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Museum purchase, 1985.45.0  Photograph by Gavin Ashworth.  © 2009 The Connecticut Historical So…
Wholecloth Quilt
Museum purchase, 1985.45.0 Photograph by Gavin Ashworth. © 2009 The Connecticut Historical Society.
Photographs and all rights purchased by the Connecticut Historical Society.

Wholecloth Quilt

Quiltmaker (American, born 1782)
Date1808
MediumHand-stitched, twill-woven glazed wool (calamanco), plain-woven wool, wool batting, and worsted thread
DimensionsPrimary Dimensions (length x width): 90 x 87in. (228.6 x 221cm)
ClassificationsTextiles
Credit LineMuseum purchase
DescriptionWholecloth quilt consisting of a dark blue, twill-woven glazed worsted wool, or calamanco, top; an interior layer of wool batting; and a domestically-produced, plain-woven, gold wool backing. These three layers are hand-stitched together with dark blue worsted thread in an elaborate quilted pattern. The quiltmaker's name, "Betsey Payne", and the date, "1808", are stitched into the pattern at the top edge of the quilt. The quilted pattern has a pomegranate or artichoke in the center. Above this are leaves on vines and a pair of pears. Below the artichoke are three sprays of leaves. The artichoke has a spray of leaves to either side. Both sides and the bottom of the quilt have a border of slanted lobes, or leaves. The background consists of a field of diagonal lines.

The quilt top consists of four panels of calamanco. The backing consists of three large panels of plain-woven, gold wool and at least two additional strips of the same fabric. All four edges of the quilt are finished with a knife edge.

Condition: The glazing on the calamanco has worn unevenly. There is some minor discoloration on the quilt top. Small and medium-sized holes and tears are scattered across the blue calamanco and have been repaired with dark blue thread. There are scattered small holes on the back of the quilt.
Object number1985.45.0
On View
Not on view
Wholecloth Quilt
Asenath King
about 1787
Gift of John T. Whitman, 1963.8.2  Photograph by Gavin Ashworth.  © 2009 The Connecticut Histor…
Esther Lyman
1730-1760
1966.49.0 on a bed.
Lucy Arnold
1815
Gift of Mrs. J. Chandlee Ergood, 1980.9.1  Photograph by Gavin Ashworth.  © 2009 The Connecticu…
Sylvia Punderson
1800-1825
Gift of the Lyman Allyn Museum, 1959.54.3  Photograph by Gavin Ashworth.   © 2009 The Connectic…
Unknown
1750-1770
Museum purchase, 1982.58.0  Photograph by Gavin Ashworth.  © 2009 The Connecticut Historical So…
Unknown
1750-1825
Wholecloth Quilt
Mercy Copp
embroidered 1775-1800, quilted 1800-1825
Gift of the Hartford Foundation for Public Giving, 1964.35.0  Photograph by Gavin Ashworth.  © …
Elizabeth Swan
1761-1778
Wholecloth Quilt
Clarissa Dunham
about 1820
Gift of Virgil Barker, 1947.12.1, Connecticut Historical Society, Copyright Undetermined
Nelson Barker
1850-1860
Gift of Marion F. Leeds, 1975.24.0  Photograph by Gavin Ashworth  © 2008 The Connecticut Histor…
Esther Lockwood
1817