Baltimore Bride Quilt

This quilt was created in 1974 by a kit sold by the Rainbow Art company. This counted cross-stitch quilt copies the tradition of the Baltimore Bride’s or Baltimore Album quilt.

In Baltimore, beginning in the 1840s, young ladies who were hoping to be married would sew a quilt of appliqued blocks that were often floral motifs, but sometimes patriotic, including eagles. Flower wreaths, flower stars and flower baskets, even some turned on their side—as we see here—were the typical repertoire for a bride to be. Each block included a different design and sometimes they were sewn by the woman and her family members or friends.  Before the Civil War they were made with scraps. After the Civil War, new dyes and new fabrics became available and the burgeoning middle class of the prosperous, bustling city of Baltimore were eager to buy them.  Designs became more complicated over time. The original bride’s quilts were designed to become family heirlooms, reminders of the union of families and the joy of the wedding event. This type of album quilt spread in popularity throughout the country.

This latter-day version celebrates America’s varied quilt history in a different format using cross-stitch with vibrant red, yellow, blue and green thread, instead of the traditional applique.   The background is cream colored, the quilt is framed by a series of small equilateral triangles (red); an undulating vine border with red roses forms an inner border. The album in the center of the quilt is composed of four rows of three figures each, all different. They are in order, left to right: a fruit basket, flower urn, wreath, stylized tulip wreath, cornucopia, flower vase, flower basket, multi-flower wreath, rose wreath, tipped flower basket, bouquet, and tipped flower urn.