That is amazing! I love quilt history. Thank you for sharing with us.

So glad you donated that beautiful quilt. It will be taken care of, better than anyone can, for years to come. You would be very disappointed if it got into bad hands and used to catch oil under a car, or end up in a dog bed, in the future. Thank you.

Jan, that quilt is fantastic! You are to be proud that is came from your family and is now preserved where it can be taken care of professionally and studied in a museum.

What a treasure and so great of you to share! I have a picture of a newspaper clipping of my maternal grandmother and a quilt she made, have no idea where or what happened to the quilt, wish I did.

Thank you all for your comments. I forgot to mention that this quilt is not on display because it is in such fragile condition, sadly. They have stored it in the very top 'drawer', hard to get to, and intended pretty much for research only. It is one of only two very early Virginia quilts in the museum and is the only one with the old written provenance I was able to gift with it. They were slightly reluctant to even let me come re-photograph it 4 years ago until I insisted. (Those pictures turned out to be not what I was looking for, though, so the trip was rather wasted. :rolleyes: )

When I gifted it, they wanted me to create a pattern for it, full size, to sell in their gift shop at the Visitor's Center, and perhaps to write a book about it. I might still write the pattern, the book not so much. I have always wanted to recreate the quilt with reproduction fabrics (as close as I can find them) and with linen as the background fabric as the original tan was grown, spun, woven on the plantation. Every year that goes by it seems like a more and more overwhelming project, though!

Jan in VA

that is awesome! the quilt it just lovely at 200 years old. Imagine how beautiful it must have been when it was completed!

That is so great for you to have that piece of history!

Wow I've never seen a quilt that old.

You must be so excited! What a fantastic find.

Jan, you certainly have a treasured history there; I wasn't able to access the Museum link but loved your abridged version. Made me think of "Who do you think you Are" programme on tv which I've seen a few times recently; some excellent history lessons of the early US gold rush days etc. Thanks for sharing the story.

This is an amazing story. Absolutely beautiful quilt and such an individual pattern.
Thanks for sharing the link! And your photos.