QUILT INDEX RECORD

12-8-5388

Who documented this quilt?

Michigan Quilt Project

Where are the records for this quilt housed?

Michigan State University Museum

Michigan Quilt Project Number:

09.0176

Quilt's title:

Polk's Fancy

When was the form filled out?

10/28/2009

Quilt top made by:

Lubker, Catherine

Quilted by:

This pattern has been the subject of an American Quilt Study Group research project by Teri Klassen entitled “Polk’s Fancy: Quiltmaking, Patriotism, and Gender in the Mexican War Era.” There are five known occurrences of the pattern, of which this i

If you are the quilt owner, how did you acquire this quilt?

Purchased the quilt

Where the quilt was made, county:

Jackson

Where the quilt was made, state:

Indiana (IN)

Where the quilt was made, country:

United States

Time period:

1850-1875

When was the quilt finished?

c1855

Quilt is presently used as:

Study or teaching aid; Other collection

Quiltmaker's gender:

Female

Quiltmaker's maiden name:

Dinkelman

Quiltmaker's birth date:

1827

Quiltmaker's birthplace, city:

Germany

Quiltmaker's date and place of death:

1864

Quiltmaker's ethnic background/tribal affiliation:

German

This is a:

Finished quilt

How wide is the quilt?

66"

How long is the quilt?

91"

Shape of edge:

Straight

Shape of corners:

Straight

What color is the quilt?

Green; Red; White

Quilt's condition:

Good/moderate use

Describe the quilt's layout:

Block pattern

Number of quilt blocks:

6 appliqued, 2 alternate plain

Size of quilt blocks:

17" x 17"

Arrangement of quilt blocks:

On point or rotated on 45 degrees

Spacing of quilt blocks:

Alternating with plain squares

Describe the borders:

There are one inch red borders on three sides plus 1/2 inch green second border. There is an 8 inch appliquéd vine border bottom and two sides.

Fiber types used to make the quilt top:

Cotton

Fabric styles used in the quilt top:

Solid/plain

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

Materials used in the quilt binding:

Cotton

What kind of filling is used in the quilt?

Cotton

How are the layers held together?

Hand quilting

Quilting designs used, overall motifs:

Grid diamond

Quilting designs used, decorative motifs:

Vines

Quilting designs used, background fills:

Parallel lines

Describe the quilting designs used:

Dense grid quilting, triple parallel lines quilting and, on the vine border with no strips, parallel zigzag lines quilting.

Features or notes about the quilt's appearance, materials, or construction:

This pattern has been the subject of an American Quilt Study Group research project by Teri Klassen entitled “Polk’s Fancy: Quiltmaking, Patriotism, and Gender in the Mexican War Era.” There are five known occurrences of the pattern, of which this is one. The quilt is attributed to Catherine Dinkelman Ubker, c. 1855. There is more information in the study in the 2006 Uncoverings publication. There are 6 seventeen inch appliquéd blocks alternating with white blocks, all set on point. There are one inch red borders on three sides plus 1/2 inch green second border. There is an 8 inch appliquéd vine border bottom and two sides. Even the quilting on one border is different than that of the other three borders. What fun!

Exhibitions where this quilt was displayed:

Antique Quilt Exhibit, Michigan Quilt Network Showcase September 9-13, 2009; Lansing Center, Lansing, Michigan. #3

Related items such as diaries, obituaries, wills, household inventories, or pictures of the quiltmaker:

Appeared in the book, "The Classic American Quilt Collection: Baskets." 1994. Uncoverings 2006

Person filling out this form is:

Quilt owner; Quilt collector

Ownership of this quilt is:

Private

Quilt owner's name:

Virginia Anderson and April Yorks

Quilt owner's county:

Genesee

Quilt owner's state:

Michigan (MI)

Quilt owner's country:

United States

How was this quilt acquired?

Purchase

Describe anything about the history of the quilt that wasn't already recorded in a previous field:

The quilt was handed down to the maker's great-granddaughter, then was sold to a quilt dealer, who sold it.

Access and copyright information:

Restricted

Who photographed this quilt?

Beth Donaldson

Copyright holder:

MSU Board of Trustees