Stars in a Time Warp: 2015 QuiltAlong

For 2015 I'm planning a QuiltAlong here on the Civil War Quilts blog. Every Wednesday I'll post a piece in the Stars in a Time Warp series----but it won't be a pattern for a different design each week, like we have been doing the past few years.

We'll be doing the same 6" sawtooth star every week.

Vintage Variable Star or Sawtooth Star, about 1850-1880

What will change weekly is the fabric. Each post will be a lesson on reproduction fabrics in a particular style or color.

Vintage Sawtooth Star about 1870-1890.

You'll wind up with many 6" stars that you can mix or match into time warp quilts.

My stars in Turkey red repro fabrics

  

The fabric lessons will be based on my books America's Printed Fabrics 1770-1890 and Making History: Quilts and Fabric from 1890-1970.

This month we'll begin in the 1840-1865 period---the Civil War era--- with tips for finding authentic reproduction prints in Turkey red and Prussian blue style.

My books aren't necessary to participate but they will add to your understanding of the various fabrics. We'll start with America's Printed Fabrics, Chapter 3: The Fabric of Young America (1840-1865)

Vintage quilt with chintz alternate blocks

We'll go forward in time stitching sawtooth stars from the repro prints in your stash or on your shopping list. Because it's a time warp we can shift backwards too, exploring the days of chintz and toile.

Vintage quilt with chintz alternate blocks

You can make one star or more each week. By the end of the series we'll have a shower of stars to set into a quilt from mini to king-sized. I'll also give you plenty of traditional set ideas (and many new interpretations from some of the best quilters working with reproduction prints today.)

Reproduction block by Becky Brown

Becky will add her distinctive eye to the weekly posts.

Look for the first post next Wednesday January 7th. I'll still do Saturday posts as long as I continue to find information about Civil War Quilts and reproductions, so if you subscribe by email you'll get two notifications every week.

Vintage block about 1880-1910