The Raymond quilt - a real antique quilt.

I am not going to apologise for the number of photos in this post.

Melva brought in a family heirloom quilt to show us.

I have taken lots of photos, and with her permission I can share them with you.

The quilt is believed to have been made in the early 1800s.

The Prussian blue fabrics shown here are very vibrant, which I found really unusual. They mostly fade after the very first wash. Can you imagine how bright they would have been originally?

This little label has been added by a family member at a later date.

I kept taking photos of interesting bits in the quilt. Look at the patterns in the stripe.

The fabric is completely worn away in some parts. The quality of the batting inside leads me to believe it was a commercially available batting rather than a home-made batt.

A Canadian maple leaf is embroidered on the quilt here. The original maker lived near the Canadian-U.S. border.

I think we can all learn to be more brave with our fabric choices.

I love stripes.

Do you feel inspired?

I know I am.

Melva keeps the quilt folded with acid-free tissue paper between the layers. She takes it out often to spread on her bed to prevent the folds from becoming permanent.

It's fortunate that Melva has the quilt where it is cherished. It's amazing how spectacular antique quilts in pristine condition turn up (mostly in the U.S.) and are being used to protect a new tractor from dust, or keep a cow warm, or keep frost off crops.

Thanks so much for sharing with us Melva.

Wouldn't it be great if we could have a special "historic" or "significant" quilt show and tell day? I think I will schedule it for next year.