
QUILT INDEX RECORD
12-8-5
Who documented this quilt?
Michigan Quilt Project
Where are the records for this quilt housed?
Michigan State University Museum
Michigan Quilt Project Number:
89.0060
Quilt's title:
Michigan Sesquicentennial Signature Quilt
Names for quilt's pattern in common use:
Bricks
Brackman # or other source & #:
132b
When was the form filled out?
1/18/1989
Name of the group that made the quilt:
Vassar Volunteer Quilters Group
If this quilt was made by a group, describe activities the group engaged in:
The original committee consisted of Cole as chairperson, Esther Goroshko, Mary Warren, Marcia Bassford, and Euella Stricker. They had help from volunteer quilters in Vassar. The quilting was done in a former Historical School of Juniata Twp.
If you are the quilt owner, how did you acquire this quilt?
Presentation or award
Where the quilt was made, city:
Vassar
Where the quilt was made, county:
Tuscola
Where the quilt was made, state:
Michigan (MI)
Time period:
1976-1999
When was the quilt started?
10/1987
When was the quilt finished?
11/28/1988
Quilt is presently used as:
Museum collection
Describe present uses of the quilt:
Quilt will be on exhibit at the Watrousville Historical Museum after other local and state showing.
Quiltmaker's gender:
Group
Quiltmaker's city:
Vassar
Quiltmaker's county:
Tuscola
Quiltmaker's state:
Michigan (MI)
This is a:
Finished quilt
How wide is the quilt?
72"
How long is the quilt?
107"
Shape of edge:
Straight
Shape of corners:
Straight
Quilt's condition:
Excellent/like new
What is inscribed on the quilt?
Gladys Galloway, Marcia Bassford, and Marian Dubois. 240 signatures in the blocks. Lower Center - Watrousville/Caro Historical Society
What is the date inscribed on the quilt?
Completed 1988
Method used to make the inscription:
Embroidery
Number of quilt blocks:
240
Size of quilt blocks:
7 1/2" x 3 1/2"
Arrangement of quilt blocks:
Straight
Spacing of quilt blocks:
Side by side
Number of borders:
1
Describe the borders:
7 1/2"
Fiber types used to make the quilt top:
Cotton
Piecing techniques used to make the quilt top:
Machine Piecing
Applique techniques used to make the quilt top:
Hand Applique
Describe the techniques used to make the quilt top:
Ink drawing/Painting
Embellishment techniques used to make the quilt top:
Embroidery
Materials used to make the back:
Cotton
Number of pieces of fabric in the quilt back:
2
How is the binding made?
Prairie Points
What is the width of the binding (measure on the top only)?
greater than one inch
How wide is the binding (measure on the top only)?
1 1/2"
What kind of filling is used in the quilt?
Polyester
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:
7
Quilting designs used, decorative motifs:
Feathering
Describe the quilting designs used:
Outline/Ditch
Where did the maker get their materials?
Purchased new
Describe the source of the pattern:
The quilt was initially suggested by Marie Cole. A member of Watrousville Caro Area Historical Society. She approached the society with the idea after seeing a similar 1880 quilt.
Exhibitions where this quilt was displayed:
Founder's Day Dinner, Caro, MI, Caro Methodist Church; Will be on exhibit at the Watrousville Historical Museum after other local and state showing.
Related items such as diaries, obituaries, wills, household inventories, or pictures of the quiltmaker:
Newspaper article in Tuscola County Advertiser - January 4, 1989 Back page of Front Section. Fabric swatches, Patterns
Publications (including web sites) where this quilt or maker was featured:
Photos of quilter
Person filling out this form is:
Quiltmaker
Ownership of this quilt is:
Public Museum, Library, or Institution
Quilt owner's name:
Watrousville/Caro Historical Society
Quilt owner's city:
Caro
Quilt owner's county:
Tuscola
Quilt owner's state:
Michigan (MI)
How was this quilt acquired?
Presentation/award
Describe anything about the history of the quilt that wasn't already recorded in a previous field:
Tuscola County Advertiser - January 4, 1989 Back page of Front Section Quilt debut planned for Founder's dinner In red, white, and blue, 240 signatures will be on display at the 17th Founder's Day dinner at Caro United Methodist Church. Embroidered on individual squares of a 72 by 107-inch quilt, the signatures feature dignitaries such as Governor James Blanchard, Congressman Robert Traxler, and Representative Dick Allen. Area family names fill the remaining squares. The quilt, started October 1987, was initially suggested by Marie Cole. A member of Watrousville Caro Area Historical Society. She approached the society with the idea after seeing a similar 1880 quilt. "It started out as a project for the historical society. Something like this can start with one person, but it took many people to finish," Cole said. The original committee consisted of Cole as chairperson, Esther Goroshko, Mary Warren, Marcia Bassford, and Euella Stricker. They had help from volunteer quilters in Vassar. The quilt is edged with prairie poinnte stitching. The border features a 26-star flag, to represent Michigan's joining the union, and sesquicentennial emblem, both created by Marion BuBois Welsh. Bassford stitched a pine tree square and the mitten of Michigan. Caro's artist, Gladys Galloway, contributed the apple blossom and robin squares denoting state symbols, and two Indian blocks to complete the border. The first signature block was sold September 8, 1987. Each 7 1/2" by 3 1//2" inch block was $2.50. Workers got togetherOctober 17 for the first day of sewing. After 329 hours of work, the project was completed November 28. With its debut at the Founder's Day dinner, the signature quilt will begin a tour of display at Ruby's Yarn, libraries in Caro, Vassar, Frankenmuth, and Fairgrove, Meadowbrook, Cass River Quilters, the courthouse, and finally at the Watrousville-Caro Area Historical Museum in June, July, and August. Deadline for tickets for the Founder's Day dinner is today (Wednesday). Reservations may bee made by calling Cole 673-2083 or Bea Grabowski 673-2855. Donald Kanicki, superintendent of Marlette Community Schools, will be guest speaker at the event. The program features the Glen Eastham Trio. Photo caption: Red and White Squares displaying 240 signatures comprise a 72 by 107-inch quilt scheduled for debut at the January 10 Founder's Day Dinner at Caro United Methodist Church. The quilt took 329 hours a little over a year to complete. Time capsules preserve a slice of history for later generations to share. As Co-chairperson of The Sesquicentennial year for The State of Michigan for District #3, I thought a Signature quilt would be another way of reaching out from the past in later years. I presented the project to the historical society and they voted to make the quilt. Previous to our beginning the Signature Quilt an 1880 "Friendship Quilt" was donated to the historical society. Caro's artist, Gladys Galloway, is known all over the world for her paintings. Also Marian DuBois who did the corner blocks, one with the flag of twenty-six stars and the Sesquicentennial emblem is the same person who made the quilt for the state of Michigan during the Sesquicentennial celebration. We also have embroidered on individual squares signatures of dignataries such as Govenore James Blanchard, Congresman Robert Traxler and our own State Representative from Caro Richard (Dick) Allen. Marie G. Cole
Access and copyright information:
Restricted
Copyright holder:
Michigan State University Museum
How did the quiltmaker participate in the creation of the quilt?
Made entire quilt
If the source helped design the quilt, describe their input:
Designed the pattern
Cite this Quilt
;. Michigan Sesquicentennial Signature Quilt. 11/28/1988. From Michigan State University Museum, Michigan Quilt Project. Published in The Quilt Index, https://quiltindex.org/view/?type=fullrec&kid=12-8-5. Accessed: 02/14/25