
QUILT INDEX RECORD
11-37-6560
Where are the records for this quilt housed?
Massachusetts Quilt Documentation Project - MassQuilts
Who documented this quilt?
Massachusetts Quilt Documentation Project, MassQuilts; Louisa May Alcott's Orchard House
MASS-Quilts ID Number:
4694
Alternate inventory control number:
OrH# 2249
Ownership of this quilt is:
Public Museum, Library, or Institution
Quilt owner:
Louisa May Alcott's Orchard House
Quilt owner's city:
Concord
Quilt owner's state:
Massachusetts (MA)
Quilt owner's county:
Middlesex
Quilt owner's country:
United States
Width:
92.5
Length:
87
Quilt top made by:
Alcott, Abigail May
Quiltmaker's state:
Massachusetts (MA)
Quiltmaker's city:
Concord
Quiltmaker's country:
United States
Quiltmaker's D.O.B.:
1800
Birthplace, city:
Boston
Birthplace, country:
United States
Occupation:
social worker/ seamstress/ homemaker
Date of death and location:
1877 in Concord, MA.
Quiltmaker's spouse:
Alcott, A. Bronson
Spouse's occupation:
teacher/philosopher
# of Children:
4
Quiltmaker's mother's name:
May, Dorothy Sewall
Quiltmaker's mother's birthplace and birthdate:
Boston,MA
Quiltmaker's father's name:
May, Joseph
Quiltmaker's father's birthplace and birthdate:
Boston,MA
Anything else known about the quiltmaker (including where quiltmaker lived most of their life and other quilts made)?
possible quiltmaker/ no solid evidence.
How did owner acquire quilt?
Gift
Tell the story of how the quilt was obtained:
from descendants of Alcotts
Time period:
1850-1875
Format:
Finished quilt
Technique, piecing:
Hand Piecing
Describe the quilt setting:
strips of triangles 3.5" wide
Shape of edge:
T-cutout
Describe the edge:
Four Poster, 22 drop
Vertical rows, horizontal rows and number of blocks:
25 horizontal rows
Block shape:
Triangles
Block size:
6.5 x 3.5
Fabric fibers:
Cotton
Patterns:
Describe the fibers or fabrics in the quilt top:
plain weave
Predominant colors:
Beige or Tan
Quilting:
Hand quilting
Describe the quilting designs used:
chevrons
Quilting stitches per inch, place 1:
8
Width between quilting lines:
3/4"
Binding and edging:
Separate binding applied
Binding; fiber:
Cotton
Binding; weave:
Plain weave
Batting:
Wool
Batting thickness:
Thin
Backing, number of pieces:
6
Backing, fiber:
Cotton
Backing, weave and pattern:
badly stained & soiled
Backing, predominant color:
Cream
Condition:
Good/moderate use
Condition, damage:
Dirty
Condition, structurally sound?
This quilt is structurally sound.
Pattern name, no. and source:
112d
Pattern name, variations and comments:
1000 Pyramids
Date estimated by an antique dealer, quilt historian or appraiser:
1850c
Access and copyright information:
Restricted
Copyright holder:
Louisa May Alcott's Orchard House
Cite this Quilt
Alcott, Abigail Ma. 1000 Pyramids. 1850-1875. From Massachusetts Quilt Documentation Project - MassQuilts, Massachusetts Quilt Documentation Project, MassQuilts; Louisa May Alcott's Orchard House. Published in The Quilt Index, https://quiltindex.org/view/?type=fullrec&kid=11-37-6560. Accessed: 04/19/25