Recently I added some 19th century patchwork blocks to my never-ending collection; this one is a beautifully embroidered heron on rose silk that has sun-faded a bit but is (unbelievably) still intact. The border strips are made of silk velvet and tapestry. Of all fabrics from the quilting past silk tends to be the one that shatters and disintegrates, so I feel rather privileged to own this block.
I always like to see the back of the stitching, too, as it tells me a little about the maker and usually shows the original colors of the embroidery threads.
Crazy or kaleidoscope patchwork, all cotton, still vibrant. Love the vivid reds. I think this piece illustrates the determination of many makers in the past, who always tried to use up their fabric scraps.
The back of the block. This was all hand stitched together.
Crazy quilt block with hand-painted flowers and leaves. The embroidery on this piece has such great energy. The two rows of slightly askew EEEEEs on the bottom right made me smile.
The hand painted patches are simple but exceptionally pretty.
Forget-me-nots with dimensional petals, the paint still intact after more than 100 years.
The back on this piece shows how much work the maker did with the embroidery. All three pieces are so inspiring.
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