QUILT INDEX RECORD

18-14-38

DESCRIPTION:

The interesting thing about the four Indiana Wreath quilts is that they show more experimentation with quiltING design than experimentation with appliqué pattern. It is the selection of fabrics, and the quiltING patterns which distinguish these four quilts which look, at first glance, to be the 'same' quilt. Although the range of experimentation is narrow here, Mary did not duplicate or date her Indiana Wreath quilts. The family has two blue ribbons which were won by Gasperik Indiana Wreath quilts: #011 (Doris) at the 1953 Illinois State Fair, and #043 (Susan) at the 1958 Illinois State Fair. The most significant of the motifs Gasperik quilted into her versions of Indiana Wreath are the grape cluster and the elaborate corner feather design which she borrowed from Rose Kretsinger's quiltING designs presented in Plates IV and V of the famous 1935 quilt book: Romance of the Patchwork Quilt in America. With her re-creations of the famous Indiana Wreath, Gasperik was saluting Marie D. Webster and Rose G. Kretsinger, two major quilt figures of her time.

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.

043

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

Finished quilt

QUILT'S TITLE, IF IT HAS ONE: Many quilts have no title, but contemporary quilters often give a name to their quilts.

Indiana Wreath

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.

Indiana Wreath (Susan)

BRACKMAN NUMBER: If you have used Barbara Brackman's Encyclopedia of Pieced Patterns or Applique to identify the pattern, enter the number assigned by Brackman here.

80.22, 80.23

OVERALL WIDTH: Enter how wide the quilt is.

80 inches

OVERALL LENGTH: Enter how long the quilt is.

102 inches

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

Straight

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

Straight

PREDOMINANT COLOR(S): Enter all colors that are found in the quilt.

Blue or Navy; Green; Red; White

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

Bright or primary colors

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

Fair/worn

DAMAGE TO QUILT: Use this field to describe specific damage to the quilt.

Disintegration of fabric; Fading

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 BEGUN: Enter the date the quilt was started.

Unknown

DATE FINISHED: Enter the date the quilt was finished.

1938-1945

OTHER EXTERNAL OR PROFESSIONAL DATE ESTIMATION: If the date was estimated by an antique dealer, quilt historian or appraiser, enter that date.

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 the fact that Indiana Wreath pattern #524 was offered in McCall's Needlework Magazine, Winter 1937-1938, pp 26-27. Mary Gasperik probably consulted this pattern when she designed her Indiana Wreath quilts.

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.

One

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.

Outer edges on all four sides have an applique floral and leaf vine that frame the quilt.

FABRIC FIBER TYPES USED IN QUILT TOP: Choose all the types of fiber that are used to make the quilt top.

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.

Print; Solid/plain

CONSTRUCTION TECHNIQUES USED IN QUILT TOP: APPLIQUE TECHNIQUES: Choose the applique method used to construct the quilt.

Hand Applique

CONSTRUCTION TECHNIQUES USED IN QUILT TOP: EMBELLISHMENT TECHNIQUES: Choose the embellishment technique used to make the quilt.

Embroidery; Other embellishment technique

UNIQUE OR OTHER CONSTRUCTION TECHNIQUES: Enter any unusual technique that hasn't been described in a previous field.

extra batting under appliqued grapes

CONTAINS PAPER REMAINS: This field is for quilts that have been either string pieced on a paper foundation or English template pieced. Choose yes if you can feel or see paper on the quilt that was used as a construction aid.

no

UNIQUE EMBELLISHMENTS: Enter any embellishment materials that don't appear in a previous field.

embroidered wheat in vase, below vase, and in birds' beaks

FABRIC FIBER TYPES USED IN QUILT BACK: Choose the fiber type used to make the quilt back.

Cotton

COLOR OF BACKING: Enter all colors that are found in the quilt backing.

Yellow

NUMBER OF PIECES: Enter the number of pieces of fabric used in the quilt back.

3

WIDTH OF PIECES: Enter, in inches, the width of the pieces of fabric on the back of the quilt.

11". 35", 34"

DESCRIPTION OF BACK: Choose the best description for the back of the quilt.

Solid/plain

MATERIALS USED IN QUILT BINDING: Choose the fiber type used to make the quilt binding.

Cotton

FABRIC STRUCTURE USED IN BINDING: Choose the fabric structure used to make the quilt binding.

Plain weave

CONSTRUCTION TECHNIQUES USED IN BINDING: Choose the construction technique used to make the quilt binding.

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.

Hand quilting

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

white

NUMBER OF QUILTING STITCHES PER INCH (PLACE 1): Count only the stitches that are visible on the top and measure in one place on the quilt. Enter the measurement.

