Dresden Plate
Dresden Plate Quilt
Name/Title
Dresden PlateEntry/Object ID
1997.001.025Description
Mary's mother gathered scraps of fabric from dresses, aprons, and pajamas, and gave them to the Long sisters to make two quilts, one for Mary Spitzer and one for her sister, Ruth Spitzer. Pieces and applique is done in multiple colors. Block to block design, no sashing. there is a small windmill block appliqued at intervals between each of the Dresden Plate blocks. The binding is top to back with rounded corners. The binding is also done is a scalloped shape due to the ice cream cone shaped border. The border uses multiple fabrics. Plain white backing. Hand-quilted using outline design.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 Information
Effie Long
Berta Long