Tree of Life Quilt

 Another quilt

by Edith Shoppell

Tree of Life

is currently on display

at the 

Art Of Quilting Show

held at the

Gilbert Historical Museum

 This quilt is fascinating to me,

not only because I love

Tree of Life quilts,

but because of

the technique used by Edith

in this particular piece.

 Shown by her son Mike Shoppell

Edith was very accomplished at 

applique quilts,

which were all beautifully hand quilted

as seen in the few examples at the show.

 Finished in 1979, I never would have guessed that this quilt 

was a Pre-Stamped kit

by Progress, a needlework company.

The applique looks so precise and well done.

 I am not very familiar with the pre-stamped kits

of that era, 

so I did a little research into the topic.

Cindy's Antique Quilts  explains that

"Packaged kits often came

with pre-stamped or pre-cut

fabrics, including the pieces to be appliqued."

If applique was to be done, there were

corresponding numbers 

stamped on pieces that were supplied,

and the top fabric used as the base,

 also had corresponding numbers

for placement.

Edith's granddaughter Karen shared:

"Some of her quilts took 2-3 years to make.

They are very labor intensive and

time consuming as they were, 

for the most part,

done all by hand.  

Everything was painstakingly cut and

laid out for each step."

Does anyone know of 

any current quilt companies

that are in existence today

that still produce

 pre-cut and numbered applique quilt kits?

Or is this a quilt technique

only from days long past?