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-Other

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

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

Copyright holder:

Michigan State University Museum