Images(2)

Quilt Top, Pieced Stars

DateBegan in 1848; finished in 1935

OriginAmerica, Pennsylvania, Morris Mill

MediumPlain and printed cottons

DimensionsOH: 108 3/4" x OW: 108 1/2"

Credit LineGift of Anne H. Miller

Object number2023.609.6

DescriptionThis is a square pieced quilt top with a large centered 8-pointed star made up of 968 pieced diamonds in small-patterned printed textiles—1 red, 3 yellow, 4 green, 3 pink, and 1 rust. There are smaller 8-pointed stars in each corner made up of 72 diamonds each. Centered at each side is a half star made up of 36 diamonds. The total number of diamonds in the quilt is 1400. All stars are on a plain cotton ground. The outer border is a sawtooth pattern consisting of 93 triangles. The backing is brought to the front to form a ¾” wide edge with mitered corners. The top is not quilted. The plain cotton backing consists of three panels measuring approximately 28 ½”, 29”, and 51 ¼”.
Label TextPieced quilts in this star pattern are often known as Star of Bethlehem or Lone Star quilts. The owners of this quilt top referred to it as the "blazing star quilt." A total of 1400 diamonds were pieced together to form the large center star and the smaller stars and half stars in the corners and on the sides. In 1848, the quilt was begun by Hannah S Wertsner; the pieced top was finished in 1935 by Blanche N. Hallowell. The cover tells a story of how one family cherished its history and material culture.
ProvenanceThe quilt top descended through its family of origin.