QUILT INDEX RECORD

5-2-56

Where are the records for this quilt housed?

Illinois State Museum

Who documented this quilt?

Illinois Quilt Research Project; Illinois State Museum Collection

Alternate inventory control number:

1992.51.3

Ownership of this quilt is:

Public Museum, Library or Institution

Quilt owner's name:

Illinois State Museum

Quiltmaker's Name (top):

Small, Albert

Quiltmaker's country:

United States

What is the quiltmaker's birthdate?

1885 England

What is/was the occupation of the quiltmaker?

explosives handler at quarry

Date and place of quiltmaker's death:

1955 IL

Did the quiltmaker have any children? If so, how many?

2

How many of the quiltmaker's children were girls?

1

How many of the quiltmaker's children were boys?

1

Quiltmaker's mother's name:

Small, Sarah

Quiltmaker's mother's birthplace:

England

Quiltmaker's father's name:

Small, William

Quiltmaker's father's birthplace:

England

How did the quiltmaker learn to quilt?

Self-Taught

When did the quiltmaker learn to quilt?

Age 50 or over

Anything else we should know about the quiltmaker?

Grace Snyder's attempt to copy Albert's Mosaic 2 inspired him to create a quilt he thought no one could match for the most number of pieces. He trimmed another 1/4 inch from his tin template and nearly double the number of pieces. Becuase it was during the war and fabric was scare he walked to the town daily to check incoming bolts of cotton at the dry-good store. He estimated that he could cut 6000 pieces from each yard of fabric. It took 4 years to piece (6,000 hours) and his wife and daughter-in-law quilted the top for him.

How did the owner get the quilt?

Gift

How did the quiltmaker participate in the creation of the quilt?

Made entire quilt top

If you know of other people who worked on this quilt, please give names and what role they played:

Small, Marion; Small, Eva Clements

Where the quilt was made, city:

Ottawa

Where the quilt was made, county:

LaSalle

Where the quilt was made, state:

Illinois (IL)

Where the quilt was made, country:

United States

Date owner signed the form:

1992

Pattern name; used by owner or by maker:

Mosaic 3

Date provided by maker/owner:

1941-45

Date estimated by IQRP:

1941-45

Who estimated the quilt's date?

Jan Wass, Curator

Time period:

1930-1949

Length:

98

Width:

84

Block size:

1/4" hexagons

Quilting stitches per inch. Are they even?

6

Quilting stitches per inch (in a second spot on the quilt):

5

Format:

Finished quilt

Piecing techinques used to make the quilt top:

Hand Piecing; English template Piecing

Construction (top):

One patch or allover

Block style (top):

Hexagons

Number of full blocks; pieced, appliqued, and plain:

123,200

Fabric; fibers:

Cotton

Fabric print:

Solid/plain

Overall color scheme:

Multicolor

Describe the quilting designs used:

All-over parallel lines.

How are the layers held together?

Hand quilting

What type of thread was used for the quilting?

cotton

What color was the quilting thread?

white

Binding and edge treatment:

Bias grain

Materials used in the quilt binding:

Cotton

Fabric structure of the binding:

Plain weave

What is the width of the binding (measure on the top only)?

less than a half inch

Shape of edge:

Straight

Shape of corners:

Straight

Filler:

Cotton

Thickness:

Thin (Less than 3/16?)

Backing; fiber content:

Cotton

Backing; fabric:

Same fabric used throughout; Solid/plain

Backing; color:

Pink

Condition:

Excellent/like new

Access and copyright information:

Restricted

Copyright holder:

Illinois State Museum

Quiltmaker's maiden name:

Small, Albert