Quilt Historian - Polly Mello and her Red Work Quilts

Quilting education is all a part of the entire quilting world, and this evening, Polly Mello gave her presentation on Red Work which was all the rage from 1880-1935 or "sew." It was the same time period the "Crazy Quilts" were also very hip back in the day.

Polly is an award winning appliqúe quilter, and past president of the Baltimore Appliqúe Society. However, most quilters and quilt enthusiasts know Polly through her 40+ years of collecting quilts; and the crazier and more unusual, the better for Polly. She even has a name for them: "quilts that go bump in the night".

Tonight's program was all about red work quilts, some dating back to the early 1800's and very cool to observe up close and personal. Some of the quilts shown were breathtaking due to the excellent skill some young lady (and one man) wielded with a sharp needle and red thread!

Polly "dared" the oohing and ahhing crowd that we could/should all start a red work project, but that's not on the agenda for me at this time. But I do appreciate all the meticulous work involved with each quilt; pillowcase or mourning quilt that was shown.

My photos below indicate the red work; and really, other color threads have also been used through the years. They are referred to as: red work with blue thread etc.

BSoleille!

Terri