QUILT INDEX RECORD
12-8-3003
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:
86.1718
If this quilt is owned by a museum, enter the accession number:
6638.3
Object label:
Brick Wall
Mary Louise Lyon
Hillsdale, Hillsdale County, Michigan
1876
Collection of Michigan State University Museum acc.#6638.3
Essay:
Though at first this quilt appears to be a simple scrap quilt, closer inspection reveals a quilt that uses many fine examples of period fabrics in rectangles large enough to study. Included are many versions of Lane's Net, a fabric originally produced in the Lane factory in England when a fabric of thin stripes was crimped in the printing process to create a design with jagged angles. Example's of Lane's Net seen here include some in brown, double pink, and Lancaster blue (this fabric so-called because it was made only in Lancaster, Pennsylvania). Another interesting fabric used in this quilt is "cheater cloth" - fabric printed to look like patchwork. The overall soft brown and double pink color combination of this quilt is typical of the time period.
By Beth Donaldson, excerpted from American Quilts from Michigan State University Museum.
Quilt's title:
Brick Wall
Owner's name for the quilt:
One patch
Brackman # or other source & #:
132a
Quilt top made by:
Lyon, Maria Louise
If you are the quilt owner, how did you acquire this quilt?
Received as a gift
Where the quilt was made, city:
Hillsdale
Where the quilt was made, county:
Hillsdale
Where the quilt was made, state:
Michigan (MI)
Time period:
1876-1900
When was the quilt finished?
1876
Who estimated the quilt's date?
Former quilt owner and appraiser Merry Silber
Quilt is presently used as:
Museum collection
Quiltmaker's gender:
Female
Quiltmaker's city:
Hillsdale
Quiltmaker's county:
Hillsdale
Quiltmaker's state:
Michigan (MI)
This is a:
Finished quilt
How wide is the quilt?
78 1/2
How long is the quilt?
88
Shape of edge:
Straight
Shape of corners:
Straight
What color is the quilt?
Beige or Tan; Brown; Pink
Overall color scheme:
Multicolor
Quilt's condition:
Good/moderate use
Damage:
Stains
Describe the quilt's layout:
Block pattern
Number of quilt blocks:
920
Size of quilt blocks:
2 x 4
Arrangement of quilt blocks:
Straight
Spacing of quilt blocks:
Side by side
What is the shape of the quilt blocks?
Same block throughout
Number of different block patterns used in the quilt:
1
Fiber types used to make the quilt top:
Cotton
Fabric styles used in the quilt top:
Checked; Print; Striped
Piecing techniques used to make the quilt top:
Hand Piecing
Can you feel or see paper on the quilt that was used as a construction aid?
no
Materials used to make the back:
Cotton
Number of pieces of fabric in the quilt back:
11
Describe the back:
Same fabric used throughout
Materials used in the quilt binding:
Cotton
How is the binding made?
Bias grain
What is the width of the binding (measure on the top only)?
less than a half inch
How wide is the binding (measure on the top only)?
3/8
What kind of filling is used in the quilt?
Blanket or flannel
How thick is the quilt?
Thin (Less than 3/16?)
How are the layers held together?
Hand quilting
Number of quilting stitches per inch, place 1:
6
Number of quilting stitches per inch, place 2:
7
Quilting designs used, overall motifs:
Single parallel lines
Features or notes about the quilt's appearance, materials, or construction:
Though at first this quilt appears to be a simple scrap quilt, closer inspection reveals a quilt that uses many fine examples of period fabrics in rectangles large enough to study. Included are many versions of Lane?s Net, a fabric originally produced in the Lane factory in England when a fabric of thin stripes was crimped in the printing process to create a design with jagged angles. Examples of Lane?s Net seen here include some in brown, double pink, and Lancaster blue (this fabric so-called because it was made only in Lancaster, Pennsylvania). Another interesting fabric used in this quilt is ?cheater cloth??fabric printed to look like patchwork.
Person filling out this form is:
Quilt owner
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)
Quilt owner's country:
United States
Tell the story of how the quilt was obtained:
This quilt was donated to the Michigan State University Museum by Merry and Albert Silber in 1987.
Access and copyright information:
Restricted
Who photographed this quilt?
Keva
Copyright holder:
MSU Board of Trustees
Cite this Quilt
Lyon, Maria Louis. Brick Wall. 1876. 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=12-8-3003. Accessed: 03/28/24
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