QUILT INDEX RECORD

18-14-32

DESCRIPTION OF ESSAY: Paragraph length description of the object.

This is one of two Apricot Morning Glory quilts made by Gasperik. The quilting on the two quilts is slightly different and there are fewer green leaves appliquéd into the wreath on this quilt. These details are discernible in a photograph album sent to Germany in 1947. The morning glory quilt pictured in that album is clearly this quilt (and not its twin, #062). That album page, which also includes a photo of Hungarian Harvest Festival Quilt (#014), is inscribed "Mary Gasperik's First two prize winning quilts." The aforementioned prize was a blue ribbon at an Illinois State Fair in 1941.

ESSAY: Essay about this quilt or image object.

The quickest way to distinguish the two Apricot Morning Glory quilts is to look at the leaves appliqued at the very top and bottom of the appliqued wreath. They are a duo on this quilt and a trio on quilt #062.

Where are the records for this quilt housed?

Mary Gasperik Legacy Project

Who documented this quilt?

Mary Gasperik Private Collection

CONTRIBUTING INSTITUTIONAL INVENTORY CONTROL NUMBERS: Enter the main control number for this item you are entering. For a museum, this will probably be your acquisition number. It may be the number given to the quilt by the state or county project.

026

TYPE OF QUILT OBJECT: Choose the best description for the quilt being documented.

Finished quilt

QUILT'S TITLE, IF IT HAS ONE: Enter the name given to the quilt by the maker. Many quilts have no title, but contemporary quilters often give a name to their quilts. If the quilt has no title, leave this field blank.

Morning Glory

OWNER'S NAME FOR QUILT'S PATTERN: Enter the name given to the quilt by the owner. This can be the name the family used to refer to the quilt as it passed through different generations, e.g. "Aunt Susie's quilt" or a pattern name that the owner used.

Apricot Morning Glory (Linda)

ALTERNATE NAME(S) FOR QUILT'S PATTERN IN COMMON USE: This is the name of the quilt pattern that it is commonly used among quilt makers and historians. It may be different in different regions of the country.

Morning Glory Wreath

OVERALL WIDTH: Enter how wide the quilt is. Specify units of measure (mm or in or inches)

68 inches

OVERALL LENGTH: Enter how long the quilt is. Specify unit of measure (mm or in or inches).

103 inches

SHAPE OF EDGE: Choose the best description for the edges of the quilt.

Scalloped

SHAPE OF CORNERS: Choose the best description for the corners of the quilt.

Scalloped

PREDOMINANT COLOR(S): CHECK ALL THAT APPLY: Enter all colors that are found in the quilt. Use ctrl + click to choose more than one.

Green; Orange; White

OVERALL COLOR SCHEME: Choose the best color scheme description for the quilt being documented.

Light or pastel colors

OVERALL CONDITION: Choose the best description for the quilt being documented.

Excellent/like new

OTHER TYPE(S) OF INSCRIPTION: If you chose Other, please describe the type of inscription here. This is not the field for the actual inscription, just the type of inscription.

cloth exhibit label sewn to back

CONTENT OF INSCRIPTION(S): Enter the exact inscription here, including dates in the same form in which they appear on the quilt. Do not correct any spellings. If you are unsure of a letter or name, place a (?) to indicate uncertainty.

MARY GASPERIK 9314 Cottage Grove Ave. Chicago, Ill.

LOCATION OF INSCRIPTION: Enter where the inscription was found on the quilt.

on back

TIME PERIOD: Choose the time frame that best describes when the quilt was made. The date does not have to appear on the quilt to enter it in this field. This can be your best guess based on family stories or your own knowledge of quilts.

1930-1949

DATE FINISHED: Enter the date the quilt was finished (as mm-dd-yyyy or c.yyyy, e.g. c.1965). Leave blank if you don't know.

