Folk Art: Whimsical & Fantasy

Colonial Williamsburg: 18-19 July 2010

English Quilt Williamsburg

Having visited Jamestown and Yorktown in 2009, it was time to see Colonial Williamsburg.  It did not disappoint!  The DeWitt Wallace Museum had a lovely English quilt (wholecloth) that was embroidered within an inch of its life – most likely by a professional needlewoman.  It is dated 1690 -1720 and is silk thread on linen.  Further on was a special exhibit of quilted clothing – mostly petticoats.  The stitching was amazing and the designs very creative; from sea motifs to lush flowering designs.  Many of these garments, when unfashionable, saw new lives as whole quilt bed coverings.  Fabric was very expensive at the time and every scrap worth a fortune.

Quilt Story

The Abby Aldrich Rockefeller folk art collection has grown from a donated collection into an inspiring display that characterises the wit, humour and creative flair of early America.  We did take an introductory tour of the collection highlights, but I wanted more time to see windvanes, signage and musical instruments.  

A whimsical carousel stood as centrepiece in a display that included items as far ranging as ships figureheads to junkyard windvanes.  My favourite was a wooden hippo housing a record player (Are there still people alive who remember records??).  Anyway, his tongue waggled as the music played!

Carousel Cat

Later, I found a section of quilts (none from Virginia I was told!) that represented quilting of the Colonial period and later.  There had on show two Gees Bend quilts, a crazy quilt and a number of pieced designs.  Lighting was too subdued to take successful photos but it was nice to have the opportunity to snap away.  Close by was a lovely illustrated diary that commented on life and times in and around Colonial Williamsburg; blogging of the day!  Imagine the time to write to write your diary in lovely copperplate script then illustrate it in soft watercolours. 

I was determined to make a quilted memento of my time in Virginia, and I happened upon a set of Colonial Williamsburg reproduction fabrics in the Museum’s gift shop.  This was supplemented by a pattern I found at the Craft House and inspiration from antique quilts for sale in Quilts Unlimited. Great hopes, she said.....

(Ed Update:  Don't panic!  As at 2013. the quilt still languishes in my head and bits of fabric not yet cut.  However, I did follow Barbara Brackman's Civil War Blog which gave us not only a pattern each week but some very interesting facts and stories of life during those war years.  I think the blog is still up there (BB has published a book of her patterns from this blog) and it makes for an interesting, colourful read.  Perfect for my Colonial Williamsburg fabrics.  I'm sure I'll start soon.)