Star Quilt with Border

Abstract

Classification: Building Furnishings, Bedding, Quilt. Materials and Techniques: Pieced Cotton. Style/Period/Movement: Physical Description: This quilt is a Lone Star Quilt, which is also known by the names of Mathematical Star, Star of Bethlehem, Star of the East, and Morning Star. It is one of the oldest quilt patterns used in the United States and usually contains eight points, although they can also sometimes contain six points. The lone star was particularly popular in Pennsylvania, Baltimore-MD, Texas, and among Native American Quilters (Morning Star). This is a more difficult pattern to make and requires y-seams (KUmberly Wulfert, Ph.D., http://womenfolk.com/quilt_pattern_history/mornstar.htm).

This particular quilt is made of red, green, yellow, and pink calico fabric along with a solid red fabric. The star is on a pink calico background with a green calico border all around. There are also small green calico stars in between the points of the larger star. The quilting follows the diamond shaped pieces of the main star and also the smaller ones. The background is quilted in a grid pattern. The border is quilted in a wavy "s" quilting pattern. The fabric on the back of the quilt is a blue striped print cotton.

Exhibition History: Rothman Gallery, F&M College, Autumn 1996, 1999. Collection or Donor: From the Robert L. Schaeffer Jr. Collection donated to the college in 1987. It is said that Schaeffer (American 1918-2001), an avid collector of American folk art, often crossed paths with the Duponts. The collection largely represents a narrow geographic region consisting of Pennsylvania German objects and was accumulated over four decades. This quilt was made for David Schaeffer, son of Catherine Schaeffer.