QUILT INDEX RECORD

25-21-5

Who documented this quilt?

Texas Sesquicentennial Quilt Association, Texas Quilt Search

Where are the records for this quilt housed?

Briscoe Center for American History, University of Texas at Austin

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.

tqs_0045

AUTHOR/INTERVIEWEE: The person who brought the quilt for documentation is the source. Enter his/her name here.

Blood relative of quiltmaker; Quilt owner; Other

OTHER RELATIONSHIP TO SOURCE: If you chose Other, for the relationship to the source, describe the relationship here.

This quilt was identified and reviewed during the Texas Sesquicentennial Quilt Association's Texas Quilt Search, 1983-1985. Karey Bresenhan served as quilt historian.

DATE OF DATA COLLECTION: Enter the date the state or county documentation form was filled out (as mm-dd-yyyy or c.yyyy, e.g. c.1965).

1983-1985

RELATIONSHIP OF SOURCE PERSON TO QUILT: Choose the best description of the relationship of the source to the quilt. Use ctrl + click to choose more than one.

Quilt owner

IF SOURCE PERSON IS QUILT OWNER: If the source is the owner, choose how they came to own the quilt. Use ctrl + click to choose more than one.

Inherited

OTHER INFORMATION ON SOURCE PERSON TO QUILT: If you chose other, please describe how the quilt maker participated in the design.

The quiltmaker was the great grandmoter of the quilt's present owner.

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

Finished 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.

Diamondback Rattlesnake

ALTERNATE NAME(S) FOR THE 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.

Rattlesnake

OVERALL WIDTH: Enter how wide the quilt is. Specify units of measure (mm or in or inches)

70 in.

OVERALL LENGTH: Enter how long the quilt is. Specify unit of measure (mm or in or inches).

73 in.

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.

Beige or Tan; Brown; Gray; Turquoise or Teal; White

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

Multicolor

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. Use ctrl + click to choose more than one.

Fading; Fold marks or creases; Stains; Tears or holes; Wear to edge or binding

OTHER DAMAGE TO QUILT: If you chose Other, please describe the damage.

general staining and wear throughout

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.

In 1985, as part of the preparations for the “Lone Stars: A Legacy of Texas Quilts, 1836-1936” exhibit in the Texas Capitol Rotunda, the Texas Sesquicentennial Quilt Association sponsored a Quilt Conservation Seminar. Part of the seminar was a two-day intensive hands-on laboratory attended by quilt experts who stabilized, backed, or otherwise prepared the quilts, including this one, for this exhibition.

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.

1876-1900

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).

ca. 1895

OTHER DATE ESTIMATION BY WHOM: Enter the name and/or title of the person who estimated the quilt's date for field 23d.

Karey Bresenhan

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

9

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.

Straight

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.

1

BLOCK STYLE: Some patterns use the same shape template throughout the quilt (i.e. Charm quilts, Grandmother Flower Garden, Brick wall, Lone Star). If this applies to your quilt, choose the best description.

Squares

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, appliquéd, stenciled) and the width of each border, from the inside to the outside.

narrow teal blue border on all sides

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.

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.

Hand-dyed; Print; Solid/plain

OTHER FIBER, FABRIC OR FABRIC PRINT TYPES USED: Describe any fibers used in the quilt top that do not appear in Field 37, including any unique characteristics of fiber, fabric, or fabric prints used. There is a separate Field (38g) for embellishments.

coarsely woven cotton

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

CONTAINS PAPER REMAINS: This field is for quilts that have been either string pieced on a paper foundation or English template pieced. Choose yes if you can feel or see paper on the quilt that was used as a construction aid.

no

FABRIC FIBER TYPES USED IN QUILT BACK: Choose the fiber type used to make the quilt back. Use ctrl + click to choose more than one.

Cotton

COLOR OF BACKING: Enter all colors that are found in the quilt backing. Use ctrl + click to choose more than one.

Beige or Tan

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; Solid/plain

CONSTRUCTION TECHNIQUES USED IN BINDING: Choose the construction technique used to make the quilt binding. Use ctrl + click to choose more than one.

Back turned to front

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. Use ctrl + click to choose more than one.

Hand quilting

THREAD TYPE: Describe the fiber content or type of quilting thread used on the quilt.

cotton

QUILTING DESIGNS USED: MOTIFS/OVERALL PATTERNS: Choose the overall quilt design found on the quilt top. Use ctrl + click to choose more than one.