1938-1945

OTHER EXTERNAL OR PROFESSIONAL DATE ESTIMATION: If the date was estimated by an antique dealer, quilt historian or appraiser, enter that date (as mm-dd-yyyy or c.yyyy, e.g. c.1965).

1938-1945

OTHER DATE ESTIMATION BY WHOM: Enter the name and/or title of the person who estimated the quilt's date for field 23d.

Merikay Waldvogel

FURTHER INFORMATION CONCERNING DATE(S): If you know anything else about the date the quilt was made, please tell the story.

Earliest estimated date is based on a 1938 packing slip for Bucilla kit #2005, Morning Glory.

LAYOUT FORMAT: Choose the best description for the layout (or set) of the quilt.

Medallion or framed center

NUMBER OF BORDERS: Borders are the strips of fabric that are added after the blocks (and sashings) are put together. They appear on the outside edges of the quilt. Quilts often have multiple borders. Enter the number of borders on the quilt.

3

BORDER DESCRIPTION: Describe the style of the borders (i.e. pieced, appliqued, stenciled) and the width of each border, from the inside to the outside.

Three wide borders echo the scalloped edge. Colors of border are shaded from dark apricot, through medium apricot to light apricot. Center panel is encircled with a morning glory vine. This border design element is part of the Bucilla kit #2005, Morning Glory.

FABRIC FIBER TYPES USED IN QUILT TOP: Choose all the types of fiber that are used to make the quilt top. Use ctrl + click to choose more than one.

Cotton

FABRIC PATTERNS, STYLES, MOTIFS, OR PRINT CATEGORIES USED IN QUILT TOP: Choose all the types of prints that are used to make the quilt top. Use ctrl + click to choose more than one.

Solid/plain

CONSTRUCTION TECHNIQUES USED IN QUILT TOP: APPLIQUE TECHNIQUES: Choose the applique method used to construct the quilt. Use ctrl + click to choose more than one. Skip the question if no applique appears on the quilt.

Hand Applique

CONSTRUCTION TECHNIQUES USED IN QUILT TOP: EMBELLISHMENT TECHNIQUES: Choose the embellishment technique used to make the quilt. Use ctrl + click to choose more than one. If your answer in Field 38f was no, skip this question.

Embroidery

FABRIC FIBER TYPES USED IN QUILT BACK: Choose the fiber type used to make the quilt back. Use ctrl + click to choose more than one.

Cotton

COLOR OF BACKING: Enter all colors that are found in the quilt backing. Use ctrl + click to choose more than one.

White

DESCRIPTION OF BACK: Choose the best description for the back of the quilt. Use ctrl + click to choose more than one.

Solid/plain

MATERIALS USED IN QUILT BINDING: Choose the fiber type used to make the quilt binding. Use ctrl + click to choose more than one.

Cotton

CONSTRUCTION TECHNIQUES USED IN BINDING: Choose the construction technique used to make the quilt binding. Use ctrl + click to choose more than one.

Bias grain

WIDTH OF QUILT BINDING: Choose the width (in inches) of the binding of the quilt. Measure from the front side only.

less than a half inch

MATERIAL USED FOR QUILT BATTING OR FILLING: Choose the fiber content that best describes the material used to fill the quilt.

Cotton

QUILTING TECHNIQUES USED: Choose the technique that best describes the way the quilt layers are held together. Use ctrl + click to choose more than one.

Hand quilting

THREAD COLOR: Enter the color(s) of thread used to hold the quilt layers together.

white

QUILTING DESIGNS USED: MOTIFS/OVERALL PATTERNS: Choose the overall quilt design found on the quilt top. Use ctrl + click to choose more than one. Skip the question if none of the designs appear on the quilt.

Double parallel lines; Echo

QUILTING DESIGNS USED: DECORATIVE PATTERNS: Choose the decorative quilt design found on the quilt top. Use ctrl + click to choose more than one. Skip the question if none of the designs appear on the quilt.

