QUILT INDEX RECORD

15-11-1054

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:

A1116

Person filling out this form is:

Quiltmaker; Quilt owner

When was the form filled out?

06-20-2015

Choose the best description of the source to the quilt:

Quiltmaker; Quilt owner

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

Bound the quilt; Made entire quilt top

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

Made the quilt

Where was the quilt documentation day held?

Wisconsin Museum of Quilts & Fiber Arts

This is a:

Finished quilt

Quilt's title:

Streak of Lightening in Blues and Browns

Owner's name for quilt:

Variable Star

Names for quilt's pattern in common use:

Aunt Lottie's Star, Texas Star (Variation)

Brackman # or other source & #:

2830

How wide is the quilt?

67.75 in.

How long is the quilt?

83 in.

Shape of edge:

Straight

Shape of corners:

Straight

What color is the quilt?

Beige or Tan; Blue or Navy; Brown; Green; Orange; Pink; Red; White; Yellow

Overall color scheme:

Multicolor

Quilt's condition:

Excellent/like new

Type of inscription:

Date; Initials; Message; Multiple Names; Place; Signature; Other

Describe the type of inscription:

Logo signature

What is inscribed on the quilt?

Inscription 1 "Streak of Lightening in Blues and Browns Pieced by Donna Karolus, Cleveland, WI in Nov-2014 Quilted by Julia Rockwell, St. Nazianz WI. This quilt was inspired by Lori DeJarnatt, Humble Quilts blog and my love of Civil War repro fabric in blues & browns." Second Inscription "Streak of Lightening in Blues and Browns I have been inspired by a historic pattern called Streak of Lightening. Two of my favorite colors are blue and brown. I wanted to showcase many of my Civil War reproduction blues and browns in my version of this quilt. There are 76 full stars and 8 half stars on my quilt. Each star is of a different fabric. The backgrounds for the stars are used 1 - 3 times throughout the quilt. The "streaks" have been used four times for each fabric. The inspiration came from a Variable Star quilt from the year 1870. It can be found in the quiltindex.org, #4A-7F-A4F. This quilt was featured on Lori DeJarnatt's blog called Humble Quilts in May 2011. The historic 1870 quilt and Lori's version featured the streaks colored in pink and green. Pieced by Donna Karolus of Cleveland, WI in 2014 and 2015. The quilt was quilted by Julia Rockwell, St. Nazianz, WI in 2015. 100% cotton fabric and batting. Superior Thread Poly was for the quilting. Quilt Care Store this quilt out of direct sunlight. Machine wash in a large front loading washer, in warm or cool water. Use no detergent, use Orvis paste or a similar soap made for quilts. Please add 1 - 3 color catchers in the wash cycle. Tumble dry low for 20 minutes, then spread quilt flat on a bed to complete the drying. Donna Karolus 2015"

What is the date inscribed on the quilt?

11-2014 to 04-2015

Method used to make the inscription:

Attached label; Computer generated

Location of inscription:

multiple locations; on back; other

Describe where the inscription was found:

2 separate inscriptions on back

Time period:

2000-2025

When was the quilt started?

11-2014

When was the quilt finished?

04-2015

Family/owner's date for quilt:

04-2015

Describe the quilt's layout:

Block pattern

Number of quilt blocks:

76 whole stars, 8 half stars

Size of quilt blocks:

6 x 6 in.

Arrangement of quilt blocks:

On point or rotated on 45 degrees

Spacing of quilt blocks:

Strippy or vertical bands (in vertical rows separated by plain vertical bars); Other

Describe the quilt setting:

Vertical strips are made from pieced star blocks with half-square triangles in Streak of Lightening pattern.

Number of different block patterns used in the quilt:

1

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:

Floral; Geometric; Multiple scrap; Novelty; Print; Striped; Other

Describe the fibers or fabrics in the quilt top:

Foulard prints

Piecing techniques used to make the quilt top:

Machine Piecing

Materials used to make the back:

Cotton

What color is the back of the quilt?

Blue or Navy; Gold

Number of pieces of fabric in the quilt back:

2

Width of pieces on the back:

39 & 28.5 in.

Describe the back:

Machine sewn; Print; Same fabric used throughout

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; Straight 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?

Cotton

How are the layers held together?

Machine quilting

Thread type used for the quilting:

Superior Thread Poly

Color of thread used in the quilting:

Tan/brown

Quilting designs used, overall motifs:

Double parallel lines; Patches outlined/in the ditch

Quilting designs used, decorative motifs:

Feathering; Floral

Describe the quilting designs used:

The pieced star blocks are quilted with a feather/floral motif. Two sets of double parallel lines are quilted in the half-square triangles used to make the streak of lightening pattern.

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

The Streak of Lightning rows alternate from blue to brown. Images in the novelty fabrics include; Federal style houses, American Independence flags, anchors, mariner's compasses and birds with oak leaves and fruit trees.

Quilt top made by:

Karolus, Donna J.

Quilted by:

Rockwell, Julia

Where the quilt was made, city:

Cleveland

Where the quilt was made, county:

Manitowoc

Where the quilt was made, state:

Wisconsin (WI)

Where the quilt was made, country:

United States

How was this quilt acquired?

Other

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

Donna Karolus pieced & bound the quilt and Julia Rockwell of St. Nazianz/Manitowoc County, Wisconsin did the machine quilting.

Where did the maker get their materials?

Purchased new

Where did the maker find their pattern?

Another quilt

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

Reproduction prints from the the 3rd quarter of the 19th century were used. The design for the quilt was derived from a quilt from the 1870's on the Humble Quilts blog.

Ownership of this quilt is:

Private

Quiltmaker's gender:

Female

Quiltmaker's educational background:

College

In which kind of environment did the quiltmaker live?

Rural

How did the quiltmaker learn to quilt?

From Friend; Self-Taught

When did the quiltmaker learn to quilt?

Age 40-49

Why does the quiltmaker quilt?

Gifts; Necessity; Pleasure; Therapy

Estimated number of quilts made by this quiltmaker:

20-50 quilts

Does/did the quiltmaker sell quilts?

no

Does/did the quiltmaker teach quilting?

only informally

Any other notes or stories about the quiltmaker:

Donna Karolus was present for this documentation. Personal information is in reference to her. Other quilts made by Donna Karolus and Julia Rockwell have been documented in the Quilt Index at A1117, A1118 and A1119. Ms. Karolus preferred not to give detailed personal information about her family and herself.

Access and copyright information:

Restricted

Copyright holder:

Wisconsin Museum of Quilts & Fiber Arts

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