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