The Quilt Index

BACK TO ARTISTS

Karen Biedler Alexander

Owner, Quiltmaker

Lopez Island, Washington, United States

Signature Quilt Project

I have been enamored of textiles ever since living overseas twice as a teen-ager and, thanks to my educator parents, visiting craftsman in some 20 countries before the age of 21.

My volunteer work in the quilt history world is based on previous work experience in conference planning and direct mail marketing with the National Committee for Monetary Reform, Blanchard & Co. - New Orleans, Phillips Publishing of Potomac, MD, and the American College of Radiology.

Alexander was interviewed by Kimberly Wulfert on New Pathways into Quilt History. Click here to view.

Documentation Project
Signature Quilt Pilot Project
Michigan State University

Signature Quilt Pilot Project

Michigan State University

Michigan; United States

The Signature Quilt Project began in 2003 and documented a series of signature quilts. In 2009, with the support of the Salser Foundation, the SQP became the pilot project to test new IMLS-funded tools for individual quilt submissions to the Quilt Index.

docprojects

View Full Record

2-82-1
Essay
Researching Signature Quilts

Alexander, Karen; Hornback, Nancy; McDowell, Marsha; Sikarskie, Amanda Grace

Researching Signature Quilts

Alexander, Karen; Hornback, Nancy; McDowell, Marsha; Sikarskie, Amanda Grace

2013

This essay describes the Signature Quilt Project and ways this project can be used for research.

Essay

2-129-1

View Full Record

2-129-1

essays
Gallery
Signature Quilts 1: The Beginnings, th...

Alexander, Karen; Hornback, Nancy; McDowell, Marsha; Sikarskie, Amanda Grace

Signature Quilts 1: The Beginnings, the 1840s

Alexander, Karen; Hornback, Nancy; McDowell, Marsha; Sikarskie, Amanda Grace

2013

Gallery

2-129-2

View Full Record

2-129-2

galleries
Gallery
Signature Quilts 2: Friendship and Fam...

Alexander, Karen; Hornback, Nancy; McDowell, Marsha; Sikarskie, Amanda Grace

Signature Quilts 2: Friendship and Family

Alexander, Karen; Hornback, Nancy; McDowell, Marsha; Sikarskie, Amanda Grace

2013

Gallery

2-129-3

View Full Record

2-129-3

galleries
Gallery
Signature Quilts 3: Westward Expansio...

Alexander, Karen; Hornback, Nancy; McDowell, Marsha; Sikarskie, Amanda Grace

Signature Quilts 3: Westward Expansion

Alexander, Karen; Hornback, Nancy; McDowell, Marsha; Sikarskie, Amanda Grace

2013

Gallery

2-129-4

View Full Record

2-129-4

galleries
Gallery
Signature Quilts 4: The Golden Age, 18...

Alexander, Karen; Hornback, Nancy; McDowell, Marsha; Sikarskie, Amanda Grace

Signature Quilts 4: The Golden Age, 1876-1910

Alexander, Karen; Hornback, Nancy; McDowell, Marsha; Sikarskie, Amanda Grace

2013

Gallery

2-129-5

View Full Record

2-129-5

galleries
Gallery
Signature Quilts 5: Redwork

Alexander, Karen; Hornback, Nancy; McDowell, Marsha; Sikarskie, Amanda Grace

Signature Quilts 5: Redwork

Alexander, Karen; Hornback, Nancy; McDowell, Marsha; Sikarskie, Amanda Grace

2013

Gallery

2-129-6

View Full Record

2-129-6

galleries
Gallery
Signature Quilts 6: Community, Club, a...

Alexander, Karen; Hornback, Nancy; McDowell, Marsha; Sikarskie, Amanda Grace

Signature Quilts 6: Community, Club, and Church

Alexander, Karen; Hornback, Nancy; McDowell, Marsha; Sikarskie, Amanda Grace

2013

Gallery

2-129-7

View Full Record

2-129-7

galleries
Gallery
Signature Quilts 7: Contemporary

Alexander, Karen; Hornback, Nancy; McDowell, Marsha; Sikarskie, Amanda Grace

Signature Quilts 7: Contemporary

Alexander, Karen; Hornback, Nancy; McDowell, Marsha; Sikarskie, Amanda Grace

2013

Gallery

2-129-8

View Full Record

2-129-8

galleries
Gallery
Signature Quilts 8: For Healing and Co...

Alexander, Karen; Hornback, Nancy; McDowell, Marsha; Sikarskie, Amanda Grace

Signature Quilts 8: For Healing and Comfort, Love to Wini

Alexander, Karen; Hornback, Nancy; McDowell, Marsha; Sikarskie, Amanda Grace

2013

Gallery

2-129-9

View Full Record

2-129-9

galleries
Owner
Enchanted Quilter...
Enchanted Quilters ...

Date Made: 2000-2025

Enchanted Quilters Friendship Quilt

Creator: Enchanted Quilters of Lopez Island

Location Made: Lopez Island United States

Contruction: Machine Piecing, Blanket, buttonhole, or other decorative applique stitch, Hand Applique, Attachments (beading, charms, buttons, etc), Other embellishment technique

Quilt Size: 51 inches or 117 centimeters x 62.5 inches or 146 centimeters

Fabrics: Cotton, Print, lace

Project: Signature Quilt Project Public Submission

This is one of five Friendship Signature quilts made for my mother-in-law that I inherited in August 1999 when she passed away. Wini was born in Yakima, WA and grew up in Seattle., I am in the process of gathering data on each of the women who made a block for this quilt now that I live on Lopez Isl...

