Quilt, Log Cabin pattern

This Log Cabin quilt is composed of small strips of cotton and wool fabric in shades of brown, green, and rust. Each block has a purple, red, or maroon square at its center. The wide border is a lighter shade of brown, the edge binding is a dark brown, and the backing is faded brown (once blue) cotton printed with small flowers. There is a layer of cotton batting between the two layers. The border is hand quilted with purple thread in a rope pattern.

This quilt was purchased by the donor at an auction in New York City in 1996, at which point it was catalogued as Amish and from Berks County by the auction house. Recent research has proved, however, that Log Cabin quilts were rarely made by Amish quilt makers, although the pattern was extremely popular with the other Pennsylvania German groups, such as the Mennonites.