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Washington Plume; Princess Feather variation

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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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