QUILT INDEX RECORD

12-8-1092

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:

85.2141

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

6119.35

Object label:

Rose Wreath
Bozena Vilhelmina Clarke
Detroit, Wayne County, Michigan
1935-1937
Collection of Michigan State University Museum acc.#6119.35

Essay:

This quilt was from an Anne Orr pattern called "Early American Wreath". It won an Honorable Mention Ribbon at the Detroit News Quilt Show in May of 1937. Bozena gave the quilt to her daughter Laura May.

Laura got the pattern from a Good Housekeeping Magazine from the 1930s. The magazine article offered information for purchasing the pattern via mail order. The price of the pattern was 25cents. The pattern was sent for and on the top of the page, Laura May noted when her mother made this quilt and that she entered it in the Detroit News Quilt Show.

Quilt's title:

Rose Wreath

Owner's name for the quilt:

Rose Wreath

Names for quilt's pattern in common use:

Rose Wreath

Quilt top made by:

Clarke, Laura May

Quilted by:

Clarke, Bozena Vilhelmina

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

Received as a gift

Where the quilt was made, city:

Detroit

Where the quilt was made, county:

Wayne

Where the quilt was made, state:

Michigan (MI)

Time period:

1930-1949

When was the quilt started?

1935-36

When was the quilt finished?

1937

Quilt is presently used as:

Museum collection

Quiltmaker's gender:

Female

Quiltmaker's city:

Detroit

Quiltmaker's county:

Wayne

Quiltmaker's state:

Michigan (MI)

Quiltmaker's maiden name:

Clarke

Quiltmaker's birth date:

7/22/1900

In which kind of environment did the quiltmaker live?

Urban

Quiltmaker's date and place of death:

3/7/1978

Quiltmaker's ethnic background/tribal affiliation:

English, Bohemian (Czech)

Quiltmaker's educational background:

B.A. in Education from Wayne State University

Quiltmaker's religious affiliation:

Congregational

Quiltmaker's occupation:

Kindergarten teacher. Was president one year of the NEA Kindergarten Division, Teacher of the Month, June 1962.

Quiltmaker's father's name:

Clarke, William George

Quiltmaker's father's birthplace:

Verona Hills, Michigan

Quiltmaker's father's ethnic/tribal background:

English

Quiltmaker's mother's name:

Clarke, Bozena Vilhelmina Motl

Quiltmaker's mother's birthplace:

Detroit, Michigan

Quiltmaker's mother's ethnic/tribal background:

Bohemian (Czech)

How did the quiltmaker learn to quilt?

From Relative

When did the quiltmaker learn to quilt?

Age 20-29

Why does the quiltmaker quilt?

Pleasure

Estimated number of quilts made by this quiltmaker:

5-20 quilts

Does/did the quiltmaker sell quilts?

no

Does/did the quiltmaker teach quilting?

no

This is a:

Finished quilt

How wide is the quilt?

87 1/4

How long is the quilt?

92 5/8

Shape of edge:

Straight

Shape of corners:

Rounded

What color is the quilt?

Green; Pink; White

Overall color scheme:

Multicolor

Quilt's condition:

Excellent/like new

Type of inscription:

Date; Message

What is inscribed on the quilt?

Bozena V. Clarke Detroit 1666 W. Grand Blvd. Rose Wreath an Ann Orr pattern. There are 3028 pieces besides border-pieced in 1935-1936 and quilted in 1936-1937 by Bozena V. Clarke Won honorable mention ribbon May 1937 at the Detroit News Quilt Show

What is the date inscribed on the quilt?

1935-37

Method used to make the inscription:

Attached label; Embroidery

Describe the method used to inscribe the quilt:

cross stitich

Location of inscription:

on back

Describe the quilt's layout:

Block pattern

Number of quilt blocks:

12, 3028

Arrangement of quilt blocks:

Straight

Spacing of quilt blocks:

Separated by sashing with cornerstones or connecting blocks

Sashing width:

2 3/8

Number of different block patterns used in the quilt:

1

Number of borders:

4

Describe the borders:

The first three borders are each 1". The outer border is 2 1/8".

Fiber types used to make the quilt top:

Cotton

Fabric styles used in the quilt top:

Solid/plain

Piecing techniques used to make the quilt top:

Hand Piecing

Can you feel or see paper on the quilt that was used as a construction aid?

no

Materials used to make the back:

Cotton

Number of pieces of fabric in the quilt back:

3

Describe the back:

Same fabric used throughout

Materials used in the quilt binding:

Cotton

How is the binding made?

Bias grain

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

less than a half inch

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

1/4

What kind of filling is used in the quilt?

Cotton

How thick is the quilt?

Thin (Less than 3/16?)

How are the layers held together?

Hand quilting

Number of quilting stitches per inch, place 1:

6

Number of quilting stitches per inch, place 2:

6

Can you see any knots on the front or back of the quilt?

no

Quilting designs used, overall motifs:

Grid/crosshatch; Single parallel lines

Where did the maker get their materials?

Purchased new

Where did the maker find their pattern?

Commercial/Published source: Pattern

Commercial name of the pattern for the top:

Ann Orr design

Related items such as diaries, obituaries, wills, household inventories, or pictures of the quiltmaker:

Image of quiltmakers, oral history told by niece Harriet Clarke, and story in Michigan Quilts: 150 Years of a Textile Tradition.

Publications (including web sites) where this quilt or maker was featured:

Image of quiltmakers, oral history told by niece Harriet Clarke, and story in Michigan Quilts: 150 Years of a Textile Tradition.

Person filling out this form is:

Quilt owner

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)

Quilt owner's country:

United States

How was this quilt acquired?

Gift

Tell the story of how the quilt was obtained:

The quilt was inherited by the quiltmaker's niece, Harriet Clarke and donated to the MSU Museum in 1985.

Describe anything about the history of the quilt that wasn't already recorded in a previous field:

Laura enjoyed piecing and appliquing and her mother quilted most of her tops.

Access and copyright information:

Restricted

The quilt was made to be used for:

Bedding, special occasion

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

Laura enjoyed piecing and applique and her mother did most of her quilting.

Describe any unique traditions, quilting related customs, beliefs, songs or rhymes used by the quiltmaker:

Laura and her mother read the Detroit News Quilt Columns and clipped patterns and traded with friends.

Who photographed this quilt?

Eifert

Copyright holder:

MSU Board of Trustees