This is one of two quilt tops I recently purchased on Etsy. I plan to dismantle this top for the fabric, and there are several reasons I liked this particular top — the block pieces are relatively large, there are lots of cool prints (especially shirtings, and most especially red shirtings), and it was hand sewn which makes it easy to take apart.
Antique Quilt Top
68″ x 78″
Here are some closeup photos of some of the fabrics. I rarely find antique green fabric, so I was pleased to see the little green pieces with the holly print, but my favorite fabric (and the reason I was drawn to this top in the first place) is the wonderful brown and pink with the wavy design .
Chris just asked if I know the age of the fabrics, and I don’t. I am hoping that someone reading this might have an idea — Ann Champion perhaps?
You’ve done well again Martha! What vintage do you think?
There are some really wonderful fabrics in there Martha. Good eye!
Ooooh! Those are wonderful shirtings! The holly print is really cute, too. Good find!
Hi Martha, good find! At first glance, I thought your quilt was from the first quarter of the 20th century but not sure now that I saw the holly print. I would love to know more about that!
Beautiful fabrics and I was quickly drawn to the squiggly one too!
The last piece I dismantled was handsewn and it was harder than machine quilting to remove.
Oh Marha..what a great find!
You sent me scrambling for my books to look for fabrics. In the 1930’s-40’s a lot of the older shirtings and indigos were reprinted, so sometimes what looks to be older is from that time frame. So…
I went to your Flickr photos where I could get a better look and I’d guess your top appears to be from around the 1880’s? The weave looks just a bit thinner than the repro, at least in the pics.
The brown and pink might be a bit earler..maybe 1870’s?
The fabrics look in wonderful condition!
Very nice find, Martha. Do you have a specific project for the fabric?
What does the other top look like? Love love the brown and pink wavy fabric. My master bedroom is brown and pink.
Beautiful shirtings, Martha! Whatever pattern you pick to do with them, it’s going to be a gorgeous quilt!
WOW! You’re going to do something beautiful with this fabric, I just know it! You have a talent for seeing the forrest AND the trees. I would not be drawn to these fabrics because I don’t care for the look of the quilt – but I would be missing out, because when I look at them individually, I realize that you have some GEMS there. Congratulations on another great find!
Wow…I am jealous. I really love the wavy pink and brown as well. Sure wish someone would reproduce that one. Maybe if we forward it to Judie Rothermel??!!