QUILT INDEX RECORD

12-8-6764

Who documented this quilt?

Michigan Quilt Project; Michigan State University Museum Collection; Women of Color Quilters Network; Quilts and Human Rights; Black Diaspora Quilt History Project

Where are the records for this quilt housed?

Michigan State University Museum

Michigan Quilt Project Number:

15.0145

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

2014:55.8

Essay:

STATEMENT ABOUT WORK:
For years I have been designing and constructing quilts that reflect a diverse spectrum of the American public. My quilts are based on contemporary patterns from our past to our present. However, my main pursuit has been the construction of quilts that are not based on designed patterns, but on the personal initiatives and designs used by the African-American women. My purpose in quiltmaking is to revive and to maintain an interest in the art form of quilting. Another objective is to relate the history and cultural relevance that Southern African-American women played in contributing a very rich and important legacy to the history of this nation for others to appreciate; to feel proud of, to profit and to learn from.
I wish also to use this art form of quilting to display and to narrate that the quilts made by African-American women illustrated a theme. Many of their quilts were classified as "Housetops," "Pig-Pens," "Half-Log Cabins," "Lazy Gal" and "Cattle Guard." The string/diamond quilts were considered the earliest form of quilting patterns used by slave women. They took the small pieces of string and other remnants, after making the "master's clothes and quilts, to construct quilts of their own. The diamond shapes in these quilts represent birth, life, death and rebirth.
Generally speaking, quilting can be viewed as a tailoring craft, and most likely to have had its origins with African-American males who were slave tailors. In fact, it could have been the slave tailors who gathered up scraps of materials from the slave master's shops, homes and gave them to the women to sew a variety of quilts know as "Scrap or patchwork quilts."

Quilt's title:

An African-American Patchwork Quilt

Who helped you fill out the form?

Aleia Brown

When was the form filled out?

2/24/2015

Quilt top made by:

Bostick, Edward

Where the quilt was made, city:

Brooklyn

Where the quilt was made, state:

New York (NY)

Where the quilt was made, country:

United States

Time period:

2000-2025

When was the quilt finished?

2001

Quilt is presently used as:

Artwork/wall hanging

Quiltmaker's gender:

Male

Quiltmaker's ethnic background/tribal affiliation:

African American

Does/did the quiltmaker belong to a group? Name of the group?

Women of Color Quilters Network

This is a:

Finished quilt

How wide is the quilt?

91"

How long is the quilt?

95 1/2"

Shape of edge:

Straight

What color is the quilt?

Black; Blue; Green; Red

Describe any colors not included in the other color fields:

Many different colors and patterns

Quilt's condition:

Excellent/like new

Type of inscription:

Place; Single Inscription

What is inscribed on the quilt?

Edward Bostick [Address] Brooklyn, NY [Zip] [Phone number]

Describe the method used to inscribe the quilt:

Handwritten

Location of inscription:

on back

Describe where the inscription was found:

Bottom left

Describe the quilt's layout:

Block pattern

Number of quilt blocks:

35

Arrangement of quilt blocks:

Straight

Spacing of quilt blocks:

Side by side

Number of borders:

1

Describe the borders:

Border 5 3/4", black background with machine quilted floral design.

Fiber types used to make the quilt top:

Cotton

Fabric styles used in the quilt top:

Novelty

Describe the techniques used to make the quilt top:

Long-armed quilted

Embellishments used:

Cotton thread

Materials used to make the back:

Cotton

Materials used in the quilt binding:

Cotton

How is the binding made?

Front turned to back

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

less than a half inch

How wide is the binding (measure on the top only)?

3/8"

What kind of filling is used in the quilt?

Cannot tell

How thick is the quilt?

Thin

How are the layers held together?

Machine quilting

Where did the maker find their pattern?

Original to maker

Person filling out this form is:

Quilt collector

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)

Tell the story of how the quilt was obtained:

From the Collection of Carolyn Mazloomi

Who photographed this quilt?

Pearl Yee Wong

Copyright holder:

Michigan State University Museum, all rights reserved