Windham Fabrics is delighted to "welcome home" Mary Koval; renowned designer, quilt collector and historian.  Baltimore Album is her premier collection and we could not think of a better one to start with.  Baltimore Album quilts originated and rose to popularity in the US city of Baltimore in the 1840's. The panel design represents one particular quilt selected by Mary. In this quilt the center block is the only monument block to date to surface with Lady Liberty at its top and the two eagle and cornucopia blocks can be found in dated Baltimore Album Quilts made in the same period. The quilt displays some more, and some less complicated blocks and it is clear that several pattern designers were likely involved in producing the patterns. As with many album quilt designers their inspirations were taken from their surroundings such as newspapers, city directories, samplers, theorem paintings, china, coverlets and chintz fabrics to name a few. The quilt selected for this collection is not dated or signed, but experts agree that it was definitely made between 1846 and 1848.