QUILT INDEX RECORD

25-21-88

Who documented this quilt?

Texas Sesquicentennial Quilt Association, Texas Quilt Search

Where are the records for this quilt housed?

Briscoe Center for American History, University of Texas at Austin

Texas Quilt Search Number:

tqs_0120

Person filling out this form is:

Quiltmaker; Other

Source of the information on this quilt:

This quilt was reviewed and documented during the Texas Sesquicentennial Quilt Association's Phase II of the Texas Quilt Search, 1986-1989. Karey Bresenhan served as quilt historian.

When was the form filled out?

1986-1989

Choose the best description of the source to the quilt:

Participated in design of the quilt

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

Participated in group quilting

If the source helped design the quilt, describe their input:

Other

Describe the relationship to the quilt's maker:

Much of the information for this quilt comes from Shirley Ann Fowlkes, who spearheaded the Quilter's Guild of Dallas's creation of this quilt, which is now owned by Mr. and Mrs. Thomas S. Miller of Texas.

This is a:

Finished quilt

Quilt's title:

A Texas Sesquicentennial Quilt

Owner's name for quilt:

Texas Sesquicentennial

How wide is the quilt?

100 in.

How long is the quilt?

114 in.

Shape of edge:

Straight

Shape of corners:

Straight

What color is the quilt?

Blue or Navy; Cream; Green; Red; White

Overall color scheme:

Bright or primary colors

Quilt's condition:

Excellent/like new

Time period:

1976-1999

When was the quilt finished?

1985

Family/owner's date for quilt:

1985

Describe the quilt's layout:

Pictorial

Subject of the quilt:

Texas landmarks, scenes, and symbols

Number of quilt blocks:

26 blocks frame a large central pictorial medallion

Arrangement of quilt blocks:

Straight

Spacing of quilt blocks:

Separated by plain sashing; Separated by inner and outer sashing (sashing surrounds all sides of all blocks)

Number of different block patterns used in the quilt:

26, plus larger central medallion

What is the shape of the quilt blocks?

Sampler; Squares

Number of borders:

1

Describe the borders:

solid red border

Fiber types used to make the quilt top:

Cotton

Fabric styles used in the quilt top:

Print; Solid/plain

Piecing techniques used to make the quilt top:

Hand Piecing; Machine Piecing

Applique techniques used to make the quilt top:

Hand Applique

Embellishment techniques used to make the quilt top:

Embroidery

Describe the techniques used to make the quilt top:

embroidered details on many design motifs

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

no

Materials used to make the back:

Cotton

Describe the back:

Solid/plain

Materials used in the quilt binding:

Cotton

How is the binding made?

Bias grain

What kind of filling is used in the quilt?

Polyester

How thick is the quilt?

Medium (3/16?)

How are the layers held together?

Hand quilting

Thread type used for the quilting:

cotton

Color of thread used in the quilting:

red, white, blue

Number of quilting stitches per inch, place 1:

7

Number of quilting stitches per inch, place 2:

9

Width between quilting lines:

1/2 - 1 in.

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

no

Quilting designs used, overall motifs:

Outline

Quilting designs used, decorative motifs:

Other

Quilting designs used, background fills:

Grid/crosshatch

Describe the quilting designs used:

grid crosshatch of about 1 inch in background; outline quilting in blocks and medallion designs; chain quilting with Texas stars on sashing; shadow quilting

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

The red, white, and blue quilt was designed by Shirley Ann Fowlkes and pieced, appliqued, and quilted by fifty members of the Quilter's Guild of Dallas to commemorate Texas history and to celebrate the Texas Sesquicentennial. The center medallion features the Texas Lone Star, a Mariner's Compass adapted from one appearing in 1955 in a Texas highway map, and four of Texas's most famous landmarks: the Alamo, the Governor's Mansion, the San Jacinto Monument, and the State Capitol. Twenty-six blocks pieced and appliqued blocks frame the central motifs. These include the Texas Lone Star in each of the four corners, and Texas icons or scenes, including an armadillo, the Bluebonnet, an oil derrick, a shrimp boat, cattle, the Yellow Rose of Texas, the Johnson Space Center, cotton, and a Spanish mission.

