I was in an antique shop that my husband and I occasionally frequent. There laying across an old chair she hung. Every so often one comes leaping out of the woodwork and grabs my attention enough to think it is worth purchasing. This beauty was it. I make her sound like it was some fantastically pieced, appliqued and densely hand quilted hidden treasure. Well it wasn't, but that doesn't change her beauty. She is right out of the 1930s. Yes, she is a 1930s feed sack Dresden Plate quilt that was tied rather than quilted. In her day, my guess is that she was red, white and blue primarily. I'm so sure she lovingly graced the bed of the maker or a very loved one. I call her "she" because she is so feminine and beautiful after all these years. She is indeed as beautify as an old women. Her color has faded, but her beauty has not. Wouldn't it be nice if we were to look at old age as we do old quilts. The graying washed out hair (which the Psalmist calls "a crown of glory") and the slightly out of date fabrics make our elderly women a treasure as well. They have served those around them well and have received a crown of glory for their love and attention. As a quilt, we honor this Dresden Plate quilt for her age and remaining beauty. We should give our elderly women the same honor. To our senior citizens I give that honor.
Dresden Plate circ. 1930s
Note her beautiful age spots. For her, they will wash out ;-)
You can see how faded she is now. She's so pretty looking pastel that I was shocked to see her so faded. She must have been a real beauty in her youth.
This is my precious sidekick. She is Little English Maiden. My grandmother embroidered and appliqued each little girl, then did a blanket stitch round each skirt and bonnet. I expect during the 30s she worked on it. I remember it on my bed as a cotton coverlet when I was a very young child. My mother had taken the blocks and used a blue and white stripe cotton as spacer blocks and added the same fabric as a long ruffle that hung down to cover the mattress.
Much to my surprise, my mother saved this little darling. The blue stripe was damaged with I received those blocks sometime in the late 70s early 80s, probably after I learned to quilt. By the mid 80s I wanted to make it into a little quilt. I found a small 80s calico print that wasn't to jarring with the 30s fabric and hand quilted it. I remember enjoying working on this quilt so much. Shear pleasure; easy to quilt.
When I brought her to my grandmother to see her work finished, she said, "I always thought I would make a quilt in my lifetime, but I never did." She was in her late 80s at that time. A long time to be so close yet never achieve that simply pleasure.
Together:
1930s Dresden Plate and Little English Maiden
I just kind of dropped these two quilts on my bed a few minutes ago. They lose so much in pictures The blues are so close. They will be beautiful together on my loft bed this summer. But before I do that I need to do a little repair, replace the binding (greatest damage) and give it a gentle soaking. I'm so psyched!
Enjoying my blessings!
dianne
