QUILT INDEX RECORD

12-8-5012

Who documented this quilt?

Michigan Quilt Project; Michigan State University Museum Collection; Quilts and Human Rights

Where are the records for this quilt housed?

Michigan State University Museum

Michigan Quilt Project Number:

08.0002

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

2008:155.1

Object label:

She Carries Her House
Chris Worland
East Lansing, Ingham County, Michigan
2000
Collection of Michigan State University Museum acc.#2006:155.1

Essay:

In the summer of 1999, I traveled to South Africa. The South Africans I met were very welcoming and friendly. When they began to tell stories of living through apartheid, I was shocked by the level of violence and coercion and dismayed by my ignorance of that horrible period in South Africa's history. This quilt is my response to that trip. The pass book photo is from one I took at the Kwa Muthle Museum in Durban, [a museum devoted to telling the story of living under apartheid]. The turtle was inspired by a woodcut by Carina Minnar. The turtle represents the rights granted in the 13th clause in the South African Bill of Rights. Like the turtle who carries her house with her, South Africans are now free to reside where they please.

Under apartheid, all non-white South Africans were subjected to strict rules of segregation and limits of their rights. All non-whites had to carry a pass book which included their photograph and a statement of whether they were Indian, black, or colored (mixed race). Failure to produce a pass book on demand often led to harassment, torture, and imprisonment. The system of pass laws was finally repealed in South Africa in 1986.

Quilt's title:

She Carries Her House

Subject of the quilt:

anti-apartheid

When was the form filled out?

2/7/2008

Quilt top made by:

Worland, Chris

Quilted by:

Worland, Chris

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

Made the quilt

Where the quilt was made, city:

East Lansing

Where the quilt was made, county:

Ingham

Where the quilt was made, state:

Michigan (MI)

Where the quilt was made, country:

United States

Time period:

2000-2025

When was the quilt finished?

2000

Why was the quilt made?

Art or personal expression; Commemorative

Quilt is presently used as:

Artwork/wall hanging; Study or teaching aid

Quiltmaker's gender:

Female

Quiltmaker's city:

East Lansing

Quiltmaker's county:

Ingham

Quiltmaker's state:

Michigan (MI)

Quiltmaker's country:

United States

Quiltmaker's maiden name:

Worland

Quiltmaker's birth date:

7/21/1944

In which kind of environment did the quiltmaker live?

Urban

Quiltmaker's ethnic background/tribal affiliation:

Caucasian

Quiltmaker's educational background:

Masters degree

Quiltmaker's occupation:

Teacher

Quiltmaker's father's name:

Worland, Donovan

Quiltmaker's mother's name:

Stout, Immogene

Quiltmaker's mother's ethnic/tribal background:

caucasian

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

Professor

Number of children:

2

How many of the quiltmaker's children were girls?

1

How many of the quiltmaker's children were boys?

1

How did the quiltmaker learn to quilt?

From Class; Self-Taught

When did the quiltmaker learn to quilt?

Age 30-39

Estimated number of quilts made by this quiltmaker:

20-50 quilts

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?

Greater Lansing Quilt Guild, Ann Arbor Quilt Guild

What are the main activities of the group?

speakers, show and tell

This is a:

Finished quilt

How wide is the quilt?

20 1/4"

How long is the quilt?

24"

Shape of edge:

Straight

Shape of corners:

Rounded

What color is the quilt?

Beige or Tan; Black; Blue; Green; Orange; White

Quilt's condition:

Excellent/like new

What is inscribed on the quilt?

MPEVA Simon Mthethwa

Method used to make the inscription:

Printed in the fabric

Location of inscription:

on block

Describe the quilt's layout:

Pictorial

Number of quilt blocks:

1

Medallion size:

20 1/4" x 24"

Arrangement of quilt blocks:

Straight

Fiber types used to make the quilt top:

Cotton

Describe the fibers or fabrics in the quilt top:

African prints

Piecing techniques used to make the quilt top:

Machine Piecing

Can you feel or see paper on the quilt that was used as a construction aid?

no

Applique techniques used to make the quilt top:

Machine Applique

Embellishment techniques used to make the quilt top:

Photography/ photo transfer

Materials used to make the back:

Cotton

Materials used in the quilt binding:

Cotton

Fabric structure of the binding:

Plain weave

How is the binding made?

Straight grain

How wide is the binding (measure on the top only)?

The binding is two strips; 1/2" of purple abstract, 1/4" of cheddar orange solid sewn lengthwise to create the effect of piping.

What kind of filling is used in the quilt?

Cannot tell

How thick is the quilt?

Thin (Less than 3/16?)

How are the layers held together?

Hand quilting

Quilting designs used, overall motifs:

In-the-ditch

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

"In the summer of 1999, I traveled to South Africa. The South Africans I met were very welcoming and friendly. When they began to tell stories of living through apartheid, I was shocked by the level of violence and coercion and dismayed by my ignorance of that horrible period in South Africa's history. This quilt is my response to that trip. The pass book photo is from one I took at the Kwa Muthle Museum in Durban, [a museum devoted to telling the story of living under apartheid]. The turtle was inspired by a woodcut by Carina Minnar. The turtle represents the rights granted in the 13th clause in the South African Bill of Rights. Like the turtle who carries her house with her, South Africans are now free to reside where they please." Under apartheid, all non-white South Africans were subjected to strict rules of segregation and limits of their rights. All non-whites had to carry a pass book which included their photograph and a statement of whether they were Indian, black, or colored (mixed race). Failure to produce a pass book on demand often led to harassment, torture, and imprisonment. The system of pass laws was finally repealed in South Africa in 1986.

Where did the maker find their pattern?

Original to maker

Exhibitions where this quilt was displayed:

Quilts and Human Rights, Michigan State University Museum, January 15 - August 24, 2008

Person filling out this form is:

Quiltmaker

Ownership of this quilt is:

Private

Quilt owner's name:

Chris Worland

Quilt owner's city:

East Lansing

Quilt owner's county:

Ingham

Quilt owner's state:

Michigan (MI)

Quilt owner's country:

United States

How was this quilt acquired?

Made by owner

Details

• 
• 

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

The quilt was made to be used for:

Artwork/wall hanging

Who photographed this quilt?

Pearl Yee Wong

Copyright holder:

Michigan State University Museum