True Lover’s Knot

Blue and white quilts, using indigo-dyed fabric, were common in the United States prior to the availability of printed chintz fabrics. This spectacular quilt features over four yards of indigo-dyed fabric appliqué on a white background. The center of the quilt is composed of blocks with the pattern, “True Lover’s Knot,” surrounded by a meandering vine with berries. The quilt exhibits the technical mastery of the maker with elaborate trapunto—a technique that involves thicker batting in a quilted design to raise it higher than the quilted background. The appliqué work, with its difficult curves, sharp points, and cutwork, also demonstrates enormous skill. It is estimated that this quilt probably took a year or more to make.