
QUILT INDEX RECORD
12-8-470
Object label
Washington Plume
Mary Schafer
Flushing, Genesee County, Michigan
1968
Collection of Michigan State University Museum acc.#1998:53.110
Essay about this quilt.
This is a new reproduction of a quilt presented to the Mt. Vernon Ladies Association in 1886 which is still housed there. It is an example of an 18th century Medallion quilt with a center plume accompanied by a series of borders.
By Gwen Marston from The Mary Schafer Quilt Collection exhibit catalog.
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:
99.0271
If this quilt is owned by a museum, enter the accession number:
1998:53.110
Owner's name for the quilt:
Washington Plume
Name(s) for quilt's pattern in common use:
Princess Feather variation
Quilt top made by:
Schafer, Mary
Quilted by:
Schafer, Mary
If you are the quilt owner, how did you acquire this quilt?
Purchased the quilt
Where the quilt was made, city:
Flushing
Where the quilt was made, county:
Genesee
Where the quilt was made, state:
Michigan (MI)
Time period:
1950-1975
When was the quilt finished?
1968
Quilt is presently used as:
Museum collection
Quiltmaker's gender:
Female
Quiltmaker's city:
Flushing
Quiltmaker's county:
Genessee
Quiltmaker's state:
Michigan (MI)
Quiltmaker's maiden name:
Vida
Quiltmaker's birth date:
4-27-1910
Quiltmaker's ethnic background/tribal affiliation:
Born Austria-Hungary 1910; emigrated to USA 1914
Quiltmaker's educational background:
9th grade
Quiltmaker's occupation:
Creamery worker; switchboard operator; book keeper; housewife
Quiltmaker's father's name:
Vida, Josef
Quiltmaker's father's ethnic/tribal background:
Austrian
Quiltmaker's mother's name:
Zelka, Julianna
Quiltmaker's mother's ethnic/tribal background:
Austrian
Quiltmaker's spouse's/spouses' ethnic/tribal background:
German, Lutheran immigrant
Quiltmaker's spouse's/spouse(s) occupation:
Welder for Buick Motors
Number of children:
1
How many of the quilt maker's children were boys?
1
How did the quilt maker learn to quilt?
Self-Taught
When did the quiltmaker learn to quilt?
Age 40-49
Estimated number of quilts made by this quiltmaker:
more than 50
Does/did the quiltmaker sell quilts:
no
Does/did the quiltmaker teach quilting?
yes
Name(s) of group(s) the quiltmaker belongs(ed) to:
Genessee Star Quilters
Where does/did the group meet?
Flint, Michigan.
What are the main activities of the group?
Raffle quilts, hospital quilts, many shows.
This is a:
Finished quilt
How wide is the quilt?
93"
How long is the quilt?
93"
Shape of edge:
Straight
Describe the corners of the quilt:
Straight
Quilt's condition:
Excellent/like new
What is inscribed on the quilt?
Mrs. Mary Schafer. Note on sleeve: Adapted from an 18th century Virginia territory quilt currently housed at Mt. Vernon, VA.
What is the date inscribed on the quilt?
1968
Where is the inscription found on the quilt?
on back
Describe the quilt's layout:
Medallion or framed center
Number of quilt blocks:
One center medallion and four borders
Arrangement of quilt blocks:
Straight
Border description:
Swag; Scallop; grapevine; dogtooth
Fiber type(s) used to make the quilt top:
Cotton
Piecing techniques used to make the quilt top:
Hand Piecing
Applique techniques used to make the quilt top:
Hand Applique
Materials used to make the back:
Cotton
Number of pieces of fabric in the quilt back:
2
What is the width of the binding (measure on the top only)?
less than a half inch
What kind of filling is used in the quilt?
Polyester
Quilting designs used, overall motifs:
Outline
Quilting designs used, decorative motifs:
Feathering
Where did the maker find their pattern?
Another quilt
Describe the source of the pattern:
This is a new reproduction of a quilt presented to the Mt. Vernon Ladies Association in 1886 which is still housed there.
Publications (including web sites) where this quilt or maker was featured:
Book, Mary Schafer and Her Quilts by Marston and Cunningham; Michigan State University Museum, 1990. Patterns; Templates; Prizes, awards, ribbons, etc. Photos of quilter; Interview with quilter; Clippings or photocopies; Audiotape; Videotape.
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.
2/18/1998, Mary Vida Schafer
Describe anything about the history of the quilt that wasn't already recorded in a previous field.
It is an example of an 18th century medallion quilt with a center plume accompanied by a series of borders.
Access and copyright information:
Restricted
How did the quiltmaker participate in the creation of the quilt?
Made entire quilt
Who photographed this quilt?
KEVA
Copyright holder:
Michigan State University Museum
Cite this Quilt
Schafer, Mar. Washington Plume. 1968. From Michigan State University Museum, Michigan Quilt Project; Michigan State University Museum Collection. Published in The Quilt Index, https://quiltindex.org/view/?type=fullrec&kid=12-8-470. Accessed: 08/19/22
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