Pattern Name: Tulip Bud
Age: 1860s
Quilting: fussy quilting throughout - hand pieced and hand-quilted
Material: BEAUTIFUL chrome yellow and chrome orange dyed cotton with over-dyed indigo cotton backing 
Measurements: 74x82
 
Heritage: This quilt was found in Alabama and is one of the most unique quilts I have ever seen.  The age and the fact that these historic pieces still exist to be found is a wonder! This is a Tulip Bud quilt with beautiful piecing and chrome orange (cheddar) sashes. Each block is carefully pieced and wonderfully put together. The chrome yellow is still vibrant as is the orange. The binding is a thick turkey red calico binding and the back is an over-dyed indigo calico backing. This is a fantastic example of this era of quilts, despite the wear to the quilt. Truly a wonderful collector’s piece to display
 
Condition: Overall the piece is in fair condition  considering its age. There are obvious signs of wear to the edges from years of tucking the quilt into bed frames. There are a few places where the dye has worn the block pieces, but the vast majority is in tact.  There are stains throughout, but despite this, the quilt is quite strong and would be wonderful to display! This would not be a quilt to wash, but to leave outside in the sun (under a clean white sheet) for a few warm, sunny days.  This is the traditional cleaning method for these types of quilts and would be appropriate here.