Wreaths

QUILTING DESIGNS USED: BACKGROUND FILL PATTERNS: Choose the background quilt design found on the quilt top. Use ctrl + click to choose more than one. Skip the question if none of the designs appear on the quilt.

Grid/crosshatch; Parallel lines

ANY OTHER FEATURES OR NOTES ABOUT THE QUILT'S APPEARANCE, MATERIALS, OR CONSTRUCTION: Describe anything about the physical appearance of the quilt that wasn't already recorded in a previous field.

It is thought that this quilt was completed years before its similar-looking mate (#062). The major difference between the two quilts, other than the fact that #026 has fewer green leaves, lies in the quilting design. Both quilts have a double wreath filled with cross-hatching as their centerpiece; but the space between that quilted wreath and the applique wreath is handled differently on the two quilts. On quilt #026 double parallel lines of quilting meet in a flat chevron. On quilt #062 (thought to have been completed later) the dense lines of quilting criss-cross, creating the effect of three dimensional space. This experimentation is reminiscent of Gasperik's series of Indiana Wreath quilts (see #011, #032, #043 and #063). The quilting inside those wreaths also plays with different ways of creating a sense of three-dimensional space through quiltING alone.

QUILT TOP MADE BY: Enter the name of the person(s) who made the quilt top. Names must be listed last name first, followed by first name and middle name or initials; last name should be followed by a comma and space.

Gasperik, Mary

QUILTED BY: Enter the name of the person(s) who quilted the top. Names must be listed last name first, followed by first name and middle name or initials; last name should be followed by a comma and space.

Gasperik, Mary

CITY: Enter the name of the city where the quilt was made. Skip the question if you don't know where the quilt was made.

Chicago

COUNTY: Enter the name of the county where the quilt was made. Skip the question if you don't know where the quilt was made.

Cook County

STATE: Enter the name of the state where the quilt was made. Skip the question if you don't know where the quilt was made.

Illinois (IL)

COUNTRY: Enter the name of the country where the quilt was made. Skip the question if you don't know where the quilt was made.

United States

HOW WAS QUILT ACQUIRED BY OWNER: Choose the best description for how the owner acquired the quilt. Use ctrl + click to choose more than one. Skip the question if you don't know how the owner acquired the quilt.

Inheritance

OCCASION, DATE, PERSON INHERITED FROM, ETC: If the quilt was inherited, enter any information you know about the inheritance. Skip the question if the quilt was not passed on through a family.

Selected by Elsie during a division of quilts (with her sister-in-law) after Gasperik died. When Elsie Krueger died in 1988 and her three daughters divided their mother's share of Gasperik quilts, this was Linda's pick.

QUILTMAKER'S REASONS FOR MAKING THE QUILT: If the quilt was made for a specific purpose, choose the reason from the list. Use ctrl + click to choose more than one.

Personal enjoyment

QUILT WAS ORIGINALLY DESIGNED TO BE USED AS: Not all quilts were made for beds. Choose how the quilt was originally used. Use ctrl + click to choose more than one.

Bedding, special occasion

QUILT IS PRESENTLY USED AS: Choose how the quilt is being used by the present owner. Use ctrl + click to choose more than one.

Keepsake/memento

OTHER PRESENT USE(S) OF QUILT: If you chose Other, please explain the quilt's present use.

Mary's grandchildren regard her quilts as a unique collection to be preserved and appreciated.

SOURCE OF QUILT'S MATERIALS: Choose how the quilt maker acquired the fabric for this quilt. Use ctrl + click to choose more than one.

Purchased new

QUILT TOP PATTERN SOURCE: Choose where the quilt maker found the pattern for this quilt. Use ctrl + click to choose more than one.

Commercial/Published source: Book; Commercial/Published source: Newspaper; Commercial/Published source: Kit

COMMERCIAL SOURCE NAME(S): If you know the commercial name of the pattern used for this quilt, please enter it. This may include books, magazines, newsletters, pattern companies, computer software programs, and kits.

Probably Bucilla kit #2005, Morning Glory.