Grid square; Other

PLEASE DESCRIBE OTHER QUILTING DESIGNS USED: Describe any quilting designs that appear on the quilt, but were not listed in a previous field.

Quilting design resembles the distinctive, lateral looping motion the sidewinder uses to move across the ground. Quilting around snake design follows curves; ripple quilting. Six blocks feature grid quilting; three feature denser quilting. Heavily quilted overall.

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.

Quilt is an excellent example of fabric color choice matching design subject, superb manipulation of fabric, and amazing piecing of many small triangles. Quiltmaker has chosen drab, earth-colored fabrics to suggest a snake's environment and done intricate piecing to suggest sensuous curve of a sidewinder.

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.

Bristol, Jemima Elvira Johnson

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.

Bristol, Jemima Elvira Johnson

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.

McKinney

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.

Collin

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.

Texas (TX)

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.

Jemima Bristol was born in North Carolina. She married William Bristol in 1859; the couple moved to Texas in 1873. They raised nine children, but lost five before they reached adulthood. Only one daughter, Myrtle Law Bristol, survived, and the Rattlesnake quilt was passed on to her. She passed the quilt on to her granddaughter, the present owner, Marguerite Houston Brock, who also makes quilts.

ANY ADDITIONAL STORIES OR NOTES ABOUT THE QUILT'S OWNERSHIP OR HISTORY: Describe anything about the history of the quilt that wasn't already recorded in a previous field.

As the mother of nine children, Jemima Bristol made clothes for her family as well as straw mattresses for family to sleep on. She raised chickens, pigs, and cows and kept a garden that included beans, potatoes, "and everything else [she] could to help feed the family." Her husband William built a cotton gin and worked it fourteen to sixteen hours a day. Jemima Bristol died in 1909 at age 67; her husband lived to be 103 years old.

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.

Art or personal expression

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.

Bedding, daily use

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

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

OTHER SOURCE(S) OF QUILT'S MATERIALS: If you chose Other, please explain how the quilt maker acquired the fabric for this quilt.

careful choice of colors suggests fabrics were purchased new specifically for this quilt

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

Traditional pattern variation

EXHIBITIONS (LIST ALL): List all known exhibits where this quilt has been displayed including: Title, Location, Dates, Venue of Exhibit and Catalog Title or publications, if applicable. Use this field for all information.

One of 62 Texas quilts exhibited in “Lone Stars: A Legacy of Texas Quilts, 1836-1936,” Texas State Capitol Rotunda, Austin, Texas, April 19-21, 1986.

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.

Marguerite Houston Brock

QUILT OWNER STATE: State of current quilt owner.

Texas (TX)

QUILT OWNER COUNTRY: Country of current quilt owner

United States

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.

Bresenhan, Karoline Patterson and Nancy O'Bryant Puentes, Lone Stars: A Legacy of Texas Quilts, Vol. I, 1836-1936 (Austin: University of Texas Press), p. 112-113.

QUILTMAKER'S MAIDEN NAME: Enter the maiden name of the quilt maker.

Johnson, Jemima Elvira

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).

10/19/1840

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).

1909

OCCUPATION: Enter the occupation of the quilt maker (if retired, former occupation).

homemaker

QUILT MAKER'S BIRTH STATE: Select the state of the quilt maker's birth.

North Carolina

QUILT MAKER'S COUNTRY OF BIRTH: Select the quilt maker's country of birth, if known.

United States

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

FATHER'S NAME: Enter the name of the quilt maker's father.

Johnson, Peter

FATHER'S BIRTHPLACE: Enter the birthplace of the quilt maker's father.

Virginia

MOTHER'S NAME: Enter the name of the quilt maker's mother.

Collins, Selina

MOTHER'S BIRTHPLACE: Enter the birthplace of the quilt maker's mother.

North Carolina

SPOUSE'S/SPOUSES' OCCUPATION(S): Enter the occupation of the quilt maker's spouse.

cotton gin owner

NUMBER OF CHILDREN: Enter the number of children of the quilt maker.

9

NUMBER OF FEMALE CHILDREN: Enter the number of daughters of the quilt maker.

2

NUMBER OF MALE CHILDREN: Enter the number of sons of the quilt maker.

7

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.

Texas Sesquicentennial Quilt Association’s Texas Quilt Search Archives

PHOTO CREDIT: Credit for photographer.

Sharon Risedorph

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.

Assistant Director Winedale