QUILT INDEX RECORD

12-8-5302

Who documented this quilt?

Michigan Quilt Project; Michigan State University Museum Collection; Quilts and Human Rights

Where are the records for this quilt housed?

Michigan State University Museum

Michigan Quilt Project Number:

08.0123 AIQP

If this quilt is owned by a museum, enter the accession number:

2008:162.1

Object label:

Dress Series: Red Sleeve
Margaret Wood
Phoenix, Arizona
1998
Collection of Michigan State University Museum acc.#2008:162.1

Essay:

Margaret Wood relates:
This quilt was inspired by a Kiowa woman's dress which was made c1860 and was decorated with elk's teeth. Only two teeth from an elk were suitable for decorative use and a dress covered with elk's teeth reflected a husband's hunting skills. Some men carved "teeth" from bone for their wives.

As manufactured cloth came available, women started substituting it for tanned hide but continued to use the same decorative accents. I used cowry shells in place of elk's teeth. Many early dresses were decorated with shells which were traded with Pacific Coast tribes before Anglos arrives.

Quilt's title:

Dress Series: Red Sleeve

Quilt top made by:

Wood, Margaret

Quilted by:

Wood, Margaret

If you are the quilt owner, how did you acquire this quilt?

Received as a gift

Where the quilt was made, city:

Phoenix

Where the quilt was made, state:

Arizona (AZ)

Where the quilt was made, country:

United States

Time period:

1976-1999

When was the quilt finished?

1998

Quilt is presently used as:

Museum collection

Quiltmaker's gender:

Female

Quiltmaker's city:

Phoenix

Quiltmaker's state:

Arizona (AZ)

Quiltmaker's birth date:

1/23/1950

Quiltmaker's ethnic background/tribal affiliation:

Native American Navajo/Seminole

Quiltmaker's educational background:

BA from Arizona State University, Elementary Ed.and MA in Library Science from University of Denver, Denver, CO

Quiltmaker's occupation:

Owner and president of Native American Fashions, Inc.

Quiltmaker's father's name:

Wood, Charlie

Quiltmaker's father's ethnic/tribal background:

Seminole (Oklahoma)

Quiltmaker's mother's name:

Wood, Helen Watchman Wood

Quiltmaker's mother's ethnic/tribal background:

Native American Navajo/Seminole

Quiltmaker's spouse's/spouses' and/or partner's/partners' occupation:

Lawyer

Number of children:

2

How many of the quiltmaker's children were boys?

2

How did the quiltmaker learn to quilt?

From Relative; Self-Taught

When did the quiltmaker learn to quilt?

Age 11-19

Estimated number of quilts made by this quiltmaker:

20-50 quilts

Does/did the quiltmaker sell quilts?

yes

Does/did the quiltmaker teach quilting?

yes

This is a:

Finished quilt

How wide is the quilt?

48 1/2"

How long is the quilt?

55 1/2"

Shape of edge:

Straight

Shape of corners:

Straight

What color is the quilt?

Blue; Navy; Red

Quilt's condition:

Excellent/like new

Type of inscription:

Message

What is inscribed on the quilt?

There is a printed tag on the back that reads: Printed label on the back: Quilt Documentation Information Name of Quilt: Dress Series: Red Sleeve Size: 55 1/2" H x 48 1/2"W. Maker: Margaret Wood. 63rd quilt. Construction: Machine pieced, tacked and hand quilted by Margaret Wood. Medium: 100% wool flannel and wool gaberdine top, cotton backing and wool binding, 96 cowry shells. Colors: Red, navy and light blue top, navy backing and navy binding. Condition: New Date: 1998 Design: This quilt was inspired by a Kiowa woman's dress which waas made circa 1860 and was decorated with elk's teeth. Only two teeth from an elk were suitable for decorative use and a dress covered with elk's teeth reflected a husband's hunting skills. Some men carved "teeth" from bone for their wives. As manufactured cloth came available, women started substituting it for tanned hide but continued to use the same decorative accents. I used cowry shells in place of elk's teeth. Many early dresses were decorated with shells which were traded with Pacific Coast tribes before Anglos arrives. For many years I worked as a clothing designer creating fashion inspired by American Indian clothing. My love of the color, texture and design elements on clothing is carried on in my work as a quilt artist.

Method used to make the inscription:

Attached label; Computer generated

Location of inscription:

on back

Describe the quilt's layout:

Medallion or framed center

Fiber types used to make the quilt top:

Wool

Piecing techniques used to make the quilt top:

Machine Piecing

Embellishment techniques used to make the quilt top:

Attachments (beading, charms, buttons, etc)

Embellishments used:

Other attachments

Describe embellishment materials or techniques:

Cowrie shells

Materials used to make the back:

Cotton

Materials used in the quilt binding:

Wool

What is the width of the binding (measure on the top only)?

half inch - one inch

How are the layers held together?

Hand quilting; Tied or tufted

Number of quilting stitches per inch, place 1:

4

Number of quilting stitches per inch, place 2:

4

Quilting designs used, overall motifs:

Single parallel lines

Features or notes about the quilt's appearance, materials, or construction:

This quilt was inspired by a Kiowa woman's dress which waas made circa 1860 and was decorated with elk's teeth. Only two teeth from an elk were suitable for decorative use and a dress covered with elk's teeth reflected a husband's hunting skills. Some men carved "teeth" from bone for their wives. As manufactured cloth came available, women started substituting it for tanned hide but continued to use the same decorative accents. I used cowry shells in place of elk's teeth. Many early dresses were decorated with shells which were traded with Pacific Coast tribes before Anglos arrives. For many years I worked as a clothing designer creating fashion inspired by American Indian clothing. My love of the color, texture and design elements on clothing is carried on in my work as a quilt artist.

Source of the information on this quilt:

Museum employee

Ownership of this quilt is:

Public- Michigan State University Museum

Quilt owner's name:

Michigan State University Museum

Quilt owner's city:

East Lansing

Quilt owner's county:

Ingham

Quilt owner's state:

Michigan (MI)

Quilt owner's country:

United States

How was this quilt acquired?

Unknown

Access and copyright information:

Restricted

How did the quiltmaker participate in the creation of the quilt?

Made entire quilt

Describe any unique traditions, quilting related customs, beliefs, songs or rhymes used by the quiltmaker:

Often does a spirit line from the interior design out to the border (assoc. with Nav. rug weaving). Has given away a lot of quilts for baby presents. My work in quilts and clothing is based upon centuries of Native American fiber and arts tradition. In accordance with a long history of embracing new materials and decorative ideas, I consider my work a continuation of the evolution of Native American fashion and decorative work.

Who photographed this quilt?

Pearl Yee Wong

Copyright holder:

MSU Board of Trustees