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Sawtooth Star; Postage Stamp Variable Star; Sawtooth Star, Square and Points

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QUILT INDEX RECORD

12-8-9141

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:

01.0007

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

2001:158.7

Object label:

Sawtooth Star
Mrs. Jacob Sauder
Churchtown, Pennsylvania
c1900
Collection of Michigan State University Museum acc.#2001:158.7

Essay:

Mrs. Jacob Sauder was described to collector Kitty Clark Cole as an "Old Order Mennonite" who made all of her quilts entirely by hand. It is believed that this piece was made by Mrs. Sauder prior to her marriage. Mrs. Sauder passed the quilt to her only daughter, who in turn, gave it to her daughter.

Star patterns in many variations have long been popular among American quilters. This variation, known as "Sawtooth Star," is also known as "Evening Star" or "Variable Star." The quilt contains 361 hand-pieced stars in blocks that measure 2-3/4" square and are hand quilted with concentric circles. A star design is quilted into the alternate blocks. A unique pieced border design of a yellow "X" repeated on the red background surrounds the star blocks. The small scale of the star blocks, combined with the use of color and fabric placement, creates a dynamic pattern that showcased Mrs. Sauder's highly developed quiltmaking skills.

By Mary Worrall, excerpted from American Quilts from Michigan State University Museum.

Quilt's title:

Sawtooth Star

Owner's name for the quilt:

Postage Stamp Variable Star

Names for quilt's pattern in common use:

Sawtooth Star, Square and Points

Brackman # or other source & #:

2138c

Name of the group that made the quilt:

Mrs. Jacob Sauder

Where the quilt was made, city:

Churchtown

Where the quilt was made, county:

Lancaster

Where the quilt was made, state:

Pennsylvania (PA)

Time period:

1876-1900

Quilt is presently used as:

Museum collection

Quiltmaker's gender:

Female

Quiltmaker's city:

Churchtown

Quiltmaker's county:

Lancaster

Quiltmaker's state:

Pennsylvania (PA)

Quiltmaker's birth date:

1884

Quiltmaker's religious affiliation:

Old Order Mennonite

This is a:

Finished quilt

How wide is the quilt?

86 1/2

How long is the quilt?

87

Shape of edge:

Straight

Shape of corners:

Straight

What color is the quilt?

Gray; Red; Yellow

Overall color scheme:

Multicolor

Quilt's condition:

Excellent/like new

Describe the quilt's layout:

Block pattern

Number of quilt blocks:

361 pieced, 324 alternating plain blocks

Size of quilt blocks:

2 3/4 x 2 3/4

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:

2

Describe the borders:

outer border, blue, grey print 5" inner border, pieced of yellow X's on a red background that create a chain, 2" wide

Fiber types used to make the quilt top:

Cotton

Fabric styles used in the quilt top:

Multiple scrap

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

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?

Front turned to back

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)?

3/8

What kind of filling is used in the quilt?

Cotton

How thick is the quilt?

Thin (Less than 3/16?)

How are the layers held together?

Hand quilting

Number of quilting stitches per inch, place 1:

9

Number of quilting stitches per inch, place 2:

8

Quilting designs used, overall motifs:

Other

Quilting designs used, decorative motifs:

Cables; Other

Describe the quilting designs used:

The stars are quilted with 2 concentric circles. The alternate blocks are quilted with a star. The first border is quilted in straight lines through the center of the X's. The second border is quited with a cable.

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

Mrs. Jacob Sauder made this quilt before she was married. She gave it to her only daughter who passed it to her daughter. The granddaughter sold the quilt. Mrs. Sauder made everything by hand.

Source of the information on this quilt:

KItty Clark Cole, donor and museum employee

Ownership of this quilt is:

Public- Michigan State University Museum

Quilt owner's name:

Michigan State University Museum

How was this quilt acquired?

Gift

Tell the story of how the quilt was obtained:

Kitty Clark Cole donated this quilt to the Michigan State University Museum.

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

Mrs. Jacob Sauder made this quilt before she was married. She gave it to her only daughter who passed it to her daughter. The granddaughter sold the quilt. Mrs. Sauder made everything by hand.

Access and copyright information:

Restricted

Copyright holder:

Michigan State University Museum

Cite this Quilt

Mrs. Jacob Sauder. Sawtooth Star. 1876-1900. From Michigan State University Museum, Michigan Quilt Project; Michigan State University Museum Collection. Published in The Quilt Index, https://quiltindex.org/view/?type=fullrec&kid=12-8-9141. Accessed: 03/28/24

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