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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