QUILT INDEX RECORD
12-8-7244
Who documented this quilt?
Michigan Quilt Project
Where are the records for this quilt housed?
Michigan State University Museum
Michigan Quilt Project Number:
85.1568
Owner's name for the quilt:
Fireman Small quilt
Biography of the quiltmaker?
I started quilting in 1960 - a section of the quilt confused me so I put it away for 4-5 years. I finally finished it in 1965. I didn't quilt again unitl the late '70s, early 80's.
When was the form filled out?
9/1/1985
Quilt top made by:
Tesner, Betty
Quilted by:
Tesner, Betty
If you are the quilt owner, how did you acquire this quilt?
Made the quilt
Where the quilt was made, city:
Trenton
Where the quilt was made, county:
Wayne
Where the quilt was made, state:
Michigan (MI)
Time period:
1950-1975
When was the quilt started?
1960
When was the quilt finished?
1965
Details about why the quilt was made:
This quilt was made for my eldest son, started when he was 2, finished when he was 7
Quiltmaker's gender:
Female
Quiltmaker's city:
Okemos
Quiltmaker's county:
Ingham
Quiltmaker's state:
Michigan (MI)
Quiltmaker's maiden name:
Kruso
Quiltmaker's birth date:
4/9/1936
Quiltmaker's ethnic background/tribal affiliation:
Polish, Hungarian
Quiltmaker's educational background:
High school, some college
Quiltmaker's religious affiliation:
Catholic
Quiltmaker's occupation:
Homemaker, Amway distributor
Quiltmaker's father's name:
Kruso, John Peter
Quiltmaker's father's ethnic/tribal background:
Hungarian
Quiltmaker's mother's name:
Kruso, Rose Mastie
Quiltmaker's mother's ethnic/tribal background:
Polish
Quiltmaker's spouse's/spouses' and/or partner's/partners' ethnic/tribal background:
English Irish German
Quiltmaker's spouse's/spouses' and/or partner's/partners' occupation:
Ford Motor Company Engineer, retired. Assistant Adjutant General Michigan National Air Guard
Number of children:
4
How many of the quiltmaker's children were girls?
1
How many of the quiltmaker's children were boys?
3
How did the quiltmaker learn to quilt?
Self-Taught
When did the quiltmaker learn to quilt?
Age 20-29
Estimated number of quilts made by this quiltmaker:
5-20 quilts
Does/did the quiltmaker sell quilts?
no
Does/did the quiltmaker teach quilting?
no
This is a:
Finished quilt
How wide is the quilt?
60"
How long is the quilt?
72"
Shape of edge:
Straight
Shape of corners:
Straight
Quilt's condition:
Poor/very worn
Number of quilt blocks:
12 applique, 12 plain
Arrangement of quilt blocks:
Straight
Spacing of quilt blocks:
Alternating with plain squares
Number of borders:
1
Describe the borders:
6" plain
Fiber types used to make the quilt top:
Cotton
Describe the fibers or fabrics in the quilt top:
Corduroy
Piecing techniques used to make the quilt top:
Hand Piecing
Applique techniques used to make the quilt top:
Hand Applique
Embellishment techniques used to make the quilt top:
Embroidery
Materials used to make the back:
Cotton
Number of pieces of fabric in the quilt back:
1
What kind of filling is used in the quilt?
Polyester
How are the layers held together?
Machine quilting
Where did the maker find their pattern?
Commercial/Published source: Magazine
Commercial name of the pattern for the top:
Ladies' Home Journal
Contests entered:
Kentucky Federation of Women's Club Show, Red Ribbon, Second Place;
Person filling out this form is:
Quilt owner
Ownership of this quilt is:
Private
Quilt owner's name:
Betty Kruso Tesner
Quilt owner's city:
Okemos
Quilt owner's county:
Ingham
Quilt owner's state:
Michigan (MI)
How was this quilt acquired?
Made by owner
Access and copyright information:
Restricted
How did the quiltmaker participate in the creation of the quilt?
Made entire quilt
Was the quilt used for something other than what it is used for now?
The quilt was used by my other sons and is well-worn now.
Describe anything about the design of the quilt that wasn't already recorded in a previous field:
It was a story quilt about Fireman Small going to a fire and eventually rescuing a dog. We have the book that corresponds to the quilt.
Describe any favorite patterns, tools, etc. used by the quiltmaker:
Hearts and Love Birds. My daughter was born on Valentine's Day so hearts are special to me. Quilting hoop.
Copyright holder:
Michigan State University Museum
Cite this Quilt
Tesner, Bett. Fireman Small quilt. 1965. From Michigan State University Museum, Michigan Quilt Project. Published in The Quilt Index, https://quiltindex.org/view/?type=fullrec&kid=12-8-7244. Accessed: 03/28/24