Meet
 Mary
Koval
by Jack Braunstein
Joseph and Mary Koval live in Schellsburg,
Pennsylvania, in an 1847 church that they remodeled into an impressive
residence. For over 30 years they have been buying and selling all kinds of
antiques - from kitchen tools to furniture - but antique fabrics and quilts
have become their specialty. In fact, Mary turned the field into her second
profession by becoming a highly regarded quilter, teacher, lecturer, and
fabric designer.
It was inevitable. The more fabrics and quilts Joseph
and Mary purchased, the more they cherished. So as their business grew, so
did their personal fabric and quilt collection. When selecting which quilts
with an animal theme to share in her recently released book, Mary recalls,
"I went into my quilt closet and selected the best of the best."
Mary Koval's
Antique Animal Quilts is another of Chitra Publications' quality
books teeming with full-size patterns that are accurate and easy-to-follow.
A treasure in themselves, the large photos of Mary's authentic vintage
quilts will surely tempt you to pick up needle, thread, and your favorite
fabric. Pictured below are a few of the quilts from this book. Bet you can't
make just one!
 If
you're like most quilters, you like cats. Feedsacks from the 1940s were used
to make "Sitting Cats" (71 1/2" x 97"). If you don't have similar
vintage feedsacks on hand, choose your favorite fabrics when making your own
"purr-r-fect" version of this quilt. "Everybody Loves Scottie Dogs"
(66" x 78 1/2") is a charm quilt featuring a wide variety of feedsacks and
other 1930s fabrics. The quiltmaker used a running stitch with black thread
rather than the traditional needleturn appliqué
or a decorative blanket stitch to attach the appliqué pieces to the
background fabric. Whatever appliqué method you choose, you're sure to enjoy
stitching your version of this colorful quilt.
 "Turkeys
and Pumpkins" (76" x 96") came from eastern Pennsylvania and is another
relatively new "antique" having likely been made in the 1960s or '70s. Mary
believes it is the quiltmaker's original design. Upon acquiring this quilt,
Mary considered removing the polka dot border, but the more she looked at
it, the more she liked it. There are no more ugly ducklings in the group of
"Swans in the Lily Pond" (79 1/2" square). With only one fabric
repeated, it is almost a charm quilt. A friend of Mary's found this quilt
for her in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. Mary estimates it was made in the
1930s or '40s.
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