Inspiration From the International Quilt Study Center

I spent national quilter's day last weekend at the International Quilt Study Center on the campus of  the University of Nebraska, in Lincoln, Nebraska.  What a treasure this center and museum is.  One of the current exhibits is What's In A Name and the quilts have signatures or embroidered names.  I am drawn to the quilts from the mid 1800s and there were several but these two red and green applique quilts were just wonderful.  Forgive my blurry pictures, I was using my cell phone.  You may take pictures in the museum, but no flash photography, so I did not want to use my camera and risk the automatic flash going off.  You can see better pictures and more of the quilts in this exhibit at the International Quilt Study Center website.  You can also go to the study centers web site and search their collections and find these two quilts by their number on the quilt descriptions. 

The applique on the Hargest album quilt was exquisite, many 1/8 inch stems.  We counted 4 different reds and 3 different green fabric prints used for the appliques.

The next album quilt (seen below and in the post header picture) I loved for it's simplicity, plain  red sashing and borders, small 9 inch blocks, and not terribly intricate appliques.  Hmmmm, maybe something I could do. 

I have been looking for a hand applique projects ever since I finished the Civil War Bride Quilt last year.  I would love to make a Baltimore Album quilt with the beautiful bias stripped vases etc, but I think something like  this little album quilt is what I will work on next. 

 I have been hoarding a 10 yard piece of Kona cotton and I have finally made the commitment to start a new applique project and started cutting out the

 background squares.    (Thank you Janet  for the wonderful idea to use a pinking blade for less fray on applique background fabrics suggested in her Susan McCord trailing vine quilt along instructions). The graph paper is out, I have a plan. 

Happy Spring and Happy Stitching All