Name/Title
Friendship Quilt of CharlestonEntry/Object ID
1968.203.1Description
Chintz quilt with thirty-six blocks, each containing a signature. The hand-pieced, hand-appliqued, and hand-quilted coverlet has a wide chintz border containing a large floral pattern in pastel and earth tones. The interior is separated into thirty-six squares with chintz framing. Each square includes a floral spray and a signature. Some blocks also include embroidered initials, heavy stitches around the appliques, and a new label sewn over the original name.Context
Dating back the mid-1800s, friendship quilts feature the names of individuals—usually women—from the same social circle. Often adorned with additional sentiments within the squares, these quilts were frequently given as gifts to commemorate a marriage or a move.
While the act of making these quilts also frequently served as a group activity—with each woman completing the applique for her respective square—this quilt is consistent throughout, suggesting that a single skilled quilter completed the entire blanket. Featuring the names of various women from Charleston, each block is signed in ink with a different name, preceded by either "Mrs." or "Miss." Much like the quilting itself, the handwriting in all the blocks is identical, possibly indicating that the woman with the finest penmanship was tasked with signing all the blocks for the group. Rather than contributing to the creation of the quilt, it is plausible that each of the thirty-six women contributed financially to the quilt's creation, especially given that the chintz fabric used for the sashing, border, and applique was expensive during the mid-1800s.
Many women represented on this quilt signed with their husbands' names or only their initials, yet the presence of repeated family names suggests that sisters, daughters, mothers, cousins, or in-laws participated in its creation. It includes the following surnames: Ravenel, Lucas, Stevens, Clarke, Porcher, Edwards, Johnstone, Warring, Cordes, White, Palmer, Smith, Webb, DuBose, Seabrook, Cain, Hayne, and Henry. Research into the identities of the women involved in the creation of this quilt is ongoing.Made/Created
Date made
circa 1835 - circa 1845Place
City
Charleston, South CarolinaDimensions
Width
111-1/2 inLength
111-1/2 in
