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Self Expression

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QUILT INDEX RECORD

12-8-1844

Who documented this quilt?

Michigan Quilt Project

Where are the records for this quilt housed?

Michigan State University Museum

Michigan Quilt Project Number:

01.0167

Quilt's title:

Self Expression

Quilt top made by:

Smith, Mary Lee

Quilted by:

Smith, Mary Lee

If you are a relative of the quiltmaker, how are you related? The quiltmaker is my:

Quilt owner

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

Received as a gift

Where the quilt was made, city:

Litchfield

Where the quilt was made, county:

Hillsdale

Where the quilt was made, state:

Michigan (MI)

Time period:

1976-1999

When was the quilt started?

1995

When was the quilt finished?

1997

Why was the quilt made?

Gift or presentation

Details about why the quilt was made:

made for Jackie 30th birthday

Quiltmaker's gender:

Female

Quiltmaker's city:

Litchfield

Quiltmaker's county:

Hillsdale

Quiltmaker's state:

Michigan (MI)

Quiltmaker's maiden name:

Cook

Quiltmaker's birth date:

8/17/1940

Quiltmaker's educational background:

Graduated from high school at Litchfield 1958. Attended Ferris Institute as a freshman in 58-59. Transferred to Eastern, MI in 1959. Graduated 1962 with Bachelors, 1964 with a Masters from E.M.U., Elementary Education

Quiltmaker's occupation:

teacher, homemaker, retired

Quiltmaker's father's name:

Cook, Charles Leon

Quiltmaker's father's ethnic/tribal background:

English

Quiltmaker's mother's name:

Cook, Zella Marie Ladd

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

High School Guidance Counselor - retired

Number of children:

3

How many of the quiltmaker's children were girls?

2

How many of the quiltmaker's children were boys?

1

When did the quiltmaker learn to quilt?

Age 30-39

Why does the quiltmaker quilt?

Pleasure

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

Enjoyment, relaxation like working with color, I like the contact with other quilters.

Does/did the quiltmaker sell quilts?

yes

Does/did the quiltmaker teach quilting?

yes

Does/did the quiltmaker belong to a group? Name of the group?

Brighton Heritage Quilters

What are the main activities of the group?

Inspire, have workshops, learn new techniques. We have speakers demonstrators or workshops occassionally. Help with local quilt shows.

This is a:

Finished quilt

How wide is the quilt?

88"

How long is the quilt?

102"

Shape of edge:

Straight

Overall color scheme:

Multicolor

Quilt's condition:

Excellent/like new

What is inscribed on the quilt?

Mary Smith

What is the date inscribed on the quilt?

July 2, 1997

Location of inscription:

on back

Describe the quilt's layout:

Nontraditional or art

Fiber types used to make the quilt top:

Cotton

Piecing techniques used to make the quilt top:

Hand Piecing

Materials used to make the back:

Cotton

What kind of filling is used in the quilt?

Cotton or polyester blend

How are the layers held together?

Hand quilting

Number of quilting stitches per inch, place 1:

11

Number of quilting stitches per inch, place 2:

12

Describe the quilting designs used:

Combination of curves and straight lines

Where did the maker find their pattern?

Original to maker

Contests entered:

American Quilters Society Show, Paducah, KY, 1998

Publications (including web sites) where this quilt or maker was featured:

Original graph design

Person filling out this form is:

Daughter of quiltmaker

Ownership of this quilt is:

Private

Quilt owner's name:

Jackie Smith

Quilt owner's city:

Fishers

Quilt owner's county:

Hamilton

Quilt owner's state:

Indiana (IN)

How was this quilt acquired?

Gift

Access and copyright information:

Restricted

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

Designed the pattern

Describe anything about the design of the quilt that wasn't already recorded in a previous field:

My first totally innovative quilting design,

Describe any favorite patterns, tools, etc. used by the quiltmaker:

As much hand work as possible - piecing

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

A penny quilted in of the date quilt was made.

Copyright holder:

Michigan State University Museum

Cite this Quilt

Smith, Mary Le. Self Expression. 1997. From Michigan State University Museum, Michigan Quilt Project. Published in The Quilt Index, https://quiltindex.org/view/?type=fullrec&kid=12-8-1844. Accessed: 03/29/24

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