This month, the Virginia Quilt Museum is celebrating the homecoming of its Shenandoah Valley Botanical Album Quilt.
For the past three years, this beautiful example of mid-19th century folk art has traveled the country in a special exhibit, “Homefront & Battlefield: Quilts and Context in the Civil War”.
The quilt is 96.5” x 95.5” and was made by Esther B. Mathews at age 82. Executed primarily in red, green, yellow, pink and white, it is comprised of 25 appliqued blocks. Many of the blocks appear to be original designs featuring flowers that grew in Rockingham County, VA. Each block contains an ink inscription identifying the flower: Tiger Lily, Sunflower, Touch-me-not, Trumpet honey sickle and King’s Crown, to name a few.
VQM is delighted that their gem was selected to tour the country as part of this outstanding exhibit and equally thrilled that it is back home so it can be viewed by members and visitors of the museum. Want to learn more about the quilt?? Go to the VQM to get the full-fascinating story. Patterns of the quilt are available in the museum shop.
