QUILT INDEX RECORD
12-8-470
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
Object label:
Washington Plume
Mary Schafer
Flushing, Genesee County, Michigan
1968
Collection of Michigan State University Museum acc.#1998:53.110
Essay:
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.
Owner's name for the quilt:
Washington Plume
Names 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' and/or partner's/partners' ethnic/tribal background:
German, Lutheran immigrant
Quiltmaker's spouse's/spouses' and/or partner's/partners' occupation:
Welder for Buick Motors
Number of children:
1
How many of the quiltmaker's children were boys?
1
How did the quiltmaker 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
Does/did the quiltmaker belong to a group? Name of the group?
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
Shape of corners:
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
Location of inscription:
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
Describe the borders:
Swag; Scallop; grapevine; dogtooth
Fiber types 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: 03/29/24
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Schafer, Mary Quiltmaker
Michigan Quilt Project