QUILT INDEX RECORD

18-14-81

Description:

Mary Gasperik is known to have made at least five taffeta or rayon wholecloth quilts, four of which survive. See also #007, #027, #042 and #078. This one is owned by grand-daughter Joanne Gasperik, who dearly treasures it as a tangible link to her quilting heritage.

Where are the records for this quilt housed?

Mary Gasperik Legacy Project

Who documented this quilt?

Mary Gasperik Private Collection

Gasperik Legacy Project Number:

079

This is a:

Finished quilt

Quilt's title:

Wholecloth Baby Quilt

Owner's name for quilt:

Satin Wholecloth Baby Quilt (Joanne)

How wide is the quilt?

44 inches

How long is the quilt?

59 inches

Shape of edge:

Straight

Shape of corners:

Straight

What color is the quilt?

Pink

Overall color scheme:

Bright or primary colors

Quilt's condition:

Excellent/like new

Time period:

1930-1949

When was the quilt finished?

1949-before

Family/owner's date for quilt:

Pre 1949

Who estimated the quilt's date?

Merikay Waldvogel

Number of borders:

None

Describe the borders:

Quilted feathered border.

Fiber types used to make the quilt top:

Rayon

Fabric styles used in the quilt top:

Solid/plain

Materials used to make the back:

Synthetic

What color is the back of the quilt?

Blue or Navy

Describe the back:

Same fabric used throughout

How are the layers held together?

Hand quilting

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

no

Quilting designs used, decorative motifs:

Feathering; Wreaths

Quilting designs used, background fills:

Grid/crosshatch

Quilt top made by:

Gasperik, Mary

Quilted by:

Gasperik, Mary

Where the quilt was made, city:

Chicago

Where the quilt was made, county:

Cook County

Where the quilt was made, state:

Illinois (IL)

Where the quilt was made, country:

United States

How was this quilt acquired?

Gift

Why was the quilt made?

Baby or crib

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

Published material

What is the commercial name of the quilting design used for this quilt?

QuiltING design Q517B from Colonial Quilts by Hubert Ver Mehren/Home Art Studios is quilted into the four corners.

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

The large quilted wreath forming the centerpiece of this quilt is from a pattern Gasperik also used as the centerpiece of her morning glory quilts (see #009, #016, #026 and #062). Although the pattern very closely resembles a 14" by 17" oval quilted wreath pattern offered by Hubert Ver Mehren (as #521 in Colonial Quilts and #5210 in Hope Winslow's Qult Book) Gasperik's wreath, although having the same proportions, is larger.

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.

Ownership of this quilt is:

Private

Quilt owner's name:

Joanne Gasperik

Quilt owner's country:

United States

Person filling out this form is:

Relative of quiltmaker; 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:

Chicago

Quiltmaker's county:

Cook

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?

Joanne Gasperik

Access and copyright information:

Restricted

Copyright holder:

Joanne Gasperik