QUILT INDEX RECORD

2-33-13

Where are the records for this quilt housed?

Signature Quilt Pilot Project

Who documented this quilt?

Signature Quilt Project Public Submission

Signature Quilt Pilot Project Number:

MQP 09.0074

This is a:

Finished quilt

Quilt's title:

Alice Lane Quilt

Names for quilt's pattern in common use:

Album (McKim, the only published version with a name embroidered); Courthouse Square (Hall & Kretsinger, 1935); Arbor Window (Grandmother Clark, 1931); The Cross Patch (Rural New Yorker 6/7/1930); and Odd Fellow's Quilt (Orange Judd Farmer)

Brackman # or other source & #:

2414

How wide is the quilt?

72 1/4"

How long is the quilt?

83"

What color is the quilt?

Blue or Navy; Cream; Green; Pink; Purple; Red; White; Yellow

Antique colors:

Nile Green

Type of inscription:

Initials; Multiple Names

What is inscribed on the quilt?

There is one signature for each block. All blocks are stitched in either a running stitch or a stem stitch. The color of the thread is denoted in parentheses. Row 1: Constance Murphy (yellow); Velma Leinbach July 10, 1935 (orange); Hazel Jones April 24-1935 (blue); Nellie Lane Brown (green); Maggie Scroggins. 5-3-35. (blue) Row 2: Mae Lane Dawson Springs, Ky. (blue); Mae Lawson 3-35. (orange); Lessie M Milligan, Harrisburg, Ill (purple); Nancy Louise Rybolt August 9, 1935 (yellow); Martha Gott. (blue). Row 3: Mabel Irene Moore. (brown); Fannie Vinyard Wauwatosa, Wis. (blue); Nancy M. Ginger. 5-5-35. (brown); Betty Lou Vinyard (red); Laura Watson, Shawneetown Ill. (blue). Row 4: Mrs. Mae M. McGrew. Sears Quilt Club. (pink); Zelda Alford June 25-35. (brown); Louisa Lane Caseyville Ky. (yellow); Betty Ann Rybolt 4.24.35. (green); Nevil Vinyard June 5-35 (gold). Row 5: Hannah Durward (blue); Vivian L. Rybolt Detroit, Michigan July 22, 1935 (red); Marie D. Schneider Toledo Ohio. (green); Flora Dickerson 3-28-35. Detroit Mich. (purple); Molly Brown. (green) Row 6: Metta C. Rybolt Lapeer Mich July 8-1935 (orange); Evelyn Wallis April 23-1935 (blue); Frankie Vinyard (green): Roland Brown. (green); Margaret Dawson July 2. 1935 Detroit, Michigan (purple).

Method used to make the inscription:

Embroidery

Time period:

1930-1949

Date estimated by an antique dealer, quilt historian or appraiser:

1935

Further information concerning dates:

Dates are recorded on numerous blocks.

Describe the quilt's layout:

Block pattern

Fiber types used to make the quilt top:

Cotton

Fabric styles used in the quilt top:

Floral; Geometric; Print

Piecing techniques used to make the quilt top:

Hand Piecing

Other people who worked on this quilt:

Murphy, Constance; Leinbach, Velma; Jones, Hazel; Brown, Nellie Lane; Scroggins, Maggie; Lane, Mae; Milligan, Leslie M; Rybolt, Nancy Louise; Gott, Martha; Moore, Mabel Irene; Vinyard, Fannie L; Ginger, Nancy M; Vinyard, Betty Lou; Watson, Laura; McGrew, Mrs. Mae M; Alford, Zelda; Lane, Louisa; Rybolt, Betty Ann; Vinyard, Nevil; Durward, Hannah; Rybolt, Vivian L; Schneider, Marie D.; Dickerson, Flora; Brown, Molly; Rybolt, Metta C.; Wallis, Evelyn; Vinyard, Frankie; Brown, Roland; Dawson, Margaret; Lawson, Mae

Where the quilt was made, city:

Detroit, Michigan

Where the quilt was made, county:

Wayne

Where the quilt was made, country:

United States

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

The quilt was owned by Alice Lane and when she passed away, it was inherited by Vivian Rybolt, the younger of her two daughters. Vivian passed the quilt on to the eldest of her two daughters, Betty Ann MacDowell (nee Rybolt). Betty gave the quilt to her eldest daughter, Marsha MacDowell, on the occasion of Marsha's 50th birthday.

Why was the quilt made?

