Name/Title
Sugar LoafEntry/Object ID
1997.001.009Description
This is a multi-colored pieced quilt. Its quilting was done in the outline by hand and there is crosshatch stitching. An "E" is embroidered in lavender on the back corner.
Strip to strip setting.
There is a back to front binding with squared corners. It measures about 1/8'' and was all done by hand. There is a thin cotton batting.
The entire quilt was hand quilted, following the design on the top with some cross-hatching. She used single cream thread, measuring about 14 stitches per inch and some knots found on the back.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.
Ellen did much fancy work and even sold some of it.Collection
Permanent CollectionAcquisition
Accession
1997.001Source or Donor
Mary Spitzer EtterNotes
Donated Feb. 23, 1997Made/Created
Artist
Ellen Rebecca SpitzerDate made
circa 1890Place
* Untyped Place
Rockingham County, VirginiaInscription/Signature/Marks
Location
Back cornerTranscription
"E"Material/Technique
EmbroideredDimensions
Dimension Description
Overall Quilt DimensionsWidth
70 inLength
92 inDimension Description
Individual Strip DimensionsWidth
11-3/4 inDimension Notes
8 Strips Total, 8 Tee-Pees per StripMaterials
Material
CottonMaterial Notes
Solids, stripes, prints, plaids, checks, and ginghamColor
Multi-Color, Yellow, Brown, Black, White, Gray, Tan, RustCondition
Overall Condition
Excellent
