Bluegrass Bouquet by Elsie Ridgley
Bluegrass Bouquet, our last block in the Kentucky Classic series of nine blocks, was inspired by a medallion appliqued by Sarah Nelson Edwards of Harrodsburg, Kentucky in Mercer County.
Sallie's design is a far more complicated bouquet than our square block. We assume she made this red and green extravaganza in the 1850s when she was about 20. We used her corner carnations for pattern #3:
Elsie Ridgley's finished all nine blocks and bordered her top.
Sarah Anne Connor Nelson Edwards (1836-1922)
Harrodsburg is not far from Garrard County---
about 15 miles from Bryantsville. Sallie lived in Mercer County all her life.
The 1850 census shows her at 14 living with several
Nelsons on their Mercer County farm.
In 1860 she married William W. Edwards who spent his career in banking after serving with the Union's Ninth Kentucky Cavalry. The year the Civil War began she gave birth to her only child, Loulie, a quiltmaker too according to the magazine article.
Loulie Edwards Vivion (1861-1941)
Loulie's quilt which looks to be Marie Webster's Wreath of Roses.
Loulie had family in the fabric business. Her husband Grant Vivion owned The Big Store, a
general store in Harrodsburg.
The Block
Bluegrass Bouquet
Kentuckian Billie Jo Rondi Leslie's version
Blocks 1 to 9 in the side-by-side set
15" blocks = 45" Square
Becky Brown expanded on Sallie Ann's ideas for her
Kentucky Classic medallion
Sallie's quilt was pictured on the cover of
Lady's Circle Patchwork Quilts in Spring, 1983
Sallie's block is rectangular, allowing for more imagery.
Gail Smith's reproduction interpretation Homage to Sallie Ann,
pattern by the late Di Ford, quilted by Angela McCorkle.
Pauline's version quilted by Desley Maisano at
Addicted to Quilts:
With Sallie Ann's block we are finished with the Kentucky Classic.
Becky Brown
Either Medallion style....
Becky Collis
Becky C's Block #1
Or Block by Block
Links for all 9 patterns:
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