Embroidered Crib Quilts Part I

hand quilted in simple grid

As promised in my last post, here are some embroidered vintage crib quilts from my collection. You'll recall that my sister noticed the cross-stitched outline of  the images in the little quilt I showed in my last blog.  She thought that was unusual and she was right. The stem or outline stitch is the most common technique used in thirteen examples in my collection. Most use two or more strands of six strand embroidery thread but some use a single twist, probably perle cotton, which has a different look.


 Here's part one. Click on any image for a closer look.
 You'll notice a theme.

30 x 34

Outline stitch in black

More animals:

33 x 40

tiny motifs!

simple grid hand quilted overall

 A prayer - with animals

Now I Lay Me Down to Sleep  33 x 53

machine quilted through motifs

Bambi ...with  -you guessed it, animal friends

Pre-quilted background

Bambi  35 x 55

Hot Air Balloon with ..... bear and  bunny

 32 x 43
Pre-quilted back. The maker applied a fleece backing - probably to cover the embroidery threads.

No outlining - all cross-stitch



Celestial Bears

Motifs defined with short straight stitches
Hand quilted with gold thread

41 x 54


Early to Bed

 Cross-stitched except for outline stitches for the face and hands
Done on prequilted back

36 x 57


Scotties

35 x 51

Each with a different comment. This one, " Wake up"
Hand Quilted


Ring Around A Rosy

 33 x 44

Again all cross-stitching


I have a few more embroidered examples that are not animal themed. I'll post them at the end of the week and then move on to share with you a couple of recent "salvage" projects

and

someday, I'll feature my pieced and appliqued crib quilts....

Two Color Graphics (and the Benefits of a Study Group)

Here are the two most recent additions to my quilt collection. I am a sucker for two color quilts. Blue and white is especially graphic but I like them all.

Hearts and Gizzards - Dutch Rose - Springtime Blossoms
Take your pick

At the end of October I was on my way home from our Minnesota study group museum field trip with a fellow quilt lover. Of course, we had to stop here and there even though both of us insist we are cutting back on collecting. There are times, however, that you just may come across something really special or very reasonable or...well, you know the rest.

I found this sweet little quilt and it fit into three categories that I'm interested in:

1. Two Color 
2. Crib Size (46" x 52")
3. Machine Quilted-specifically a particular type of machine quilting seen here on the back of this quilt.

 

I believe it was done on something called a 'jig'; a forerunner of today's long-arm machine. I think it operated something like the John Flynn system but I need to do more research on it. I've seen the same designs on several quilts.

Here are a few more photos with this type of quilting from my collection. I don't have very good photos - hopefully if you click to enlarge you can see the design better.

 If you know more about this machine quilting I'd love to hear from you.

78" square

And this is the quilt I got last week. I saw an estate sale sign on the way to our study group meeting on wool quilts (in the last post). Darn. I thought - I better pass it up and get to the meeting. However, I was early! The library we meet in wasn't even open yet. So....yup! I turned around and went back to the sale. I knew my time was short so I quickly asked when I walked in,  "Any quilts?" The lady at the door thought so - in the basement. I spied this from the bottom step -  folded on a couch. I moved in hoping I didn't have to elbow anyone out of the way.....but luckily there was no competition and the price was right.

The same crescent moon indigo print is used throughout with plain white. 

It's hand quilted with a feathered wreath in the plain blocks and straight diagonal crossed lines in the checkerboard.

I really like the triple border; especially the way the corners just go off the end. 

Maybe it's a good thing that we don't have another meeting until spring.

Coming Up: December? Yikes!