Tree of Life - detail


Quilt Index Record: 48-7C-89

a Essay Historical Background

description
On this quilt Gasperik quilted the outline of the appliqued blue bird which appears on all of her 'Indiana Wreath' quilts. On the other two Tree of Life quilts, quilted birds are all outline copies and variations of the quilts' applique birds.
essay
It appears that this quilt was finished in a hurry and may not have had Gasperik's usual painstaking attention. Its batting falls ~2" short of the top edge of the quilt,. A binding ‘tail’ protrudes in the upper left corner in an uncharacteristically sloppy way. Heavy pencil markings are visible on the quilt’s top. Interestingly, the topmost quilted bird on this quilt, an outline of the more elaborate McCall applique bird, is missing its head! It is the undated Tree of Life. It would be most interesting to know when she made it because it probably coincides with a particularly difficult time in her life.

Administrative Fields

InstNameF003
Gasperik Collection
InstProjNameF003a
Mary Gasperik Private Collection
InstInvContrNumF004
044b

Information source fields

IdentPersonF006
Relative of quiltmaker
Quilt owner
Author/researcher
SourceOtherF006a
Grand-daughter
RelnQuiltF007
Quilt owner
IfOtherF007d
Grand-daughter Susan Salser began this research effort in 1991, after she and her two sisters divided up the quilts which belonged to their mother (Elsie Gasperik Krueger) who died in 1988. Her ongoing research has been fruitful and interesting.

Overall Quilt Description

TypeObjF008
Finished quilt
QuiltTitleF009
Tree of Life - detail
OwnerNameF010
Tree of Life (Susan)
OverallWidthF12a
68 inches
OverallLengthF012b
91 inches
ShapeEdgeF013
Straight
ShapeCornersF013b
Straight
PredomColorsF014
Yellow
Orange
Green
Cream
Brown
Beige or Tan
OverallColorF14b
Dark colors
Multicolor
OverCondF015
Excellent/like new
DateQuiltF023
1930-1949
FamDateF023c
1935-1942
OtherExDateF023d
Late 1930s
OtherDateF023e
Merikay Waldvogel
DateInfoF023f
Although the McCall pattern on which this quilt is based was published in 1931, other Gasperik versions of this Tree of Life design were made as early as 1935 and as late as 1942.

Quilt top description

LayFormatF024
Medallion or framed center
SubjQuiltF025
Tree of Life
NumBordersF033
One
BordDescF034
Wide border on four sides frames the center panel.

Quilt top materials and construction

FiberTypesF035
Cotton
FabPrintF037
Print
Solid/plain
ConstrucF038b
Hand Applique
ConstrucF038g
Embroidery
PaperF038i
no

Quilt back materials and construction

FabFiberTypesF040
Cotton
ColorBackingF040b
Beige or Tan
NumPiecesF042
3
WidthPiecesF042a
3", 32", 33"
DescBackF043
Solid/plain

Quilt binding

MatUsedF044
Cotton
ConstrucBindF046
Bias grain
WidthBindF047
less than a half inch

Quilt batting

MatUsedF048
Cotton
BattLoftF048a
Thin (Less than 3/16")

Quilting description

QuiltTechF049
Hand quilting
ThrColorF049b
white
NumStitchedF050
11
NumStitchF051
11
KnotsF051b
no
DesignF052a
Grid diamond
Clamshell
DesignF052b
Other
Floral
Feathering
DesignF052c
Grid/crosshatch
DesignF052d
A quilted line of feathering frames inner edge of center panel. Cross-hatch filled feathered hearts, cross-hatch filled feathered leaves and three quilted birds are embedded in the diamond patterned background of the center panel.

Quilt notes and observations

FeaturesF053
The appliqued bird in shades of orange was not part of the Kaumagraph pattern. It isn't known where Gasperik got this pattern. She used it on Tree of Life #031 also, but not on the double trunked version of Tree of Life (#065), where she instead created two intricate elaborations of the McCall bluebird.

Quiltmaker identification

QuiltTopF054
Gasperik, Mary
QuiltedByF055
Gasperik, Mary

Quilt provenance

LocMadeF057a
Chicago
ProvCountyF057b
Cook County
ProvStateF057d
Illinois (IL)
ProvCountryF057f
United States
AcquiredF058
Other
ProvenanceF058a
Susan acquired this in a quilt trade with her sister Karen. Karen had been brought two different Tree of Life quilts by Elsie. Susan wanted to own one of the three Gasperik Tree of Life quilts. Because their mother helped design these quilts and loved them, the Tree of Life quilts are a sentimental favorite of the three girls.

Quilt purposes uses

ReasonsF060
Art or personal expression
QDesignF060b
Bedding, special occasion
PresUseF062
Keepsake/memento
OthPresUseF062a
Mary's grandchildren regard her quilts as a unique collection to be preserved and appreciated.

