Saturday, February 24, 2007

Mid-Century Album Class

If you've been reading my blog for awhile you will remember me talking about the pre-1830's medallion class I took all last year from Eileen Trestain. It was a wonderful class - filled with information about all aspects of people's lives before 1830. In each class we received a packet which included fabric appropriate for the period, a post card showing something appropriate to the period, a packet of information on the subject for each month, and a letter from a "family member". My medallion is still where it was several months ago - still needing the last three borders.

January was the last class in the first series, and day before yesterday we had the first class in the second series - the mid-century album class. This covers quilts and fabrics from the 1840's and the 1850's. As in the first class, Eileen brought many pieces of vintage fabrics, vintage blocks, and vintage quilts for us to examine. As in the earlier class, we learned that the fabrics of the period were bright and colorful. What looks like a dull faded brown today was originally pink or purple. (The true browns are still dark and unfaded looking.) Turkey red, chrome yellow and orange, and poison green were very popular. I was amazed to learn that teal was also very popular - there were many teal fabrics in the quilts we examined. Prints include large paisleys, oddball shapes that reminded me of one cell animals we examined years ago in biology, plaids, wide elaborately designed stripes, and florals, as well as many other things. This was the era of the Baltimore album quilts, so we saw much of the "fondue" fabric that shaded from dark to light across the fabric, or from one color to another. The quilts were made from dress goods fabrics, so we learned how the dressmakers used the wide stripes to add details to garments such as sleeves cut on the bias with a stripe going around the arm and stripes that chevroned in the bodice, among other things. Our packets all included the letter from a relative, a post card, a large packet of information and patterns and two pieces of fabric appropriate for the era. Eileen told us we will receive over 400 pages of information and patterns over the course of this class.
Of course, when I got home I had trouble going to sleep because I was so excited about the class. And it was all I could do last night to prevent myself from diving right in and starting this project. Each month we will received patterns for several pieced blocks as well as appliqué blocks in two sizes. This month's packet included at least 8 different layouts we could choose. The blocks are two sizes - 8" and 16". We can do all pieced, all appliqué or a mixture of both. It's going to be a hard choice every month - already I want to do every block in my packet!
The pictures show many of the blocks that we'll be able to choose from during the year.

19 comments:

Darlene said...

Wow, Patti - you will tons of fun once again!

Libby said...

What a wonderful class! So much stimulation just from the examples and then . . . to have the treat of the packets with fabrics, postcards and letters. No wonder you couldn't sleep. I will so enjoy hearing about each new class.

Unknown said...

I wish something like your class could take place over here in Europe! So many informations, so lovely quilts. You are lucky and thanks a lot for sharing!

Fiona said...

I don't know what you pay for that class, Patti, but whatever it is, it's got to be worth every penny. Lucky you to have access to all that history and delivered in such a participative way (can't you just tell that I work in training and development?)

May Britt said...

Thanks for sharing all these beutiful photos with us. I would love to joine such a class. I love history of quilts.

Judy said...

You are indeed fortunate to have access to such information and lessons. I love the quilts!

MARCIE said...

Awesome class! So inspirational!

Quilts And Pieces said...

Oh Patti - thank you so much for the pictures and the summary! You are SO LUCKY to be taking this class with her. I wish I could go with you!

Lily Mulholland said...

Wow Patti that's one amazing class! Lucky you to learn so much about 19th C quilts too.

Carol said...

Patti thanks so much for sharing all the wonderful pictures of those quilts. This class is just going to be wonderful. Keep us posted.

TiempoSoria said...

You are very fortunate to have access to such information and lessons.
Thank you so much for the pictures!

Sweet P said...

I wish I could find a class like that in New Hampshire. As everyone else has said - you are fortunate to be able to take the class. We'll learn vicariously through you.

Carole said...

Wow, what an amazing class. Wish we had something like that in my next of the woods. Heck I would drive hours for a class like that. What an informative blog. I do hope you will continue to post about your class. Thanks so much for sharing.

Carole said...

PS: may I ask where is this wonderful class being given? thanks

Cynthia said...

what a very interesting post. I enjoyed reading it. Wish we had a class like this here in Australia.

Vicky said...

What an informative and fun class! Please post your block progress.

Holly said...

My favorite is the nine-patch. Yummy.

Mary Johnson said...

I was just thinking earlier that I want to design a sampler quilt to make one day using different size blocks. I'll have to keep this page so I can refer to the picture of the quilt. The class sounds fun much more so than the classes I usually see advertised.

Anonymous said...

Simply stunning!!!