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October Foliage; October Foliage

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QUILT INDEX RECORD

12-8-7276

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:

99.0250

If this quilt is owned by a museum, enter the accession number:

1998:53.70

Object label:

October Foliage
Mary Schafer
Flushing, Genesee County, Michigan
1971
Collection of Michigan State University Museum acc.#1998:53.70

Essay:

Interpretative Commentary:
Mary frequently added her own touch to the historical patterns she used by designing a border and original quilting design to further the quilt's overall impact. One of Mary's trademark original border designs, an appliquéd curving vine border with leaves and grapes, can be found in this "October Foliage" quilt. Mary usually had a very specific reason for choosing each element of her quilts. Here, the rust-colored appliquéd design of the blocks suggests fall leaves whirling in the wind. -- Mary Worrall

Additional Commentary:|
The quilt was included in the exhibit American Quilts from Michigan State University Museum, which toured in Japan from January-December 2003 and is featured in the exhibit’s catalogue, American Quilts from Michigan State University Museum. -– Beth Donaldson

Quilt's title:

October Foliage

Owner's name for the quilt:

October Foliage

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

Why was the quilt made?

Teaching or learning sample

Quilt is presently used as:

Museum collection

Quiltmaker's gender:

Female

Quiltmaker's city:

Flushing

Quiltmaker's county:

Genesee

Quiltmaker's state:

Michigan (MI)

Quiltmaker's maiden name:

Vida

In which kind of environment did the quiltmaker live?

Urban

Quiltmaker's ethnic background/tribal affiliation:

Austrian

Quiltmaker's educational background:

Her father made her quilt school at age 15 to work in his creamery.

Quiltmaker's occupation:

Bottle washer, book keeper, telephone operator, home maker.

Quiltmaker's father's name:

Vida, Josef

Quiltmaker's father's birthplace:

Austria

Quiltmaker's father's ethnic/tribal background:

Austrian

Quiltmaker's mother's birthplace:

Austria

Quiltmaker's mother's ethnic/tribal background:

Austrian

Quiltmaker's spouse's/spouses' and/or partner's/partners' ethnic/tribal background:

German

Quiltmaker's spouse's/spouses' and/or partner's/partners' occupation:

Welder at 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

Why does the quiltmaker quilt?

Fundraising; Pleasure

Estimated number of quilts made by this quiltmaker:

more than 50

Does/did the quiltmaker sell quilts?

no

Does/did the quiltmaker teach quilting?

only informally

This is a:

Finished quilt

How wide is the quilt?

84 1/2

How long is the quilt?

94

Shape of edge:

Straight

Shape of corners:

Straight

What color is the quilt?

Beige or Tan; Rust

Overall color scheme:

One color/monochromatic

Quilt's condition:

Excellent/like new

Method used to make the inscription:

Embroidery

Location of inscription:

on border

Describe the quilt's layout:

Block pattern

Number of quilt blocks:

12 appliqued blocks, 6 alternate plain blocks

Arrangement of quilt blocks:

On point or rotated on 45 degrees

Spacing of quilt blocks:

Alternating with plain squares

Number of different block patterns used in the quilt:

1

Number of borders:

1

Describe the borders:

The border is appliqued with a vine with leaves and grapes.

Fiber types used to make the quilt top:

Cotton

Fabric styles used in the quilt top:

Print

Piecing techniques used to make the quilt top:

Hand Piecing

Can you feel or see paper on the quilt that was used as a construction aid?

no

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:

3

Describe the back:

Same fabric used throughout

Materials used in the quilt binding:

Cotton

Fabric structure of the binding:

Plain weave

How is the binding made?

Straight grain

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

How thick is the quilt?

Thin (Less than 3/16?)

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:

Wreaths

Quilting designs used, background fills:

Parallel lines

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

Mary frequently added her own touch to the historical patterns she used by designing a border and original quilting design to further the quilt?s overall impact. One of Mary?s trademark original border designs, an appliquéd curving vine border with leaves and grapes, can be found in this ?October Foliage? quilt. Mary usually had a very specific reason for choosing each element of her quilts. Here, the rust-colored appliquéd design of the blocks suggests fall leaves whirling in the wind.

Where did the maker get their materials?

Purchased new

Where did the maker find their pattern?

Another quilt

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

Image of the quiltmaker, interviews, ephemera

Publications (including web sites) where this quilt or maker was featured:

See "Mary Schafer and Her Quilts" by Gwen Marston and Joe Cunningham.

Person filling out this form is:

Quilt owner

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)

Quilt owner's country:

United States

How was this quilt acquired?

Purchase

Access and copyright information:

Restricted

Where did the quiltmaker find the pattern for the quilting design on this quilt?

Original to maker

Describe any favorite patterns, tools, etc. used by the quiltmaker:

Mary loves hand work and traditional patterns.

Who photographed this quilt?

Fumio Ichikawa

Copyright holder:

MSU Board of Trustees

Cite this Quilt

Schafer, Mar. October Foliage. 1950-1975. 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=12-8-7276. Accessed: 03/29/24

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