old quilt
 

i was given this quilt and I'm trying to find out any info i can about it any help would be greatly appreciated
[ATTACH=CONFIG]453166[/ATTACH][ATTACH=CONFIG]453167[/ATTACH][ATTACH=CONFIG]453168[/ATTACH]

Where did you find it? It does look older, but then again, as discussed this morning, I've only been quilting ~10 years. What is the design on the lighter fabric? Swastikas?

Wow! Where did you find it! The stories it could tell.... The quilt pattern is fascinating by itself, but the neutral fabric tells a whole other story. I'm intrigued.

yes is swastikas

was given to me it was my great grandmothers

It's amazing and I bet valuable. I'd like to hear more about your grandmother.

fabric does not look like cotton - is it? Have your asked your grandmother? Is there an ethnic history to the quilt?

was my great grandmothers quilt and i don't know much about her other than was from Germany i think
i'm not sure about fabric

so nice! I think of fractured snowflakes when I look at the blocks.

Your great grandmother's story would be interesting. Swastikas did not always have the negative connotation that they presently have, so the story behind the quilt could go many directions. I like the blue and white color combination and also thought it looked like snowflakes. What a treasure.

What a wonderful piece of history no matter the meaning or connotation of the neutral fabric (If there is even one). Thank you for sharing it. I hope you can find out more information on it.

It's a beautiful quilt. Weird what a visceral reaction I get from seeing the swastika fabric in that soft beautiful creation. I so want to hear the stories that quilt might tell. Please share if you ever find any info.

That's what it looks like to me ..Yikes!!

It has both swastikas right and left facing

There was such a boom with quilting in the 30's. I agree with Auntie M that the quilt must have been made before Hitler came to power. It certainly will need a good wash but not in the washing machine. There was a post about washing older quilts. You might want to check it out.

http://www.quiltingboard.com/main-f1...ml#post6399017

So many stories behind each quilt. This one is particularly interesting. If you trace your ancestory you just may find the story/ reason behind the quilt.

Prior to Hitler's reign, the swastika was a symbol of wealth and goodness. Some cultures continue to use the symbol during times of festivals on their doors to invite goodness to their homes.

It is a beautiful quilt. Needs a good cleaning by appropriate methods. Sure would be wonderful to trace your family history and perhaps discover the makers life history. Treasure your beautiful gift.

I googled swastikas quilt.... lot of information on there plus photos of swastikas as I know them.... this quilt is a little different...

I think that pattern is called Crossroads. As others have said, the swastika was a popular pattern because it meant good luck. The only time I associate it with Hitler is if I see the symbol of the Third Reich, the black on red. I have a swastika quilt top that was probably pieced during the 30s. It's yellow swastikas, also called flyfoot, on a lavender background. The maker used solid colors. I think your quilt was probably pieced during the 30s, too. The white fabric might be what they called cotton sateen. It's a little hard to tell from the picture.

Beautiful quilt, I love the pattern of the blocks. It would be nice to see the blocks without the sashing in between. As the others have said, swasticas didn't have the negative connotations that they do now thanks to Hitler. I'm certainly not an expert but I would guess it was made before Hitler's rise to power and WWII.
Rodney

Do you have any other surviving family members who knew your GGM? They would be the best ones to ask about her if possible.
I think you might find it interesting to find out everythng you can about her.
Rodney

tried i just don't know about that side of family will be learning more because of this quilt

I noticed that you're in Texas. Did your gr-grandmother live around Marble Falls? There was a good sized German settlement in that area. My late father-in-law grew up there.

i am not sure

the blue shirting fabric makes me think it dates from the late 1800's- early 1900's. Very nice quilt, I agree - give it a gentle wash.

before world war II the symbol on the quilt (the swastikas) were not a negative symbol... the quilt is more than likely from long before world war II. it is a treasure- and you should look up the 'history' of the symbol- you may be surprised.

My suggestion is to sign on the quilt history list ...a yahoo group...there has been discussion of the symbols in the sashing fabric.

I agree with Auntie M the "swastika" was used as far back as Egyptian times, it hasn't always had a negative connotation. There is certainly nothing to be ashamed of. It is a beautiful quilt, so unusual. I really like it.

*** I do not care what it has on it,
I think it is a beautiful TREASURE.

*** Give it a good cleaning & love it because it was hers.

Swastikas indicate it was made before WWII. Before WWII, swastikas were considered a sign of good luck.

I like the pattern a lot. Looks kind of modern, which just goes to show that everything old is new again.

Some portions of the block are from the kite shape, and although I thought at first there was some curved piecing, that may just be an optical illusion ?

when I look at it, I see a 4 point star with an x

Oh....and BTW persistent, welcome to the forum! Would enjoy hearing about your quilting journey!

I have in idea, very interesting!

If you would look at the secondary picture, it looks round, like a "fox & goose track" as in the children's game in the snow. I do not know how old that is either. Good luck in finding the real name but I would say to go to Barbara Brackman's site and find or rule out a civil war pattern. I would search & search too if it were mine.

The lighter fabric looks silk like. Such a pretty quilt. It reminds me of a stained glass window.

The 2nd pic shows the swastikas they are very hard to see. The picture was taken at the right angle to see them. Unless the light right you don't even notice they are there thread color is same as background but the thread is shiny so the light makes them pop out. if you look at the full pic you don't see them no matter how close you zoom. Nobody in the family even knew the hidden swasikas was there .

Could you post a closeup of some of the other darker blue fabrics? The one you already posted is dotted, and those aren't the easiest patterns to date because they have been used forever and ever (same thing goes for checks, plaids, stripes). I haven't researched that pattern, but could probably give you a respectable age estimate from the patterns in the darker blues there.

This is what I've found via the internet; There is the right facing swastika, or the one highjacked by the Nazi party, which represents the evolution of the universe (pravritti), and the left-facing swastika, which symbolizes the involution of the universe (Nivritti, the process that allows creation to happen).

About the "swastika" pattern in the fabric. This symbol is older then dirt and goes much farther back in history than WWII, and may not be what we see at first glance, and if it is then it is a piece of history, not to be shocked by it, but learned about and history passed on so as not to forget.

As for the quilt, It is an interesting pattern I have never seen before. I think you may want to look into it further by a conservator.
peace