This pillow sham is one of two (TE.T12928.00A) that Margaret Tormey carefully crafted to match an 86-inch quilt top, dated 1886 (TE.T12927). Crazy patchwork frames a central focus of a nosegay of pansies and blueberries painted on satin with the intiials EFC. Vignettes of birds and grasses printed in blue gray on satin, and a few embroidered motifs (flag, fan, sunburst, star, butterfly) decorate the sham. A 3 ½-inch blue velvet border is machine-stitched to the center. All three objects are in the Collection.
Margaret McNamara was born in Ireland (about 1835) and immigrated with her family to the United States about 1848. In 1861 she married Patrick Tormey, who was also born in Ireland (about 1835) and immigrated as a teenager. They lived in Brooklyn, N.Y. Patrick, a Civil War veteran, was keeper of the Brooklyn City Hall for many years. He died in 1900, and Margaret died in 1910.