Antique 1870s Shoo Fly Quilt – Bright Yellow, Red & Indigo – 81” x 83”

This antique American Shoo Fly quilt, dates to the 1870s and features 25 individually pieced blocks arranged diagonally against a vivid yellow printed cotton background. The blocks incorporate 19th-century cotton prints in indigo blue, turkey red, dark green, pink, brown, and light blue.

The hand quilting is exquisite - in extremely tiny and precise stitches and in patterns of crosshatch grids in the body of the quilt and in complex braided rope patterns along the four-sided border.

The quilt is framed by wide red printed cotton borders separated by a narrow blue printed border. A narrow yellow binding finishes the edges.

The reverse is constructed from alternating wide strips of red and dark green printed cotton, with visible seams joining the fabric lengths. The cotton batting is very lightweight and thin.

Details:
* Date: Circa 1870s
* Pattern: Shoo Fly
* Size: 81” x 83”
* Construction: Pieced cotton patchwork
* Fabrics: Assorted 19th-century printed cottons, including indigo, red, floral, geometric, and small-scale figured prints
* Setting: 25 Shoo Fly blocks arranged diagonally with yellow printed cotton alternating squares
* Borders: Wide red printed borders with an inset blue printed border
* Backing: Alternating strips of red and dark green printed cotton
* Binding: Narrow yellow cotton binding
* Quilting: Hand quilted

CONDITION: The quilt is in excellent antique condition and displays remarkably vivid coloration, particularly the yellow background, red borders, and contrasting indigo prints. Please review the photographs as they form an important part of the description. The quilt has been soaked, freshly hand washed using fragrance-free detergent, and line dried outdoors, giving it a light, natural, sun-dried cotton scent (not artificially fragranced).