BTG94 Variation of Jacob's Ladder Quilt
c. 1835
70 x 74 inches
Massachusetts
$2,800

Before 1890 silk fabrics were purchased only by the affluent or the very well off. The reason is simple. Silk fabrics are not fabrics used for every day wearing apparel, for quilts or for any other kind of decoration or embellishment. Ladies of stature had their needlework as one of their marks of education and breeding. At that time we women were the properties of our Fathers to be married to a suitable spouse of the same social standing.

This variation of Jacob's Ladder was constructed from exquisite silk fabrics mostly used for dress making. Prior to 1850 in America, we had not developed a method of making purple dye color fast. The French had already mastered this technique, but we had not. If you look closely you will see a very few areas where the color has started to change to beige. This quilt, as with all textiles, should not be hung in the sun so as not to fade.

This is a variation of Jacob's Ladder as two opposite squares in the four patch of the pattern that were created with the Diamond In A square pattern and then centered with the Broken Dishes pattern. Each block measures 5" square, divided into four squares which are further divided into triangles measuring 2" x 1-1/2" x 1-1/2". All work was executed by hand as the sewing machine was not yet in the public's home. The binding is a ribbon that has 3/8" showing on the front and 1/2" showing on the back. This was applied using a running stitch. The whole-cloth backing is a peach color glazed cotton that would have also been used as dress lining.

Of least importance is the minimal quilting. There are four rows of horizontal quilting in the solid blocks and horizontal straight line quilting in the pieced blocks. Personally the quilting is not important...it is the amazing colors and graphics that make this textile an incredible piece of art!

I am happy to send, with free shipping, this amazing quilt for your approval.