Dutch quilts

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Selection of traditional fabrics purchased @ De Haan & Wagenmakers in Amsterdam
Promenade in a Dutch Garden by Petra Prins & An Moonen
Promenade in a Dutch Garden by Petra Prins & An Moonen
Promenade in a Dutch Garden by Petra Prins & An Moonen
Chintz fabric from the ‘Collection Fries Museum’:

I’m back from a wonderful holiday in Europe, to a “hot as hell” Africa!

As with any trip I make overseas or local, my first priority is to always find a quilt shop!  I found the most amazing quilt shop in Amsterdam of all places!  It is a small quilt shop by American standards, but for me it was love at first sight, in this shop there wasn’t a piece of fabric or book I didn’t like! I could have had it all!  I fell head over heels in love with Dutch quilts! It was so bad I had to go back a second time and bought more fabric and books.    Well, when you are in love what can you do?

The Netherlands has a long tradition of quiltmaking which date backs to Romans times.  The oldest reference of a Dutch quilt dates back to the 13th century.   In 1602 the Dutch East India Company stated trading chintz from India in exchangefor spices from the Far East and from then on the Dutch quilting tradition grew until quilts went out of fashion in 1860 until 1970 when American quilts gave quilting a new life worldwide.

If you would like to know more about Dutch quilts find this book – Promenade dans un jardin Hollandais – Promenade in a Dutch Garden by Petra Prins & An Moonen.  Petra has a passion for traditional quilt patterns and opened Den Haan & Wagenmakers in Amsterdam in 2009, together with her best friend.  An started off as a needlework teacher and she specialized in textile conservation at the Victoria & Albert Museum in London, and later became the curator of the Netherlands Open Air Museum in Arnhem.

Amsterdam is a relatively small city and De Haan & Wagenmakers quilt shop sits smack bang in the middle of all the major actuations.  Lucky for me!

Sorry have to go have to finish my friendship braid quilt!  My fingers are itching to start a Dutch quilt! HEHE

Till next week!

Love

Nikki

 

57 thoughts on “Dutch quilts”

  1. Did you have to buy another suitcase? LOL! Beautiful finds and thanks for the tip, I’m off to Amsterdam for a day trip in a couple of weeks (living in UK makes Europe mainland so easy to get to now with budget airlines ….. Lucky I know), i will definitely check your recommendation out. X

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  4. I haven’t been to Europe since sixties; I also loved Amsterdam and the Open Air Museum. Also loved Madurodam, the miniature Amsterdam. Now I have a great excuse to go back and visit that quilt shop!

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  6. Oh my, now you made me want to visit that shop and since I live only a 30 minute train ride away from Amsterdam….
    Glad you enjoyed your trip!

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  7. I actually bought some fabric from Holland over the internet some time ago–a tree of life print. I wanted to do something that would look like an18th century quilt. I just need a chintz print that will go with it. But then I moved on and lost interest. Your post reminded me of what I have and that I should dig it out. I bet you had fun at that store! There’s nothing better than going into a quilt shop and seeing things that are new to you.

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  9. I was so excited to see your post!!! I am going to Holland this fall! I will definitely try and find the quilt shop you mentioned. I live in Texas and have quilted for the past 30 years!

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  10. I was just reading about very early quilts from New York State. One of the ones featured was made in the 1760s by a woman whose family were among early Dutch settlers of Manhattan. It’s a beautiful whole cloth quilt made of pure white linen–lovely!

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  19. Isn’t it so much fun to discover an unfamiliar fabric store? It’s a great part of travel for quilters. I always pack light to be ready for the trip home with more stash…

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  20. NikkiM, I came to your blog to see why you hadn’t posted and found a wonderful new one!… filled with books and fabric from Holland! How cool!!! Can’t wait to see what you make. I have to check why I did not get this update? Hmmmm?? I shared with my sister Karen Gillis Taylor. She works for McCalls quilting magazine an went to Europe once. I know it will intrigue her! Also, I noticed your book was open to a page saying “Tree of Life”. I am going to paint a tree of life! Perhaps I should get started!! Happy quilting!

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  21. Wow! I love those fabrics! Wish I could have the opportunity to go to Amsterdam; however, that won’t happen but it won’t stop me from looking for quilt shops whenever I travel in the USA! thanks for visiting my blog and for the like on my little quilt gallery.

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    • Hi Elaine
      You guys have the most amazing quilt shops! You don’t need to go to Amsterdam!
      Thanks for your lovely comment and enjoying my blog!
      Love
      Nikki

      Reply

  22. They probably have the most beautiful fabrics for quilting in the world, IMHO 🙂 There used to be a European quilt show every two years, and they always had a booth. I still have many of the pieces I bought because . . . . they are so special, I don’t want to waste them! I am so glad you had the opportunity to go to their shop, and the eyes to appreciate it!

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  23. Thanks for visiting my blog. It’s some years since I visited Amsterdam but I bought a book of prints by the Japnese artist Koson Ohara – didn’t come across any quilt shops sadly!

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  24. Love the fabrics! I am totally jealous that you went to Europe. I would love to go anywhere today that is sunny – we are back to gray and cloudy.

    Reply

  28. Pingback: Trip to Utrecht | knettycraft

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