Images(2)

Quilt, Pieced One Patch, Child

Dateca. 1880

OriginAmerica, West Virginia (possibly)

MediumPlain and printed cotton

DimensionsOH: 36 3/8 in.; OW: 34 1/2 in.

Credit LineMuseum Purchase

Object number2018.609.7

DescriptionThis is a nearly-square child's quilt made of 72 pieced squares in a One Patch pattern. Of these 72 squares, six are plain cloth, three feature polka dots (this is excluding the squares that feature small sprigs or tiny geometric designs), four have simple stripes (excluding stripes overlaid with flowers or other designs), and two have simple checks. A description of each square in the quilt is below.

There are 4 plain blue squares (1 of them is slightly lighter and may be different), 3 squares with a blue/green/purple paisley pattern, 2 white squares with small black sprigs, 2 striped squares with alternating green leaves and green/red/blue/mustard geometric flowers, 1 purple square with a black and white crackle design, 3 tan and light brown squares with black flowers in pots, 2 brown-green and white check squares, 2 squares with a brown and black brick pattern topped with a blue sparkle print, 2 squares with magenta and white flowers, 1 dark brown square with a light brown lattice and white/orange/red diamonds, 2 plain pink squares, 5 green squares with light green and white stencil-esque leaves, 3 white squares with black polka dots, 2 maroon squares with a white vine design, 1 brown gingham square, 1 pink and white stripe square, 1 black square with red vines and white/orange/red flowers, 1 square with light pink and blue stripes with brown flowers on top, 2 squares with thin brown and light blue stripes, 2 black squares with tiny white/orange/red sprigs, 1 gray-blue square with red dots and mossy green flowers, 1 black square with light brown swirls and blue vines and red flowers, 1 burgundy square with white vine stripes, 2 white squares with brown bricks, 3 brown squares with light brown vines and white/black hoops, 1 brown and white striped square with red and brown dotted lines, 2 light brown and white striped squares, 2 squares with light blue squiggles and darker blue dots, 2 squares of yellow/brown/black stripes, 1 maroon square with gray/red/black geometric print, 1 white and brown striped square with red/white/brown bursts, 1 brown square with light brown leaves and white/brown/orange/red stacks, 1 turquoise square with a white and brown coral print, 1 white square with tiny black sprigs, 1 square of pink gingham, 1 square with bright pink and white stripes, 1 navy square with white shapes, 1 square of brown and white stripes and crosshatching, 1 white square with spread out black dots, 1 square with a brown/white/red geometric print of tiny rectangles, 1 square of blue squiggles with blue dots, and 1 brown square with black and green flowers and light brown leaves.

The quilt is backed in a bar pattern with seven stripes involving three fabrics. These are a navy cotton with white sprigs, a gray cotton with a black geometric pattern, and a pink cotton with miniscule vines. The order of stripes is blue, gray, blue, pink, blue, gray, blue.

The quilt is finished with a knife edge. It is quilted in 6-7 running stitches per inch in a pattern of squares on point.
Label TextGiven its small size, it is clear this quilt was made for a child. The quilt is made up of 72 squares, featuring fabrics with a variety of stripes, dots, checks, and a number of geometric and floral prints in a pattern known as One Patch. The anonymous quiltmaker carefully distributed her fabric squares so that no two squares pieced together are similar in color.
InscribedNone
MarkingsNone
ProvenanceEx. Collection: Pat Nickols; per previous owner the small quilt was found in West Virginia.