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Blazing Star

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QUILT INDEX RECORD

5-2-316

Where are the records for this quilt housed?

Illinois State Museum

Who documented this quilt?

Illinois Quilt Research Project; Illinois State Museum Collection

Illinois Quilt Research Project Registry Number:

SP759

Alternate inventory control number:

1975.5 (746943)

Person filling out this form is:

Relative of quiltmaker

Source of the information on this quilt:

grandmother

Ownership of this quilt is:

Public Museum, Library or Institution

Quilt owner's name:

Illinois State Museum

Quiltmaker's Name (top):

Fortenbaugh, Mary E. Byrod

Quiltmaker's country:

United States

What is the quiltmaker's birthdate?

1838 PA

Date and place of quiltmaker's death:

1929

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

4

How many of the quiltmaker's children were girls?

2

How many of the quiltmaker's children were boys?

2

Quiltmaker's mother's birthplace:

PA

Quiltmaker's father's birthplace:

PA

Anything else we should know about the quiltmaker?

See other 4 quilts by Mary in Museum's collection.

How did the owner get the quilt?

Gift

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

Made entire quilt

Where the quilt was made, city:

Halifax

Where the quilt was made, county:

Dauphin

Where the quilt was made, state:

Illinois (IL)

Where the quilt was made, country:

United States

Anything else we should know about this quilt? (i.e. customs, stories):

Of Mary's 5 quilts in the Museum, this is the only one with any machine stitching (used on binding) and therefore could be later than others.

Date owner signed the form:

1975

Pattern name; used by owner or by maker:

Blazing Star

Date provided by maker/owner:

ca. 1855-62

Date estimated by IQRP:

ca. 1855-65

Who estimated the quilt's date?

Jan Wass, Curator

Time period:

1850-1875

Length:

96

Width:

92

Block size:

22

Binding width:

machine used only on binding--nowhere else on quilt

Quilting stitches per inch. Are they even?

8

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

9

Format:

Finished quilt

Piecing techinques used to make the quilt top:

Hand Piecing

Applique techinques used to make the quilt top:

Hand Applique

Stitches used to apply motifs:

Circular block set in white background. Points are appliqued.

Construction (top):

Block pattern

Block style (top):

Same block throughout

Arrangement of quilt blocks:

Straight

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

4

Number of different block patterns used in the quilt:

1

Fabric; fibers:

Cotton

Fabric print:

Solid/plain

Predominant colors (top):

Red; Green; Cream

Overall color scheme:

Two color

Describe the quilting designs used:

Outline with echo fill quilting in pieced circles, feathered wreaths around pieced circles, feathered ovals in center and in corners, diagonal grid in background, parallel lines in red border and 3-line classic cable inside red border, pineapples in borders on 2 adjacent sides and feathered domes along other 2 sides.

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

Describe the borders:

Narrow red inner border, pieced border of red, green and white triangles and wide white outer border, butted, hand pieced.

Binding and edge treatment:

Machine sewn

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?)

How many pieces of fabric were used to make the quilt back?

3

Backing; fiber content:

Cotton

Backing; fabric:

Same fabric used throughout; Solid/plain

Backing; width of pieces (in inches):

32", 33", 30"

Backing; color:

Cream

Condition:

Very good/almost new

Details

  • img

Access and copyright information:

Restricted

Copyright holder:

Illinois State Museum

Quiltmaker's maiden name:

Byrod, Mary Elizabeth

Cite this Quilt

Fortenbaugh, Mary E. Byro. Blazing Star. 1850-1875. From Illinois State Museum, Illinois Quilt Research Project; Illinois State Museum Collection. Published in The Quilt Index, https://quiltindex.org/view/?type=fullrec&kid=5-2-316. Accessed: 03/29/24