Vigo County Historical Society
Historical Treasure Article
December 18, 1988
By Jan Buffington
Vigo County Historical Society
Stitchery of years past created colorful quilts
Rich velvet and jewel-tone silks and taffetas made the quilts on display in the Christmas exhibit in the Vigo Room at the museum a delight to see.
One quilt has alternate blocks of fabric embroidered with scenes of children and nature, with blocks of ornately-stitched crazy quilt designs. In the same case is a variation of the log cabin design called barn-raising. This quilt also has some embroidery. It is backed with a golden fabric and is edged with a delicate lace.
In the second case is another crazy quilt with fine embroidery. It has a blue backing which is used for the edging. Also in this case is a quilt in the spool pattern. The year of sewing and the donors of these four quilts are unknown.
On the bed in the Victorian bedroom is a log cabin-pattern quilt made around the 1890s. It is made of light and dark velvets, and was donated by Louise Stevens in memory of her husband, Charles Raymond Stevens, whose grandmother created the quilt.
The cradle has a black silk with brown velvet quilt made in the beaded star design with Cross and Crown pattern. It was made in 1874 by Clarabelle Jones Harp of North Middletown, Ky., when she married James William Harp. Her mother designed the quilt. Donors were her daughter, Myra Harp Karsner, and Karsner’s grandson, George von Spreckelsen.
A parlor throw in geometric pieced squares of velvet silk, and taffeta covers the crib in the nursery. A triangle with a star is embroidered in each corner. The throw was made between 1880 and 1900 and was donated by John Biel.
An interesting use of the crazy quilt pattern is found on the mannequin in the powder room on the second floor. Much care was taken in making this pair of lounging pajamas; the front design matches on each side of the front panels.
The Historical Museum of the Wabash Valley, 1411 S. Sixth St., is open from 1 to 4 p.m. Tuesday through Sunday.