QUILT INDEX RECORD

5-2-322

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:

SP752

Alternate inventory control number:

1975.13 (746959)

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):

Wright, Hester Malone

Quiltmaker's country:

United States

What is the quiltmaker's birthdate?

1823-31 ? Ireland

Spouse's occupation:

farmer

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:

Ireland

Quiltmaker's father's birthplace:

Ireland

What is the ancestry/ethnic background of the quiltmaker's family?

Irish

Anything else we should know about the quiltmaker?

See other quilt by her 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:

near Chillicothe

Where the quilt was made, county:

Peoria

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):

Hester was born in Ireland and came to NYC in 1847 at age 16. She worked as a governess and sewed finely tucked shirts in her free time. She married William Wright about 1855 and moved to IL. According to family, they lived in a log cabin in southwestern Marshall County; however they are listed in the 1860 census as farming in Hallock township in Peoria County. By the 1900 census, Hester was living as a widow with her daughter Elizabeth Boylan, who was also widowed, near Chillicothe, Peoria County. A death record has not yet been found for her.

Date owner signed the form:

1975

Pattern name; used by owner or by maker:

Checkerboard Squares

Pattern name; reference name:

Cobblestones

Source of pattern name and number. Include if it is a variation.

2429

Date provided by maker/owner:

ca. 1860

Date estimated by IQRP:

ca. 1860-80

Who estimated the quilt's date?

Jan Wass, Curator

Time period:

1850-1875

Length:

78"

Width:

63"

Block size:

10" x 10"

Quilting stitches per inch. Are they even?

7

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

6

Format:

Finished quilt

Piecing techinques used to make the quilt top:

Hand Piecing; Machine Piecing

Stitches used to apply motifs:

Blocks are hand pieced but they are set together by machine and the borders are machine sewn.

Construction (top):

Block pattern

Block style (top):

Squares; Same block throughout

Arrangement of quilt blocks:

On point or rotated on 45 degrees

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

20

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

Quilting designs used, overall motifs:

Grid/crosshatch; Grid diamond

Quilting designs used, decorative motifs:

Cables

Quilting designs used, background fills:

Grid/crosshatch

Describe the quilting designs used:

Gride in pieced blocks, diamond grid in plain squares and outer border, single intersecting cable through both inner borders.

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

Spacing of quilt blocks:

Alternating with plain squares

Describe the borders:

2 narrow inner borders with pieced squares at corners, wider white outer border, butted, machine sewn.

Binding and edge treatment:

Back turned to front; Hand sewn

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?

2

Backing; fiber content:

Cotton

Backing; fabric:

Same fabric used throughout; Solid/plain

Backing; width of pieces (in inches):

32", 32"

Backing; color:

Cream

Condition:

Good/moderate use

Describe specific damage to the quilt:

Disintegration of fabric; Fading; Open seams

Access and copyright information:

Restricted

Copyright holder:

Illinois State Museum

Quiltmaker's maiden name:

Malone, Hester

Quiltmaker's father's ethnic/tribal background:

Irish

Quiltmaker's mother's ethnic/tribal background:

Irish