QUILT INDEX RECORD

18-14-95

DESCRIPTION OF ESSAY: Paragraph length description of the object.

This is likely the first Double Feather Star quilt top Gasperik pieced and appliquéd from a pattern she made with her daughter Elsie's help. It is based on an antique quilt in Marie Webster's book. Compare to #006 Double Feather Star and #045 Double Feather Star. Interestingly, this Gasperik quilt design adaptation Double Feather Star may be the source, rather than the result, of a commercial pattern. Fellow Chicagoan Catherine (aka Katherine) Hamburger entered a quilt which she called Harlequin in the 1942 Woman's Day contest. Hamburger's Harlequin was offered in 1943 as a pattern from Spool Cotton Co. ordered through Woman's Day. Harlequin uses two of the Gasperik Double Feather Star blocks. Note that the orientations of all triangles in the pieced star block and the orientation of feathers in the applique vase block match on this quilt top and the Hamburger Harlequin quilt photographed for Woman's Day. These orientations also match the photograph published in the February 11, 1936, Detroit News of a quilt top which arrived too late to include in the October 1935 Detroit News Quilt Show and Contest. Three of those Woman's Day/Spool Co. patterns, as well as a small newspaper clipping about a prolific and prize-winning quiltmaker named Katherine Webb Hamburger (of 11435 St. Louis Ave, Chicago; thought to be the same woman as the quilt contest entrant described by Woman's Day as "Catherine Hamburger of Chicago"), are among the surviving quilt papers of Mary Gasperik.

ESSAY: Essay about this quilt or image object.

Linda MacLachlan wrote her thoughts in the following 1992 exhibit caption: "a 77 x 100 inch Double Feathered Star top, unfinished. Plumes of off-white percale in 2 different designs appliqued on white on black calico patches. Alternate patchwork feathered stars are in the same calico on relatively rough and heavy off white muslin. This top is similar to Susan's and Doris's in design except that its corners do not contain appliqued single plumes on the muslin corners. I am in the process of quilting it in the same pattern Grandma used on Susan's quilt. I suspect it remained unfinished because the muslin is too heavy to quilt very finely." Susan Salser wondered, ". . . if my grandmother might have selected that heavy fabric to piece and applique this first attempt at a 'Webster' quilt because she understood that Marie Webster used linen to make her own quilts. The kind of linen Mary was most familiar with was the heavy linen her family (and ours!) used as bed sheets. Such material is excellent for embroidery and cutwork (two needlework forms Mary practiced throughout her life), but would have made the Double Feather Star top difficult to quilt successfully."

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.

081

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

Quilt top with unfinished edge

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.

Double Feather Star

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.

Double Feather Star (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.

Feather Star With Applique (Marie Webster)

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.

40.42

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

Black; White

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

Two color

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

Unknown/Not Rated

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.

Quilt top by Gasperik is being quilted by grand-daughter.

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.

Timespan

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

probably 1935

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.

1993

FAMILY/OWNER'S DATE FOR QUILT: If there are family stories that indicate a date when the quilt was made, enter that date (as mm-dd-yyyy or c.yyyy, e.g. c.1965).

quiltING begun by granddaughter in 1993

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).

c. 1935

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.

Block pattern

NUMBER OF QUILT BLOCKS: This field only applies to quilts with a block format. Some blocks are harder to count than others (e.g. Storms at Sea, Double Wedding Ring). If needed, describe how the blocks were counted or if there are half blocks/corner blocks

18 whole blocks, 10 half blocks

ARRANGEMENT OF QUILT BLOCKS: BLOCK ORIENTATION: This field only applies to quilts with a block format. Choose the best description for how the quilt blocks appear in the quilt.

On point or rotated on 45 degrees

SPACING RELATIVE TO OTHER BLOCKS: This field only applies to quilts with a block format. Choose the best description for how the quilt blocks are set together. Sashings are strips of fabric that separate the quilt blocks from one another.

Side by side

NUMBER OF DIFFERENT BLOCK PATTERNS PRESENT: Enter the number of different block patterns used in the quilt.

3

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.

1

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.

One white border on four sides. Unlike quilts 006 and 045, there is no applique feather in each corner of the border.

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

Broadcloth; Muslin

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.

Print; Solid/plain

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

Hand Piecing

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

OTHER FABRIC FIBER TYPES USED IN QUILT BACK: If you chose Other, please describe the fiber used in the quilt back.

paisley print selected and attached by quilt owner Linda MachLachlan ~1993

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

Same fabric used throughout

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

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 off-white fabric Gasperik chose to use in this top is so heavy and stiff as to be probably unquiltable. Such a mistake may reflect Gasperik's lack of experience in quilting at the time she pieced and appliqued this. Had she been a member at the time she started this, it is likely that Tuley Park Quilting Club members would have advised her to select a different fabric. The choice that she DID make was perhaps intended to capture an 'antique' look, which she may have sought because she was copying an antique quilt (Figure 35 in Marie Webster's book). Gasperik's fabric is somewhat reminiscent of heavy Hungarian linen, although I do not know exactly what the fiber is.

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.

MacLachlan, Linda Krueger

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 daughter Elsie during a division of quilts after Gasperik died in 1969. After Elsie's death in 1988, daughters Karen, Linda and Susan divided her quilts. Linda selected this one.

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.

Unknown

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

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; Unknown

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

Other

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

Gasperik (with Elsie's help) made her own pattern from a photograph of a section of an antique quilt in Marie Webster's Quilts: Their Story and How to Make Them.

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.

Another quilt

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.

Grand-daughter Linda MacLachlan backed the quilt and, in 1993, began finishing it, following the quiltING pattern Gasperk used on #045.

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.

Quilts: Their Story and How to Make Them, Marie D. Webster, Doubleday, Doran & Company Inc., 1928, quilt photograph facing page 66.

The Detroit News, February 11, 1936, page 24, "There are 1467 Pieces in This Charming Top", by Edith B. Crumb. Has a photograph of this Gasperik quilt top. Almost all of this significant article is about Mary Gasperik. It presents this top (which arrived too late to appear in the October 1935 Detroit News quilt show), mentions a red and white version that Gasperik was currently working on (quilt #006 which was shown at the 1937 Detroit News quilt show) and a Bridal Bouquet quilt which she is "planning to give it to her niece as a wedding present" (quilt #074, donated to the collection of the Los Angeles County Museum of Art by that niece in 1972). It is unlikely Gasperik herself ever saw the article. The Detroit clippings which survive were ones she brought back from the quilt shows she attended. There was no Detroit quilt show in 1936.

Family photograph taken of the quilt top in the Kruegers' Chicago apartment at the time the Krueger sisers divided Elsie's quilts (ie before sister Linda embarked on her plan to quilt it). That is the photograph presented with this quilt record.

Instruction sheet from Alice Beyer, Director - Art Crafts, Chicago Park District reads, in part: "The clubs are organized according to the needs and requests of the neighborhoods and are carried on by skilled Park instructors. These instructors act as leaders, and, in turn, develop club members in the groups. The Clubs meet for two and a half hour periods, twice a week. However, some of the Clubs, having volunteer leaders, meet for several hours at a time." A photocopy of this instruction sheet was sent to Susan Salser by Barbara Brackman. The leader of the Tuley Park Quilting Club was named Virgie Stewart.

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.

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 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.

Krueger sisters

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.

Susan Salser

Details