QUILT INDEX RECORD

12-8-6998

Who documented this quilt?

Michigan Quilt Project; Michigan State University Museum Collection

Where are the records for this quilt housed?

Michigan State University Museum

Michigan Quilt Project Number:

85.0900

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

1998:53.15

Object label:

Courthouse Steps
Clara Bloss and Mary Schafer
Swartz Creek, and Flushing, Genesee County, Michigan
c1920-1926 (top), 1976 (finishing)
Collection of Michigan State University Museum acc.#1998:53.15

Essay:

A variation of the Log Cabin is the Courthouse steps pattern. The fabric prints include paisley, dots, stripes, checks, prints, and plaids. A corner block is signed in embroidery "Clara Bloss 1926". Quilting includes 1/4" outline in the blocks and diagonal lines in the border.

Owner's name for the quilt:

Courthouse Steps

Names for quilt's pattern in common use:

Log Cabin- Courthouse Steps

When was the form filled out?

9/9/1985

Quilt top made by:

Bloss, Clara

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

Purchased the quilt

Where the quilt was made, city:

Swartz Creek

Where the quilt was made, county:

Genesee

Where the quilt was made, state:

Michigan (MI)

When was the quilt started?

1926

When was the quilt finished?

1971

Date estimated by an antique dealer, quilt historian or appraiser:

The date given for the top was 1926; however the fabrics indicate an earlier date.

Quilt is presently used as:

Museum collection

Quiltmaker's gender:

Female

Quiltmaker's city:

Swartz Creek

Quiltmaker's county:

Genesee

Quiltmaker's state:

Michigan (MI)

This is a:

Finished quilt

How wide is the quilt?

73.25"

How long is the quilt?

86"

Shape of edge:

Straight

Quilt's condition:

Excellent/like new

Describe the repairs:

Mary added borders and binding, and arranged for quilting.

What is inscribed on the quilt?

Clara Bloss

What is the date inscribed on the quilt?

1926

Method used to make the inscription:

Embroidery

Describe where the inscription was found:

top

Describe the quilt's layout:

Block pattern

Number of quilt blocks:

42

Arrangement of quilt blocks:

Straight

Spacing of quilt blocks:

Side by side

Number of borders:

1

Describe the borders:

2" plain

Fiber types used to make the quilt top:

Cotton

Piecing techniques used to make the quilt top:

Hand Piecing

Materials used to make the back:

Cotton

Number of pieces of fabric in the quilt back:

2

How is the binding made?

Bias grain

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

less than a half inch

What kind of filling is used in the quilt?

Polyester

How are the layers held together?

Hand quilting

Number of quilting stitches per inch, place 1:

6

Quilting designs used, background fills:

Parallel lines

Describe the quilting designs used:

Outline/Ditch

Exhibitions where this quilt was displayed:

Whaley House, Flint, MI, 1980

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)

How was this quilt acquired?

Purchase

Tell the story of how the quilt was obtained:

Mary Schafer bought the top fom the Bloss Family, Swartz Creek, MI

Access and copyright information:

Restricted

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

Made quilt blocks or part of quilt top

Who photographed this quilt?

KEVA

Copyright holder:

Michigan State University Museum