QUILT INDEX RECORD

12-8-7584

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:

99.0226

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

1998:53.35

Object label:

Flowering Almond
Elizabeth Harned Harriman and Mary Vida Schafer
Top by Elizabeth Harned Harriman, 1968; finished by Mary Vida Schafer, 1972
Bunceton, Missouri and Flushing, Genesee County, Michigan
Michigan State University Museum, acc.#1998:53.35

Essay:

Interpretative Commentary:
After the death of her friend Betty, Mary took on the task of completing many of Betty’s unfinished tops. This appliqué design, a popular motif from the mid-19th century, was one of Betty’s favorites. Part of the challenge posed to Mary as she undertook the finishing of Betty’s work was trying to complete the quilts in a manner that Betty herself would have selected. Mary has completed at least sixteen of Betty’s quilts. -- Mary Worrall

Additional Commentary:
This quilt is illustrated in the publication Great Lakes, Great Quilts (page 38) and was included in the exhibit Mary Schafer Collection: A Legacy of Quilt History, July 29-December 31, 2001 at the Michigan State University Museum. For more information on Betty Harriman, see Quilter's Journal, vol. IV, no. 4. -– Beth Donaldson

Quilt's title:

Flowering Almond

Owner's name for the quilt:

Flowering Almond

When was the form filled out?

1998

Quilt top made by:

Harriman, Betty Harned

Quilted by:

Schafer, Mary Vida

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

Purchased the quilt

Where the quilt was made, city:

Bunceton,

Where the quilt was made, state:

Missouri (MO)

Time period:

1976-1999

When was the quilt started?

1968

When was the quilt finished?

1972

Why was the quilt made?

Art or personal expression

Quilt is presently used as:

Museum collection

Quiltmaker's gender:

Female

Quiltmaker's city:

Bunceton,

Quiltmaker's state:

Missouri (MO)

Quiltmaker's maiden name:

Harned

Quiltmaker's birth date:

9/22/1890

In which kind of environment did the quiltmaker live?

Rural

Quiltmaker's date and place of death:

6/21/1971

Quiltmaker's educational background:

William Wood High School. She earned a teaching degree from Warrensburg State College.

Quiltmaker's occupation:

School teacher and hotel manager.

Quiltmaker's father's name:

Harned, Ben

Quiltmaker's mother's name:

Harned, Betty Bradley

How did the quiltmaker learn to quilt?

From Relative

When did the quiltmaker learn to quilt?

Under 10 years of age

Why does the quiltmaker quilt?

Pleasure

Estimated number of quilts made by this quiltmaker:

more than 50

Does/did the quiltmaker sell quilts?

no

Does/did the quiltmaker teach quilting?

only informally

This is a:

Finished quilt

How wide is the quilt?

83

How long is the quilt?

96

Shape of edge:

Straight

Shape of corners:

Straight

What color is the quilt?

Cream; Gold; Green; Red

Overall color scheme:

Multicolor

Quilt's condition:

Excellent/like new

Damage:

Fold marks or creases

Type of inscription:

Date; Initials

What is inscribed on the quilt?

EHH

What is the date inscribed on the quilt?

1968

Method used to make the inscription:

Embroidery

Describe the quilt's layout:

Block pattern

Number of quilt blocks:

9

Size of quilt blocks:

23 1/2 x 23 1/2

Arrangement of quilt blocks:

Straight

Spacing of quilt blocks:

Side by side

What is the shape of the quilt blocks?

Squares

Number of different block patterns used in the quilt:

1

Number of borders:

2

Describe the borders:

The inner border is an appliqued motifs and the outer border is plain white.

Fiber types used to make the quilt top:

Cotton

Fabric styles used in the quilt top:

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

Applique techniques used to make the quilt top:

Hand Applique

Embellishment techniques used to make the quilt top:

Embroidery

Embellishments used:

Cotton thread

Materials used to make the back:

Cotton

Number of pieces of fabric in the quilt back:

4

Describe the back:

Same fabric used throughout

Materials used in the quilt binding:

Cotton

How is the binding made?

Bias grain

What kind of filling is used in the quilt?

Polyester

How thick is the quilt?

Medium (3/16?)

How are the layers held together?

Hand quilting

Number of quilting stitches per inch, place 1:

7

Number of quilting stitches per inch, place 2:

6

Quilting designs used, overall motifs:

Echo; Outline; Single parallel lines

Quilting designs used, background fills:

Parallel lines

Where did the maker find their pattern?

Another quilt

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

Images of quiltmakers, audio tapes, video tapes.

Person filling out this form is:

Quiltmaker

How was this quilt acquired?

Purchase

Tell the story of how the quilt was obtained:

Mary Schafer received this quilt top as part of Betty Harriman's estated. It was completed in 1972 by Mary and was purchased as part of the Mary Schafer Collection by the Michigan State University Museum in 1998.

Access and copyright information:

Restricted

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

Made entire quilt

The quilt was made to be used for:

Bedding, special occasion

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

Traditional, hand pieced and hand appliqued quilts. Betty loved intricate applique and highly technical piecing. She also liked heavily quilted and stuffed work.

Who photographed this quilt?

Keva

Copyright holder:

MSU Board of Trustees