KID: 2-33-8

2-33-8
Owner
Friendship Sample...
Quilters Network

Date Made: 1976-1999

Friendship Sampler

Creator: Quilters Network

Location Made: Lopez Island, Washington United States

Contruction: One of the blocks from Australia is named on the block itself - Cooktown Orchid. It is the only applique block and it is done in the stain-glass method. The Dresdan Plate block has a yo-yo appliqued in the center of the Dresdan Plate.

Quilt Size: 45 inches x 57 1/2 inches

Project: Signature Quilt Project Public Submission

Wini (my mother-in-law) was always a voracious correspondent.(I have 30 years of correspondence from Wini archived in 4 binders.) Getting into quilting only whet her appetite further. Quilters were a natural and ready-made group of potential correspodents. In 1985 her name appeared in Quilters New...

KID: 2-33-55

2-33-55
Owner
Golden Friendship...
Alexander, Winifred...

Date Made: 1992

Golden Friendship

Creator: Alexander, Winifred Margaret Waters

Location Made: Lopez Island, Washington (WA) United States

Contruction: Hand Piecing, Machine Piecing, Embroidery, Ink drawing

Quilt Size: 65 1/2" x 67 1/2"

Fabrics: Cotton, Muslin, Other, Batiks (for contemporary quilts), Conversation Prints, Floral, Multiple scrap, Paisley, Print, Solid/plain

Project: Signature Quilt Project Public Submission

KID: 2-33-50

2-33-50
Owner
Love to Wini
Anderson, Marilyn; ...

Love to Wini

Creator: Anderson, Marilyn; Buvs, Jane M.; Dunn, Ann; Haner, Bernice; Hastings, Ann; Henlan, Tess; Montague, Hazel; Musgrove, Mary Ann; Newell, Ruth; Steiner, Linda; Teter, Georgia; Tresner, Mary Lou; Voskuilch, Ada; Wynn, Sylvia

Location Made: Washington (WA) United States

Contruction: Hand Piecing, Machine Piecing, Blanket, buttonhole, or other decorative applique stitch, Hand Applique, Attachments (beading, charms, buttons, etc), Two blocks are simply a large sqaure of floral fabric with a large heart machine quilted in the center of the block.

Quilt Size: 51.5 inches x 51.5 inches

Fabrics: Cotton, Floral, Multiple scrap, Novelty, Print

Project: Signature Quilt Project Public Submission

I am still trying to learn who actually put the blocks together as a quilt after eachindividual made their block. Wini was a founding member of the Northwest Quilting Connection here in Washington State, a past President and their newsletter editor for almsot 13 years.

KID: 2-33-7

2-33-7
Owner
Morning Glories a...
Jones, Susan K.

Date Made: 2000-2025

Morning Glories and Butterflies: A Salute to The Quilters Hall of Fame

Creator: Jones, Susan K.

Location Made: Waynesboro , Washington (WA) United States

Contruction: Machine Piecing, Hand Applique, Reverse Applique, Dimensional applique, Embroidery, Ink drawing

Quilt Size: 54 inches x 54 inches

Fabrics: Cotton, Solid/plain, photo transfer of Honoree medallions

Project: Signature Quilt Project Public Submission

Sue wrote me that she had such a wonderful time at the 2005 induction of Bets Ramsey and was so impressed with the teamwork of everyone that she came prepared to collect signatures at Celebration 2006 in order to make some kind of commemorative quilt. Sue also likes to take photographs and had offer...

KID: 2-33-28

2-33-28
Owner
Navy Signature Qu...
Ladies Auxiliary, F...

Date Made: 1930-1949

Navy Signature Quilt 1941-42

Creator: Ladies Auxiliary, Fleet Reserve Association, Unit No. 5, Norfolk, VA

Location Made: Norfolk, Virginia, Washington (WA) United States

Quilt Size: 66.5 onches or 168.9 centimetrs x 90 inches or 228.6 centimeters

Fabrics: Cotton, Solid/plain

Project: Signature Quilt Project Public Submission

I posted a short story about the quilt on Rootsweb genealogical website in 2001 and had about 40 responses. One person is probably the daughter of a neighbor of one of those from Gem, Indiana who signed the quilt in 1941-42. All of these emails are in my file on this quilt. Some were helpful leads....

KID: 2-33-9

2-33-9
Owner
New York Signatur...

Date Made: 1850-1875

New York Signature Quilt

Location Made: possibly within one of the five Boroughs of New York City, New York United States

Contruction: Hand Piecing, Machine Piecing

Quilt Size: 80 inches x 92 inches

Fabrics: Cotton, Paisley, Print, Solid/plain, Striped

Project: Signature Quilt Project Public Submission

In March 2008 a descendant of the Weightman family on this quilt got in touch with me as a result of the 2000 article I posted on RootsWeb. She has now helped me connect 27 people on this quilt to whom she is related by blood or marriage. She feels that everyone on the quilt is somehow related by bl...

KID: 2-33-24

2-33-24