Quilt, Broken Dishes pattern
While undoubtedly a bedcover pieced together by a Midwestern Amish woman, this quilt differs most other Amish products in that it is not actually quilted! Fancy quilt stitching was much less important to Midwestern Amish women than it was to the Amish of Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, who are known for their intricately quilted bedcovers. The Midwestern Amish seemed to prize complex piecing patterns and vibrant color effects over quilt stitching. This quilt would be much less interesting if it were traditionally quilted with dark thread. Instead, its layers have been fastened together using thick cotton yarn ties. While this is certainly a quicker method with which to finish a quilt, the maker has put some thought into the tying pattern—there are light blue ties in the areas with black fabric and green ties in the colored fabric areas. This subtle difference adds to the lively appearance of this unusual piece.
Artwork Details
- Title: Quilt, Broken Dishes pattern
- Date: ca. 1930
- Geography: Possibly made in Ohio, United States
- Culture: American
- Medium: Cotton
- Dimensions: 76 x 64 1/2 in. (193 x 163.8 cm)
- Credit Line: Purchase, Thomas Jayne Studio Inc. Gift, in honor of Julia Burke, 2003
- Object Number: 2003.313
- Curatorial Department: The American Wing
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