Certain colors, certain prints, certain styles...together, they give us what is known as fashion. These trends in fashion make it possible to date not only the clothing that was worn, but also quilts that were made from fabrics that were popular at a given time. Each decade or, at least, each quarter-century can be identified by specific fabrics that were in demand by fashion-conscious ladies.

My collection of antique quilts dates, primarily, from the early 1800's and, as such, I am used to seeing a particular palette. Every now and again, I find examples of colors or prints that do not seem to fit the typical mold. Although accurate to the time period, they are not seen as frequently as the more familiar color schemes. Such is the case with this collection.

Vintage textile enthusiasts and collectors will find this group very exciting!

Fabrics from the Boussac of France mill are very rare and unique finds - Blue Hill Fabrics has been lucky enough, through their association with Sara Morgan, to present this beautiful collection of exclusive designs and motifs from that famous mill. . These treasures are just a sampling from the most incredible collection of mill samples from from the Boussac of France mill book.

The delicate background netting, the interesting color combinations and the wonderful handwriting motifs are straight out of mid 1800s textile history. Delicate flowers and intricate designs are just part of the appeal - once you see the collection, you’ll understand why it so special

Dark Chocolate and Lilac, c. 1850 by Sara Morgan

Rich warm browns, subtle lilacs and deep purples make for timeless beauty in this wonderful vintage reproduction collection from Sara Morgan. As was popular in the mid-19th century, the soft florals reflect a sign of the times – elegant prints with strong copper brown accents and finely detailed prints which displayed the strong European influence of the era. The purples of that period were fugitive dyes, often unstable and bleeding onto other fabrics of the quilt, making prints such as these a rare find.

Decorative borders and stylized floral appliqué motifs were indicative of the quilting styles, as were eight-pointed stars. During this period, quilters began to experiment more with piecing patterns and variations.

Victorian Christmas II by Sara Morgan   1890-1900

Following the Puritan ban on celebrations, it took nearly 200 years for Christmas to once again become an important event. Many of the things we most love at Christmas, such as sending cards and pictures of a fat, jolly Father Christmas or Santa Claus, date back to the Victorian age. The Christmas tree became popular, as did gift shopping in big stores.

Children in Victorian England had the task of writing greetings to their parents in their very best handwriting. Occasionally, adults took on the time-consuming task ofwriting Christmas letters to each other. The printed Christmas card solved this problem.

The phrase “Old Glory” was actually coined in 1891. Captain William Driver, a shipmaster from Massachussetts, embarked on one of his many voyages aboard the Charles Doggert brig and was presented with a beautiful flag of 24 stars. As the banner proudly swayed in the ocean breeze, he exclaimed, “Old Glory!”.

Until the Executive Order of June 24, 1912, neither the order of the stars nor the proportions of the flag was prescribed. Consequently, flags dating before this period sometimes show unusual arrangements of the stars and odd proportions, since these features were up to the discretion of the flag maker. In general, however, straight rows of stars and proportions similar to those later adopted officially were used.

Carrie's Madders, 1860-1880

Madder is a low creeping plant that will quickly cover an area of ground without a great deal of maintanence. The plant matures at fiveyears old, bearing small yellow/green flowers and berries. The berries are dark when ripe and can be used as seed stock to multiply the crop.  The part of the plant used for the dye is the tuber type root. The plant is pulled from the ground after loosening the soil, the leaves are stripped from the plant and the roots are dried out until they can be ground up into a powder and put in a pot with some water. This mixture is heated to extract the bright red dye. If a copper dye vat is used, the color will be brighter.