Another Perfect 1930s Double Wedding Ring

The Double Wedding Ring pattern was sure popular in the 1930s!  This spring, I've had two here for repairs in the same month.  When I blogged about the first one, I called it a perfect quilt - hence the name of this post.

Both have the same characteristics, including a huge variety of pastel print scraps and great needlework.  Here they are side-by-side, so you can see how they are alike and how they differ.  I always think it's great fun to compare and contrast the design choices that make each rendition of a pattern unique.