The quilt top I’m pulling from the cupboard today is a LeMoyne Star. It dates to 1860-1880 and comes from Pennsylvania.
Many people think that old quilts are basically brown or dull colors. This isn’t always the case! Some fabrics from this era have a wonderful intensity of color and those colors are commonly used in combinations we might not think of today.
The brilliant yellow in this top is known as chrome yellow. It usually contained small black, brown, or red prints. This is the yellow that was often used as an accent color in Baltimore album quilts. This color was also common in Pennsylvania.
The pink in the quilt is called double pink.
Double pinks began to appear around 1840-1850. They have a white ground printed closely with with a red or pink, then were printed with another darker pink or red over that. Often they have a regular pattern of white dots. They are so closely printed that the ground appears pink.
The blocks were hand pieced..they were then set together with a wide sashing and cornerstones… by machine.
There are two different double pinks used and two different shirtings, both white with small blue dots or figures.
The stitching is beautifully done and the quilt top is in pristine condition. The quality of the fabric was surprising to me. It’s almost like a percale.
I don’t have any immediate plans to quilt this top, but it would quilt up beautifully, because it is not the least bit fragile.
Note: If you would like a closer look at the fabrics, they are posted in my Flickr album, where they can be enlarged. There is a link to the album on my side bar,
Tags: chrome yellow, double pink, LeMoyne Star, shirting
Wow, Ann, every time you post a new quilt, it becomes my new favorite! This is just beautiful! Thanks also for the wonderful information. Your collection of antique quilts is amazing. I’m curious, if you don’t mind, where did you find this gem?
Thanks
I just love seeing the quilts out of the cupbard and thoroughly enjoy reading about the fabrics and colours plus the other informative snippets.
Chrome yellow and pink would be a daring combo even today.
Diane..I purchased this top at an estate sale. I was told the family wasn’t sure who made it, because there were several sisters that lived together and were quilters. They were from Pennsylvania.
Thanks Janet. I agree about the color combo. I bet a quilt with this combo would still look nice after several washings though? It would just get more mellow?
I do love the LeMoyne Star pattern. Maybe you’ll choose this one as a “winter project” – I’m sure it will quilt up beautifully!
oh Ann this is just a beautiful quilt I LOVE the color combos and well star quilts just speak to me
Right now I am on a PA antique quilt phase and just can’t get enough of the style, colors, hand quilting…
thanks so much for sharing yet another amazing quilt!
Boy do I wish I lived next door to you to see these quilts in person!
Kathie
Ann — this one is a stunner for sure. Lemoyne is such a lovely pattern, and how wonderful to find one where the piecing is precise, the color choices so perfect AND it’s in mint condition. It’s such a special treat when you share one of the cupboard quilts — like visiting a special little quilt museum with the owner/expert to show you around.
Very pretty quilt!
Just discovered your blog. I love looking at all your antique quilts. I really liked seeing your new quilts too. But what really made my jaw job was your fabric room. unbelievable! just unbelieveable. Next time hubby ask about my fabric purchase I will have to tell him, it is nothing compared to yours. haha! if you have a sec check out my great grandmother’s quilts on my blog http://www.lalaslovelys.blogspot.com. on the side bar Genevieve’s work.
I always look forward to seeing a new quilt on your blog every week. They’re often so intricate! I was wondering you could identify either of these patterns offhand. They are from my grandmother and great aunt, sometime between 1930-1960. Seeing all the quilts they made around my house growing up has gotten me into quilting, myself. It’s so much fun. Thanks for your time! Kat.
http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=56864067&l=5bdb0f2f64&id=8377998
http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=56864068&l=c53e8e91c4&id=8377998
Thanks for visiting my blog and taking the time to comment!
Kat..the first quilt in your link is a “Simple Snowball” or “Robbing Peter to Pay Paul variation”, and the second one is a Carpenter’s Wheel”.
Thanks for sharing your family treasures!
Pennsylvannia quilters sure loved their pink and yellow…I have a couple of quilts from that area in that color combo. At first I thought it strange but then it grew on me! Thanks for the postings…