QUILT INDEX RECORD

11-37-7188

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:

4697

Alternate inventory control number:

OrH# 1994.10

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:

79

Length:

85

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

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:

1800-1849

Note:

fewer squares, 3 not 5

Format:

Finished quilt

Layout:

Vertical strip

Technique, piecing:

Hand Piecing

Shape of edge:

T-cutout

Describe the edge:

Four Poster, 13.5 x 14

Vertical rows, horizontal rows and number of blocks:

11 strips: 6 pieced/4 floral ribbon print

Fabric fibers:

Cotton

Weaves/Surfaces:

Glazed

Patterns:

Print

Describe the fibers or fabrics in the quilt top:

early fabrics/ see full record/plain weave

Predominant colors:

Brown

Overall color scheme:

Multicolor

Quilting:

Hand quilting

Describe the quilting designs used:

horizontal lines on pieces strips/ diagonal on alternate & borders

Width between quilting lines:

1"

Number of borders:

1

Border; technique, fiber, weave, pattern:

Cotton, print, floral print, plain weave, 2.75" strip on 2 sides only

Binding and edging:

Separate binding applied

Binding; fiber:

Cotton

Binding; weave:

Plain weave

Binding; pattern:

different fabrics, pink & brown print

Batting:

Cotton

Batting thickness:

Medium

Backing, number of pieces:

12+

Backing, fiber:

Cotton

Condition:

Good/moderate use

Condition, damage:

Dirty

Describe the damage:

browns are deteriorated to show batting

Condition, structurally sound?

This quilt is structurally sound.

Pattern name, no. and source:

484

Pattern name, variations and comments:

Garden Path

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

1840c

Access and copyright information:

Restricted

Copyright holder:

Louisa May Alcott's Orchard House