Old Fashioned Quilts

These quilts were made by my grandmothers and aunts and great aunts. (And possibly some neighbors, distant relatives or unknown persons.) I've no idea who made which, or I'd be more specific.

One thing I should mention is that these are not the modern type of quilts where you choose a pattern out of a book, go to the store, purchase fabric specifically for the quilt and then make it as a piece of art for the bed or the wall. These are the old fashioned type where the fabric was left over from the garments that had been sewn for the family and these leftovers were made into very needed bedding. They are not "sewn" quilts, either, they're tied. Materials, money and time were all scarce in those days and these women ran their own households in a time when there were few conveniences, no electricity, and lots else to do.

The patterns I've seen in the quilts in the family were squares, sloping squares, and "broken dishes".

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Quilt one.
This quilt is in the pattern I call "squares" and it is tied at the corner of every square of fabric. Each fabric square
is about an inch and a half across.

Quilt two.
This quilt is in the pattern I call "sloping squares". This one has strips of cloth between the rows
of quilted pieces. Again, this is tied.
If you can't quite figure the picture out...it's draped over a large rocking chair.

Quilt three.
This is the "broken dishes" pattern. The different fabric in the top right corner
happens to be the backing fabric. The squares (made of 2 triangles) are about 2 inches.

Quilt four.
This "quilt" has no cut squares at all, but is otherwise exactly the same sort of construction as the other three.
That is, it has two layers of fabric with a layer of batting in between. It does have the same fabric both front and
back and is tied.

Credits

Author/artist/photographer/designer/programmer of page: Rowan Ainslie Chisholm