Vintage Friendship Hexagon Quilt

I stopped at a random yard sale recently where I found a vintage treasure for just five dollars.  It got me thinking about how much I love old things.  Our home is a collection of new and old, with most of my favorite furniture found at thrift stores or Colorado yard sales.  I have a few vintage/antique quilts hanging on quilt ladders around my house.  One of them is my vintage sailboat quilt, which I still love and display.  I thought I’d spotlight two more favorite vintage quilts this week.  So let’s be clear about this:  this is NOT my work!  Here is my lovely Vintage Friendship Hexagon Quilt.

it features a repeating hexagon block.  I found a drawing of the block in Barbara Brackman’s Encyclopedia of Pieced Quilt Blocks, where several names are attributed.  Some are: hexagonal star, Texas star, hexagon stars, Dolly Madison’s star, and Star Garden.  I liked Friendship Hexagon, so that’s what I’m calling it.

Crisp blue and white just make my heart sing.  These colors are still vibrant and clear, and the quilt is in good condition, with the exception of a lone yellow stain.  I forgot how large this one is, so perhaps I should give it a turn on a bed sometime soon.

Who made it?  Did she love blue like I do?  Was it a gift for a loved one?  I enjoy wondering about the makers of these treasures.  The hand quilting is beautifully done and still holding the quilt together.

I realize now that these colors are similar to my recent reworking of my Anthem quilt.  It’s a color scheme I’m excited about right now.

This vintage friendship hexagon quilt inspires me to get sewing!  I am grateful for the enduring work of makers who precede me.  Grateful for their determination to make beautiful things even when life was hard.  Inspired by their mastery and attention to detail.  We stand on the shoulders of those who went before us.  I hope we honor their legacy as we create!