QUILT INDEX RECORD

12-8-78

Who documented this quilt?

Michigan Quilt Project; Michigan State University Museum Collection; Black Diaspora Quilt History Project

Where are the records for this quilt housed?

Michigan State University Museum

Michigan Quilt Project Number:

91.0030

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

7227.3

Object label:

Mexican Star top
Mary Atkins
c1980
Kalamazoo, Kalamazoo County, Michigan
Collection of Michigan State University Museum acc.#7227.3

Essay:

Mary Atkins grew up in rural Arkansas and was about eight years old when she learned to quilt from her mother who made quilts for family use. According to Atkins, her mother taught her and her sisters to quilt in order to keep them out of mischief after they finished school or after doing their chores on the family farm. "There was no playing after work, but I'd sit down on a stool and begin piecing."

By Marsha MacDowell from, African American Quiltmaking in Michigan.

Owner's name for the quilt:

9 Patch

Names for quilt's pattern in common use:

Mexican Star

Quilt top made by:

Atkins, Mary

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

Purchased the quilt

Where the quilt was made, country:

United States

Time period:

1976-1999

Quilt is presently used as:

Museum collection

Quiltmaker's gender:

Female

Quiltmaker's city:

Kalamazoo

Quiltmaker's county:

Kalamazoo

Quiltmaker's state:

Michigan (MI)

In which kind of environment did the quiltmaker live?

Rural

Quiltmaker's ethnic background/tribal affiliation:

African American

Quiltmaker's educational background:

probably elementary school

Quiltmaker's father's ethnic/tribal background:

African-American

Quiltmaker's mother's ethnic/tribal background:

African-American

Quiltmaker's spouse's/spouses' and/or partner's/partners' ethnic/tribal background:

African-American

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

First spouse was a cotton farmer in AR, Atkins occupation unknown

Number of children:

3

How many of the quiltmaker's children were girls?

2

How many of the quiltmaker's children were boys?

1

How did the quiltmaker learn to quilt?

From Relative

When did the quiltmaker learn to quilt?

Under 10 years of age

Why does the quiltmaker quilt?

Gifts

Other notes on how the quiltmaker learned, and how and why they quilt:

She gave quilts for birthdays and sometimes for no special occassion.

Estimated number of quilts made by this quiltmaker:

more than 50

Does/did the quiltmaker sell quilts?

yes

This is a:

Quilt top with unfinished edge

How wide is the quilt?

71"

How long is the quilt?

85"

Quilt's condition:

Very good/almost new

Damage:

Discoloration or dyes ran

Describe the quilt's layout:

Block pattern

Number of quilt blocks:

20

Sashing width:

12"

Describe the borders:

2",1 1/2"

Piecing techniques used to make the quilt top:

Hand Piecing

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

greater than one inch

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

3 1/2", 2 1/2"

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:

June 1991, Mary Atkins

Access and copyright information:

Restricted

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

Made entire quilt top

Describe any favorite patterns, tools, etc. used by the quiltmaker:

She quilted in her lap.

Who photographed this quilt?

KEVA

Copyright holder:

Michigan State University Museum