10

NUMBER OF QUILTING STITCHES PER INCH (PLACE 2): Count only the stitches that are visible on the top and measure in a different place on the quilt. Enter the measurement.

11

QUILTING DESIGNS USED: MOTIFS/OVERALL PATTERNS: Choose the overall quilt design found on the quilt top.

Grid diamond; In-the-ditch; Single parallel lines

QUILTING DESIGNS USED: DECORATIVE PATTERNS: Choose the decorative quilt design found on the quilt top.

Floral; Wreaths

QUILTING DESIGNS USED: BACKGROUND FILL PATTERNS: Choose the background quilt design found on the quilt top.

Grid/crosshatch; Parallel lines

PLEASE DESCRIBE OTHER QUILTING DESIGNS USED: Describe any other quilting designs that appear on the quilt.

Quilted band of flowers around perimeter, double-feathered circular wreaths, large and elaborate cornucopias spilling fruit and flowers, grape clusters, large feather medallions, cross-hatch filled feathered hearts.

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.

The four Gasperik Indiana Wreath quilts can be divided into two sets of two. Each pair uses the same set of fabrics. Quilts #011 and #043 use a set of polka dots prints of different colors. These two quilts also have wheat stalks embroidered under the vase. This quilt's wreath looks more open than that of its fabric twin, #011, because the purple print fabric of the wreath's innermost flowers has faded to near-white. Now faded and worn, this was originally the most elaborately quilted of the 4 Gasperik Indiana Wreaths.

QUILT TOP MADE BY: Enter the name of the person(s) who made the quilt top.

Gasperik, Mary

QUILTED BY: Enter the name of the person(s) who quilted the top.

Gasperik, Mary

CITY: Enter the name of the city where the quilt was made.

Chicago

COUNTY: Enter the name of the county where the quilt was made.

Cook County

STATE: Enter the name of the state where the quilt was made.

Illinois (IL)

COUNTRY: Enter the name of the country where the quilt was made.

United States

HOW WAS QUILT ACQUIRED BY OWNER: Choose the best description for how the owner acquired the quilt.

Gift

DETAILS ON HOW THE QUILT WAS ACQUIRED:

Brought to Susan by Elsie, as a gift from her grandmother, when Susan moved to California in 1968.

ANY ADDITIONAL STORIES OR NOTES ABOUT THE QUILT'S OWNERSHIP OR HISTORY: Describe anything about the history of the quilt that wasn't already recorded in a previous field.

Susan Salser has the note, dated December 20, 1968 and saved by her mother, which she sent to her grandmother thanking her for "your dotted grape wedding present quilt".

QUILTMAKER'S REASONS FOR MAKING THE QUILT: If the quilt was made for a specific purpose, choose the reason from the list.

Art or personal expression

PLEASE EXPLAIN OTHER OCCASION, IF APPLICABLE: If you chose Other, please explain the occasion.

Mary Gasperik made at least 4 Indiana Wreath quilts. It would seem that she picked this complicated and famous patterns precisely to demonstrate what a master quilter she was.

QUILT WAS ORIGINALLY DESIGNED TO BE USED AS: Choose how the quilt was originally used.

Bedding, special occasion

OTHER PREVIOUS USE(S) OF QUILT: If the quilt was used for something other than what it is used for now, please describe. Example: Revolutionary War era ladies wore quilted skirts that were sometimes remade into quilts.

Susan used it as a wall hanging for several years. That (and washing it) is how it came to be so faded and the dotted black print of the grapes actually disintegrated some.

QUILT IS PRESENTLY USED AS: Choose how the quilt is being used by the present owner.

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.

Purchased new

QUILT TOP PATTERN SOURCE: Choose where the quilt maker found the pattern for this quilt.

Commercial/Published source: Book; Commercial/Published source: Pattern

OTHER TOP PATTERN SOURCE(S): If you chose Other, please explain where the pattern was found.

Inspiration for the Indiana Wreath quilt made famous by Marie Webster who used a 19th century quilt in this pattern as the frontispiece of her quilt book.
McCalls produced a commercial pattern.
Other designers including Rose Kretsinger made their own.

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.

McCall's #524 Indiana Wreath published circa 1935 is the likely overall pattern source.
The pattern for the three hovering blue birds may be borrowed from a quiltING pattern offered in a Nancy Page Quilting Club Column in the newspaper.

QUILTING DESIGN PATTERN SOURCE: Choose where the quilt maker found the pattern for the quilting design used in this quilt.

Published material

OTHER QUILTING DESIGN PATTERN SOURCE: If you chose Other, please explain the where the quilting design pattern was found.

Rose Kretsinger quilting design in Plates IV and V, Romance of the Patchwork Quilt inspired the grape clusters and the elaborate feathered medallion corners.

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.

