Yellow Rose Quilt

This cross-stitch quilt was made from a Rainbow Art Quilt Block Company kit in 1994.

A cotton top, with a blue binding serves as the background for a field of roses set within a ribboned central motif. The border is a cross-stitched blue undulating ribbon. At the corners of the quilt are four rose bouquets. Between each corner, sprays of yellow roses are placed equidistant from each other, with four sprays on the long sides and three on the short sides. The central motif of the quilt is a series of cartouches formed by blue festooning ribbons, within each cartouche is a bunch of flowers. The four corners and the center have large bunches of red and yellow roses, blue forget-me-nots, and pink columbines. Stitching creates either small diamond, or small square designs.

The theme of this quilt is in keeping with the penchant the Rankins had for the natural world, but it is also a common quilt theme, appearing first in the late 19th century. An elaborate vocabulary or language of flowers arose in popular culture. While it may not have been the intention of the quilter, the quilt speaks of constancy (red rose), friendship (yellow rose), remembrance (forget-me-not) and peace (columbine).
This quilt is signed, DJR, 1994.