Name of the group that made the quilt:

Quilter's Guild of Dallas (50 members)

Quilt top made by:

Cothrum, Margaret; Corbett, Paula; Copeland, Katie; Burchfield, Dorothy; Baker, Betty; Ashbacher, Sally Redman; Eubanks, Eleanor; Field, Ruth; Fowlkes, Shirley; Fugua, Susan

Quilted by:

O'Bannon, Margaret; Noullet, Margaret; Morris, Joanne; Mitchell, Jan; Meehan, Marcia; Lotman, Kaye; Leonard, Evelyn; Legett, Libby; Pearson, Darla; Read, Phyllis

Other people who worked on this quilt:

Kalmus, Margaret; Huddleston, Peggy; Howell, Betty; Hobby, Laura; Harkins, Lynn; Hanz, Jean; Garver, Virginia; Klein, Dana; Lee, Nona

Where the quilt was made, city:

Dallas

Where the quilt was made, county:

Dallas

Where the quilt was made, state:

Texas (TX)

Where the quilt was made, country:

United States

How was this quilt acquired?

Purchase

Tell the story of how the quilt was obtained:

Besides celebrating the Texas Sesquicentennial, this quilt was created to help the Quilter's Guild of Dallas raise funds for the further development of quilt art through scholarships, grants, and museum endowments. It was offered for sale to the highest bidder. The starting price was $10,000.

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

Other members of the Quilter's Guild of Dallas who worked on this project were Camille Reagan, Sandy Rex, Virginia Reynolds, Dorothy Richards, Karen Roossien, Polly Schafer, Susie Skelton, Jean Smith, Linda Smith, Mary Smith, La Trelle Sommers, Sara Steel, Liz Tyler, Jo Valenti, Tricia Van Buskirk, Nancy Vencevich, Mary White, Marilou Wimmer, Ginny Wright, and Lynn Wright.

Why was the quilt made?

Fundraising

Details about why the quilt was made:

commemorate the Texas Sesquicentennial

The quilt was made to be used for:

Artwork/wall hanging

Quilt is presently used as:

Artwork/wall hanging; Exhibit

Where did the maker get their materials?

Sewing scraps

Describe the sources of the quilt's materials:

some fabrics purchased new

Where did the maker find their pattern?

Original to maker

Describe the source of the pattern:

original design by Shirley Fowlkes based on real depictions of Texas landmarks, symbols, and scenes

Exhibitions where this quilt was displayed:

American International Quilt Association show, 1985; Texas State Fair, 1986; “Lone Stars: A Legacy of Texas Quilts, 1936-1986,” 16th Annual International Quilt Festival, November, 1990, Houston, Texas.

Contests entered:

American International Quilt Association show, 1985 (blue ribbon); Texas State Fair, 1986 (best of show)

Related items such as diaries, obituaries, wills, household inventories, or pictures of the quiltmaker:

Quilter's Guild of Dallas website; Texas Sesquicentennial Quilt Association’s Texas Quilt Search Archives

Publications (including web sites) where this quilt or maker was featured:

Bresenhan, Karoline Patterson and Nancy O'Bryant Puentes, Lone Stars: A Legacy of Texas Quilts, Vol. II, 1936-1986 (Austin: University of Texas Press, 1990), p. 140-141.

Ownership of this quilt is:

Private

Quilt owner's name:

Mr. and Mrs. Thomas S. Miller

Quilt owner's state:

Texas (TX)

Quilt owner's country:

United States

Quiltmaker's gender:

Group

Does/did the quiltmaker belong to a group? Name of the group?

Quilter's Guild of Dallas

Where does/did the group meet?

Dallas

What are the main activities of the group?

meeting, lectures, shows, fundraising for grants

Does/did the quiltmaker sell quilts?

yes

Any other notes or stories about the quiltmaker:

The Quilter's Guild of Dallas is a non-profit organization that helps raise funds for the further development of quilt art.

Who photographed this quilt?

Sharon Risedorph

Access and copyright information:

Restricted

Copyright holder:

Assistant Director Winedale

Details

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