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MCKISSICK MUSEUM HOME |
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Quilts Collection (Selections) |
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| McKissick Museum houses over 75 quilts from the Southeastern region of the United States. Forty-seven of the quilts can be positively dated. Two were made prior to 1820; twenty-nine were made between 1821 and 1900; thirteen fall between 1901 and 1940; and two were made from 1941 to the present. Piecework, appliqué, embroidery, and strip quilt techniques are all represented in the Museum's collections | |
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This Victorian era crazy quilt was pieced by Sarah Elizabeth Jones King of Georgia and presented to her grandson, Emmet C. King, on his twenty-first birthday. The quilt is made from individual blocks of fabric pieces such as satins, silks and velvets basted together.
Several different sets of initials and female names are embroidered on the quilt indicating that some of King's female friends also contributed to the project. Embroidered in the center blue square are the initials "ECK" and the dates 1865 and 1886 documenting the years of his birth and twenty-first birthday. Crazy quilts were very popular during the late nineteenth century, especially with ladies from well-to-do families. Remnants from silk ties and other fine fabrics were eagerly sought by women to create their own quilt master-pieces. Women's magazines featured articles on crazy quilts with suggested stitching patterns and design ideas. Because of these magazine articles, many of the same symbols and motifs are found on quilts from all over the country. Crazy quilts were seldom meant to be used but were made primarily for decoration and to show off a woman's handiwork and creativity.  Crazy Quilt, 1886 |
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Quilt, c. 1840-1850 This quilt is composed of brilliant red and green pieced calico stars that have been bordered by glazed chintz strips of two different floral patterns. The precise star patterns are composed of seventy-two individual pieces of fabric, perfectly matched from star to star.
One of the clues to the quilt's near perfect condition is the evidence of the heavy gloss of the chintz glaze which still remains and clearly indicated its unwashed status. The chintz patterns often assists researchers in dating quilts, like this one, by the pattern and method of printing. This quilt shows that these fabrics were probably block printed, a practice used until about 1840, because of the small, randomly-placed registrations dots found throughout the fabric. |
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Quilt, 1945 |
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For more information on McKissick Museum's history collection or other parts of our permanent collection, write McKissick Museum Collections Manager Jill Koverman or call (803) 777-7251. |
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http://www.cas.sc.edu/mcks/ Last updated 12/01/2008 • Ja-Nae M. Epps |
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