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Bowtie; Necktie; Friendship; Album

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QUILT INDEX RECORD

13-9-6

Where are the records for this quilt housed?

Mountain Heritage Center

Who documented this quilt?

Mountain Heritage Center; Southern Appalachian Quilts

Mountain Heritage Center's Accession Number:

MHC99.02.001

Person filling out this form is:

Quilt owner

When was the form filled out?

1999; 2004

Choose the best description of the source to the quilt:

Quilt owner

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

Inherited

This is a:

Finished quilt

Quilt's title:

Bowtie

Names for quilt's pattern in common use:

Necktie; Friendship; Album

Brackman # or other source & #:

1376; pattern variation

How wide is the quilt?

74 3/4"

How long is the quilt?

65 1/4"

Shape of corners:

Straight

What color is the quilt?

Turquoise or Teal; Red; Pink; Orange; Lavender; Green; Blue or Navy; Black; Beige or Tan; White; Yellow

Overall color scheme:

Multicolor

Quilt's condition:

Very good/almost new

Type of inscription:

Signature; Multiple Names; Date

What is inscribed on the quilt?

Row 1: no names Row 2: Eva T. Sarah Gibson 1937 Mr. & Mrs. Marshall. M Floy L Marshal M Maggie Roland John R Myrtle Mathews Row 3: Davio Matis Ethal Mathis Maudie Dowdle Gennie Cunningham. April, 1937 Clara Beck April. 1937 Belle Brown April. 1937 Maxine Beck April. 1937 Nelson Addie Lilian. M Row 4: Elsie Rowland 1937 L&R Bessie Beck Tilson Beck Mr. and Mrs. J.E.R Florance B Flora P Ben P Row5: L.A.P. Laura Mathis Winnie Mathis Edna Beck Jarvis Beck Ruth Beck

What is the date inscribed on the quilt?

1937

Method used to make the inscription:

Embroidery

Describe the method used to inscribe the quilt:

pencil

Location of inscription:

on block

Time period:

1930-1949

Date estimated by an antique dealer, quilt historian or appraiser:

1930-1950

Who estimated the quilt's date?

Merikay Waldvogel

Further information concerning dates:

Quilt top has date of April 1937, however, owners great aunt completed the quilt by stitching it to a single-piece back at a later date.

Describe the quilt's layout:

Block pattern

Subject of the quilt:

Friendship

Number of quilt blocks:

25 full blocks; 5 half blocks on one side

Size of quilt blocks:

13" x 13"

Arrangement of quilt blocks:

Straight

Spacing of quilt blocks:

Side by side

What is the shape of the quilt blocks?

Squares

Fiber types used to make the quilt top:

Cotton

Fabric styles used in the quilt top:

Print; Plaid; Novelty; Multiple scrap; Floral; Dotted; Checked; Solid/plain; Striped

Piecing techniques used to make the quilt top:

Hand Piecing

Embellishment techniques used to make the quilt top:

Embroidery

Can you feel or see paper on the quilt that was used as a construction aid?

no

Embellishments used:

Cotton thread

Materials used to make the back:

Cotton

Number of pieces of fabric in the quilt back:

4

Width of pieces on the back:

38 3/4"; 35; 38 3/4"; 35

Describe the back:

Same fabric used throughout; Print

Materials used in the quilt binding:

Cotton

Fabric structure of the binding:

Plain weave

Describe the binding:

bias tape

How is the binding made?

Bias grain

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

less than a half inch

What kind of filling is used in the quilt?

Cannot tell

How thick is the quilt?

Thin (Less than 3/16?)

How are the layers held together?

Hand quilting

Thread type used for the quilting:

cotton

Color of thread used in the quilting:

white

Number of quilting stitches per inch, place 1:

6

Number of quilting stitches per inch, place 2:

9

Width between quilting lines:

1 1/4

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:

Backing is red floral print in a loosely woven yardage, but is not a printed feed sack.

Name of the group that made the quilt:

Tow String Church

Quilt top made by:

Tow String Church, Women

Quilted by:

Great Aunt, of donor

Where the quilt was made, county:

Swain

Where the quilt was made, state:

North Carolina (NC)

Where the quilt was made, country:

United States

How was this quilt acquired?

Inheritance

Tell the story of how the quilt was obtained:

Inherited from father

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

Donor’s father grew up on land that is now part of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. When the government dispossessed those folks, donor’s grandfather helped negotiate the agreement involving the relocation of the Tow String Church. This church was "unbuilt" and moved, then rebuilt board-by-board in its newly designated location. As a going away present for the pastor, the women of the church pieced him a quilt top, including embroidering names of their family members onto their patches. At least one patch carries the date of April 1937. The church was no longer allowed to be used by members except for a once-a-year homecoming in August. When the pastor later died, his widow sent the quilt top to donor’s father, feeling it would mean more to a Tow String descendant than to her family. One of donor’s great aunts completed the quilt by stitching it to a single-piece back.

Why was the quilt made?

Gift or presentation

Quilt is presently used as:

Study or teaching aid; Museum collection; Exhibit

Where did the maker get their materials?

Unknown

Where did the maker find their pattern?

Unknown

Ownership of this quilt is:

Public Museum, Library or Institution

Quilt owner's name:

Mountain Heritage Center Western Carolina University

Quilt owner's city:

Cullowhee

Quilt owner's county:

Jackson

Quilt owner's state:

North Carolina (NC)

Quilt owner's country:

United States

Quiltmaker's gender:

Group

Quiltmaker's birthplace, country:

United States

In which kind of environment did the quiltmaker live?

Rural

Who photographed this quilt?

Tim Barnwell

Access and copyright information:

Restricted

Copyright holder:

Mountain Heritage Center

Cite this Quilt

Tow String Church, Wome. Bowtie. 1930-1949. From Mountain Heritage Center, Mountain Heritage Center; Southern Appalachian Quilts. Published in The Quilt Index, https://quiltindex.org/view/?type=fullrec&kid=13-9-6. Accessed: 03/28/24