Kindred Textiles and Kindred Spirits

 I love getting to know each of you!  That is why I often ask you questions when you comment on the blog.  It's so interesting to hear your experiences!

About the time I had decided to talk about kindred textiles, I received an email from Louise.  I didn't know Louise was reading my blog but she is the author of the well-known blog, "Quilt Papers."  She initiated the email because of my Story Time Stitches post about G. Selma Sauer (here) who she is also researching.

We then began discussion on a quilt that we both have in the Wagon Wheel pattern.  You can see Louise's here.  Here is mine:

One embroidery motif that Louise and I discussed was this little Dutch Girl with braids.  Neither of us know who published the embroidery transfer:

Louise did considerably more research on this Wagon Wheel style quilt.  She cited a variety of websites that had similar quilts on her blog.  Neither of us could ever find an ad or reference to styling the quilt like this with the embroidery.

Coming from Pennsylvania, I'm accustomed to challenging hunts for embroidered quilts.  For years I've been collecting images for a unique sunbonnet pattern that I call "Liberty Belles."  The pattern features adult women in embroidered scenarios and are often highly decorated.  Here is an example from one of mine:

I have found so many of these style quilts with a variety of embellishments and settings.  One of the main features is the similar embroidery transfers, and the bonnets the women wear.  The Schwenkfelder Library and Heritage Center has a kindred quilt similar to mine.  Many years ago, the curator, Candace Perry and I spent a lovely afternoon comparing our two quilts side by side and noting the similarities.  

Here is a more primitive version from a set of quilt blocks I own.

Once I even found an online auction that featured an unfinished quilt with pattern.  I didn't buy the quilt but asked for a copy of the pattern which the seller graciously sent me...but it was a cardboard template and no transfers were featured.

The thing about Pennsylvania quilters is that we know that often patterns were passed on from one quilter to another.  I have done so much speculation on how the embroidery transfers came to be shared but never have found definitive proof.

Finding kindred quilts is so much fun but it is even more fun to find kindred spirits like I did with Louise!

Have a safe and happy day!