Ami's SOA Civil War Quilts: Era, Commemorative, Inspired

Oh my gosh, could you imagine doing that one? You'd go blind! That pattern would make me crazy just looking at it for too long much less crafting it- these women were amazing!!
That one makes me dizzy. It sure be hard to do.
What's interesting is that the top of every block is signed. Gotta be some history there....
 
quilt1848.jpg


Quilt dated 1848.

http://civilwarquilts.blogspot.com/...paign=Feed:+CivilWarQuilts+(Civil+War+Quilts)
 
zoua cwt.jpg


88th Regiment PA Volunteers

"Made for “AK” in Pennsylvania by an unidentified quiltmaker, this textile illustrates the life of a Zouave soldier. It includes fabrics used by seamstresses at the Schuylkill Arsenal in Philadelphia to make Zouave uniforms. “AK” may have been Adam Keller or Albert Keen, both of whom served with the 88th Regiment, Pennsylvania Volunteers, which boasted two companies of Zouaves."

http://www.nyhistory.org/exhibitions/homefront-battlefield-quilts-context-civil-war
 
Last edited:
Thank you for this wonderful thread! Ive really enjoyed looking at these as I am fine tuning my handpiecing and getting ready to take up handquilting. A lot of work and love went into those quilts and its great that people can still that!
I am so glad you've enjoyed this thread. Though it's been a few years, I was always a hand quilter and found it a soothing, relaxing hobby.
 
Quilting is very relaxing! My mother has been a (machine) quilter for years and just recently decided to try handquilting. I found out that watching someone learn handquilting, well it's contagious. So now we are in the handquilting boat together. I also like to embroidery, crochet, and cross-stitch. Speaking of those, anybody know of any websites/books that show some of the patterns and/or decorations from the Civil War era? I would love to be able to replicate/reproduce some of the decorations and such from that time.
 
This historic quilt, The Reconciliation Quilt, (see above posts numbers 9 and 15) is worth another look. It was made in 1867 by Lucinda Ward Honstain, resident of Williamsburg, Brooklyn, New York, and is currently part of a travelling exhibition, now on display the the New York Historical Society.

The symbolism in each block portrays an aspect of American history or culture. If anyone has the catalog, Homefront & Battlefield: Quilts & Context in the Civil War,” that accompanies this exhibit please tell us more about each block.

It sold for the record highest price for a quilt at auction, $264,000, at Sotheby’s in 1991.

FinalReconciliationQuilt_jpg_CROP_original-original.jpg

http://www.slate.com/blogs/the_vaul...rd_honstain_s_vision_of_the_civil_war_in.html
 
Last edited:
Thanks so much for these, Chellers! Yes, the Reconciliation Quilt has a key somewhere, on who is who, what was intentional what was a filler, what was intended to be her life- it's endless. After you study it for a bit, you come away with your own favorite, and why. I like the cavalry trooper, the 2 navy pieces and the giant, giant, joyful black man- I *think* that is Jefferson Davis on the horse with him, and the standing man is expressing his thoughts of ' Free'.

I know many, many other states have wonderful quilting traditions- but we're pretty smug here in Pennsylvania. SUCH a hotbed of flashing needles and old rag batting- and cold winter nights where they'd have been wrapped between one's shivering body and the frost INSIDE, on your window.
 
mus confederacy spear.jpg


Silk Quilt

Ladies of Fayetteville, North Carolina
1865-1867
Collection of the Museum of the Confederacy
Richmond, Virginia

This quilt was raffled off as a fundraiser to build a memorial at the Cross Creek Cemetery in Fayetteville, North Carolina.
The raffle winner, Martha Lewis, gave it to Jefferson Davis, former President of the Confederacy. Following his death, Varina Davis donated the quilt to the Museum.

http://www.moc.org/exhibitions/museum-confederacys-quilts?mode=general
 
That's stunning, thanks for bringing it here! I remember someone saying how quilting was relaxing? Can't imagine on silk- it would drive you out of your mind. This was some amazing achievement, truly. Silk! Wonder what that was like to sleep under?

Must have caused Varina some pangs to part with, although she doubtless knew it would be well preserved plus we get to see it. Very nice.
 
It's a lot tougher to find Confederate themed quilts- I'm guessing because the were USED to very hard? Somewhere I have a thread on the Bed Quilt Regiment, who all came to camp with quilts wrapped around them in lieu of coats- no one had any. They were mustered rather later in the war from what I can remember from the top of my head.