QUILTING DESIGN PATTERN SOURCE: Choose where the quilt maker found the pattern for the quilting design used in this quilt. Use ctrl + click to choose more than one.

Kit

COMMERCIAL QUILTING DESIGN SOURCE NAME: If you know the commercial name of the quilting design used for this quilt, please enter it. This may include books, magazines, newsletters, pattern companies, etc.

Quilted oval feathered wreath may be adapted from quilting design #521 in Colonial Quilts, by Hubert Ver Mehren.

ANY ADDITIONAL NOTES OR STORIES ABOUT THE QUILT'S DESIGN OR MATERIALS SOURCE: Describe anything about the design of the quilt that wasn't already recorded in a previous field.

Bucilla Applique Bedspread Morning Glory Design No. 2005 kit at first glance appears too have been Gasperik's pattern source; but upon close examination Bucilla's flower appliqué pattern units and their arrangement on the overall quilt do not match the Gasperik Morning Glory quilts. The Bucilla kit #2005, Morning Glory. includes multicolored flowers, and their flower and leaf pattern shapes do not match the shapes on the Gasperik quilts. The soft tones of the two Gasperik Apricot Morning Glory quilts (#026 and #062) are quite different from the harsher oranges of the kit’s fabrics. Of the four Gasperik Morning Glory quilts (two in shades of apricot and two in shades of blue) three of them have symmetric arrangements of a trio of flowers and leaves centered in each of the four sides of the squared off wreath. One quilt, however, this one in particular, has an asymmetrical arrentment in each of these four locations. Instead of three leaves, there are only two in these four positions. Oddly, this same asymmetrical arrangement is found on a non-Gasperik quilt Susan Salser purchased on eBay, and also on a pair of Morning Glory Wreath quilts (probably made in the same period of time, the mid 1940s, in Minnesota) appraised by Karen Dever in 2020. There is clearly a shared commercial pattern source for these four quilts, although it cannot be said at this time exactly what that source was, only that is was NOT the Bucilla kit #2005, Morning Glory. It is likely that this Gasperik Morning Glory Wreath quilt is first of the series of four which Gasperik made, because it so faithfully follows the design patterns specified by the as-yet unidentified commercial pattern source. The blue pair of Gasperik Morning Glory Wreath quilts diverges the most, especially in its quiltING design, from the unknown pattern or kit source which was the likely source of this particular quilt's design.

EXHIBITIONS (LIST ALL): List all known exhibits where this quilt has been displayed including: Title, Location, Dates, Venue of Exhibit and Catalog Title or publications, if applicable. Use this field for all information.

An exhibit tag which is separated from its quilt reads "Morning Glory Wreath First Prize in, Springfield Mrs. Mary Gasperik". This corresponds to a First Prize ribbon from the Illinois State Fair, 1941.

CONTESTS ENTERED (LIST ALL): List contest entered including: Contest Name, Location, Dates, Awards or Prizes, and Contest Catalog or Publications, if applicable. Use this field for all contests.

Illinois State Fair, 1941, First Place ribbon

The caption in the 1947 photo album under a picture of this quilt indicates that it won a prize but doesn't specify where or when.

OTHER RELATED ITEMS SUCH AS IMAGE, ORAL HISTORY, OR EPHEMERA: Use this box to list other materials that exist about this quilt. This may include oral history, articles, additional photos or publications, etc.

Complete Bucilla kit #2005 Morning Glory (Susan Salser - private collection); Nancy Cabot newspaper illustration of Morning Glory; Marie Webster's color photo of child's quilt Morning Glory.

