Wholecloth Quilt
EmbroidererBed hangings possibly embroidered by
Mercy Copp
(Anglo-American)
QuiltmakerPossibly quilted by
Rhoda W. Fuller
(American, 1795 - 1859)
QuiltmakerPossibly quilted by
Rhoda Baldwin
(American, 1770 - 1837)
Dateembroidered 1775-1800, quilted 1800-1825
MediumHand-stitched embroidery; crewel wool and cotton thread on plain-woven linen
DimensionsPrimary Dimensions (height x width): 90 x 97 1/2in. (228.6 x 247.7cm)
ClassificationsTextiles
Credit LineMuseum purchase
Object number1976.43.0
DescriptionWholecloth quilt consisting of a plain-woven linen top, thick batting, and a plain-woven linen backing; these three layers are hand-stitched together with parallel quilting lines. The quilt top is made from bed hangings, a pair of bed curtains and three valances, that have been stitched together. The bed hangings are hand-stitched with crewel, or two-ply worsted wool, in many bright colors, including dark medium and light blue, dark medium and light pink, red, yellow, blue-green and cream.
The center of the quilt is decorated with two side-by-side crewel embroidered patterns, each with a single flower emerging from a blue basket in the center. These are surrounded by widely-spaced designs of single or multiple flowers emerging from a small basket or from a scrolled vine. Each of the four sides of the quilt has a border of scrolled vines intertwined with large flowers. The bottom left and right corners of the quilt are angled.
The quilt is constructed of panels of plain-woven linen that were hand-stitched together to form bed hangings, then decorated. The backing consists of plain-woven linen panels that are pieced together; at the bottom of the backing are strips of a compound-weave fabric. Each edge of the quilt has a plain-woven tape binding.
The principal stitch on the bedcovering is outline; it also includes satin, encroaching satin, herringbone, buttonhole, buttonhole, darning, flat and seed.
Condition: The crewel wool is intact, although the lighter colors have faded. The top, or ground, is worn and has holes along the top edge of the quilt. The quilt is yellowed with large and small brown stains scattered on the top and backing. Additional holes on the back are located at the site of some stains and in the compound-weave fabric at the bottom.
The center of the quilt is decorated with two side-by-side crewel embroidered patterns, each with a single flower emerging from a blue basket in the center. These are surrounded by widely-spaced designs of single or multiple flowers emerging from a small basket or from a scrolled vine. Each of the four sides of the quilt has a border of scrolled vines intertwined with large flowers. The bottom left and right corners of the quilt are angled.
The quilt is constructed of panels of plain-woven linen that were hand-stitched together to form bed hangings, then decorated. The backing consists of plain-woven linen panels that are pieced together; at the bottom of the backing are strips of a compound-weave fabric. Each edge of the quilt has a plain-woven tape binding.
The principal stitch on the bedcovering is outline; it also includes satin, encroaching satin, herringbone, buttonhole, buttonhole, darning, flat and seed.
Condition: The crewel wool is intact, although the lighter colors have faded. The top, or ground, is worn and has holes along the top edge of the quilt. The quilt is yellowed with large and small brown stains scattered on the top and backing. Additional holes on the back are located at the site of some stains and in the compound-weave fabric at the bottom.
Status
Not on view
