QUILT INDEX RECORD

12-8-5902

Who documented this quilt?

Michigan Quilt Project; Michigan State University Museum Collection; Quilts and Health

Where are the records for this quilt housed?

Michigan State University Museum

Michigan Quilt Project Number:

11.0029

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

2011:141.3

Object label:

Losing My Mind One Piece
At A Time
Janet Caldwell
Avondale, Pennsylvania
2006
Collection of Michigan State University Museum acc.#2011:141.3

Essay:

Artist statement:
My quilt symbolizes my mother’s coming battle with Alzheimer’s. She realizes her mind is going, and she has a great sadness, shown by the weeping eyes.

The top two rows of the quilt are 30’s reproduction fabrics, and the circles are feedsack fabric.These fabrics represent my mother’s bright and happy childhood.

As the blocks continue downwards, blank patches show the memory loss, and finally the falling apart of the mind altogether.<sup>1

1</sup>Janet Caldwell from Sims, Ami. Alzheimer’s: Forgetting Piece By Piece. Mallory Press, 2007.

Quilt's title:

Losing My Mind One Piece At A Time

Subject of the quilt:

Alzheimer's

Quilt top made by:

Caldwell, Janet

Quilted by:

Caldwell, Janet

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

Purchased the quilt

Where the quilt was made, city:

Avondale

Where the quilt was made, state:

Pennsylvania (PA)

Where the quilt was made, country:

United States

Time period:

2000-2025

When was the quilt finished?

May 2006

Why was the quilt made?

Commemorative; Fundraising

Quilt is presently used as:

Museum collection

Quiltmaker's city:

Avondale

Quiltmaker's state:

Pennsylvania (PA)

Quiltmaker's country:

United States

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

Inspired by her artistic nature, Jannett has been creating quilts for her family and friends since 1971. She welcomes any child wanting to make a fabric creation into her studio. In addition to teaching children to love quilting, Jannett uses her quilts to help others. She makes quilts for the local rescue squad and for sick children. Another passion is finding, documenting, and re-creating old quilts. For the past two years she has assisted the Delaware Quilt Documentation Project. Alzheimer’s has touched Jannett’s family and, by extension, her art.

This is a:

Finished quilt

How wide is the quilt?

37 1/2"

How long is the quilt?

58"

Shape of edge:

Straight

Shape of corners:

Straight

What color is the quilt?

Black; Blue; White

Quilt's condition:

Excellent/like new

Type of inscription:

Signature; Date; Message

What is inscribed on the quilt?

“Losing My Mind A Piece at A Time” By Jannett Caldwell 2 Caldwell Lane Avondale, PA 19311 610 444-9746 CaldwellJANDAV@aol.com Made for the Alzheimer’s Art Quilt Initiative May 2006 Alzheimer’s Art Quilt Initiative “Alzheimer’s Forgetting Piece By Piece” #15 If found call 1-800-278-4824 or 1-810-348-2772 immediately.

What is the date inscribed on the quilt?

May 2006

Method used to make the inscription:

Attached label

Location of inscription:

on back

Describe the quilt's layout:

Block pattern

Number of quilt blocks:

8

Size of quilt blocks:

8" x 8"

Arrangement of quilt blocks:

Straight

Spacing of quilt blocks:

Side by side

Number of borders:

2

Describe the borders:

4” on top and bottom, 2” on sides 1”

Fiber types used to make the quilt top:

Cotton

Fabric types used to make the quilt top:

Feedsack

Fabric styles used in the quilt top:

Batiks (for contemporary quilts)

Describe the fibers or fabrics in the quilt top:

Corduroy

Piecing techniques used to make the quilt top:

Machine Piecing

Applique techniques used to make the quilt top:

Hand Applique; Machine Applique; Fusible Applique

Embellishment techniques used to make the quilt top:

Ink drawing

Materials used to make the back:

Cotton

Number of pieces of fabric in the quilt back:

3

Materials used in the quilt binding:

Cotton

How is the binding made?

Straight grain; Front turned to back

What kind of filling is used in the quilt?

Cotton

How are the layers held together?

Machine quilting

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

Artist statement: My quilt symbolizes my mother’s coming battle with Alzheimer’s. She realizes her mind is going, and she has a great sadness, shown by the weeping eyes. The top two rows of the quilt are 30’s reproduction fabrics, and the circles are feed sach fabric. These fabrics represent my mother’s bright and happy childhood. As the blocks continue downwards, blank patches show the memory loss, and finally the falling apart of the mind altogether.

Where did the maker find their pattern?

Original to maker

Exhibitions where this quilt was displayed:

This quilt was part of the special exhibit, “Alzheimer’s: Forgetting Piece by Piece.” The exhibit debuted at the American Quilter’s Society Quilt Exposition in Nashville, TN in August, 2006. It traveled to quilt shows all over the country through July 2009.

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

Alzheimer’s Forgetting Piece By Piece, Ami Simms curator, book. Mallery Press, 2007, page 34-35.

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)

Quilt owner's country:

United States

How was this quilt acquired?

Purchase

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

The Alzheimer’s Art Quilt Initiative, a non-profit raising money for Alzheimer’s research. Started and administered by Ami Simms, Flint, MI.

Access and copyright information:

Restricted

Who photographed this quilt?

Pearl Yee Wong

Copyright holder:

MSU Board of Trustees