Historic Treasure Article - October 31, 1982
by Patricia F. Engelland
Museum Assistant, Vigo County Historical Society
One of the treasures in the collection of the Vigo County Historical Society is this appliqued quilt created in 1844 and quilted in the early 1900s. Marie Webster calls this design "Original Floral" and shows a photograph of a quilt that appears to be identical to this one in her book, "Quilts, Their Story and How to Make Them."
This particular quilt is a veritable flower garden with its variety of flower shapes, cockscomb-like blossoms and green leaves, swag border, and birds perched on the different blossoms - one bird appears to have just plucked a berry from its plant. The green, red, yellow and blue cottons give a touch of the Pennsylvania Dutch, particularly with an eagle on two sides of the quilt. The blocks in this quilt measure 10-inch square, the appliqued blocks set with alternate white ones, and the frequent buds, grapes, and berries are made with a padding technique.
Quilting motifs on the plain squares are the popular double wreath and the festive border is quilted in the diamond pattern.
Applique is a very old art and examples are cited back as far as the ancient Egyptians. Many authors write that it gained popularity in the South in this country because the warmer climate lessened the need for the heavier warmer types of bed covers. Some quilters place appliqued quilts above pieced quilts in needlework skill.
Mrs. Reid Ross of Sullivan, Indiana, gave this quilt to the Society in 1971. It is on display in the north room of the Historical Museum of the Wabash Valley, 1411 South Sixth Street. Open hours are 1 to 4 p.m., Sunday through Friday. The museum is closed Saturdays and holidays.