Materials were also extremely hard to come by in the Confederacy- I forget what a sewing needle had been inflated to but women had a terribly, terrible time keeping households together unless one was very wealthy. Even then- where were supplies to come from? You could have a million dollars but if there were no sewing needles to buy it meant nothing!

This is the Confederate themed quilt, did not have a source as to where it is displayed.
quilt conf.jpg


This is a lovely 1844 quilt, so not of the war, but sure as heck went through it!
quilt 1844.jpg


The rest are Union quilts, please excuse. I really will have a better search for quilts inspired by the Confederacy- they are out there!
quilt 1863.jpg


quilt 1864.jpg


quilt 1865.jpg


quilt union.jpg
 
It's a lot tougher to find Confederate themed quilts- I'm guessing because the were USED to very hard? Somewhere I have a thread on the Bed Quilt Regiment, who all came to camp with quilts wrapped around them in lieu of coats- no one had any. They were mustered rather later in the war from what I can remember from the top of my head.

Materials were also extremely hard to come by in the Confederacy- I forget what a sewing needle had been inflated to but women had a terribly, terrible time keeping households together unless one was very wealthy. Even then- where were supplies to come from? You could have a million dollars but if there were no sewing needles to buy it meant nothing!

This is the Confederate themed quilt, did not have a source as to where it is displayed.
View attachment 43178

This is a lovely 1844 quilt, so not of the war, but sure as heck went through it!
View attachment 43174

The rest are Union quilts, please excuse. I really will have a better search for quilts inspired by the Confederacy- they are out there!
View attachment 43175

View attachment 43176

View attachment 43177

View attachment 43179
Thanks for this post, JPK. The quilts appear well-preserved. True, southern-made quilts are less frequently encountered; hence, the preponderance of northern-made quilts found in this thread.
 
Thanks for this post, JPK. The quilts appear well-preserved. True, southern-made quilts are less frequently encountered; hence, the preponderance of northern-made quilts found in this thread.

Yes, it's terribly hard to find quilts from the south, almost any era! Well, to be fair they were/are not as needed so not as many of them to begin with. BUT- gosh, talk about used! I'll look for the Bed Quilt regiment and see if I can bump it. I'd read that not a lot is known of it, but like anything else, have to bet somewhere is some wonderful archive on it tucked awau, right?

Robert P and his wife own an AMAZING, amazing quilt, done by his ancestor- an ORIGINAL Confederate design, but that isn't even the whole story! It's crazy-good. Get this- it's also dyed faint red from when the family had to evacuate during the Red River campaign, how about that? Their wagon, with this in a trunk, went over while crossing. Talk about a BIG, massive, talking piece of History, right??? It's actually the kind of thing you could ( and they should ) write a story around, allow it to hallmark it's part in History. He posted that, juts about flattened me. I'll have to look for the thread- if not, I'll PM him, ask if he'd mind re-posting. It's quite, quite beautiful, soft, light colors like most Southern quilts.
 
All these quilts are lovely. Is this one Broderie Perse?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Broderie_perse


Here's another example with a fascinating story -

http://www.kshs.org/kansapedia/cool-things-civil-war-quilt/15368

Those stories are amazing, thank you! I just tried to copy/paste a snippet from the second one to share here and they must have some program which disallows that. I do have a ' snippet' tool on my computer but will not use it since it seems clear they do not wish the material to even be partially used! We always copy/paste where it came from, but I do understand the caution

Some of the needlework on these remind me of the Confederate Gunboat Quilts, which do not seem to be quilts to me at ALL, just massive works of complicated embroidery!
 
Chellers a book I think you would like "American Folk Art Quilts" by Maggi McCormick Gordon The book has quilts representing the output of American quiltmakers for the last 175 years. All the quilts in the book are part of the Wisconsin Historical Society collection in Madison, Wisconsin.
 
Chellers a book I think you would like "American Folk Art Quilts" by Maggi McCormick Gordon The book has quilts representing the output of American quiltmakers for the last 175 years. All the quilts in the book are part of the Wisconsin Historical Society collection in Madison, Wisconsin.
Thanks, Donna, for your recommendation. Sounds like a very interesting book. I'll check the local library.
 
Back
Top