QUILT INDEX RECORD

12-8-6752

Who documented this quilt?

Michigan Quilt Project; Michigan State University Museum Collection; Women of Color Quilters Network; Black Diaspora Quilt History Project

Where are the records for this quilt housed?

Michigan State University Museum

Michigan Quilt Project Number:

15.0126

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

2014:55.46

Essay:

Artist Statement about work:
"Ascending Spirit" is a memorial quilt that honors my mother, Elizabeth Cornelia Willis Leacraft. This quilt is the first art work I made after a two year creative shut down following my mother's death in 2003 on Mother's Day. "Ascending Spirit" is significant in my artistic development, it marks my decision to create original surface design on fabric used in future quilts and other fiber forms. This quilt is the first in an on-going series honoring ancestors.

Hand prints reach upward marking the ascent of the spirit. Metallic threads symbolize the soul's unknown/unseen journey toward eternal rest. My work is informed by the cultural traditions of Africa, the Diaspora and people of color globally. Although much of my work is influenced by traditional sources it manifests as contemporary expression. This expression often utilizes symbolically encoded colors, patterning, ritual numerical references, and a crosspollination of processes and techniques.

Surface design techniques used in this quilt are as follows: cotton cloth was hand painted/ hand dyed/ hand printed and hand stenciled with masking tape as a resist. My own hand prints on purple satin were made via many applications of textile paint on my fingers and... (the scan cuts off the print).

Quilt's title:

Ascending Spirits, Ancestor Series, In memory of Elizabeth C. Willis Leacraft

Subject of the quilt:

Commemoration, Ancestors, Mother-daughter relationship

Who helped you fill out the form?

Aleia Brown

When was the form filled out?

3/23/2015

Quilt top made by:

Leacraft, Betty

Quilted by:

Leacraft, Betty

Where the quilt was made, city:

Philadelphia

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?

2003

Quilt is presently used as:

Artwork/wall hanging

Quiltmaker's gender:

Female

Quiltmaker's ethnic background/tribal affiliation:

African American

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

Women of Color Quilters Network

This is a:

Finished quilt

How wide is the quilt?

31 3/4"

How long is the quilt?

34"

Shape of edge:

Straight

What color is the quilt?

Blue; Purple

Quilt's condition:

Excellent/like new

Type of inscription:

Date; Message; Single Inscription

What is inscribed on the quilt?

Ascending Spirit, Ancestors Series, Copyright 2003 Betty Leacraft (c) 2003 Boa Morte In Memory of Elizabeth Cornelia Wilis Leacraft RIP Also on the back: Gracias Modupe Obrigado Mae Obrigada Nanny Paz Luz

What is the date inscribed on the quilt?

2003

Describe the method used to inscribe the quilt:

Handwritten

Location of inscription:

on back

Describe where the inscription was found:

Bottom left

Describe the quilt's layout:

Nontraditional or art

Fiber types used to make the quilt top:

Cotton

Fabric types used to make the quilt top:

Satin

Describe the techniques used to make the quilt top:

Hand dyeing fabric, hand dyeing cowrie shells, stencilling

Embellishment techniques used to make the quilt top:

Attachments (beading, charms, buttons, etc); Ink drawing; Painting

Embellishments used:

Metallic thread

Materials used to make the back:

Cotton

Materials used in the quilt binding:

Cotton

How is the binding made?

Back turned to front

What is the width of the binding (measure on the top only)?

half inch - one inch

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

1"

What kind of filling is used in the quilt?

Cotton

How thick is the quilt?

Thin

How are the layers held together?

Hand quilting; Machine quilting

Where did the maker find their pattern?

Original to maker

Person filling out this form is:

Quilt collector

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)

Tell the story of how the quilt was obtained:

From the Collection of Carolyn Mazloomi

Who photographed this quilt?

Pearl Yee Wong

Copyright holder:

Michigan State University Museum, all rights reserved