Quilt, Pieced Printed Cotton Strips

Date1780-1810

MediumPrinted cottons, cotton-linen, and linen, with cotton batting

Dimensions86 X 86"

Credit LineGift of Mrs. Cora Ginsburg

Object number1986-259

DescriptionQuilt pieced from thirteen narrow strips of floral cotton and cotton-linen textiles, alternating dark and light grounds. The quilt is made from four different block-printed designs, carefully positioned to give symmetry in the arrangement. Quilted in diamonds with running stitches following the colors of the ground fabrics to a linen backing, probably a reused bed sheet, judging from the stitched initials "AC/ 8". No binding; edges turned in and stitched.
Label TextStrip Quilt; maker unknown; block-printed cottons and cotton-linen backed with linen; America; 1780-1810; 86" X 86"; 1986-259, gift of Cora Ginsburg. This thirteen-strip quilt is made from four different block-printed cottons, carefully assembled to alternate dark and light and to create a symmetrical finished product. The diamond quilting stitches match the colors of each strip. Some of the strips have been pieced to make them long enough for the quilt. The backing is a reused linen sheet that still retains the original owner's mark AC/ 8, indicating that this was once one of eight bed sheets.
InscribedAC 8 on linen backing.
ProvenanceFrom the collection of Cora Ginsburg