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.
Martha Powell created this quilted and stuffed counterpane. Stuffed work refers to the technique of adding extra cotton wadding under the designs before quilting, resulting in a three dimensional effect. The center of this counterpane is a sunburst in a laurel wreath surrounded by a flowering vine. This is in turn is framed by arcs of flowering vines. Around the outside edge are baskets of fruit and sprays of flowers. It has a cotton lining and filling. All the stuffed motifs are outlined in quilting. The background is quilted in a triple diagonal grid, 11 stitches per inch. No separate binding, front brought to back 1/4" and whipped.
Martha Powell was born in DeKalb County, Georgia, on August 6 1831. She married Fielding Travis Powell (1828-1898) in 1849 or 1857. He practiced law, was a surgeon during the Civil War, and was also known for his many writings in various fields. They had two sons, and a daughter (donor of the quilt). Martha died in 1917 and is buried in Atlanta, Georgia.
Cordelia Townsend may have made this quilt or it may have just been in the family as it was donated by her great-grandchildren. Cordelia was born in 1799, married William Everett in 1817 at Goshen, N.Y. She died in 1821.
The early 19th century counterpane is quilted and stuffed, with a center design of a flowering tree enclosed in an oval of feathered arcs. Beyond this are flowers, bunches of grapes, and an undulating row of long feathered leaves. A pomegranate in each corner and groups of curved leaves around the outer edge complete the quilt. The motifs are typical of this period. It has a cotton lining, filling and stuffing. The motifs are stuffed and outlined in quilting; the background is quilted in parallel lines 1/8-inch apart 8-9 stitches per inch. A white cotton tape binding is folded over edge and sewn with a running stitch through all layers. It is finished with 3" fringe on all sides.
Below a pair of hearts at the bottom of this counterpane is the quilted inscription: Ann L Eayre / September 28 / 1810". Ann Eayre was born in 1776, married Hewlings, and died in 1851. The significance of the date is not known.
The quilted counterpane has a large spray of flowers in the center (lily, carnation, tulip, rose, peony) enclosed in a feathered oval. Outside of this are four large baskets of flowers and a meandering row of linked double circles. This in turn is framed by a grape vine motif which is tied in a bow at the bottom of the quilt. The extreme outer edges have a 2-inch band of simple leaves. It has a white cotton lining and cotton filling. In addition to the quilted motifs, the background is quilted in parallel lines 3/8 inch apart, 9 stitches/inch. No separate binding was used, instead the back is brought to front (1/8 inch) and whip stitched. It is a typical example of early 19th century white work, both in technique and in the motifs chosen for the design.
According to the family, Elizabeth Shaffer created this example of a quilted and stuffed counterpane in 1817 when she was 15 years old. She married John Snyder in 1819 at the Somerset Trinity Lutheran Church in Somerset, Pennsylvania.
The quilting is “stuffed,” that is, before the needlework is undertaken, the designs are under laid with extra cotton wadding which causes the elaborate flower and fruit patterns to stand out in a relief effect.
The forty-nine-inch square framed center contains a basket of pineapples surrounded by sunflowers. The outer border, 17 ½-inches wide at the top and bottom and 18 ½-inches wide at sides, has a meandering grape vine. Cotton was used for the lining, filling and stuffing. All motifs outlined and stuffed; the background is quilted in parallel diagonal lines 3/8" apart. It is precisely quilted at 10 stitches per inch. No separate binding.
Elizabeth’s needlework skills produced a fine example of early 19th century white-work, possibly made in preparation for her household.
Pieced quilt by Lisa Noel Coleman, titled "Bedsprings", made in 1985. Pieced, stenciled, and dyed cotton quilt representing a discarded mattress box spring, in off white, reds, turquoise, and black. The background stripes and coil images on the quilt were screen printed with simple hand-cut paper stencils. Vintage upholstery fabric with a button print was vat dyed and combined with other commercial prints and solids to complete the piece. Machine stitched, some hand quilting, 3 stitches/inch. Of the quilt the artist says, "I was inspired by seeing the rusty bedsprings sometimes abandoned in city alleys and thinking they would make a nice structure for vines in my garden. And I would think of the actual life witnessed by the springs." "Bedsprings" was exhibited at the Missoula Art Museum in "Contemporary Quilts by American Artists" invitational in April-June 1985.
A small quilt, probably for use in a cradle or crib, is pieced in a framed center pattern. The center, 24-inches by 20-inches, is pieced with block-printed fabrics. The border, 2 ½-inches at the side and 4 ½-inches top and bottom, is a well-worn block-printed cotton. It is bound, cotton filled and lined. An overall diagonal grid pattern was used for the quilting. Unfortunately neither maker nor owner is known.
Elizabeth Smedley made this silk quilt for the trousseau of her niece, Elizabeth Webster Smedley. She married Walter Brinton at Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, in 1891. Off white, grey, and tan are used to set off the simple design. Chevron pattern quilting is used for the vertical bands, and the border is quilted in a cable pattern. The whole imparts a quiet elegance typical of Quaker quilts of the 19th century.
