QUILT INDEX RECORD
5-2-258
Where are the records for this quilt housed?
Illinois State Museum
Who documented this quilt?
Illinois Quilt Research Project; Illinois State Museum Collection
Illinois Quilt Research Project Registry Number:
720
Alternate inventory control number:
1998.152.10
Person filling out this form is:
Quiltmaker
Ownership of this quilt is:
Public Museum, Library or Institution
Quilt owner's name:
Illinois State Museum
Quiltmaker's Name (top):
Helmuth, Magdalena Bontrager
Quiltmaker's country:
United States
What is the quiltmaker's birthdate?
1910
What is/was the quiltmaker's religious affiliation?
Amish
Spouse's occupation:
farmer
Did the quiltmaker have any children? If so, how many?
6
How many of the quiltmaker's children were girls?
2
How many of the quiltmaker's children were boys?
4
Quiltmaker's mother's name:
Yoder, Catherine
Quiltmaker's mother's birthplace:
IN
Quiltmaker's father's name:
Bontrger, John
Quiltmaker's father's birthplace:
IN
What is the ancestry/ethnic background of the quiltmaker's family?
Amish
Anything else we should know about the quiltmaker?
Also made 1992.152.11
How did the owner get the quilt?
Purchase
How did the quiltmaker participate in the creation of the quilt?
Made entire quilt
Where the quilt was made, city:
Arthur
Where the quilt was made, state:
Illinois (IL)
Where the quilt was made, country:
United States
Pattern name; used by owner or by maker:
Variable Star in Garden Maze
Date provided by maker/owner:
ca. 1940
Date estimated by IQRP:
ca. 1940
Who estimated the quilt's date?
Jan Wass, Curator
Time period:
1930-1949
Length:
59
Width:
45
Block size:
9
Sashing width:
4
Quilting stitches per inch. Are they even?
8
Quilting stitches per inch (in a second spot on the quilt):
7
Format:
Finished quilt
Piecing techinques used to make the quilt top:
Machine Piecing
Construction (top):
Block pattern
Block style (top):
Squares; Same block throughout
Arrangement of quilt blocks:
Straight
Number of full blocks; pieced, appliqued, and plain:
6
Number of different block patterns used in the quilt:
1
Fabric; fibers:
Cotton
Fabric print:
Solid/plain
Predominant colors (top):
Blue or Navy; White
Overall color scheme:
Two color
Quilting designs used, overall motifs:
Grid diamond
Quilting designs used, decorative motifs:
Other
Quilting designs used, background fills:
Parallel lines
Describe the quilting designs used:
Diamond grid in pieced blocks and sashing, diamond and rope in inner border, double diagonal parallel lines in outer border
How are the layers held together?
Hand quilting
What type of thread was used for the quilting?
cotton
What color was the quilting thread?
white
Spacing of quilt blocks:
Separated by garden maze sashing
Describe the borders:
Narrow inner border and wide outer border
Binding and edge treatment:
Back turned to front
Materials used in the quilt binding:
Cotton
What is the width of the binding (measure on the top only)?
less than a half inch
Shape of edge:
Straight
Shape of corners:
Straight
Filler:
Cotton
Thickness:
Thin (Less than 3/16?)
How many pieces of fabric were used to make the quilt back?
2
Backing; fiber content:
Cotton
Backing; fabric:
Same fabric used throughout
Backing; width of pieces (in inches):
26
Condition:
Very good/almost new
Describe any other damage to the quilt:
miinor bleeding of blue to white
Access and copyright information:
Restricted
Copyright holder:
Illinois State Museum
Quiltmaker's maiden name:
Bontrager, Magdalena
Quiltmaker's father's ethnic/tribal background:
Amish
Quiltmaker's mother's ethnic/tribal background:
Amish
The quilt was made to be used for:
Bedding, daily use
Cite this Quilt
Helmuth, Magdalena Bontrage. Variable Star in Garden Maze. 1930-1949. From Illinois State Museum, Illinois Quilt Research Project; Illinois State Museum Collection. Published in The Quilt Index, https://quiltindex.org/view/?type=fullrec&kid=5-2-258. Accessed: 04/18/24
-
Essay
Amish and "English": Quilts from the I...
Wass, Jan