Blue Nursery Applique Quilt

Maintenance and Project History

History & Provenance

  • Work Credit: unknown
  • Date Made: circa 1940’s inferred from fabric
  • Ownership History:
    • David Bailey from February 2, 2023
  • Documented by David Bailey

Overall

Size

  • Length: 65.5″
  • Width: 39.5″

Top

Fabric Description

  • Cotton
  • Solids
  • Predominant Colors: Blue, red, navy blue, teal, white

General Organization

  • Whole Cloth with applique and borders. The whole cloth fabric is 29.5″ x 54.25.”
  • Borders
    • One border has been applied to each edge of the quilt. The border is the same solid blue as the background of the appliqued area. The borders are scalloped (4 1/8 to 5 1/4″ wide) and mitered.
  • On the outside edge of the scalloped border a 1/2″ strip of solid fabric was applied as if it were to appear like a binding strip. This strip does not wrap to the back, but is folded into the seam used to do a knife edge binding treatment.

Other

  • Techniques Used: Applique – needle turn, Embroidery
  • Stitching Methods:
    • Top Assembly: Hand
    • Applique: Hand
    • Needlework: Hand
  • Workmanship:
    • Setting: Excellent
  • Other Descriptions: The applique scene depicts 3 mountain sides in a bavarian scene suitable for a boy’s nursery. There are four human figures – 2 soldiers and 2 maids. The scene includes two buildings – a church and a school house – and several farm animals – geese and pigs. Stars and flowers are used as design elements. Details in the applique include the 1/8″ white strips on the soldiers pants and the smoke from the house chimney.

    There is embroidery on the flowers, faces which uses a well-executive satin stitch.

Back

Fabric Description

  • Cotton – solid white.

General Organization

  • Whole Cloth – 55″ x 30.5″
  • Borders
    • Same border treatment as for the top of the quilt except with white fabric consistent with the rest of the backing fabric.

Layering and Stabilization

Batting

  • Cotton
  • Low Loft

Stitching Method

  • Hand Quilted – very tight stitches

Stitching Patterns

  • Moderately Dense Quilting
  • White thread on blue background
  • Cross-hatch, vines, flowers, and outlines of appliqued images

Workmanship of Quilting: Very Good

Edge Treatment

Style

  • Scalloped
  • Knife Edge – hand / machine

Maintenance

Needs

  • Batting is starting to migrate in some areas. This is visible through the relatively sheer backing.

Other

  • It appears that hanging loops were applied to the back. These loops are made of a heavier weight fabric – almost a canvas. They are only found in the upper corners.

Appraisal

No

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