Thursday, September 22, 2011

Madder Matters...





Detail of  Quilt from
Old World WI collection
 That's Madder the Dye Plant...not Angrier the Emotion...


Reproduction Cotton Fabric
Brown, Orange, Red, Purple (dusty-brown purple), Rust, and Pink (Yes, pink) were common colors throughout much of the19th century.  These colors were very easily achieved with natural dyes from the root of the madder plant. Madder was the most common dye plant used in the 18th and 19th centuries. By 1869, these colors could be obtained with synthetic (aniline) dyes. Whether dyed with natural or aniline dyes, madder colored fabrics sold during the 19th were inexpensive and readily available across all economic strata. 


Detail of Quilt from
Old World WI collection
 
Reproduction Cotton Fabric













These colors were common for both women's and men's clothing with the pinks often being reserved for children or young ladies. So common are these colors, they are very recognizable and often abundant in mid to late19th century scrap quilts. It is also quite easy to find them as reproduction fabrics today. It is impossible to discuss 19th century colors and fabrics without recognizing the madder colors.  
Reproduction Summer Weight
Cotton Dress c. 1861
Madder Plant

Quilt from Old World WI Collection
Meller, Susan, and Joost Elffer. Textile Designs. New York: Harry N. Abrams, 1991.

E. Sanz Rodríguez, A. Arteaga Rodríguez, M. A. García Rodríguez, M. del Egido and C. Cámara, A. Bailão and M. Garcia, "Identification of Natural Dyes in Historical Coptic Textiles from the National Archaeological Museum of Spain", e-conservation magazine, No. 15 (2010) pp. 32-45, http://www.e-conservationline.com/content/view/914

6 comments:

  1. I love that quilt pattern. Do you know what it's called?

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  2. I like this pattern, too. It's a fun shape to use. In the mid & 2nd half of the 19th century, this would have been called a mosaic quilt with hexagons. It would come to be known Grandmother's Flower Garden after the Edwardian Era. Being that this quilt dates to c. 1860s or 1870s, it would be a mosaic quilt.

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  3. Wow! I'm going to add this pattern to the list of quilts I want to make. I'm sure it'll be years before I do, as I'm still working on my first quilt.

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  4. I'm still working on my first 2 quilts. I have a postage stamp mosaic quilt and a log cabin. Hopefully, the log cabin will be done this winter. Somehow, I don't think we'll ever run out of projects. :)

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  5. I just did a google image search of postage stamp quilts (I hadn't heard of them before -- I'm new at this) and I'm amazed. I'd love to see pictures of your quilts in progress!

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