Saturday at the Quilt Museum - Birds in the Air

"Birds in the Air" is a favorite of mine, so this week we're taking a meander through some of the prettiest ones I could find!

Birds in the Air
1850
96" x 100"

This first one is rather striking. The use of striped fabric and such a dynamic color is amazing. Notice that on two sides, the stripes are going in a vertical orientation. All I can find about it is that it was made in 1850.

See more pictures here:
https://www.1stdibs.com/furniture/folk-art/quilts/birds-air-quilt/id-f_614588/

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Birds in the Air
1870
72" x 78"

I love the simplicity of this one and the prints, plaids and shirtings used are beautiful.

See more pictures here:
http://shop.thequiltcomplex.com/2013/01/birds-in-air.html

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Birds in the Air Look-Alike
Red and White
Pennsylvania
1880's

This one is not technically a Birds in the Air pattern, but has a similar look.  There are two plain triangles - red and white on opposite sides - sandwiching a set of alternating light and dark half-square triangles.  I really like it.  The fabrics are prints, the white being a shirting, and the red a black-on-red print.  The binding is black polka dots on a red ground.  Lots of fun!

At the time of this writing, there are more pictures at Stella Rubin Antiques, linked below.
http://www.stellarubinantiques.com/items/1262489/item1262489sra.html

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Birds in the Air
Deborah Coates
1830-1860

This beauty was made by Quaker Deborah Coates, who, along with her husband, was active in anti-slavery politics and the Underground Railroad.  It possibly contains an silk piece from an anti-slavery handkerchief that bears the message, "Deliver me from the oppression of man."

You can read more about it on Barbara Brackman's blog here:
http://civilwarquilts.blogspot.com/2011/02/9-birds-in-air.html

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Birds in the Air
Pennsylvania
1850

I really like the color play in this one, as well as the use of stripes in the border.  I can't find any further information about it, though.

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Birds in the Air
1880
66" x 82"

This one is a stunning testament to an amazing piecer.  The individual squares made of half-square triangles are 5/8" on a side!  Prints, checks, shirtings and stripes are used throughout, and is made of 25,000 pieces!

To really be able to appreciate it, see the additional pictures at Stella Rubin Antiques by following the link below.  As of this writing, the post it is still available here:
http://www.stellarubinantiques.com/items/1144146/item1144146sra.html

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Thanks for joining us for our tour of Birds in the Air  Quilts!
Happy Quilting!!

PLEASE NOTE:

- I am not a quilt historian.  I simply enjoy finding interesting quilts and sharing them with you!

- The quilt images on this post were sourced from Pinterest unless otherwise noted, and are linked to their origin whenever possible.