Vtg 1940's-1950's Circus Children Quilt Handmade Hand Embroidered Tapestry Quilt Wall Hanging 64" x 47" Cross Stitch
This amazing tapestry/quilt is from our large collection of all things vintage. It has been in our family for all those years.
Museum quality needlework.
I have reached out to many textile specialist. I have received various different opinions on the style and technique of this unique piece.
This description from a cross stitch expert: It could have been a kit, or it could have been designed around available patterns. If not a kit, most likely, the circus children were available as a transfer embroidery set. They very much have the look/feel of a 1940s or 50s design motif. Whoever made the quilt could have planned out their placement on the wholecloth, and then added the embellishing checkerboard stitches. The clown motif quilting pattern around the outer border could have been free handed, but it's equally likely that the original quilter used a stencil or traced images. The cross hatch quilting in the center is incredibly precise, but if you notice, it does not cut through the bodies of any of the children. This makes me think it was hand done instead of being a pre-quilted. Also to that point, from the pictures, it looks like hand quilting and not machine quilting. If it was a kit, it is more than likely it came as a pre-printed piece of wholecloth meant to be embroidered, then layered and quilted after the embroidery was have
It's a lovely family heirloom.
The content is just adorable, depicting children in a circus theme much matching up to the sign of the time it was made. There are six children. A clown, an animal trainer, a weightlifter, tightrope walker, an acrobat, and the ringmaster. The children are surrounded with small crosses in red and turquoise thread.
The white quilt has a complicated pattern as well. We believe it is all handmade.
The piece is magnificent in excellent condition.
So beautiful it is suitable for framing. It would make the most unusual, elegant gift for a boy or a girl.
Please see the photos to complete the description.
