QUILT INDEX RECORD
15-11-990
Where are the records for this quilt housed?
Wisconsin Quilt History Project
Who documented this quilt?
Wisconsin Quilt History Project
Wisconsin Quilt History Project Number:
137
Person filling out this form is:
Blood relative of quiltmaker; Quilt owner; Other
Source of the information on this quilt:
Great- granddaughter of quilt maker
When was the form filled out?
10-15-1988
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
Interviewer:
Mac Quee, N.
Where was the quilt documentation day held?
Cedarburg Cultural Center
This is a:
Finished quilt
Owner's name for quilt:
6-Pointed Star
Brackman # or other source & #:
239
How wide is the quilt?
63 in.
How long is the quilt?
83 in.
Shape of edge:
Straight
Shape of corners:
Straight
What color is the quilt?
Black; Blue or Navy; Gray; Green; Orange; Pink; Red; White; Yellow
Overall color scheme:
Multicolor
Quilt's condition:
Good/moderate use
Time period:
1930-1949
Family/owner's date for quilt:
1930's
Further information concerning dates:
Mrs. Aaron was approximately 70 years of age when she made the quilt.
Describe the quilt's layout:
Wholecloth
Spacing of quilt blocks:
Side by side
What is the shape of the quilt blocks?
Diamonds; Same block throughout
Fiber types used to make the quilt top:
Cotton
Fabric types used to make the quilt top:
Broadcloth
Fabric styles used in the quilt top:
Checked; Dotted; Floral; Geometric; Mourning Prints; Multiple scrap; Novelty; Plaid; Print; Solid/plain; Other
Describe the fibers or fabrics in the quilt top:
Large scale prints
Piecing techniques used to make the quilt top:
Machine Piecing
Applique techniques used to make the quilt top:
Hand Applique
Can you feel or see paper on the quilt that was used as a construction aid?
no
Materials used to make the back:
Cotton
What color is the back of the quilt?
White
Describe the back:
Same fabric used throughout; Solid/plain
Materials used in the quilt binding:
Cotton
Fabric structure of the binding:
Plain weave
How is the binding made?
Hand sewn; Home cut; Machine sewn; Separate binding applied
What kind of filling is used in the quilt?
No filling
How are the layers held together?
Hand quilting
Color of thread used in the quilting:
White
Quilting designs used, overall motifs:
Grid/crosshatch; Grid diamond; Outline
Quilting designs used, background fills:
Grid/crosshatch
Describe the quilting designs used:
The star patches are outline quilted with crossed lines creating a grid/crosshatch hanging diamonds design. Stitches are medium size and even.
Features or notes about the quilt's appearance, materials, or construction:
A whole cloth quilt created with machine pieced 6-pointed print stars. 55 stars are hand appliqued side by side to form a rectangular center field. They are surrounded by a white background. At the edge of the quilt, appliqued stars have been placed at intervals to suggest a pseudo-border.
Quilt top made by:
Aaron, Emily Dobratz
Quilted by:
Aaron, Emily Dobratz
Where the quilt was made, city:
Milwaukee
Where the quilt was made, county:
Milwaukee
Where the quilt was made, state:
Wisconsin (WI)
Where the quilt was made, country:
United States
How was this quilt acquired?
Inheritance
Tell the story of how the quilt was obtained:
The owner inherited the quilt from her great-grandmother.
The quilt was made to be used for:
Bedding, daily use
Quilt is presently used as:
Keepsake/memento
Where did the maker get their materials?
Purchased new; Sewing scraps; Other
Describe the sources of the quilt's materials:
Fabric samples
Where did the maker find their pattern?
Public domain/traditional pattern
Where did the quiltmaker find the pattern for the quilting design on the quilt?
Public domain
Describe anything about the design of the quilt that wasn't already recorded in a previous field:
May have gotten materials from her husband (Louis Aaron) or her son-in-law (Maurice Van Engel). Mr. Aaron eventually managed a dry goods store and Mr. Van Engel was a salesman of general merchandise.
Ownership of this quilt is:
Private
Quiltmaker's maiden name:
Dobratz
Quiltmaker's gender:
Female
Quiltmaker's birth date:
1861
Quiltmaker's birthplace, country:
Germany
Quiltmaker's ethnic background/tribal affiliation:
German
In which kind of environment did the quiltmaker live?
Urban
Quiltmaker's county:
Milwaukee
Quiltmaker's city:
Wauwatosa
Quiltmaker's state:
Wisconsin (WI)
Quiltmaker's country:
United States
Quiltmaker's father's name:
Dobratz, John
Quiltmaker's father's ethnic/tribal background:
German
Quiltmaker's mother's name:
Dobratz, Ema
Quiltmaker's mother's ethnic/tribal background:
German
Quiltmaker's spouse's/spouses' and/or partner's/partners' ethnic/tribal background:
German
Quiltmaker's spouse's/spouses' and/or partner's/partners' occupation:
Retail merchant who eventually managed a dry goods store.
Number of children:
4
How many of the quiltmaker's children were girls?
3
How many of the quiltmaker's children were boys?
1
Any other notes or stories about the quiltmaker:
On her 90th birthday she gathered all of the women in the family and divided up her jewelry. The family always played the card game Hearts at her birthday parties. Mrs. Aaron emigrated from Germany to America in 1871. In 1883 she married her husband, Louis, who also was came from Germany. Together they raised 4 children. He died in 1922. She lived in Wauwatosa for a while as a widow. The 1930 census shows she eventually moved in with her daughter Frieda Van Engel and her son-in-law Maurice Van Engel. They lived in Milwaukee on N. 37th St. She lived to at least 96 years of age. Her daughter Freida died in Milwaukee in 1973. Additional information on Mrs. Aaron and her family was found on Ancestry.com and other online genealogy sites. Mrs. Aaron has other quilts documented in the Quilt Index under her name at #136, #138, #139, #140, #141 and #142.
Access and copyright information:
Restricted
Copyright holder:
Wisconsin Museum of Quilts & Fiber Arts
Details
Cite this Quilt
Aaron, Emily Dobrat. 6-Pointed Star. 1930-1949. From Wisconsin Quilt History Project, Wisconsin Quilt History Project. Published in The Quilt Index, https://quiltindex.org/view/?type=fullrec&kid=15-11-990. Accessed: 03/29/24