QUILT INDEX RECORD

12-8-991

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:

89.0095 AIQP

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

1996:131.1

Object label:

Hexagon Basket
Bernice Blakney
Nebraska Santee Sioux and Yankton Sioux, Niobrara, Nebraska
c1990
Collection of Michigan State University Museum acc.#1996:131.1

Essay:

Blakney makes quilts for burials, memorial giveaways, to honor returning veterans, graduates, newborn babies, and when sundancers finish their four-year pledge period. She is known both for her star quilts and versions of the Grandmother's flower garden pattern.

From To Honor and Comfort Native Quilting Traditions.

Owner's name for the quilt:

Hexagon Flower Basket Medallion

Biography of the quiltmaker?

I remember being very young, 5 or 6. I quilted away with my grandma. Woke up ready to quilt again. Looked at quilt-all my stitches were gone. Grandma said, " TKTOME" must have took them out - she wanted smaller work did or message to try better.

Quilt top made by:

Blakney, Bernice

Quilted by:

Blakney, Bernice

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

Purchased the quilt

Where the quilt was made, country:

United States

Time period:

1976-1999

When was the quilt finished?

c1990

Quilt is presently used as:

Museum collection

Quiltmaker's gender:

Female

Quiltmaker's city:

Niobrara

Quiltmaker's county:

Knox

Quiltmaker's state:

Nebraska (NE)

Quiltmaker's maiden name:

Schunk

Quiltmaker's birth date:

6/29/1932

Quiltmaker's ethnic background/tribal affiliation:

Nebraska Santee Sioux and Yankton Sioux; Native American

Quiltmaker's educational background:

Associate art degree

Quiltmaker's religious affiliation:

Traditional

Quiltmaker's occupation:

Teacher of cultural arts at Nebrasks Indian Community College; library aid

Quiltmaker's father's name:

Schunk, Rueben

Quiltmaker's father's ethnic/tribal background:

Yankton (Sioux) Dakota tribe

Quiltmaker's mother's name:

Schunk, Adelia Mitchell

Quiltmaker's mother's ethnic/tribal background:

Nebraska Wdewankton Santee Dakota

Quiltmaker's marriage date(s):

5/16/1970

Quiltmaker's spouse's/spouses' and /or partner's/partners' name(s):

Blakney, Wm.

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

deceased

Number of children:

2

How did the quiltmaker learn to quilt?

From Relative

When did the quiltmaker learn to quilt?

Under 10 years of age

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

Quilts for necessity, income, pleasure, gifts, therapy. Give gifts for birth of baby, honoring a person for good deed, accomplishment return of service, men/women - signifying warrior. Give away 1 year after death of family member. Honor rites, veterans, anyone performing outstanding deed, new born babys, when given a new name.

Estimated number of quilts made by this quiltmaker:

more than 50

Does/did the quiltmaker sell quilts?

yes

Does/did the quiltmaker teach quilting?

yes

This is a:

Finished quilt

How wide is the quilt?

90"

How long is the quilt?

96 1/2"

Quilt's condition:

Excellent/like new

Describe the quilt's layout:

Medallion or framed center

Arrangement of quilt blocks:

Straight

What is the shape of the quilt blocks?

Hexagons

Piecing techniques used to make the quilt top:

Hand Piecing

Materials used to make the back:

Cotton

Number of pieces of fabric in the quilt back:

1

What kind of filling is used in the quilt?

Polyester

How are the layers held together?

Hand quilting

Number of quilting stitches per inch, place 1:

9

Number of quilting stitches per inch, place 2:

9

Quilting designs used, overall motifs:

Outline

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

To Honor and Comfort: Native Quilting Traditions (1997), page 100.

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

Tell the story of how the quilt was obtained:

11/13/1996, Bernice Blakney

Access and copyright information:

Restricted

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

Made entire quilt

Who photographed this quilt?

KEVA

Copyright holder:

Michigan State University Museum