QUILT INDEX RECORD

12-8-10233

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:

01.0011

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

2001:158.11

Object label:

Sampler Album
Friends of Annie Risser Horst
Middleton, Pennsylvania
c1890
Collection of Michigan State University Museum acc.#2001:158.11

Essay:

Quilts containing blocks of different patterns are known as "Samplers". This sampler is made of both pieced and appliquéd designs of varying degrees of difficulty, including "Basket," "Ohio Star," "Postage Stamp," "Pine Tree," "LeMoyne Star," "Zig Zag," and "Churn Dash." The blocks are set on point and separated by sashing with cornerstones.

Quilts made by a group of individuals as a present for a friend are often referred to as "Friendship" quilts. When quilts carry the names of individuals, they are referred to as "Album" and/or "Signature" quilts. This "Sampler Album" quilt is believed to have been made as a going away present for Annie Risser Horst, a teacher in Pennsylvania, by her friends and family members. Names embroidered in various colors of floss on the blocks include "Aunt Lorrie Risser," "My mother G.," "Mother Risser," "Mother Hosrst," "Aunt Ella Horst," "Edna Bachman Roy," and "Sadie Risser."

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

Quilt's title:

Amish Friendship Sampler Album

Owner's name for the quilt:

Amish Friendship Sampler Album

Subject of the quilt:

Autograph friendship

Names for quilt's pattern in common use:

Basket, Ohio Star, Postage Stamp, Pine Tree, Bear's Paw, LeMoyne Star, Zig-zag, Churn Dash

Biography of the quiltmaker?

Additional research has found that the makers name is more likely to be Annie Horst Risser. Born August 16th 1853 in Pennsylvania; unknown death date. Daughter of Peter W. Risser and Catherine Shelly Horst (Mother Horst was a name that appeared on the quilt) Step daughter of Becky Ober Shenk (name of Mrs. John Shenk also appeared on quilt)

Name of the group that made the quilt:

Friends of Annie Risser Horst

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

Received as a gift

Where the quilt was made, city:

Middleton

Where the quilt was made, county:

Lancaster

Where the quilt was made, state:

Pennsylvania (PA)

Time period:

1876-1900

Why was the quilt made?

Autograph or friendship

Quilt is presently used as:

Museum collection

Quiltmaker's city:

Middleton

Quiltmaker's county:

Lancaster

Quiltmaker's state:

Pennsylvania (PA)

This is a:

Finished quilt

How wide is the quilt?

79

How long is the quilt?

79

Shape of edge:

Straight

Shape of corners:

Straight

What color is the quilt?

Black; Green; Red; Yellow; White

Antique colors:

Cheddar Orange or Antimony or Chrome Orange; Double Pink

Overall color scheme:

Multicolor

Quilt's condition:

Very good/almost new

Describe the type of inscription:

B A Coble; F Forman; Annie; Katie Bowman; Mother Horst; Iteisey; Eda Bachman; Mrs. S. Longmecker; S. Gingrich; Aunt Ella Horst; Alice Coble; Lizzie Ebersole; Sadie Risser; Annie ?man?; Mrs. John Shenk; My mother; S.M. Coble; C. Gingrich; Mrs. Hess; Aunt S

What is inscribed on the quilt?

B A Coble

Method used to make the inscription:

Embroidery

Location of inscription:

on block

Describe the quilt's layout:

Block pattern

Number of quilt blocks:

25 full blocks, 6 cut in 1/2, 1 cut in quarters

Size of quilt blocks:

8 3/4 x 8 3/4

Arrangement of quilt blocks:

On point or rotated on 45 degrees

Spacing of quilt blocks:

Separated by sashing with cornerstones or connecting blocks

Sashing width:

3

Number of borders:

2

Fiber types used to make the quilt top:

Cotton

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

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:

Pieced of alternate strips of blue, green, red check and red and white print, 11 strips in all.

Describe the back:

Different fabrics

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)?

1/8

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:

9

Number of quilting stitches per inch, place 2:

9

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

no

Quilting designs used, overall motifs:

Grid/crosshatch; Outline

Quilting designs used, decorative motifs:

Cables

Describe the quilting designs used:

clamshell

Source of the information on this quilt:

Kitty Clark Cole, donor

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:

Annie Risser Horst's Amish friends and family members made her this quilt. It is believed that Annie was a teacher and this was a going away present.

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

Based on 2012 research there is evidence for this coming from Middletown instead of Middleton township due to the number of people buried 12 miles away from Middletown who show up on the quilt. Also Annie Horst Risser is most likely the woman's name instead of Risser Horst because no information was found on Risser Horst and the names found on the quilt fit with Annie Horst Risser.

Access and copyright information:

Restricted

Copyright holder:

Michigan State University Museum