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Vintage Zig-Zag Nine Patch Quilt Top

Posted on October 6, 2010August 23, 2011 by Martha

In the past two weeks, I have purchased three vintage quilt tops — two finished and one unfinished. One was extravagant ($130) and the other two more reasonable ($40), although certainly not a steal. The top I’m showing you today is one of the $40 tops and the first one I have received in the mail.

The photos of this quilt were terrible, so I wasn’t really sure what I was going to get. Here is the original ebay photo and the description…

This is an unfinished quilt top that I acquired from Clara’s wedding chest once I had purchased her home in Plymouth after she had passed away. It is in excellent condition….it just needs some finishing up! It is all handsewn with no machine work. It measures 74″ X 56″ – a twin bed. Its main color is pink.

The photo is so washed out and out of focus that it was impossible to see the real condition of the top.  I thought the faded coloring might be the result of bad photography — and I was right!

The blocks are smaller than I imagined (around 2 1/2″), and the colors are bright and cheery — more depression period than antique.  The pink print is unusual for a background, but I just love it. In terms of condition, the hand stitching is not great, but not bad either. It has never been washed, there are no stains or rips, and no weak or damaged fabric. There is a faint odor which is not an icky musty smell, but more like old cologne or talcum powder.  There is a little bit of raveling on the top and bottom edges, so I may replace those half blocks, and the size after pressing is quite a bit larger — (61″ x 80″).  One thing I’m extremely pleased about is the placement of the blocks. Sometimes on old zig-zag tops, the quilter neglects to line up the blocks horizontally, but Clara did a nice job on this top.

I am considering quilting this in the classic Baptist Fan pattern. I’ve always wanted to use it, and this seems like a good top for an all-over quilting pattern.

 

 

13 thoughts on “Vintage Zig-Zag Nine Patch Quilt Top”

  1. Ann Champion says:
    October 6, 2010 at 3:06 pm

    What a fantastic collection of fabrics! I never would have guessed this stunner is the same quilt from the first pic.
    Congratulations on getting such a nice treasure. 🙂

    Reply
  2. Mindy/Minka says:
    October 6, 2010 at 5:21 pm

    What a pretty and happy quilt! It reminds me of nautical flags with the feminine touch of the pink!

    Reply
  3. Kate says:
    October 6, 2010 at 7:47 pm

    What a great buy! You must be thrilled with how much better it is than as depicted in the photo. I adore quilting Baptist Fans – really relaxing and so graphic when finished.
    Best regards, Kate

    Reply
  4. Allie says:
    October 6, 2010 at 7:49 pm

    Wow, the person who took the ebay pic shouldn’t be allowed near a camera, lol! You wouldn’t think it was the same quilt. You really got a stunner, Martha! I think Baptist Fans would be lovely.

    Reply
  5. jan says:
    October 6, 2010 at 9:47 pm

    Sometimes a leap of faith pays off! It is so pretty and bright!

    Reply
  6. kathie says:
    October 7, 2010 at 1:34 am

    nine patches are probably my favorite quilt
    I love this quilt
    how lucky you were to buy this and for that much money!
    what a bargain.
    oh yes hand quilting it with baptist fans is exactly what I would do too.
    I hope to mail your package tomorrow 🙂 its coming soon!!!
    Kathie

    Reply
  7. LoriD says:
    October 7, 2010 at 6:11 am

    Wow! It sure looks better on your photos than the ebay photo. It is a real beauty and I think overall fans would be fantastic!!

    Reply
  8. mickie says:
    October 7, 2010 at 7:54 am

    Love it and like the idea of the baptist fan quilting! 🙂

    Reply
  9. Lynn says:
    October 7, 2010 at 11:23 am

    What a great eye you have. Love this top. I love Baptist Fan design and think it is the perfect choice.

    Reply
  10. nancysparrow says:
    October 7, 2010 at 7:05 pm

    Outstanding quilt top Martha….It couldn’t have fallen into better hands…Clara would be so pleased!

    Reply
  11. Barbara says:
    October 8, 2010 at 7:25 pm

    Love those colors and fabric! You were quite brave to bid. The listing photo is about the most atrocious picture I’ve ever seen!

    Reply
  12. Pratima says:
    October 10, 2010 at 7:39 am

    I can’t imagine how tiny those blocks are. It’s beautiful top! The pink is a lovely choice for the background and makes it so cheerful. I love the zigzag pattern too! The quilting you are thinking of doing will be so charming!

    Reply
  13. Gloria says:
    June 25, 2015 at 8:48 pm

    Do you know where I can find the pattern for this “Vintage Zig-Zag Nine Patch Quilt”?

    Reply

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