There was probably at least one other 1930s kit for making a Morning Glory Wreath quilt similar to the four made by Mary Gasperik. In 2006 Salser bought on ebay a similar-looking Morning Glory Wreath quilt executed in three shades of apricot. In its flower patterns and colors this quilt more resembles the two Gasperik apricot Morning Glory quilts than it does Bucilla kit #2005, Morning Glory. The seller was the niece of the maker, who was named Charlotte Louise Greene (1897-1993). When asked for information about the quilt-maker, the niece wrote: "I really don't know a lot about my Aunt's quilt making. She had a lot of interests - was very smart. (She studied ballet with Martha Graham and corresponded all her life with Norman Vincent Peale.) Kind of went from one interest to another. She was fired up about quilt making for a while and then dropped it for something else. She wasn't particularly artistic that I recall, so I suppose she didn't design her own quilts but probably may have bought designs from another source" (e-mail to Susan Salser from Anne Botto, 2/24/2006).

Photo album sent by Stephen and Mary Gasperik to the family of their future daughter-in-law in Germany, 1947 includes photos of quilt #026 and #014, captioned "Mary Gasperik's first two prize-winning quilts".

AVAILABLE SOURCES FOR QUILTMAKER: List other source materials about this quiltmaker such as photos, oral histories, book or newspaper publications, fame for some other reason or event.

Merikay Waldvogel and Barbara Brackman. Patchwork Souvenirs of the 1933 Chicago World's Fair, (Nashville, TN: Rutledge Hill Press, 1993)102-103.

Merikay Waldvogel "One American Dream Comes True", Quilters Newsletter Magazine, March 2008, 46-49.

OWNERSHIP OF THIS QUILT IS: Choose whether the quilt is owned by a person (private) or a museum or public collection.

Private

NAME OF QUILT OWNER: Add name of Quilt Owner if public other.

Linda Krueger MacLachlan

QUILT OWNER COUNTRY: Country of current quilt owner

United States

AUTHOR/INTERVIEWEE: The person who brought the quilt for documentation is the source. Enter his/her name here.

Author/researcher; Blood relative of quiltmaker

OTHER RELATIONSHIP TO SOURCE: If you chose Other, for the relationship to the source, describe the relationship here.

Grand-daughter

OTHER INFORMATION ON SOURCE PERSON TO QUILT: If you chose other, please describe how the quilt maker participated in the design.

Grand-daughter Susan Salser began this research effort in 1991, after she and her two sisters divided up the quilts which belonged to their mother (Elsie Gasperik Krueger) who died in 1988. Her ongoing research has been fruitful and interesting.

QUILTMAKER'S MAIDEN NAME: Enter the maiden name of the quilt maker.

Mihalovits, Maria

GENDER: Choose the gender of the quilt maker(s). Use ctrl + click to choose more than one.

Female

BIRTH DATE: Enter the birth date of the quilt maker (as mm-dd-yyyy or c.yyyy, e.g. c.1965).

01/25/1888

DEATH DATE, IF APPLICABLE: Enter the date of death of the quilt maker (if applicable, as mm-dd-yyyy or c.yyyy, e.g. c.1965).

05/25/1969

QUILTMAKER'S ETHNIC BACKGROUND/TRIBAL AFFILIATION: Enter the ethnic background or tribal affiliation of the quilt maker.

Hungarian

EDUCATIONAL BACKGROUND: Enter the last level of education completed by the quilt maker.

Elementary School

QUILT MAKER'S COUNTRY OF BIRTH: Select the quilt maker's country of birth, if known.

Hungary

IN WHICH KIND OF ENVIRONMENT DID THE QUILTMAKER GROW UP: Choose the kind of environment the quilt maker(s) are from. Use ctrl + click to choose more than one.

Rural

COUNTY: Enter the county where the quilt maker lives/lived.

Cook

CITY: Enter the city where the quilt maker lives/lived.

Chicago

STATE: Enter the state where the quilt maker lives/lived.

Illinois (IL)

COUNTRY: Enter the country where the quilt maker lives/lived.

United States

FATHER'S NAME: Enter the name of the quilt maker's father.

Mihalovits, Istvan

FATHER'S BIRTHPLACE: Enter the birthplace of the quilt maker's father.

