QUILT INDEX RECORD

25-21-92

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_0123

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?

1985-1989

Choose the best description of the source to the quilt:

Quiltmaker

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

Made entire quilt

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

Designed quilt motif; Designed the pattern

Describe the relationship to the quilt's maker:

The present owner of this quilt is the quiltmaker's grandson, for whom it was made.

This is a:

Finished quilt

Quilt's title:

Country Cousins Quilt

Owner's name for quilt:

Country Cousins

How wide is the quilt?

62 in.

How long is the quilt?

84 in.

Shape of edge:

Straight

Shape of corners:

Straight

What color is the quilt?

Beige or Tan; Blue or Navy; Brown; Cream; Gray; Orange; Rust

Overall color scheme:

Multicolor; 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:

animals--deer, quail, fox, in woodland scene

Number of quilt blocks:

pictorial motif is framed in center

Describe the quilt setting:

center pictorial medallion

Number of borders:

1

Describe the borders:

one border on each side is a wide, small brown print, also representing tree trunks in woodland scene

Fiber types used to make the quilt top:

Cotton or polyester blend

Fabric styles used in the quilt top:

Print; Solid/plain

Applique techniques used to make the quilt top:

Hand Applique

Embellishment techniques used to make the quilt top:

Embroidery; Other embellishment technique

Describe the techniques used to make the quilt top:

quiltmaker calls her technique "enhanced applique," by which she means cutting freehand all the pieces to create the details in this quilt, arranging all the quilt pieces in layers, then quilting all the layers in one process.

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

no

Materials used to make the back:

Cotton

How is the binding made?

Edges turned in/ no separate binding

What kind of filling is used in the quilt?

Polyester

How thick is the quilt?

Thin (Less than 3/16?)

How are the layers held together?

Hand quilting

Number of quilting stitches per inch, place 1:

7

Number of quilting stitches per inch, place 2:

9

Width between quilting lines:

1 - 2 in.

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

no

Quilting designs used, overall motifs:

Grid/crosshatch; Outline

Describe the quilting designs used:

outline quilting around flora and fauna, plus crosshatch grid of less than 1 inch in background

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

The quiltmaker's extraordinarily realistic depiction of animals, birds, and floral found in the Texas Hill Country area is achieved by her freehand cut, layered, appliqued, and quilted small pieces. The quiltmaker based her multi-layered applique on photographs taken at her Circle Ranch near Fredericksburg, Texas.

Quilt top made by:

Wahrmund, Peggy Stieler

Quilted by:

Wahrmund, Peggy Stieler

Where the quilt was made, city:

Fredericksburg

Where the quilt was made, county:

Gillespie

Where the quilt was made, state:

Texas (TX)

Where the quilt was made, country:

United States

How was this quilt acquired?

Gift

Tell the story of how the quilt was obtained:

Quiltmaker Peggy Wahrmund, a native Texan, is eager to "try to make people aware of our Texas Hill Country Heritage." She made this quilt for her grandson when he was beginning to talk, and some of his first words were the names of animals on this quilt. She later gave this quilt to her grandson.

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

Mrs. Wahrmund was formerly a weaver but started quilting in 1971 when she developed an allergy to wool. She turned to quilting as an outlet for her artistic expression, and has chosen the environment and lifestyle of the Texas Hill country and her Texas ranch for inspiration for this quilt and others she makes.

Why was the quilt made?

Art or personal expression

Details about why the quilt was made:

gift to grandson

The quilt was made to be used for:

Artwork/wall hanging

Quilt is presently used as:

Artwork/wall hanging; Keepsake/memento

Where did the maker get their materials?

Purchased new

Where did the maker find their pattern?

Original to maker

Describe the source of the pattern:

inspired by environment of Texas Hill Country

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

About her quilting, Mrs. Wahrmund states: "Peggy Stieler Wahrmund was born and reared in a Texas Hill Country Ranch and still resides on one today. Very early in her life she was deeply influenced by her environment and interpreted it by applying its stitched shapes to fabrics. This process has developed into the quilted, enhanced applique she produces today. The technical process is the culmination of a self-taught investigation of fiber used to portray the flora and fauna of the Texas Hill Country."

Exhibitions where this quilt was displayed:

"Great Texas Quilt RoundUp," Austin, Texas, 1986; “Lone Stars: A Legacy of Texas Quilts, 1936-1986,” 16th Annual International Quilt Festival, November, 1990, Houston, Texas.

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

Texas Sesquicentennial Quilt Association’s Texas Quilt Search Archives

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

American quilter's Society 1989 Calendar; 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. 146-147.

Ownership of this quilt is:

Private

Quilt owner's name:

Wahrmund, Tyson E.

Quilt owner's state:

Texas (TX)

Quilt owner's country:

United States

Quiltmaker's maiden name:

Stieler, Peggy

Quiltmaker's gender:

Female

Quiltmaker's birthplace, city:

Kerr County

Quiltmaker's birthplace, state:

Texas

Quiltmaker's birthplace, country:

United States

Quiltmaker's marriage date(s):

1950

Quiltmaker's educational background:

MA, New Mexico Highlands University

Quiltmaker's occupation:

retired art teacher, now professional fiber designer and artist

In which kind of environment did the quiltmaker live?

Rural

Quiltmaker's state:

Texas (TX)

Quiltmaker's country:

United States

Quiltmaker's spouse's/spouses' and /or partner's/partners' name(s):

Wahrmund, [unknown]

Quiltmaker's spouse's/spouses' and/or partner's/partners' occupation:

rancher

Number of children:

1

How did the quiltmaker learn to quilt?

Self-Taught

When did the quiltmaker learn to quilt?

Age 40-49

Why does the quiltmaker quilt?

Gifts; Income; Pleasure

Notes on how the quiltmaker learned, and how and why they quilt:

The quiltmaker took up quilting to continue her desire for a creative and artistic outlet after years of weaving and discovering, in 1971, that she was allergic to wool. Today she considers herself a professional fiber designer and artist and does some work on commission.

Estimated number of quilts made by this quiltmaker:

more than 50

Does/did the quiltmaker sell quilts?

yes

Describe any favorite patterns, tools, etc. used by the quiltmaker:

inspired by natural environment around her in Texas Hill Country

Any other notes or stories about the quiltmaker:

Quiltmaker works out of her home studio and makes approximately four quilts each year.

Who photographed this quilt?

Sharon Risedorph

Access and copyright information:

Restricted

Copyright holder:

Assistant Director Winedale

Details

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