Anniversary; Autograph or friendship; Gift or presentation

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

While preparing to gather information on this quilt to enter it into the Quilt Index, Marsha MacDowell asked her mother Betty if she knew why Alice Lane's name was not on the quilt. Betty recalled that 1935 would have been Alice's 50th birthday and, thus, this would probably have been a gift to her from her friends and family. Betty was only nine when she signed it. Beth Donaldson assisted by making a template. Betty MacDowell supplied the following info in summer 2009, noting that the individuals identified simply as "friend" may also have been members of the Quilt Club. RELATIONSHIP OF SIGNED INDIVIDUALS TO ALICE GINGER LANE Row 1: QUILT CLUB FRIEND Constance Murphy (yellow); DAUGHTER Velma Leinbach July 10, 1935 (orange); FRIEND Hazel Jones April 24-1935 (blue); SISTER-IN-LAW Nellie Lane Brown (green); SISTER Maggie Scroggins. 5-3-35. (blue) Row 2: SISTER-IN-LAW Mae Lane Dawson Springs, Ky. (blue); QUILT CLUB FRIEND Mae Lawson 3-35. (orange); NIECE (DAUGHTER OF FRANKIE VINYARD) Lessie M Milligan, Harrisburg, Ill (purple); GRANDDAUGHTER (DAUGHTER OF VIVIAN RYBOLT) Nancy Louise Rybolt August 9, 1935 (yellow); FRIEND Martha Gott. (blue). Row 3: FRIEND Mabel Irene Moore. (brown); SISTER Fannie Vinyard Wauwatosa, Wis. (blue); MOTHER Nancy M. Ginger. 5-5-35. (brown); NIECE (DAUGHTER OF FRANKIE VINYARD)Betty Lou Vinyard (red); SISTER Laura Watson, Shawneetown Ill. (blue). Row 4: QUILT CLUB FRIEND Mrs. Mae M. McGrew. Sears Quilt Club. (pink); FRIEND Zelda Alford June 25-35. (brown); MOTHER IN LAW Louisa Lane Caseyville Ky. (yellow); GRANDDAUGHTER (DAUGHTER OF VIVIAN RYBOLT) Betty Ann Rybolt 4.24.35. (green); SISTER Nevil Vinyard June 5-35 (gold). Row 5: FRIEND Hannah Durward (blue); DAUGHTER Vivian L. Rybolt Detroit, Michigan July 22, 1935 (red); FRIEND Marie D. Schneider Toledo Ohio. (green); QUILT CLUB FRIEND Flora Dickerson 3-28-35. Detroit Mich. (purple); WIFE OF NEPHEW ROLAND BROWN Molly Brown. (green) Row 6: FRIEND AND MOTHER-IN-LAW OF DAUGHTER VIVIAN RYBOLT Metta C. Rybolt Lapeer Mich July 8-1935 (orange); FRIEND Evelyn Wallis April 23-1935 (blue); SISTER Frankie Vinyard (green); NEPHEW (SON OF NELLIE LANE BROWN) Roland Brown. (green); QUILT CLUB FRIEND Margaret Dawson July 2. 1935 Detroit, Michigan (purple).

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

Photos of the original quilt recipient are available as well as the occasion when Marsha was given the quilt. Edith Crumb's quilt column in the Detroit News mentioned Alice Lane's quilt club on a couple of occasions. Marsha also has Alice Lane's quilt scrapbook; among other things, it contains greeting cards sent to Alice by her quilt friends.

Quilt owner's name:

Marsha MacDowell

Quilt owner's city:

East Lansing

Quilt owner's country:

United States

Description of quilt:

This quilt contains the names of friends and family members associated with Alice Lane (nee Ginger, including members of Alice Lane's "Happy Day Quilt Club" (also sometimes called "Rain or Shine Quilt Club." It was inherited first by her daughter Vivian Rybolt (nee Lane), then her granddaughter, Betty MacDowell (nee Rybolt) both of whose names are on the quilt. Betty gave the quilt to her daughter, Marsha MacDowell, on the occasion of Marsha's 50th birthday.

Essay:

Over the course of Marsha MacDowell's life, she has been fortunate to have had many quilts given to her by family members and friends. Her maternal great-grandmothers Alice Lane and Metta Rybolt both made quilts for her when she was born and Marsha grew up sleeping under quilts. When Marsha was a young girl, her mother Betty passed on to her the doll quilts that her grandmothers had given her when she was a child. Betty and her mother Vivian Rybolt also gave Marsha family quilts on the occasion of Marsha leaving for college, her wedding, significant birthdays, and upon receipt of college degrees. Marsha treasures each and every one of these and is delighted to be able to enter this information into the Quilt Index.

Who photographed this quilt?

Pearl Yee Wong

Access and copyright information:

Open/Public Domain

Details