Floral border is C7 from Grandmother's Perforated Quilting Patterns (1934) also offered as No. 47 & 48 in Needleart Guild's Original Master Quilting Patterns;
Double Feather Wreath is a pattern inGrandmother Clark Book No. 22 (St. Louis, MO 1932).

EXHIBITIONS: List all known exhibits where this quilt has been displayed.

This quilt was not included in the Ravenswood quilt show of March 1992.

CONTESTS ENTERED: List contest(s) entered.

Won a blue ribbon at the 1958 Illinois State Fair. Susan Salser has the ribbon. There is also a family photograph showing this quilt, its blue ribbon attached, hanging on a clothesline.

OTHER RELATED ITEMS: List other materials that exist about this quilt like oral histories, wills, diaries, or patterns.

Quilts: Their Story and How to Make Them, Marie D. Webster, Doubleday, Doran & Company Inc., 1928, frontispiece is a hand-tinted photograph of the 1858 quilt made by Elizabeth J. Hart. Also see text about 'Indiana Wreath' on pages 84-86.

McCall Indiana Wreath pattern envelope and instruction sheet; Winter 1937-38

McCall magazine with Indiana Wreath pattern featured.

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:

Private

NAME OF QUILT OWNER:

Susan Krueger Salser

QUILT OWNER'S COUNTRY:

United States

AUTHOR/INTERVIEWEE'S RELATION TO THE QUILT:

Author/researcher; Blood relative of quiltmaker; Quilt owner

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

Grand-daughter

RELATIONSHIP OF SOURCE PERSON TO QUILT: Choose the best description of the relationship of the source to the quilt.

Quilt owner

IF SOURCE PERSON IS QUILT OWNER: If the source is the owner, choose how they came to own the quilt.

Received as a gift

OTHER INFORMATION ON SOURCE PERSON TO QUILT:

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:

Mihalovits, Maria

QUILTMAKER'S GENDER:

Female

QUILTMAKER'S BIRTH DATE:

01/25/1888

DEATH DATE OF THE QUILTMAKER, IF APPLICABLE:

05/25/1969

QUILTMAKER'S ETHNIC BACKGROUND:

Hungarian

QUILTMAKER'S EDUCATIONAL BACKGROUND:

Elementary School

QUILTMAKER'S COUNTRY OF BIRTH:

Hungary

IN WHICH KIND OF ENVIRONMENT DID THE QUILTMAKER GROW UP?

Rural

CITY WHERE THE QUILTMAKER LIVES/LIVED:

Chicago

COUNTY WHERE THE QUILTMAKER LIVES/LIVED:

Cook

STATE WHERE THE QUILTMAKER LIVES/LIVED:

Illinois (IL)

COUNTRY WHERE THE QUILTMAKER LIVES/LIVED:

United States

QUILTMAKER'S FATHER'S NAME:

Mihalovits, Istvan

FATHER'S BIRTHPLACE:

Hungary

FATHER'S ETHNIC BACKGROUND:

Hungarian

QUILTMAKER'S MOTHER'S NAME:

Mihalovits, Vidoszava

MOTHER'S BIRTHPLACE:

Hungary

MOTHER'S ETHNIC BACKGROUND:

Hungarian

SPOUSE'S ETHNIC BACKGROUND:

Hungarian

SPOUSE'S OCCUPATION:

Milk Dealer/Grocery Store Owner/Butcher

NUMBER OF CHILDREN:

3

NUMBER OF FEMALE CHILDREN:

1 (Elsie 1909-1988)

NUMBER OF MALE CHILDREN:

2 (Elmer and Stephen)

HOW DID THE QUILTMAKER LEARN TO QUILT?

From guild or club member; Self-Taught

WHEN DID THE QUILTMAKER LEARN TO QUILT?

Age 40-49

WHY DOES/DID THE QUILTMAKER QUILT:

Pleasure; Other

OTHER, WHY THE QUILTMAKER QUILTS:

The four Indiana Wreath quilts (#011, #032, #043 and #063) were made to demonstrate the quilter's mastery of her art at a time when she was doing her best work. One alone would make a powerful statement. Four of them constitute a tour de force. Gasperik made 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 belonged to a group, enter the name of the group.

Tuley Park Quilt Club and Detroit News Quilt Club

LOCATION OF GROUP:

Southside Chicago and Detroit MI

SPECIALIZED ACTIVITIES/EVENTS OF QUILTING GROUP: Enter activities the group participated 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:

more than 50

DID THE QUILTMAKER SELL QUILTS?

no

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

no

PHOTO CREDIT:

Don Gonzalez

ACCESS AND COPYRIGHT IS:

Restricted

HOLDER OF COPYRIGHT:

Hank Finn

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