Although the 1930s was the era of the Great Depression, women’smagazines were full of optimism. Cheery fabrics and colors could be found on new quilt patterns in an attempt to keep creativity alive as homemakers struggled to sew practical items for their families Although quilters were still interested in creating quilts that reminded them of their heritage, they wanted them in happy pastels and lighter colors.

Newspapers also picked up on the surge in quilting and began to feature quilt patterns, as did catalog companies. At the Chicago World’s Fair in 1933, Sears included an exhibit of the winning quilts from their national competition, which had reached women all around the country and netted a response of 24,000 entries.

Pink Fusion, c. 1930 by Sara Morgan

Often referred to as the “Renaissance of Quilting, the 1930s brought a great quilt revival, a result of the hard times of The Great Depression. All across America, activities devoted to the home arts became popular. Quilting groups, shows and newspaper gained popularity, bringing women from California to New England together around their quilting frames. Eleanor Roosevelt's campaign for American Arts and Crafts further helped propel quilting to the forefront of activity. Although times were tough for Americans, quilts of this era were usually bright and cheerful.

Lincoln Era, 1860-1865

This Rare Estate Collection comes from fabrics found in antique clothing from General Stores in New York City, Philadelphia, Charleston and Richmond.

The General Store was quite popular in rural areas around the country, especially during the mid-to-late 1800s. Folks depended on their local mercantile, not just for the necessities such as coffee, spices, baking powder, flour, sugar, eggs, milk, butter, fruits and vegetables, honey and molasses, cigars and tobacco, but also for a host of other “essential” items.  Store owners tried to anticipate the needs of their customers and often extented credit or bartered for their goods.

Vintage textile enthusiasts and collectors will find this group very exciting!

Fabrics from the Boussac of France mill are very rare and unique finds - Blue Hill Fabrics has been lucky enough, through their association with Sara Morgan, to present this beautiful collection of exclusive designs and motifs from that famous mill. . These treasures are just a sampling from the most incredible collection of mill samples from from the Boussac of France mill book.

The delicate background netting, the interesting color combinations and the wonderful handwriting motifs are straight out of mid 1800s textile history. Delicate flowers and intricate designs are just part of the appeal - once you see the collection, you’ll understand why it so special

The use of oil often caused Turkey red fabric to be described by vendors as "oil boiled" - and quilters loved it. Turkey red was a luscious color, it didn't fade, and it didn't bleed; without it, the elaborate red-green applique quilts of the 1840-75 period would have been an impossibility. But it was expensive. Even after synthetic reds were introduced around 1875, Turkey red "oil boiled calico" sometimes cost ten times more.

The term “turkey red” actually refers to the actual dye process used to produce the brilliant, vivid and incredibly colorfast cool red. In the early 1800s, turkey red grounds featured chrome-yellow, green,blue and black overprints. Large scale paisley prints and small repeated motifs were also popular designs.

Wrappers were the casual dresses the women wore for everyday activities. Made to suit the season in either cotton or wool, this comfortable dress was high necked with long sleeves and a free-flowing body. Less fitted than more formal dresses, the wrapper didn’t require hoops, corsets, or bustles, was easy to make, and could easily be adjusted for maternity wear. The style was practical and enduring in popularity and suited women of all ages, including young girls.

As with any dress goods, after the garment was completed, the leftover pieces went into a scrap basket, eventually joining other scraps to make quilts for the family.

Victorian Christmas II by Sara Morgan   1890-1900

Following the Puritan ban on celebrations, it took nearly 200 years for Christmas to once again become an important event. Many of the things we most love at Christmas, such as sending cards and pictures of a fat, jolly Father Christmas or Santa Claus, date back to the Victorian age. The Christmas tree became popular, as did gift shopping in big stores.

Children in Victorian England had the task of writing greetings to their parents in their very best handwriting. Occasionally, adults took on the time-consuming task ofwriting Christmas letters to each other. The printed Christmas card solved this problem.

Historically, reed pens, quill pens, and dip pens were used with a nib of some sort to be dipped in the ink. The writing instrument that dominated for the longest period in history (over a thousand years) was the quill pen, introduced around 700 A.D.

The quill was a pen made from a bird feather. The strongest quills were those taken from living birds in the spring from the five outer left wing feathers. The left wing was favored because the feathers curved outward and away when used by a right-handed writer. Goose feathers were most common; swan feathers were of a premium grade being scarcer and more expensive. For making fine lines, crow feathers were the best, and then came the feathers of the eagle, owl, hawk and turkey.

Following the Puritan ban on celebrations, it took nearly 200 years for Christmas to once again become an important event. Many of the things we most love at Christmas, such as sending cards and pictures of a fat, jolly Father Christmas or Santa Claus, date back to the Victorian age. The Christmas tree became popular, as did gift shopping in big stores.