BACK TO QUILTS

Indian Woman

CITE THIS QUILT

img
quilt

QUILT INDEX RECORD

12-8-989

Who documented this quilt?

Michigan Quilt Project; Michigan State University Museum Collection

Where are the records for this quilt housed?

Michigan State University Museum

Michigan Quilt Project Number:

00.0654 AIQP

If this quilt is owned by a museum, enter the accession number:

2000:55.1

Object label:

Indian Woman
Margaret Wood
Navajo/Seminole, Phoenix, Arizona
1991
Collection of Michigan State University Museum acc.#2000:55.1

Essay:

In this quilt entitled "Indian Woman", Margaret Wood of Phoenix, Arizona expresses the challenge of being a woman in two cultural worlds - Native and non-native.

From To Honor and Comfort Native Quilting Traditions.

Owner's name for the quilt:

Indian Woman

Quilt top made by:

Wood, Margaret

Quilted by:

Wood, Margaret

If you are the quilt owner, how did you acquire this quilt?

Purchased the quilt

Where the quilt was made, city:

Phoenix

Where the quilt was made, county:

Maricopa

Where the quilt was made, state:

Arizona (AZ)

Time period:

1976-1999

When was the quilt finished?

1991

Quilt is presently used as:

Museum collection

Quiltmaker's gender:

Female

Quiltmaker's city:

Phoenix

Quiltmaker's birth date:

1/23/1950

In which kind of environment did the quiltmaker live?

Urban

Quiltmaker's ethnic background/tribal affiliation:

Native American Navajo/Seminole

Quiltmaker's educational background:

BA from Arizona State University, Elementary Ed.and MA in Library Science from University of Denver, Denver, CO

Quiltmaker's occupation:

Owner and president of Native American Fashions, Inc.

Quiltmaker's father's name:

Wood, Charlie

Quiltmaker's father's ethnic/tribal background:

Seminole (Oklahoma)

Quiltmaker's mother's name:

Wood, Helen Watchman

Quiltmaker's mother's ethnic/tribal background:

Navajo

Quiltmaker's spouse's/spouses' and/or partner's/partners' occupation:

lawyer

Number of children:

2

How many of the quiltmaker's children were boys?

2

When did the quiltmaker learn to quilt?

Age 11-19

Why does the quiltmaker quilt?

Gifts

Other notes on how the quiltmaker learned, and how and why they quilt:

Has given away a lot of quilts for baby presents. My work in quilts and clothing is based upon centuries of Native American fiber and arts tradition. In accordance with a long history of embracing new materials and decorative ideas, I consider my work a continuation of the evolution of Native American fashion and decorative work.

Does/did the quiltmaker sell quilts?

yes

Does/did the quiltmaker teach quilting?

yes

This is a:

Finished quilt

How wide is the quilt?

56"

How long is the quilt?

83 1/2"

Shape of edge:

Straight

Quilt's condition:

Very good/almost new

Type of inscription:

Date

What is inscribed on the quilt?

Indian Woman, 1991, 14th quilt

What is the date inscribed on the quilt?

1991

Method used to make the inscription:

Attached label

Location of inscription:

on back

Describe the fibers or fabrics in the quilt top:

ultrasuede, metal, shell, black onyx, turquoise, human hair wig.

Embellishments used:

Other attachments

Describe embellishment materials or techniques:

Above her are 4 jet pieces, to her right are 4 white shell pieces, below her are 4 turquoise pieces and to her left are 4 abolone shell pieces.

Materials used to make the back:

Cotton

What kind of filling is used in the quilt?

Polyester

How are the layers held together?

Machine quilting

Quilting designs used, overall motifs:

Outline

Quilting designs used, background fills:

Parallel lines

Features or notes about the quilt's appearance, materials, or construction:

Half the outfit is business suit and half is a "traditional" Navajo outfit. In the four corners are appliqued Navajo rug prints.

Where did the maker find their pattern?

Original to maker

Related items such as diaries, obituaries, wills, household inventories, or pictures of the quiltmaker:

To Honor and Comfort: Native Quilting Traditions (1997), page 74.

Source of the information on this quilt:

Museum employee

Ownership of this quilt is:

Public- Michigan State University Museum

Quilt owner's name:

Michigan State University Museum

Quilt owner's city:

East Lansing

Quilt owner's county:

Ingham

Quilt owner's state:

Michigan (MI)

How was this quilt acquired?

Purchase

Access and copyright information:

Restricted

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

Made entire quilt

If the source helped design the quilt, describe their input:

Designed the pattern

Describe any unique traditions, quilting related customs, beliefs, songs or rhymes used by the quiltmaker:

Often does a spirit line from the interior design out to the border (assoc. with Nav. rug weaving).

Who photographed this quilt?

Marilyn Szabo

Copyright holder:

Michigan State University Museum

Cite this Quilt

Wood, Margare. Indian Woman. 1991. From Michigan State University Museum, Michigan Quilt Project; Michigan State University Museum Collection. Published in The Quilt Index, https://quiltindex.org/view/?type=fullrec&kid=12-8-989. Accessed: 03/29/24

RELATED RECORDS