Quilt design and materials sources

SourceMatF063
Purchased new
OthSourceF063a
Note: The dark green calico print (top row of the triple mound under the tree) may be the same fabric supplied with Calico Rose (see #049) kit--Paragon kit No. 01082.
TopSourceF064
Commercial/Published source: Pattern
CommSourceF064b
McCall #1853 Crewelwork Pattern/Tree of Life published in McCall Decorative Arts and Needlework 1931-1932.

Exhibition history of quilt

ExhibitListF067a
"The Quilts of Mary Gasperik" Ravenswood Historic Site, Livermore, CA, March 14-15, 1992.

Quilt ownership and contact info

OwnershipF082
Private
OwnerNameF082a
Susan Krueger Salser
OwnerCountryF086b
United States
SourceInfoF088b
Susan Krueger Salser

Other source materials available for this quilt

RelItemsF088a
Pattern envelope (including contents with yarn color chart) McCall #1853 Crewel Tree of Life - Susan Salser private collection. The family has Gasperik's own copy of the McCall Kaumagraph #1853 pattern (printed in black and white). Letter from Gasperik's niece Vilma McClure to Susan Salser, dated Jan. 9, 1994 refers to the Gasperik 'Tree of Life' quilts (she calls the design "the family tree quilt"): "About your mother. She helped design many of the quilts. I particularly remember the family tree quilt. I saw it in the making. I think your mother designed that one. Elsie was most pleased that her mother had such a passion for making quilts. Indeed, Aunt Mary didn't do anything else - literally! Your mother went to Hazelrest and cleaned her mother's house and did her wash on a regular basis."

Quiltmaker personal information

MaidenF097b
Mihalovits, Maria
GenderF098
Female
BirthDateF099
01/25/1888
MarriageF099b
11/18/1906
DeathF100
05/25/1969
EthnicF101
Hungarian
EdBkgdF102
Elementary School
BirthplaceCountryF098d
Hungary
EnviroF104c
Rural

Quiltmaker address

StAddressF105
9314 Cottage Grove
CountyF106
Cook
CityF106a
Chicago
StateF107
Illinois (IL)
CountryF108
United States

Quiltmaker Family history

FatherNameF109
Mihalovits, Istvan
BplaceF109a
Hungary
EthBkgrndF110
Hungarian
MotherNameF111
Mihalovits, Vidoszava
BplaceF111a
Hungary
EthBkgrndF112
Hungarian
SpouseF113
Gasperik, Stephen
EthBkgrndF114
Hungarian
OccupationF115
Milk Dealer/Grocery Store Owner/Butcher
NoChildF116
3
NoFemF116a
1 (Elsie 1909-1988)
NoMaleF116b
2 (Elmer and Stephen)

Quiltmaker personal quilting history

LearnedToQuiltF117
Self-Taught
From guild or club member
WhenQuiltF118
Age 40-49
WhyQuiltF119
Pleasure
Other
OtherF119a
Mary Gasperik made quilts because it was her life passion and greatest talent. As opportunities arose, she entered contests and exhibited them publicly. She also made special quilts for her family.

Quiltmakers Membership in quilting group

NameGroupF120
Tuley Park Quilt Club and Detroit News Quilt Club
LocGroupF121
Southside Chicago and Detroit MI
SpecialGroupF122
Chicago group met to quilt and held periodic quilt shows; Detroit group held national exhibits and contests.

Other quilts made by quiltmaker

NumQuiltsF123
more than 50
SellQuiltF127
no
TeachF129
no

Other source materials available for quiltmaker

OtherSourceMat
Merikay Waldvogel and Barbara Brackman. Patchwork Souvenirs of the 1933 Chicago World's Fair (Nashville, TN: Rutledge Hill Press, 1993)102-103. Merikay Waldvogel "One American Dream Comes True" Quilters Newsletter Magazine, March 2008, 46-49.

Image Information

InvenNumF075
044b
ImageConF075a
Detail: orange bird
ImageTypeF076
Color
SourceF077
CD-ROM
DateF079
3
1
1992
CE
photocredit079a1
Don Gonzalez
DigDateF079a
1
2008
CE
AccessF080
Restricted
HolderF080a
Susan Salser

File Information

function
Image - medium display (250-550 pixels)
file_medium
image
file_format
jpeg
Contributing Institutions
MATRIX: Center for Humane Arts, Letters and Social Sciences Online at Michigan State University, Michigan State University Museum, Alliance For American Quilts
Publisher
Quilt Index
Resource Type
StillImage

data verification

verify
yes
verifiedby
Salser, Susan
dateverified
12
20
2008
CE

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