This cushion cover is pieced of 3-inch squares. Each square is composed of 2 triangles of plain or satin weave silk and a diagonal strip made of 7/8-inch black silk ribbon, the edge of the ribbon strip is decorated with feather stitching. Squares are machine-joined. The cover is lined with dark red silk. The cushion cover is a small, somewhat restrained, example of the popular crazy-patch type needlework popular in the late 19th century.
This hand woven overshot coverlet is part of the Copp Collection which was given to the Museum in the late 19th century. The pattern is similar to "White Mountian" or "Granite State' and woven with linen and wool yarn. The coverlet is woven in two sections with each section being 42 3/4 inches wide. The two sections are joined together with linen sewing thread. The coverlet was probably made in the 18th century. The weaver is unknown.
Mary L. Walcott constructed this quilt based on the “Wild Goose Chase” pattern using only plain red and polka-dotted red and white cottons. It is quilted at 7-8 stitches/inch using grid and chevron patterns. She made this quilt about the time her son, Charles D. Walcott, was born. In 1907 he became the fourth Secretary of the Smithsonian Institution.
A member of the Copp family of Stonington, Connecticut wove this green, red, and white, overshot coverlet in a “Single Chariot Wheel” pattern. The coverlet was constructed of two panels woven as one length and features an applied wool fringe on three sides.
Found in Londonderry, Vermont, in a house dated about 1850, this quilt was purchased by the donor in the 1980s. The many cotton fabrics used to construct this quilt give it value.
Ten-inch blocks of red-and-white floral printed fabric alternate with “Sixteen-Patch” blocks composed of many block- and roller-printed fabrics. Ten “Eight-pointed Star” blocks of block-printed red-and-white fabric are set near the outer edge. Three quilting patterns are utilized for the three different types of blocks, quilted 6-7 stitches per inch. Blue cotton triangles on the outer edges complete the well-planned quilt.
Names for quilt pattern blocks change over time, by region and as variations on traditional or classical block patterns develop. On this quilt blocks pieced in the “Robbing Peter to Pay Paul” chain pattern alternate with plain blocks quilted in a variety of floral patterns, 9 stitches per inch. Executed in white and a green floral print cotton, the “chain” effectively surrounds each quilted block. A 6½-inch border, using the same fabrics, frames the pieced center.
Names for quilt pattern blocks change over time, by region, and as variations on traditional or classical block patterns develop. This quilt consists of nine blocks, each having a 21-inch diameter circular inset pieced in the “Sunburst” pattern. Appliqued oak leaf motifs on the corners of the blocks set off the “Sunbursts.” Red, orange and green roller-print fabrics were used to create the vibrant design. A 5 ½-inch white quilted border frames the sunbursts. Diamond grid and echo quilting, 8 stitches per inch, completes the quilt.
Pattern block names vary by era and region. Variations on traditional or classical block patterns are always evolving with new names. In this variation of the "Princess Feather" pattern, eight appliqued feathers surround an 8-pointed pieced star center in each of the four blocks that comprise this quilt. The 6 ¾-inch border has alternating appliqued feathers and pieced half stars. The quilting consists of 6, 8 and 16 petal flowers, hearts, teardrops, and medallions. The feathers and stars have outline and echo line quilting. A simple palate of yellow, green and white cottons were used for the design.
Overshot, natural & indigo-dyed coverlet; Pine Bloom design. Probably made in VA by the donors great-grandmother Johnston (no middle name given) (Elizabeth Babb Rusk's grandmother Johnston.)
According to the donor, her ancestor, Hannah Gray (b. July 13, 1823) wove this coverlet sometime before her wedding in 1858 in Connecticut. The blue and white, overshot coverlet is woven in a “Single Chariot Wheel" pattern. Hannah was the sister of Tompkins C. Grey, a member of the House of Representatives. The coverlet measures 98 inches by 76 inches and is composed of two panels which were woven as one length and seamed together to create the finished width.
Overshot coverlet made with red, indigo and natural colored yarns. Rose and table pattern--no extra border pattern. The coverlet is consists of two panels stitched together. Yarns: warp-single ply , z twist white cotton, ground weft--single z twist white cotton, pattern-weft single z twist red and indigo wool. The top and bottom hems are hand stitched. Repeat size of pattern 6 1/8 " x 5 3/4." There is no border pattern. According to the donor, this coverlet was owned by Mrs. Sarah Franklin Brown , grand mother of the donor. She lived in Washington County, Tenn. (post office-Telford, just below Jonesboro) in the Southern Highlands.
Quilted in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, in the early twentieth century, this is a beautiful example of Amish quilting utilizing a traditional pattern. The dark red 25½-inch center diamond with a 3¾-inch purple border is set diagonally into a 46¼-inch square also with a 3¾-inch border. Framed by an outer 11¾-inch border, the quilt is finished with a wide contrasting binding of dark blue. The fabrics are mainly wool, wool-and-cotton, and some rayon. An 8-pointed star, feathered circles, vines, and scallops are motifs quilted with black cotton to complete this quilt.