Quilt

Textile

East Tennessee Historical Society

Name/Title

Quilt

Entry/Object ID

93.20.3

Description

White wholecloth quilt of Catherine ("Bonny Kate") Sherrill Sevier, 45" center medallion, handsewn, stuffing/vines stuffed with cording, white cotton fabric, tape binding, coarse cotton backing, ball fringe all around, hand quilted, quilted medallion--arches, oval, rondelle, swags, cross hatching/double quilting in background, border quilted in winding vine with flowers, 8 stitches/inch with cotton thread, rounded corners, first quarter of 19th century/c. 1820. Conservator Patricia Ewer's comments (Biltmore Estate, 9/19/1994): "The all-white quilt is an example of the trapunto technique, with stuffed areas surrounded by a running stitch. The quilt front is constructed of two widths of fabric, approximately 42-1/2" each, seamed along the central vertical axis. The backing consists of three panels of a coarser-weave fabric through which the stuffing was fitted between the two; the proper right back panel is 25" wide, the center panel 35" wide, the proper left panel about 25 1/4" wide. The blue stitch line markings are still evident in places, such as the inner boundary line and flower outlines of the outer border. The markings have bled in many areas, forming small blue spots. The overall design elements consist of a central quatrefoil framed by a sinuous vine, surrounded by an inner border, outer border, and fringe." Fiber analysis: Microscopic examination by conservator determined all fibers used in quilt, including stuffing, to be cotton. Weave analysis: Backing, plain weave--15 warps per cm vertical; 17 wefts per cm horizontal. Front, plain weave--47 warps per cm vertical; 46 wefts per cm horizontal. Herringbone cord, plain weave--5 warps vertical; 1 continuous weft horizontal. Edge tape, plain weave derivative. Fiber make-up: Backing--z-spin warp; z-spin weft. Front--z-spin warp; z-spin weft. Edge tape--z-spin warp; z-spin weft. Stuffing--multi-ply, s-twist, z-spin. Quilting thread--3-ply, s-twist, z-spin. Fringe--3-ply s-twist, z-spin. Herringbone cord--2-ply, s-twist, z-spin. Attachment thread for woven edge tape--2-ply, s-twist, z-spin.

Collection

Linda Claussen and the Thursday Bee Quilt Collection

Made/Created

Manufacturer

Sevier, Catherine ("Bonnie Kate") Sherrill (reportedly)

Notes

Date: 1820 c.

Dimensions

Width

91 in

Length

104 in

Dimension Notes

All measurements taken at largest dimension. 104" (8'8") warp direction, including fringe. 91" (7'7") weft direction, including fringe. 3" fringe (excluding herringbone bridge)