Our task this month is to take inspiration from a vintage quilt to create something new! Last year, for this theme, I created this baby quilt inspired by a quilt at the Antietam Battlefield museum.
This year, I'm taking my inspiration from another quilt from a battlefield -- this time from Gettysburg! This quilt is in the collection at Gettysburg, but isn't typically out for display.
About this quilt, from the Gettysburg National Military Park collection:
"This thin top layer of a Civil War-era cotton quilt was given to young Helen Mills of Gettysburg by a Union soldier during the pursuit of General Lee’s army on July 5 or 6, 1863. Helen lived on a farm on the Taneytown Road south of Gettysburg. Citizens of Gettysburg and the surrounding community were literally inundated not only with the wounded after the battle, but the numerous articles of war that came with and were left by two massive armies."
Since I now live in Gettysburg, I thought this quilt was an excellent inspiration for this challenge. I decided to simplify the color scheme to white, blue, yellow, and orange. I really love this aqua-blue batik -- it reminds me of free motion quilting designs! As an Island Batik Ambassador, I am provided with samples of various lines of Island Batik fabrics to use and share with you!
The original quilt is made up of pinwheel blocks that alternate with a striped blue-and-white fabric, except on the right edge where it looks like they ran out of the striped fabric! Since I don't have any batik fabrics with a similar large stripe, I am going to make rail fence blocks with the white and blue fabrics to alternate with my yellow and orange pinwheel blocks.
While I've never seen this quilt in person, my estimation is that the blocks are somewhere between 4" and 6" finished in this quilt. I'm going to be making bigger blocks that are 8" finished for my quilt, so that I can use 2.5" strips for my rail fence "stripes" and 5" squares for my pinwheel HSTs.
With a half yard of the blue fabric, I should be able to make a 40" square baby quilt. If I'm able to squeeze out an extra block or two from my strip sets, I could enlarge the quilt to 40" by 48", but the goal is 40" square, which is my favorite size for baby quilts.
My next step is making my "striped fabric" strip sets and making half-square triangles for my pinwheel blocks!
Happy Wednesday! Sharing at Let's Bee Social and NTT!
That aqua-blue batik is really lovely. What a cool inspiration; I look forward to seeing your version!
ReplyDeleteThe Gettysburg quilt is almost modern, isn't it? Great pick for your inspiration!
ReplyDeleteBeautiful quilt! Hello from York!!
ReplyDeleteSince you are who you are (a quilter, on line teacher, pattern designer, blogger, appreciator of vintage quilts) maybe you could call the museum and make an appointment to view the quilt.
ReplyDeleteLove your color choices. It will be a stunning baby quilt.
ReplyDeleteLove your fabric combo.Great job!
ReplyDeleteI love Gettysburg too! So inspiring to see that vintage quilt. Your new version is going to be lovely! You've chosen a classic color scheme, turquoise and orange, which are opposites on the color wheel. Yum! Thanks for sharing on Wednesday Wait Loss.
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