#counterpane

[mmagpye]

"This example of an 18th century counterpane is composed of worn wool and linen/wool fabrics. A center panel, 55 x 35-inches, is made of unglazed green wool, the 17-inch border is made of dark blue glazed wool. Two corners are made of blue and brown striped linsey-woolsey."

[johnthestitcher]

QUILT #3 - CONFLICTING PERSPECTIVES

Completed: April 1977

Size: 90” x 100”

Fabrics: polyester blends and lightweight upholstery fabrics

This slightly bizarre quilt was inspired by a building being constructed in the center of town that was made from pre-fabricated sections that were lifted into place, shipped in from parts unknown. The window units were three stories tall and were attached to the outside of the building in rows. I started wondering what would happen if one of these units was installed incorrectly – would anyone notice as long as they fit into place? To create the conflict of perspectives I chose a dark and pastel blue and pink to frame the 6” square black centers of the blocks, making the finished blocks 9” square.

The machine pieced quilt is hand quilted in outline quilting ¼’ inch in from all seams in black polyester thread. The black square is quilted in black in a repeat of the block design.

Sold in July 1989 for $90

Owner, location, and condition – unknown; presumed sold through the American Quilter’s Society publication (see below) where buyers and sellers remain    anonymous.* 

PLEASE SEE MY ARCHIVES FOR MORE PICTURES OF MY QUILTS, PILLOWS, WALL HANGINGS, HOOPS, AND QUILTED CLOTHING.

Exhibitions & Prizes:

1977 -  Mad River Grange Fair – First Prize and Best of Show

           Bethlehem, CT Agricultural Fair

Magazine pictures and/or articles:

Quilt World Omnibook, Spring 1983, p 38-39, color picture with ‘how-to’ article.

Gallery of American Quilts 1860-1989; Book 2 – published by the American Quilter’s Society; detail of quilt appears on the cover, description and color picture appear on page 63.

* This situation upset me deeply at the time. I received an advertisement for the publication and when I found that of sixteen quilts chosen for the cover that two of them were ones made by me. (What are the odds of that?) I wrote to the AQS and wanted to know why there was no ‘credit where credit is due.’ They replied that the sellers and buyers are anonymous and must stay that way; in my mind since two of my quilts appeared on the cover that they should have been forthcoming with credits. In the end, they sent me ten free copies of the publication to buy me off and shut me up.

[ylove-bandaesthetics]

"But we're just, cheap toys perpetually breaking." 💜

[neglettoregret]

WOW!! I already love it!

[johnthestitcher]

Quilt #2 - Patchwork Squares

Completed 1976

Size: 90” x 108″

A very simple quilt of six-inch squares hung on the diagonal, using the same supply of cotton/ poly fabrics as used in quilt #1.

In the center are four plain squares that have a circle with an old English ‘M’ embroidered in maroon yarn in backstitch. All seams were embroidered in herringbone stitch with polyester thread; however this time the stitching went completely through all layers of the quilt. The backing was folded forward to finish the edges of this quilt.

Soon after its completion this quilt was sold.

Owner: unknown

Location: unknown

Condition: unknown

Magazine Pictures and/or Articles:

1978 -  Quilt World, June 1978, p. 16, B/W picture with short article

[johnthestitcher]

QUILT #4 - MAPLE LEAF QUILT

Size: 7’ x 8’ in 12” squares

Fabrics: polyester print, polyester solids, and plain muslin

Completed: Thanksgiving Day 1977

This is a traditional Maple Leaf pattern comprised of solid orange and solid gold fabrics, with an orange/brown print thrown in for color. The leaf blocks are outline quilted ¼” from the seams in matching colors to resemble the veins of a leaf.

There are three different quilting patterns for the plain blocks. The innermost circle has four circles drawn with a compass and divided into six-petal flowers. The second circle has an original design that can be best described as a ‘tiny square within a large square, resting on four middle-sized squares.’ The outermost circle of blocks is quilted in diagonal rows within a frame. I do remember that I did not make this quilt with any intentions of selling it, but a friend saw it and insisted on buying it.

This was the first quilt I had professionally appraised (appraised for $350).

Owner: C D N

Location: New York state

Condition: unknown

PLEASE CHECK MY ARCHIVE FOR MORE QUILTS, QUILTING, WALL HANGINGS, HOOPS, AND QUILTED CLOTHING.

Exhibitions & Prizes:

1978 -   Bethlehem, CT Agricultural Fair – First Prize

           Mad River Grange Fair – First Prize and Best of Show

Magazine pictures and/or articles:

Quilt World, June 1979, p 25 – color picture with short article

Quilt World Omnibook, Winter 1979, p 33-34 article ‘Maple Leaf Quilt’- B/W picture with ‘how-to’ directions and quilting patterns

[johnthestitcher]

Quilt #1 - PATCHWORK BLOCKS

Size: 6’ x 6’  

Completed:  November 1975

Can we ever forget our first quilt? This quilt is made entirely of cottons and cotton/poly blends, leftovers from clothing, sewing projects and costume scraps. It was quite bright with a colorful mix of patterns. It has a cotton batting and the backing, applied after the top was embroidered in herringbone stitches (as recommended in the quilting article - pattern in January 1972 issue of Better Homes and Gardens Magazine) sewn in polyester thread. The backing fabric was folded forward to finish the edges of this quilt.

           In 1980, this quilt made its stage debut in a production of The Robber Bridegroom, a homespun, folksy musical, and the quilt was dyed (!) in a dark orange bath to tone it down a notch. The Robber Bridegroom also has patchwork-embellished costumes that I co-designed. In 1992, this quilt made a second Robber Bridegroom appearance, and in 2010 a third appearance in a thirtieth anniversary production of The Robber Bridegroom!

           In 1986 I worked as costume shop foreman for Theatre By-the-Sea in Matunuck, RI and bought this quilt with me to sleep under. It made a three-week appearance on Molly Brown’s brass bed in The Unsinkable Molly Brown. Eventually, to keep the cotton batting together, the quilt was machine quilted in diagonals approximately 6” apart.

This quilt was never exhibited. It has been washed many times.

Presently this quilt resides in the author’s car trunk, getting brought out to the beach occasionally.

[theonlybezo]

🖤💜🩶💜🖤

Strange changes come with age

Some things disappear in a day

And some things slowly fade

🖤💜🩶💜🖤

Counterpane - The Birthday Massacre