QUILT INDEX RECORD

12-8-7533

Who documented this quilt?

Michigan Quilt Project

Where are the records for this quilt housed?

Michigan State University Museum

Michigan Quilt Project Number:

85.1883

Owner's name for the quilt:

The Airplane Quilt

When was the form filled out?

11/5/1985

Quilt top made by:

Miller, Marjorie

Quilted by:

Miller, Marjorie

If you are a relative of the quiltmaker, how are you related? The quiltmaker is my:

Quilt owner

Where the quilt was made, city:

Detroit

Where the quilt was made, county:

Wayne

Where the quilt was made, state:

Michigan (MI)

Time period:

1930-1949

When was the quilt started?

1936

When was the quilt finished?

4/14/1937

Quiltmaker's gender:

Female

Quiltmaker's city:

Detroit

Quiltmaker's county:

Wayne

Quiltmaker's state:

Michigan (MI)

Quiltmaker's maiden name:

Bradley

Quiltmaker's birth date:

9/1/1900

Quiltmaker's date and place of death:

10/1963

Quiltmaker's educational background:

Catholic Convent

Quiltmaker's religious affiliation:

at death - none

Quiltmaker's occupation:

Housewife, J.L. Hudson's had promotionals where they used to call her to demonstrate.

Quiltmaker's father's name:

Bradley, __________

Quiltmaker's father's ethnic/tribal background:

Irish

Quiltmaker's mother's name:

Bradley, Minnie

Quiltmaker's mother's ethnic/tribal background:

Irish

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

German American Indian

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

Engineer

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?

Self-Taught

When did the quiltmaker learn to quilt?

Age 30-39

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

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

Detroit News Quilting Club Corner

This is a:

Finished quilt

How wide is the quilt?

74"

How long is the quilt?

81"

Shape of edge:

Straight

Shape of corners:

Straight

Overall color scheme:

Multicolor

Quilt's condition:

Excellent/like new

What is inscribed on the quilt?

Mrs. Arthur Miller

What is the date inscribed on the quilt?

4-14-1937

Method used to make the inscription:

Embroidery

Describe where the inscription was found:

top

Number of borders:

1

Fiber types used to make the quilt top:

Cotton

Piecing techniques used to make the quilt top:

Hand Piecing

Applique techniques used to make the quilt top:

Hand Applique

Materials used to make the back:

Cotton

What color is the back of the quilt?

Blue or Navy

Number of pieces of fabric in the quilt back:

1

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

greater than one inch

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

2"

What kind of filling is used in the quilt?

Cotton

How are the layers held together?

Hand quilting

Number of quilting stitches per inch, place 1:

14

Number of quilting stitches per inch, place 2:

16

Describe the quilting designs used:

Outline/Ditch

Where did the maker get their materials?

Purchased new

Exhibitions where this quilt was displayed:

J.L. Hudson's Annual Quilt Show, Detroit, MI

Contests entered:

Michigan State Fair, 1952, ribbon, Detroit Naval Armory

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

Detroit Free Press, 9/4/1952, Out of the Blue, a Quilt Prize

Person filling out this form is:

Quilt owner

Ownership of this quilt is:

Private

Quilt owner's name:

Mrs. Arthur Miller

Quilt owner's city:

Grosse Ile

Quilt owner's county:

Wayne

Quilt owner's state:

Michigan (MI)

Tell the story of how the quilt was obtained:

Marjorie (Mrs. Arthur) Miller to daughter Mrs. Marjorie Viland daughter to Mrs. Arthur Miller, daughter-in-law

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

This quilt was mentioned in an article in The Detroit News by Garnet Warfel about the 1940 quilt show. The article said, "In addition to the myriads of quilts, reminiscent of other days, there are some on exhibition as new as today. One of these is an aviation quilt made by Mrs. Arthur Miller (one of of the prize winners with another entry. The aviation quilt contains 21 plains, all different, and all designed by her son.", May 25, 1940.

Access and copyright information:

Restricted

How did the quiltmaker participate in the creation of the quilt?

Made entire quilt

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

Son loved airplanes.

Describe any favorite patterns, tools, etc. used by the quiltmaker:

This particular quilt because it has old airplanes appliqued. Her daughter has an unusual one based on astrology.

Copyright holder:

Michigan State University Museum