QUILT INDEX RECORD

18-14-7

DESCRIPTION:

Of the five wholecloth quilts by Gasperik, this is the only one made for a full-size bed. The wear on it indicates that it was heavily used, probably by Gasperik herself, on her own bed. A transfer pattern with a center medallion quiltING layout such as McCall Kaumagraph Transfer Pattern #1811 may have been the design source for Gasperik's quilting in this and possibly another wholecloth quilt.

ESSAY:

There may be other, as yet unidentified, McCall patterns which can explain ALL of the Gasperik wholecloth quilts. McCall was a source Gasperik regularly consulted. Her spectacular Indiana Wreath quilts (#011, #032, #043 and #063) were based on McCall Quilt Pattern #524. Her Tree of Life Quilts (#031, #044 and #065) used a McCall crewelwork pattern. And her Grandmother's Fan (#051) may also have been a McCall pattern. A Susan Salser memory: "My sister Karen remembers seeing this quilt as an everyday quilt on grandma's bed at the house on Cottage Grove. My mom brought me this one at the same time (and with the same apologies) that she brought me Double Trellis. I was pretty dismayed, wondering what she was giving my sisters, but she also gave me 7 of grandma's quilt books because I was showing signs of taking up quilting myself . . . so all is forgiven."

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.

042

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.

Wholecloth Quilt

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.

Rayon Wholecloth Quilt (Susan)

OVERALL WIDTH: Enter how wide the quilt is.

74 inches

OVERALL LENGTH: Enter how long the quilt is.

91 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.

Rounded

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

Pink

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

One color/monochromatic

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.

Distortion or shrinkage; Uneven batting

COMMENTS OR NOTES ON QUILT'S CONDITION OR REPAIR HISTORY: Some quilts have had extensive or unusual repair work done. Please use this field to describe anything that didn't fit in the previous fields.

The wear on it indicates it was heavily used.

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

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

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

Wholecloth

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

Rayon

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

Satin

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.

Solid/plain

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

Satin/Sateen

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

Pink

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

2

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

37", 37"

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

Same fabric used throughout; Solid/plain

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

Other

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

Satin

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

BATTING LOFT: Choose the thickness of the quilt filling that best describes the quilt.

Thin (Less than 3/16

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.

8

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.

8

WIDTH BETWEEN QUILTING LINES (IN INCHES): Try to determine the average distance between quilt motifs to determine how densely the quilt is quilted. Enter your estimate.

1" (most dense) 4" (least dense), unusually wide for Gasperik.

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

Feathering; Wreaths

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

Parallel lines

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:

Elsie brought this to Susan around 1968-69, at the same time she gave Susan 1933 Double Trellis (#041). When she gave them to Susan she said she thought they should be preserved, even though she said Gasperik herself had asked Elsie to discard them, and even though they are very inferior examples of Gasperik's work.

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

Home decoration

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.

It is thought that Gasperik used this quilt on her own bed, perhaps as an everyday bed covering.

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: Pattern

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

Commercial pattern

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.

Possibly McCall Kaumagraph Transfer Pattern #1811

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

Envelope Cover: McCall Kaumagraph Transfer Pattern #1811 (Collection of Susan Salser).

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:

Mary Gasperik made quilts because it was her life passion and greatest talent. As opportunities arose, she entered contests and exhibited them publicly. She also made special quilts for her family.

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:

Chicago, IL 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

Details

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