'New' Vintage Fabric

My new quilt friend Theresa brought in some vintage fabrics from one of her friends. We all took home something.

There were many 8" squares.

And some various scarps.

 Like this polished cotton.

 I got about a yard of this!It isn't new reproduction fabric. How old is it?

Friends at a Facebook antique quilt group had quilt a discussion about its age.

The print pattern has been around since the 19th c.; it is similar to fabrics common around 1910-9120, but was reproduced in the 1980s. If it were darker, with the dye having bled through to the back, it would indicate an Indigo dye. I knew it was not Indigo. Since it was cut along one side I don't know the original width, which would--perhaps-- have helped date it. It could be from the 1890s to the 1980s!

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Album Quilt Blocks from 1876

My new Clawson quilter friend Theresa Nielson brought in antique album blocks given to her. Two of the blocks are printed with the maker's signature. Our best guess is the signatures are that of  Mrs. G. O. Williamson, Macon GA and Mrs. A. E. Johnson 1876.

They are just wonderful!

There and Back Again

This past weekend we went to Grand Rapids, MI and stayed with friends. My husband attended a seminar on self-publishing and my friend and I went to all of her favorite thrift and consignment shops. I found some great vintage fabric.

 I had to get this cotton towel.

On our way home on Sunday we stopped at the Williamston Antiques Market. I bought some vintage handkerchiefs.

There were quite a number of quilts, nothing uncommon or mint. They also had loads of glassware, china, and pottery.

 

How about a bathing costume? 

We stopped at the Tanger outlet mall near Howell where I found some cute fox oven mitts at the Corelle store. Shiba Inu owners like foxes because Shibas are so fox-like in appearance. So of course I bought a set!

Last stop was Ray's ice cream, a local store with it's own ice cream. I had Coconut with dark chocolate sauces. Yummy!

I received my order of Gatsby fabric. I had ran across this line while noodling around online last week. I have it in mind to make a Gatsby quilt. More on that later.

Vintage Fabrics

I have a small collection of vintage fabrics, culled from various sources over the years including garage sales, thrift and collectibles shops, and flea markets.

I love these prints. The pink and aqua is unusual as mostly I find the prints in browns.

I love kitchen prints. So much fun!

This towel was in mint condition. Kendall towels are very collectible. I got this for $3 at a flea market.

At the same flea market I found a set of kitchen curtains in wonderful shape. I paid $5. Imagine the kitchen that had fabric will metallic gold on the curtains!

Speaking of metallic gold in prints, this remnant of drapery or upholstery fabric is wild! Gold, turquoise and olive green. These are the  decorating colors people had when I was a girl.

Over 15 years ago I found a lot of decorating fabric samples. They are all from the same time period and each pattern had several color ways. Gold shows up again.

The bottom pic you can see a snippet of the kitchen print shown above. So I know they are all from the same time period.

Some of these prints look similar to things popular today. Today's designs are less detailed and fussy, and more graphic and modern. Novelty print,s like the kitchen curtain print with coffee urns, are still popular. But I have yet to see a fabric decorated with microwave ovens, Cusinart blenders, and Keurig coffee makers! Or with iPads, smart phones and flat screen tvs. Although I have wondered why we don't make album quilts showing modern cars and fashions like the 19th c ones with horses and steam boats!