Wedding rings are sign to the world of our marriage status. How many novels have you read where the heroine checks out the left hand of the handsome stranger? And if the actual ring missing, is there an indention for paler skin indicating a ring is usually worn? Wedding rings or bands have an ancient history.
In many civilizations, a ring symbolized a union and was part of a ceremony of some sort. Before it was a token of love and fidelity, it is believed to be the first payment of a dowery or a pledge that the groom was financially able to support a wife. Folks in 19th century Germany were the first to commonly exchange rings in a wedding. In the US, men did not commonly wear a ring until World War II
A wedding band/ring is usually worn on the left hand on the fourth finger due to a ancient belief that a vein ran from the left finger to the heart. But some groups associate “left” with evil and wear their rings on the right hand. Members of religious groups that believe in a simple lifestyle often do not wear rings. Gold is the preferred metal but today there are so many choices….tungsten, titanium, platinum, silver, rose gold and redwood and meteorite!! With gems or semi-precious stones or without..design your own or buy a “ready made” ring. With all these decision, you will understand why we opted for the tradition gold band and our personal sentiment engraved on the inside!
Another symbol of love and romance is the Double Wedding Ring Quilt! The traditional pattern has interlocking rings symbolizing marriage. This traditional American quilt became very popular in the 1920 and 1930s. The first published pattern was sold in the 1920s even though there are examples of the quilt found in the early 19th century. The quilt is usually made with scraps of left over fabrics or recycled fabric, making it very popular in the Depression Era. A king size Double Wedding Ring Quilt would have 2255 individual pieces! And these are not simple pieces–the trapezoid shapes fit together like a puzzle. This is not a beginners pattern!
These quilts were made by mothers and grandmothers for their children and given as gifts on their wedding day or anniversary. Old folklore suggests that the union would be blessed if the couple sent their first night together under a Double Wedding Ring Quilt. Given the sentimental value and the complexity of the quilt, most were keep for “good” and certainly not put on a child’s bed!
The son of an elderly church member brought us quilts found in a closet of his father’s house. His father had moved to a care home and the son ask if we would be interested. Oh, we were interested! One of the quilts was this treasure.
This Double Wedding Ring quilt is unique. Most Double Wedding Ring Quilts are created using a white or pastel background–going with the wedding theme and white fabric was readily available. The background on the quilt is “cheddar”. Cheddar dye was developed in the late 1800’s and became so popular for a period that it was considered a neutral–but not in this traditional pattern. I did find vintage Double Wedding Ring Quilts that used yellow but not such a strong color such as cheddar.
Many of the pieces are feed sack fabric. In fact, I found pieces in the quilt exactly like a feed sack from the 30’s that was gifted to me.
The quilt measures 72″ x 88″. The photo of the quilt spread out on a queen size bed shows it would be a “full” size perfectly. (This photo is a truer representation of the color than the one previously taken in natural light outside.)
The quilting is a simple pattern but all by hand and very dense which adds to its stability. The binding is cut on a bias, necessary to go around curves and is hand stitched.
I had to try it on my dining table…..which was a mistake. It would make a perfect autumn table cloth/covering …the cheddar and deep blues are certainly giving off a Fall vibe.
This keepsake was not used a great deal. I found only one minor spot where the backing was coming away from the binding–maybe an inch in length. The backing is muslin. The quilt has been soak and washed and line dried.
When I was cleaning it, I wished the quilter and previous owners could set down with me to answer my questions. Did you choose the unusual background fabric because that was all you could get? Or because you really liked the strong color? Or were you a rebel and wanted to do it your way? Did friends or family help you quilt it—it took hours and hours to do all the dense hatch quilting. Was it a gift or was it made for your own use? Did you make another? Was it a quilt for “company”? Did you plan to pass it down through the family? I will never know the answers to these questions, but you can write the next chapter of this quilt’s history. This unique “cheddar” Double Wedding Ring Quilt is for sale for $200.
If you have questions, please leave a comment and I will get back to you.
Quilts, Etc. 