Twenty Blocks. One Historic Quilt. A Lifetime of Discovery - Heirloom Edition
Hoopla is once again collaborating with the Shelburne Museum to bring you another pattern from a magnificent antique quilt. Dating c.1847-1850, this extraordinary Baltimore Album Quilt takes its name from a signature block bearing the name of Major Ringgold. Although the identity of its maker–or makers– remains unknown, the quilt offers fascinating clues about the women, fabrics, and traditions of mid-nineteenth-century Baltimore.
Measuring approximately 110" x 94", the original quilt features twenty individually appliquéd blocks, beautiful embroidery, and a stunning pyramid border.
Each of the twenty blocks has been lovingly recreated in the traditional style of Hoopla patterns, faithfully preserving the details and even the charming irregularities of the original needlework. My goal has been to be your eyes to a quilt that you may never have the opportunity to see in person and to share little details that photographs alone cannot always reveal. The Heirloom Edition brings all twenty blocks together in one beautifully presented collection, accompanied by years of historical research into each block, its fabrics, its possible symbolism, and the fascinating period in which it was created. Reminiscent of the era of the original quilt, the pattern instructions are beautifully printed. Inside you'll discover close-up pictures, construction instructions, FULL-SIZE pattern sheets, stencils and Mylar templates for selected blocks, a little booklet from the antique Mary Frances Sewing Book, a pincushion pattern, acid-free sleeves to aid in organizing a binder, along with full-size color pictures of each original block that can double as "tabs" in the binder. The history of Major Ringgold's era will unfold as you create each block.
The collection is presented in a beautiful blue keepsake box, making it as special to receive as it is to explore.
As America celebrates the 250th anniversary of its independence, this remarkable quilt offers a particularly meaningful glimpse into an earlier chapter of our nation's history, when patriotic imagery, friendship, and extraordinary needlework came together in the Baltimore Album tradition.
More than three years in the making, this Heirloom Edition is the culmination of a journey of research, discovery, and recreation.
I have thoroughly enjoyed bringing the story of the Major Ringgold Quilt to life, and I hope that recreating these beautiful blocks will take you on your own fascinating journey through history!
