I ‘heart’ house quilts

Have you ever been seized with the urge to run away? That is what I want to do right now. I want to pack my favorite things (I am sure you can guess what those are) and tie them to a stick and march off with my rotary cutter sticking out of my back pocket. Spring is a busy, busy time both professionally and personally. I haven’t touched my own quilting for weeks. I haven’t even indulged myself with a long lunch hour reading blogs. Well, enough, I say! I packed up my laptop and am outside in the shade, blog reading my brains out. Since I don’t have any of my own work to share, I thought I’d post some pictures of some of my antique quilts. House blocks and quilts are my favorites. The red and white one above is my most unique quilt.

The blue and white one below was larger at one time, but was so damaged on the outside houses the dealer had them cut off and rebound the resulting smaller quilt with the original binding. It still has some nasty gouges, but they are on the back and don’t affect the display qualities. The new compact size makes it much more versatile for hanging.


This is a top that is still in excellent shape. It appeals to me because the houses all face the same direction and don’t make you feel like you want to stand on your head when looking at it.


Finally, this is another antique house quilt. I love the hand quilting on this one which you can see in the block detail picture at the bottom of this post. Interestingly, both side rows of house blocks are machine quilted. Did our quilter of old get a machine late in the quilting process or did she say, “@#$% this quilt! I’m finishing it today!”


Similar Posts

0 Comments

  1. How fun to see your house quilts Taryn! You have many. This is one quilt I have never made but am really pulled to the one with houses going in one direction on the one half and the other on the second half. Fun to hang on a rack or over a couch. You would see the house right way round on both sides.

    Run away? I tell my husband all the time that I am going to run away to the Shetland Islands. I want to live there where it is remote and you are cut off from time to time. As long as a mail plane arrives a couple of times a year, I would be very content. 🙂

    Hugs from Holland ~
    Heidi

  2. Wow, really love that first quilt -what a funky, folky arrangement. Have you been collecting long-4 house quilts is quite impressive as they aren't easy to find. I just got my first one. Thanks for visiting me.
    Sandra

  3. I'm so glad you shared these quilts. I too love house quilts. I made my first one last year and have it posted on my blog. The pattern is by the Quilt Company and while everyone else made it in their colors, I made it out of soft colors (Moda's Aviary line). I did it as a block of the month and took 80 sign ups for it. What great fun!
    Love your blog.

  4. what a great group of house quilts. I especially like that last one. I love traditional quilts and it's so nice seeing those old beauties! makes me want to start one. I've never done this block – swap anyone?

  5. Oh you're so lucky to have those beautiful old house quilts. Something we don't have here in Australia is old quilts. The few that have been found are generally museum pieces. Rare treasures.

    You made me LOL when I read your thoughts on why that last quilter may have added some machine work. I love the notion. Ha ha!

  6. I've never made houses, and have never seen quilts like this where they were turned in different directions. when I do get around to making one, I want it to be this way. Well, when I first began hand quilting, I would do some basic machine quilting, then come back and hand quilt in around the designs or to add to it. I knew tackling the whole thing was too much at the time. It is intersting to wonder though… 😉

  7. Take some time to smell the roses! l love the quirkiness of the first quilt, but my favourite is the blue and white quilt. Great antique quilts, thanks for sharing.

  8. oh beautiful quilts
    one of my favorite blocks too…
    one of these days I will make a schoolhouse quilt too

    can't decide which one I like best
    love the last one , the block is just the right scale for me to make 🙂

  9. I am also a house quilt fanatic I keep going into swaps and have some beautiful house blocks I have to put together. Your treasure of homes was wonderful to see and really gives incentive to get them done!!

  10. Oh, Taryn! I'm glad you could take some time off, breathing and gifting us with these!! They are so wonderful. Houses are a love of mine, and I hope to make some in the future:) Hang in there! Will you have some time off soon? I hope so. Hugs, u – at work;)

  11. How lucky you are to have house quilts. I have not seem many antique ones and they are always pricy when I do see one for sale.

  12. I love your house quilts – thanks so much for sharing them! I laughed at your comment about standing on your head – yep – that's what happens. :0) I like the indigo and white quilt best – just beautiful!! I hope you find some time to sew on your own projects soon. All work and no play isn't good for you.

  13. I'm so glad I added your blog to my list, todays post is fabulous. I love house quilts too, and have one on my bucket list. It's red and white, one day….. Thanks for sharing.

  14. These are all great! that red one at the top fantastic.. And that's pretty funny about the two rows being machine sewn on the last one.. I'd go with your thought… FInsih the @%!&#* thing! 🙂 he he! that red one at the top fantastic..
    Yeah, I gotta thing for HOUSE BLOCK quilts too… 😉
    enjoy your outdoor blogging!

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *