Name/Title
Flying GeeseEntry/Object ID
1997.001.016Description
Pieced flying geese blocks in colors of blue, brown, rust, black, white, tan, and pink. Set in strips with alternating sashing strips. Cotton batting, machine quilted in straight lines and crosshatch design.
There are eight strips of flying geese (5.5'' x 3''). The sashing is done in strips of pink fabric between each strip of the flying geese. The binding is back to front with square corners. It is a tan binding and only 1/4 - 3/8'' wide. There is also a thin, cotton batting.
The entire quilt is machine quilted, using single cream thread. It uses a cross hatch and straight line quilting pattern.Context
Mary Spitzer Etter of Harrisonburg, Virginia donated her family's entire quilt collection to the Virginia Quilt Museum in 1997. The collection contained 27 quilts, most of which were made by Mary's aunts, the Spitzer sisters. Their names were Sarah Josephine Spitzer (Walters), Margaret Melinda Spitzer (Jones), and Ellen Rebecca Spitzer. It is unknown if the other two Spitzer sisters, Hannah Spitzer (Brown) and Jane Spitzer (Evers), did much quilting. Of the quilts completed by the Spitzer sisters, there is a single initial embroidered on the front of quilt to mark who made each quilt. Ellen Spitzer's daughter, Irene, also completed three pieces of the collection. Some of the quilts contain blocks were done by Mabel Spitzer, Mary's mother. These blocks were then quilted by either Berta or Effie Long, Mabel's neighbors. There are a few quilts not made by a Spitzer, yet they were still made by relatives of the Spitzer family.Collection
Permanent CollectionAcquisition
Accession
1997.001Source or Donor
Mary Spitzer EtterNotes
Donated Feb. 23, 1997Made/Created
Artist
Ellen Rebecca SpitzerDate made
circa 1900Notes
Possibly also made by Ellen's daughter, VernieDimensions
Dimension Description
Overall Quilt DimensionsWidth
87 inLength
83 inDimension Notes
8 Strips of pieced geese blocksMaterials
Material
CottonMaterial Notes
Stripes and printsColor
Multi-Color, Blue, Brown, Black, White, Tan, PinkCondition
Overall Condition
GoodNotes
Minor deterioration and staining. Shattering of fabric on the geese design.
