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.

Lincoln Era, 1860-1865

This Rare Estate Collection comes from fabrics found in antique clothing from General Stores in New York City, Philadelphia, Charleston and Richmond.

The General Store was quite popular in rural areas around the country, especially during the mid-to-late 1800s. Folks depended on their local mercantile, not just for the necessities such as coffee, spices, baking powder, flour, sugar, eggs, milk, butter, fruits and vegetables, honey and molasses, cigars and tobacco, but also for a host of other “essential” items.  Store owners tried to anticipate the needs of their customers and often extented credit or bartered for their goods.

Blue Hill Fabrics™ is pleased to present the first series of new fabric collections born from our allliance with the Rocky Mountain Quilt Museum.  A true gem from the Rocky Mountain Quilt Museum archives, the original Birds in the Air quilt comes from the collection of Lydia Skinner.

Lydia Mitchell was born in Maine, somewhere around 1820, and became the second wife of William Skinner, a mariner who ferried timber harvested in Maine to New Jersey. William was prosperous at the time of their marriage and went on to become quite wealthy. The couple moved to New Jersey and had 12 children. One of their sons was killed in the Civil War, at the battle of Williamsburg.

The use of oil often caused Turkey red fabric to be described by vendors as "oil boiled" - and quilters loved it. Turkey red was a luscious color, it didn't fade, and it didn't bleed; without it, the elaborate red-green applique quilts of the 1840-75 period would have been an impossibility. But it was expensive. Even after synthetic reds were introduced around 1875, Turkey red "oil boiled calico" sometimes cost ten times more.

The term “turkey red” actually refers to the actual dye process used to produce the brilliant, vivid and incredibly colorfast cool red. In the early 1800s, turkey red grounds featured chrome-yellow, green,blue and black overprints. Large scale paisley prints and small repeated motifs were also popular designs.

What a find! Sara Morgan shares some of her goodies from a very special private collection of vintage swatches she is lucky enough to have acquired for her own stock.

These moons and stars motifs have been reproduced in popular reds, rich burgundys, dark brown, and faded blues from the early-to-mid-19th Century. These small, delicate prints are perfect as fillers with larger patterns or on their own with the appeal of calico-style petites. You’re sure to find them perfect for both vintage reproduction quilts and for projects with contemporary twist.

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.

Wrappers were the casual dresses the women wore for everyday activities. Made to suit the season in either cotton or wool, this comfortable dress was high necked with long sleeves and a free-flowing body. Less fitted than more formal dresses, the wrapper didn’t require hoops, corsets, or bustles, was easy to make, and could easily be adjusted for maternity wear. The style was practical and enduring in popularity and suited women of all ages, including young girls.

As with any dress goods, after the garment was completed, the leftover pieces went into a scrap basket, eventually joining other scraps to make quilts for the family.

Early Finery, c. 1845 by Roberta Benvin

Several decades subsequent to the declaration of our nation’s independence, we were still reliant upon France and Great Britain for many of our commodities, most certainly for the majority of the textiles that were available to women for their household needs. Only the affluent could afford to purchase quantities of quality material; others had to make do with smaller amounts and either cut up or recycle them to maximize their usefulness. 

Blue Hill Fabrics™ is pleased to present the first series of new fabric collections born from our alliance with the Rocky Mountain Quilt Museum.  The Ohio Star collection is based on a true gem from the Rocky Mountain Quilt Museum archives, from the original collection of Lydia Skinner.

Lydia Mitchell was born in Maine, somewhere around 1820, and became the second wife of William Skinner, a mariner who ferried timber harvested in Maine to New Jersey. William was prosperous at the time of their marriage and went on to become quite wealthy. The couple moved to New Jersey and had 12 children.  Lydia was an ardent abolitionist, and she was known to have made several quilts that were sold to raise money for the anti-slavery movement and later for the Union Army.

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.