Whitework Quilt
QuiltmakerPossibly quilted by a member of the
Sisson family
American
QuiltmakerPossibly quilted by a member of the
Stark family
American
Date1820-1840
MediumMachine-woven and hand-woven white and undyed cotton, hand-stitched machine-spun cotton thread, woven cotton tape
DimensionsPrimary Dimensions (approximate height x width): 90 x 90in. (228.6 x 228.6cm)
ClassificationsTextiles
Credit LineGift of Gerald and Rebecca Sisson
DescriptionWhitework quilt consisting of a white cotton top and backing that have been hand-stitched together in an elaborate quilted pattern in the Empire, or late neoclassical, style. The design elements in the pattern have been filled with stuffing and cording, a technique known as trapunto. The quilted pattern includes of five rows of five quilted designs, alternating between a large flower, a cornucopia with flowers, a bunch of grapes, or feathers. These are in a field of evenly spaced, raised 7/8-inch circles, over a background of closely-spaced, quilted zig-zag lines. A border on each side of the quilt consists of a curved vine with leaves emerging from a row of raised circles at the edge.
The top and bottom of the quilt each consist of three panels of cotton that are joined at a seam. The plain-woven white cotton backing is coarse. The cotton thread is probably machine-spun. The edges are finished with white woven cotton tape.
Condition: The top has significant brown discoloration, with less than ten areas of dark brown spots; the browning may be the result of a prior cleaning.
The top and bottom of the quilt each consist of three panels of cotton that are joined at a seam. The plain-woven white cotton backing is coarse. The cotton thread is probably machine-spun. The edges are finished with white woven cotton tape.
Condition: The top has significant brown discoloration, with less than ten areas of dark brown spots; the browning may be the result of a prior cleaning.
Object number2004.77.0
NotesHistorical Note: According to the donors, this quilt was made either by a member of the Sisson family or the Stark family of North Plain, Old Lyme, Connecticut. Object Note: The pattern is the Fiddlehead pattern, found in the Encyclopedia of Designs for Quiliting by Phyllis Miller.
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