Great Examples of Early 1800's Quilts

Although quilting in one form or another has existed throughout history (knights during the crusades wore quilted layers under their armor,) quilts as we think of them didn't appear on the American scene until the late 18th century and the oldest quilts in the Smithsonian only date back to around 1780.

Quilting was generally done in straight lines, although flowers, baskets, feathers and wreathes were not uncommon.

We continue to research documented quilts from the 1812 era and present the following early quilts from the incredible online quilt reference "The Quilt Index" 

Early 1800's quilts were often “whole-cloth” quilts (quilts made of whole panels of fabric, such as the fashionable toile prints.) 



http://www.quiltindex.org/fulldisplay.php?kid=46-7A-BB











  





http://www.quiltindex.org/fulldisplay.php?kid=47-7B-59D

 

http://www.quiltindex.org/fulldisplay.php?kid=4D-85-238



Trapunto (stuffed work) and white-work quilts were made.  



http://www.quiltindex.org/fulldisplay.php?kid=4D-85-20F



 

Bar and stripy quilts were popular too.  





http://www.quiltindex.org/basicdisplay.php?kid=46-7A-48





Medallion quilts and Broderie Perse (or Persian Embroidery) were very fashionable in the early 1800's (you could even purchase fabric specifically designed to be cut out and appliquéd onto your quilt.) 





http://www.quiltindex.org/fulldisplay.php?kid=46-7A-52







http://www.quiltindex.org/basicdisplay.php?kid=46-7A-64









http://www.quiltindex.org/fulldisplay.php?kid=46-7A-9A

  

Or how about this example - sort of a hybrid of a wholecloth and a medalion style!






http://www.quiltindex.org/fulldisplay.php?kid=21-41-4

 



Click on the links under each quilt photo to read all the details

It’s hunting season! Antique hunting scene toile quilt circa 1815

This beautiful wholecloth toile quilt dates to circa 1815.  The quilt features a wonderful madder purple copper plate printed rare French hunting scene toile. The color of the printing is a wonderful eggplant purple.  The backing is a traditional blue stripe ticking fabric. The front is made from two panels of the toile and the back is made from various panels of the ticking. 

 

Most reproduction fabric collections have a toile or two in their line – what a relatively easy way to make your 1812 quilt! 

This quilt has survived in amazingly wonderful condition considering it's age and is currently for sale on E-bay.

Another circa 1812 reproduction quilt blog to visit!

Our favorite Quilt Historian Barbara Brackman reminds us to remember the 200th Anniversary of the War of 1812 through patchwork quilts.  Check out her fabulous 1812 themed quilt blog for period techniques and quilt style ideas:

http://quilt1812warandpiecing.blogspot.com

1812 War & Piecing.  I'm so jealous that I didn't think of the catchy title that she uses for her blog!  War and Peace is the famously long novel by the Russian author Leo Tolstoy.  The novel begins in 1805 during the reign of Tsar Alexander I and leads up to the 1812 French invasion of Russia by Napoleon.  Perfect timing!

An 1812 fashion accessory that's still in style!

Perfect to thwart the cool breezes of Autumn - shawls were at the height of popularity throughout the War of 1812/Regency period, and have actually never gone out of fashion!  Today’s fashion shawls are perfect to drape over your arms, add a light layer of warmth and complement any outfit, Regency or modern!

A fashion publication of the Regency era states:   "Shawls are much worn; they are admirably adapted to the promenade, as they afford, in the throw and arrangement, such fine opportunities for the display of the wearer's taste."   From Ackermann's Repository for June 1809.



A lithograph plate showing a variety of ways of wearing shawls in early 19th-century France (ca. 1802-1814); redrawn from various early 19th-century sources by Durin for Albert Charles Auguste Racinet's Le Costume Historique.
Click on the image to view it full size.

  My favorite is the green triangular version - third from the right in the top row - perhaps made in  hunter green camel hair?   Toasty!

Why is the War of 1812 a big deal?

• Why is the War of 1812 a big deal in the United States and Canada yet regarded as a minor period of annoyance by Great Britain?
• Was the Anglo-American "War of 1812" simply one rather unimportant period in the much greater world-wide Napoleonic Wars from 1800-1815? 
• Was America just a “burr under the saddle” to Great Britain during the War of 1812?
• And why was everyone so mad?

Decide for yourself when you click the link below and watch "The War of 1812" a 2-hour, online PBS presentation on the politics and battles that defined the war.  http://video.pbs.org/video/2089393539#




This program was produced by WNED-TV of Buffalo/Toronto.  Learn more at the PBS War of 1812 website at:  http://www.pbs.org/wned/war-of-1812

1812 Wardrobe Project

As you may have heard we are encouraging our attendees at the March 17 and 18 quilt show to dress in 1812 period fashions. 

 

As a prelude to the quilt show a few of us dressed up for New York State's Official War of 1812 Commemoration Day on September 24th at the Seaway Trail Headquarters in Sackets Harbor. 

The 1812 dressed re-enactors also helped to inaugurate our first-ever Great Lakes Seaway Trail Volkssport 5k and 10k walk events. 

President James Monroe was also on hand to lobby for his Monroe Doctrine! 

The gold and green ladies dresses were made from Simplicity pattern 4055 which was designed by Jennie Chancey.  The dresses were made of basic quilting cotton and were extremely comfortable.   

The pattern went together perfectly and each dress took about eight hours total sewing time. That time is including the stitching of all visable areas by hand and the creation of the chemisette undersleeves and cuffs.  All-in-all it was a fun diversion and a rather quick project by quilt-making standards.

The little girl's white dress was constructed using techniques from the classic heirloom sewing book "French Handsewing by Machine" by Martha Pullen (I adore that lady.)  It consists of cotton batiste with rows of twin needle pintucks and cotton lace insertion and was originally worn by the little girl's Aunt at her first communion.  I'd love to share more details on that dress if you're interested.

Everyone needs to dress up like this occassionally!  Hope to see many of you in costume too!  In the interim feel free to contact us with any questions or comments - we love to hear from you!





"Lately Arrived from London" has arrived!

In early summer one of the quilters at the Great Lakes Seaway Trail pre-ordered the fat quarter sampler of Moda's "Lately Arrived from London" by Barbara Brackman.  It was not expected to ship until mid-September but what a pleasant surprise she had when it arrived on Saturday!  It is lovely and we are not aware of any other major fabric lines that accurately reflect the early 1800 era. You may want to ask for it at your favorite quilt shop. Here is the line's description from the Moda website: 

"Lately Arrived from London” will delight fans of early calicoes and chintzes. The collection recreates fabrics from the turn of the 19th century when Americans imported their cottons. Traders brought the world’s luxury goods to wharves in Philadelphia, Boston and New York. Each piece is named for a trading ship that sailed into American harbors - the Charming Betsy, the Brigantine Sally, the Ship Surprise.

The reproductions are copied from Dutch, Indian, French and British document prints, the type advertised in 1771 by John Hunt of New York. “Fine sprig’d muslins for gowns, fine border'd India and other chintzes; … furniture calicoes.”

Colorways echo natural dyes with

colors named for the styles of

the times: China blue, India red,

Pompadour purple, Nankeen tan and Muslin white. The prints range from a neat geometric and leafy sprigs suitable for a lady’s dress to “furniture calicoes,” the chintz-scale fl orals. The furniture calicoes include a pillar print perfect for an 18th-century bed hanging or a 21st-century quilt border.




Double click the images to see a larger view.