Fans Crazy Quilt
Unidentified Quilt Maker
Circa 1890
78 x 78 inches
Origin Unknown; Found in New Hampshire
What a cool way of organizing Fans, with four quadrants (each with the Fans going the same direction) oriented to facing towards the center, and to one another.
Each of the 144 silk Fans is embellished with the hand embroidered images we typically see in late Victorian Crazy Quilts. Check out the variety -- children, frogs, anchors, flowers, birds, butterflies -- all beautifully executed.
Graphically fascinating: the fans are all composed of two equal pieces of silk, embroidered down the middle -- with a diagonal line extending to the end of the block. Every seam is outlined in astonishing varieties of embroidery stitches.
This inventive quilt maker worked within a popular style of the era, but created a unique textile we won't soon forget. The piece has clearly been treasured, and very well cared for. The colors are as vibrant as when the quilt was made, and the fabrics are intact, with only three or four few that have started to split. (See photos.)
This one-of-a-kind beauty displays just beautifully; a stunning work of art.