QUILT INDEX RECORD

18-14-76

Description:

This is the last completed quilt Mary Gasperik made. She made it for her great-grand daughter Cathy Salser who was born in November 1966. Susan Salser, the child's mother, remembers that Mary Gasperik did not quilt much after 1962 when her husband died. And in 1967 she was dealing with painful arthritis. But she made this quilt for her newest great grandchild. The pattern (or possibly stamped block) dates back to the 1940s.

Where are the records for this quilt housed?

Mary Gasperik Legacy Project

Who documented this quilt?

Mary Gasperik Private Collection

Gasperik Legacy Project Number:

069

This is a:

Finished quilt

Quilt's title:

Doll Quilt

Owner's name for quilt:

Doll Quilt (Cathy)

How wide is the quilt?

28 inches

How long is the quilt?

31 inches

Shape of edge:

Straight

Shape of corners:

Straight

What color is the quilt?

Blue or Navy; Coral; Pink; White; Yellow

Overall color scheme:

Light or pastel colors

Quilt's condition:

Good/moderate use

Damage:

Tears or holes

Describe the damage:

There a few pin-hole sized holes. Cathy was allowed to play with the quilt as much as she wanted to. And she did.

Time period:

1950-1975

When was the quilt finished?

1966-1967

Family/owner's date for quilt:

1966-1967

Who estimated the quilt's date?

Merikay Waldvogel

Further information concerning dates:

Given to Cathy Salser in April 1967 soon after she was born.

Describe the borders:

Visually, the border is actually the quilt's UNquilted 2-inch outermost space.

Fiber types used to make the quilt top:

Rayon

Fabric types used to make the quilt top:

Flannel

Fabric styles used in the quilt top:

Other

Describe the fibers or fabrics in the quilt top:

Although the backing and binding are done in plainweave cotton, the blue ground of the quilt top is appears to be rayon crepe and the four girls' bonnets are cut from pink and white cotton flannel and stitched down with thick pink embroidery floss

Applique techniques used to make the quilt top:

Hand Applique

Embellishment techniques used to make the quilt top:

Embroidery

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

no

Describe embellishment materials or techniques:

Embroidered flowers are made with very thickly applied cotton floss.

Materials used to make the back:

Cotton

What color is the back of the quilt?

Coral

Number of pieces of fabric in the quilt back:

1

Describe the back:

Same fabric used throughout; Solid/plain

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)?

half inch - one inch

What kind of filling is used in the quilt?

Cotton

How are the layers held together?

Hand quilting

Color of thread used in the quilting:

white

Number of quilting stitches per inch, place 1:

8

Number of quilting stitches per inch, place 2:

10

Can you see any knots on the front or back of the quilt?

no

Quilting designs used, overall motifs:

Grid square; Patches outlined/in the ditch

Quilting designs used, decorative motifs:

Floral; Wreaths

Quilting designs used, background fills:

Grid/crosshatch

Describe the quilting designs used:

Around each face is a wreath; beneath each face is a quilted stem with two leaves. 24 quilted four-petaled flowers are throughout the center panel, each inside a quilted square and each bearing a gold embroidered center.

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

Each young girl is wearing a flannel bonnet which is tied in a bow under her chin. The faces are embroidered with bright blue eyes. Medium brown floss is used to embroider the hair and other facial features.

Quilt top made by:

Gasperik, Mary

Quilted by:

Gasperik, Mary

Where the quilt was made, city:

East Hazelcrest

Where the quilt was made, state:

Illinois (IL)

Where the quilt was made, country:

United States

How was this quilt acquired?

Gift

Tell the story of how the quilt was obtained:

The quilt was made for Gasperik's great-granddaughter, Cathy Salser, born in November 1966.

Why was the quilt made?

Baby or crib

The quilt was made to be used for:

Doll quilt/toy

Quilt is presently used as:

Keepsake/memento

Describe present uses of the quilt:

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

Where did the maker get their materials?

Purchased new

Where did the maker find their pattern?

Commercial/Published source: Pattern

Commercial name of the pattern for the top:

Possibly made with a stamped embroidered block.

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

Unknown

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

A similar design of baby faces on flower stalks sold on ebay. Found along the side of one of the blocks on that quilt was this pattern information: No. 0997 Flower Blocks RN21179. "RN" refers to Royal Neighbors publishing company (Davenport, IA). Through their mail order catalog, needlework patterns were sold. Further research is needed.

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

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.

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

Susan Salser remembers: "My daughter Cathy was born November of 1966. Mary Gasperik died May 25, 1969. We were living in Switzerland at the time when I sent a thank you note to my grandmother. The note dated April 15, 1967 was saved and I now have it. It said that 'the quilt is lovely and arrived in fine shape.' "

Ownership of this quilt is:

Private

Quilt owner's name:

Susan Krueger Salser

Quilt owner's country:

United States

Person filling out this form is:

Relative of quiltmaker; Quilt owner; Author/researcher

If you are a relative of the quiltmaker, how are you related? The quiltmaker is my:

Grandmother

Describe the relationship to the quilt's maker:

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

Quiltmaker's birthplace, country:

Hungary

Quiltmaker's marriage date(s):

11/18/1906

Quiltmaker's date of death:

05/25/1969

Quiltmaker's ethnic background/tribal affiliation:

Hungarian

Quiltmaker's educational background:

Elementary School

In which kind of environment did the quiltmaker live?

Rural

Quiltmaker's city:

East Hazelcrest

Quiltmaker's state:

Illinois (IL)

Quiltmaker's country:

United States

Quiltmaker's father's name:

Mihalovits, Istvan

Quiltmaker's father's birthplace:

Hungary

Quiltmaker's father's ethnic/tribal background:

Hungarian

Quiltmaker's mother's name:

Mihalovits, Vidoszava

Quiltmaker's mother's birthplace:

Hungary

Quiltmaker's mother's ethnic/tribal background:

Hungarian

Quiltmaker's spouse's/spouses' and /or partner's/partners' name(s):

Gasperik, Stephen

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

Hungarian

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

Milk Dealer/Grocery Store Owner/Butcher

Number of children:

3

How many of the quiltmaker's children were girls?

1 (Elsie 1909-1988)

How many of the quiltmaker's children were boys?

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 the quiltmaker quilt?

Pleasure; Other

Other notes on how the quiltmaker learned, and how and why they quilt:

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.

Does/did the quiltmaker belong to a group? Name of the group?

Tuley Park Quilt Club and Detroit News Quilt Club

Does/did the quiltmaker belong to a group?

Southside Chicago and Detroit MI

What are the main activities of the group?

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

Estimated number of quilts made by this quiltmaker:

more than 50

Does/did the quiltmaker sell quilts?

no

Does/did the quiltmaker teach quilting?

no

Who photographed this quilt?

Bruce Morr Photography

Access and copyright information:

Restricted

Copyright holder:

Susan Salser

Details

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