Some Old Beauties

An interesting item came up at guild last night.  Apparently about 20 years ago, our guild helped register quilts made/residing in Indiana before 1950.  Photographs and information was stored in the Indiana state museum.  Now the museum would like to put this information in digital form to be included in the Quilt Index.  There is no state funding available for this, so the museum is asking guilds for contributions, and since we were one of the earlier guilds instrumental in collecting records we were asked to contribute $250. Some members felt this was too much, but after discussion, we voted to contribute the full amount.

It was gratifying to see how strongly people felt about this: the importance of the project (although no one seemed familiar with the Quilt Index), and pride in being a group who made a contribution to quilt history.

By coincidence, last week I visited the Wylie House museum in Bloomington, Indiana, and saw these old quilts, part of their collection.

Unfortunately, I didn't take pictures of the information cards, so I can't add to the pictures.  However, I do know that the Grandmother's Flower Garden at the top of the page was bought from the Henry Ford Foundation.  It is English, made from drapery fabrics of the 1840's and is lined but not quilted.  Isn't it contemporary looking?  It could be Kaffe Fassett fabrics.

Tara Lynn Darr of Sew Unique Creations also attended this exhibit and took many excellent pictures, with close ups of the information cards.  From her web album you can see these quilts and all the rest.  Thank you so much, Tara.

Briefly, the pink and green quilt, called Ships Wheel dates from 1850-1875, the crazy quilt was probably made by Rebecca Wylie in the 1880's,  and the Cherry Basket quilt dates from 1860-1880.  As you can see, there is only incomplete documentation on these quilts, reinforcing the importance of labeling ours.

So here are a few of the Indiana quilts that may someday be added to the Quilt Index. Thank you, River Bend Quilt Guild, and all the other quilters who will help.