CRADLE or BABY QUILTS

CRADLE or BABY QUILTS:

1. Estate inventory of Colonel William Tailer of Dorchester, Massachusetts dated 29 August 1732: (in the children's chamber) 2 quilts....

2. References in the Deerfield Probate Inventories 1743-44 (Deerfield, MA): an old quilt, and a bedquilt and other things associated with bedding, including furniture. In this list approx 1725 "old quilts" begin to appear with frequency in estate listings.  It should be noted that an "old quilt" was valued at approximately 10 percent of the price of a cow.

3. Inventory of Joseph Warren of Roxbury, MA on 24 May 1756 notes 1 silk quilt.

4. Within a list of items belonging to Governor Hutchinson, the Boston News-Letter on 5 Sept. 1765 notes that within the items for a child was one quilt.

Source: Classic Crib Quilts and How to Make Them by Thos. K. Woodaard and Blanche Greenstein

DOUBLETS & BANNERS - 1500's

In 1589 The Tailors Pattern Book by Juan de Alcega was published for the secrets of the tailor trade.  In his instructions for doublets for both men and women he notes that if the item is to be quilted “cut up to three extra finger breadths” than is needed if not quilted (pg. 22 – 23).  He also includes instructions on how to make a patchwork banner (pg. 54 – 55). I personally found this book very interesting for the historical context as well as the directions.

This book has been reprinted and is available.  I bought a copy at an SCA event.

Source: De Alcega, Juan. The Tailor's Pattern Book. 1589.  

SIBERIAN GRAVE QUILT - approx. 100 AD

The most famous surviving example of quilting, from approximately 100 A.D., is currently in the Leningrad Department of the Institute of Archaeology in Russia.  It was found in a Siberian grave in 1924-25. According to Colby:

 It consists of a repetitive series of large clock-wise and anticlockwise spirals, with smaller scroll patterns joined to them and filling the intervening spaces, to make a continuous pattern.  The narrow border surrounding the quilted centre contains a row of geometrically shaped interlocking patterns, outlined with closely stitched twisted thread and quilted to the foundation.  The chief border is coarsely quilted in diagonal and cross diamond lines, upon which are appliquéd, in brown, purple and white […] cloth, a number of symbolic tree and animal shapes.  The high order of artistry and skill […] show that a long cultural tradition lay behind the work at the time it was done.  Not only are the patterns full of

life and vigor but the attention to detail and the way in which the work is  carried out give proof of a […] long standing tradition (5-6).

  It was long believed that quilting, if it existed at all in pre-colonial America, was crude and unadorned.  This quilt shows that some locations already had a long and practiced quilting history over 2000 years ago.

Source: Colby, Averil. Quilting. New York: Scribner and Sons, 1971.