Hungary

FATHER'S ETHNIC/TRIBAL BACKGROUND: Enter the ethnic background or tribal background of the quilt maker's father.

Hungarian

MOTHER'S NAME: Enter the name of the quilt maker's mother.

Mihalovits, Vidoszava

MOTHER'S BIRTHPLACE: Enter the birthplace of the quilt maker's mother.

Hungary

MOTHER'S ETHNIC/TRIBAL BACKGROUND: Enter the ethnic background or tribal background of the quilt maker's mother.

Hungarian

SPOUSE'S/SPOUSES' ETHNIC/TRIBAL BACKGROUND(S): Enter the ethnic background or tribal background of the quilt maker's spouse.

Hungarian

SPOUSE'S/SPOUSES' OCCUPATION(S): Enter the occupation of the quilt maker's spouse.

Milk Dealer/Grocery Store Owner/Butcher

NUMBER OF CHILDREN: Enter the number of children of the quilt maker.

3

NUMBER OF FEMALE CHILDREN: Enter the number of daughters of the quilt maker.

1 (Elsie 1909-1988)

NUMBER OF MALE CHILDREN: Enter the number of sons of the quilt maker.

2 (Elmer and Stephen)

HOW DID THE QUILTMAKER LEARN TO QUILT: Choose the way(s) the quilt maker learned to quilt. Use ctrl + click to choose more than one.

From guild or club member; Self-Taught

WHEN LEARNED TO QUILT (CHECK ALL THAT APPLY): Choose the age when the quilt maker learned to quilt. Use ctrl + click to choose more than one.

Age 40-49

WHY DOES/DID THE QUILTMAKER QUILT: Choose the best explanation(s) for why the quilt maker makes quilts. Use ctrl + click to choose more than one.

Pleasure; Other

OTHER, WHY THE QUILTMAKER QUILTS: If you chose Other, explain the why the quilt maker quilts.

To exhibit in shows held by her Tuley Park quilt club in Chicago, the Detroit News quilt show in Detroit, many Illinois State Fairs, at least one Indiana State Fair. She entered quilts in at least 2 Chicago department store contests. She made at least one quilt and one quilt top specifically for the 1939 New York Worlds Fair quilt contest. She also made children's quilts specifically for grandchildren and great-grandchildren; and wedding and wedding anniversary quilts for her son Elmer and grand-daughter Karen. Primarily, she wanted to make quilts because it was her life passion and her greatest talent. The occasions and venues to show them presented themselves. It should be noted that prior to Mary's emigration to America in late 1904, at age 16, she was an apprenticed needleworker in her native Hungary. The intricate and colorful floral embroideries traditional to Hungary lend themselves especially well to applique, the quilt style Mary preferred.

NAME OF QUILTING GROUP: If the quilt maker belongs to a group, enter the name of the group.

Tuley Park Quilt Club and Detroit News Quilt Club

LOCATION OF GROUP: Enter where the group meets. Include the name of the building, city, county, and state.

Southside Chicago and Detroit MI

SPECIALIZED ACTIVITIES/EVENTS OF QUILTING GROUP: Enter activities the group participates in.

Chicago group met to quilt and held periodic quilt shows; Detroit group held national exhibits and contests.

ESTIMATED NUMBER OF QUILTS MADE BY THIS QUILTER: Choose the number that approximates how many quilts the quilt maker has made.

more than 50

DOES/DID QUILTMAKER SELL QUILTS: Has the quilt maker ever sold a quilt or sold quilting services?

no

DOES/DID QUILTMAKER TEACH QUILTING: Is the quilt maker also a quilt teacher?

no

PHOTO CREDIT: Credit for photographer.

Don Gonzalez

ACCESS AND COPYRIGHT INFORMATION FOR IMAGE: Choose whether this TIF is available to use other than in this database.

Restricted

FOR HOLDER OF COPYRIGHT, CONTACT: Enter the name of the person or institution that owns the copyright to the image.

Hank Finn

Details