Miss Porter's Quilt by Di Ford, 66" x 66"
You can find the pattern for this terrific interpretation of an 18th-century quilt in Di's 2013 book Primarily Quilts...19th Century Inspirations published by Quiltmania.
It's not a copy of an antique quilt
but rather an interpretation.
R. Porter's quilt, 177_, Collection of the American Museum in Bath
The original inspiration is a quilt in Britain's American Museum signed in damaged cross stitch "R...Porter 177x." The star quilt is one of the earliest dated American quilts. Ms. Porter combined piecing and applique done in limited fabrics, the type of prints that might have been available to an
American quiltmaker in the decade of our Revolution. The dyes seem to be the old reliables: indigos and madders, producing shades of blue and reddish-brown.
Di used the field of stars to frame a larger feathered star block. She echoed the natural dyes but shifted the browns from reddish brown to a bluish-gray brown.
I recognized some of the prints,
Hampton Roads from my 1862 Battle Hymn collection for Moda came in gray-brown and reddish-brown.
For some of the alternate unpieced blocks she used one of my favorites. In the top center here is a tan on white, medium-scale print from the first line Terry Thompson and I designed, Floral Trails, in 1999.
Di must own a heck of a scrapbag.
See about buying her must-have book here:
I did a post a few years ago on the borders on this quilt
Her version is beautiful and it would be a nice one to make. I am still at the naive stage and work better with large appliqués.
ReplyDeleteDebbie
This is my all-time favorite antique quilt, partly because of the colors, partly because of its wonkiness, definitely because of that inner applique border. I didn't know it was in Di Ford's book. Thanks for featuring it! The book will be a nice Christmas present from Me to Me.
ReplyDeleteYou are wright,this book is awesome.
ReplyDeleteI already make two quilts from the book and working on other two off her quilts.
This one is also on the to-do list.
Barbara, thank you so much for your very kind words about "Miss Porter" and also my book .And , yes , it's quite a scrap bag ....if there is a world shortage of printed cottons I'll be fine ! Again, thank you !
ReplyDelete