QUILT INDEX RECORD

12-8-7481

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:

92.0028

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

1999:12.1

Object label:

Shoo Fly
Mary Elizabeth Beardslee Durkee
Birmingham, Oakland County, Michigan
c1890
Collection of Michigan State University Museum acc.#1999:12.1

Essay:

The "Shoo Fly" block found in this quilt is also known as "Churn Dash," "Monkey Wrench," and "Hole in the Barn Door." In Mary Durkee's quilt, there are thirty pieced blocks set on point (on the diagonal) alternately with blocks of unpieced squares. The fabric used for the alternate blocks and the border is often identified as a butterscotch print or "California gold." This print style features lines of a chrome yellow tone printed on a white background. The small scale of the print gives the illusion of a solid. Many of the blocks use shirtings as background fabrics. Shirtings are small geometric, conversational, or striped designs printed on a white or off-white background and were very popular from 1880-1910. Also found in the blocks are checks, stripes, plaids, madders, and chocolate brown prints.
By Mary Worrall, excerpted from American Quilts from Michigan State University.

Quilt's title:

Shoo Fly

Owner's name for the quilt:

Shoo Fly

Names for quilt's pattern in common use:

Monkey Wrench, Hole in the Barn Door

Brackman # or other source & #:

1646a

Biography of the quiltmaker?

She is one of four generations of quilters in her family.

Quilt top made by:

Durkee, Mary Elizabeth Beardslee

Quilted by:

Durkee, Mary Elizabeth Beardslee

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

Received as a gift

Where the quilt was made, city:

Birmingham

Where the quilt was made, county:

Oakland

Where the quilt was made, state:

Michigan (MI)

Time period:

1876-1900

Quilt is presently used as:

Museum collection

Quiltmaker's gender:

Female

Quiltmaker's city:

Birmingham

Quiltmaker's county:

Oakland

Quiltmaker's state:

Michigan (MI)

Quiltmaker's maiden name:

Beardslee

Quiltmaker's birth date:

6/26/1824

In which kind of environment did the quiltmaker live?

Rural

Quiltmaker's date and place of death:

8/7/1884

Quiltmaker's father's name:

Beardslee, Samuel

Quiltmaker's mother's name:

Beardslee, Hannah Blaine

Quiltmaker's marriage date(s):

8/5/1841

Quiltmaker's spouse's/spouses' and /or partner's/partners' name(s):

Durkee, John Franklin

Quiltmaker's spouse's/spouses' and/or partner's/partners' ethnic/tribal background:

Welsh

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

Farmer, landowner

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?

78

How long is the quilt?

92

Shape of edge:

Straight

Shape of corners:

Straight

What color is the quilt?

Brown; Cream; Orange; Rust; Yellow

Antique colors:

Butterscotch; Chocolate Brown or Hershey Brown

Overall color scheme:

Multicolor

Quilt's condition:

Very good/almost new

Damage:

Discoloration or dyes ran; Fold marks or creases

Describe the quilt's layout:

Block pattern

Number of quilt blocks:

30 shoo fly blocks, 20 alternate plain blocks

Size of quilt blocks:

9 x 9

Arrangement of quilt blocks:

On point or rotated on 45 degrees

Spacing of quilt blocks:

Alternating with plain squares

Number of different block patterns used in the quilt:

1

Number of borders:

1

Describe the borders:

plain, 6 3/4 on sides, 4 1/4 on ends.

Fiber types used to make the quilt top:

Cotton

Fabric styles used in the quilt top:

Print; Solid/plain

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

Materials used in the quilt binding:

Cotton

How is the binding made?

Straight 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)?

1/4"

What kind of filling is used in the quilt?

Wool

How thick is the quilt?

Medium (3/16?)

How are the layers held together?

Hand quilting

Number of quilting stitches per inch, place 1:

5

Number of quilting stitches per inch, place 2:

6

Can you see any knots on the front or back of the quilt?

no

Quilting designs used, overall motifs:

Single parallel lines

Quilting designs used, background fills:

Parallel lines

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

Many of the blocks use shirtings as background fabrics. Shirtings are small geometric, conversational, or striped designs printed on a white or off-white background and were very popular from 1880-1910. Also found in the blocks are checks, stripes, plaids, madders, and chocolate brown prints.

Where did the maker get their materials?

Other

Describe the sources of the quilt's materials:

Martha Durkee Blakeslee, Mary's daughter, married Frank W. Blakeslee who owned Blakeslee Dry Goods in Birmingham, Michigan. His store provided fabrics for quilt making.

Where did the maker find their pattern?

Public domain/traditional pattern

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

Photos of quilter Interview with quilter Clippings or photocopies Audiotape

Publications (including web sites) where this quilt or maker was featured:

See Great Lakes, Great Quilts by Marsha MacDowell

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

How was this quilt acquired?

Gift

Access and copyright information:

Restricted

The quilt was made to be used for:

Bedding, daily use

Who photographed this quilt?

Photo by Fumio Ichikawa

Copyright holder:

MSU Board of Trustees