Here's my dining room table set with my 'quilt' dishes, circa 1944. We rarely use the dining room, so about a month ago I set the table as you see it here, thinking I would post about these great 'quilt' dishes...and tell you their story. Today is the day!
Long ago, in Nebraska, a lady named Grace McCance Snyder made a quilt using a set of dishes given to her by her daughter as inspiration. The dishes were in a petit point pattern of roses and other flowers in a basket, so Mrs. Snyder set about making the quilt with 13 basket blocks, each one 18" and measuring 25" from corner to corner, diagonally. There are 87, 789 tiny triangles in the quilt! Her quilt was named The Flower Basket Quilt and was finished in 1944, the year I was born.
In 1985, I bought a book entitled American Patchwork & Quilting, published by Better Homes and Gardens. Inside, I found photos of this quilt (pages 294/295) and some instructions and a graph of the block design (page 309). You can also use the graph for cross-stitch, if you'd like. Although I knew I'd never attempt this quilt, it grabbed my attention right away and that's how I learned the story of how this quilt was made. I'm sure you can find out more by doing a Google search if you are interested.
I have many pieces of these dishes...finding some of them over several years and piecemeal at flea markets here and there. The pattern is "Basket P.P", made by the Salem China Co. in the USA. A friend, Carol (also known as Crayola) gave me some serving pieces...a very kind and generous act indeed. That old navy man saw a whole box full of the dishes at a flea market and immediately bought them, as it was my birthday and he KNEW I'd want them to add to my growing collection. One of my best presents ever! Then, my friend, Jim, found the coffee pot you see here and gave it to me...what a gem it is and I'm so glad to have it. Another fine and generous gift! I am very lucky, indeed.
Enlarge the photo of the set table and you can see near the coffee pot and plate a small version of this flower basket sitting on a tiny easel I made from wire....that is a pin made from one of the coffee cups. I found this pin at the Houston Quilt Festival...in a booth called "Broken China Jewelry." I'm sure you could Google them to find out more.
Well, though I will never make anything like this quilt...I will continue to search for the dishes....there is that 'thrill of the hunt" and I might even find some pieces I don't have.
Aren't they just gorgeous!!! Hope you enjoyed the story....take care, pat
8 comments:
Be still my heart...these are GORGEOUS!! Being a quilter living in Nebraska, I have read this story before and am forever glad to see these gorgeous dishes on your table!
Blessings!
Gail
Great story, I enjoyed that and the dishes are beautiful.
The dishes are beautiful. I will keep a watch if I ever see any at my flea markets. I have a couple of pins made out of old china but they British cottages on them with flowers. Very pretty.
Hugs
FredaB
Pat, I know those dishes well.
c h a r m i n g ! !
And well, my heart flipped twice when I saw that quilt. One of the prettiest I've ever seen.
thanks for sharing.
xx
What a neat story! Did you already have some of the dishes before you saw this quilt or did you just start collecting after you saw the quilt?
Well Pat i think Mrs. Snyder was glad to have no tv and computer at that time so she hat the time to do that wunderful quilt...what a patience she must have hat and what a lovely quilt it turned out to be...interesting where people get their inspiration from...and what a great looking dishes you have...and by posting about them there maybe is a chance somebody reads about it and send you some..i like to "hunt "on fleamarkets..somethimes one finds a lovely little "treasure"..great story and pictures..thanks for sharing...greetings Francien.
Pat, the dishes are beautiful! They are a combination of so many things that I love. Thank you for sharing them. I am so happy that you got to spend face to face time with your son. The best gift our children can give us is their time! ~Robin~
I love the way you've collected these pieces bit by bit. I agree, the thrill of the hunt is one of the best parts, and your collection is charming.
I hope your Mother's Day was special.
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