Vintage and Modern Valentines: Part 1

Valentine's Day is one of our favorite holidays, complete with the imagery of hearts and flowers.  However, the emotions conjured by Valentine's Day go beyond the exchange of valentines, and even beyond romance.  Here is a quote that speaks to the occasion: "Love is a symbol of eternity. It wipes out all sense of time, destroying all memory of a beginning and all fear of an end." To that end, we've assembled some special Valentine quilts, both vintage and modern, that caught our eye.

Vintage Valentine by Dar Farmer and Sally Copeland (Dorris, CA), 2012 Pacific International Quilt Festival

In "Vintage Valentine" by Dar Farmer and Sally Copeland, the center medallion is framed by 12 beautiful blocks. The delicate appliqued shapes inspired by vintage valentines create a romantic style in this heirloom quilt. The quilters chose a variety of toned pinks and reds for the hearts and flowers; the little birds, which appear in many of the blocks, were done in a black floral print which complements the motifs.

Center Medallion, Vintage Valentine by Dar Farmer and Sally Copeland

In the center medallion, above, you can see the expert hand applique and hand quilting done by Dar Farmer and Sally Copeland.  The Vintage Valentine pattern is by Verna Mosquera at The Vintage Spool.

 L'Amour est Trouve (Love is Found), 58 x 58", by Marian Howard Gallian at Pink Hippo Quilts

Marian Howard Gallian, the founder of Pink Hippo Quilts, says: "I have a passion for quilting which sustains me through all life’s joys and trials. My mom and my aunt both made beautiful quilts and they were my inspiration."  Marian's "L'Amour est Trouve" is both romantic and nostalgic, with a modern twist which we love. This quilt uses Dresden fan blocks with an interesting 3-D effect in the center of the flower. In the version shown above, Marian has set the pretty pink Dresden flowers against a black-and-white text print with expressions of love.

L'Amour est Trouve (Love is Found), 58 x 58", by Marian Howard Gallian at Pink Hippo Quilts

Here is the latest version of L'Amour est Trouve; the clever scalloped edge, which you can see clearly in this quilt, adds a delectable finish.  There are many more pretty quilts at Pink Hippo Quilts; for Valentine's Day, be sure to check out Sweet Whimsey , Forever in my Heart and Summer of Love.

International Love, 39 x 74" by Julia Avrahami (Israel)

Here is a charming quilt which caught our eye at the 2012 Pacific International Quilt Show. In this large wall hanging, Julia Avrahami has created eighteen different hearts in shades of pink and re-violet that remind us of the candy hearts we exchanged as children. Notice that she has arranged the letters in a curve, which makes the hearts appear to be rounded. Julia explains her inspiration for "International Love":  "The word Love is written differently in various languages, but it expresses a common meaning: Love between lovers, family members or friends."   This quilt was beautifully machine pieced, machine appliqued and machine quilted.

Image Credits:  Photos of Vintage Valentine and Candy Hearts were taken by Quilt Inspiration.  Photos of L'Amour est Trouve are shown with the generous permission of Marian Howard Gallian.