Images(5)

Whole Cloth Quilt

PeriodCirca 1770-1780

Place MadeNew Jersey, U.S.A.

MediumLinen-wool blend, linen, wool batting

Dimensions99 × 91 in. (251.5 × 231.1 cm)

ClassificationsQuilts and Coverlets

Credit LineBlankarn Purchasing Fund, 1967

Object number1994.502

DescriptionA large whole cloth quilt, constructed of three 31" panels of heavy mixed linen-wool cloth known as "lindsey-woolsey," dyed brown and sewn length wise, with an unbleached natural linen backing consisting of three 31" panels, all edges turned under and sewn together, with a fine wool batting in between. The entire quilt is stitched in dyed brown linen thread, with pairs of diagonal lines dividing the panel into on-point squares, each with large single motifs of a four-lobed flower alternating with an in-curved square bisected with a diagonal band. All four edges of the quilt are sewn with three lines of running quilting stitches.
Curatorial RemarksAlthough certainly not as colorful or eye-catching as its patchwork cousins, this "whole cloth" quilt is a rare and wonderful example of early Colonial quilting. A whole cloth quilt, unlike its name suggests, was not constructed from a single piece of fabric. 18th century textile looms could usually produce a fabric no more than 28 to 31 inches in width, so this quilt is pieced from three widths of fabric each measuring about 31 inches wide. Instead, the name indicates the solid color of the panel, with the quilting providing texture and design. Many early colonists brought English-made whole cloth quilts to America, and whole cloth quilts were also imported from English makers. A close inspection of this quilt appears to indicate a truly "home made" quilt. The quilt is large, measuring almost eight feet square, and would have been quite a heavy weight to sleep under. It was, however, incredibly warm. The front panels were made of "linsey woolsey," A fiber blend of linen warp threads (the threads that run lengthwise on a loom) and woolen weft threads (the threads that run side-to-side) produced a rough and sturdy fabric that could be used for men's coats and trousers, women's work petticoats, and household uses including bedding. The slight unevenness of coloration, which does not appear to be from fading or extensive use, may indicate that the fabric may have been dyed after weaving. Early colonists, unfamiliar with the new plants around them, took note of what the Native Americans used for dyeing cloth. The American black walnut tree (juglans nigra) was similar to the English walnut. Leaves, bark, and shells could all be used to produce a wide range of colors, from pale golden yellow to a rich, dark brown. An important step to cloth dyeing was the use of a mordant. A mordant was a substance that helped the fibers "open," making the dye color permanent, or "fast," and even enriched the color itself. Tin, copper, and alum were typical mordants. Ammonium alum was easy to come by - human urine provided the necessary ammonia to set dye colors.NotesThis whole cloth quilt may have originated from the Burlington County area. The unknown maker of the quilt used linen thread, dyed brown to match the linen-wool blend fabric, to sew her simple yet attractive designs. While patchwork and applique quilts used color contrast and arrangement to achieve their visual impact, whole cloth quilts relied instead on heavily quilted motifs to provide texture and a three dimensional quality in the finished product. The quilt's maker selected two simple, bold motifs - a curved four-leaf blossom and an in-curved diamond with a center stripe - placed between long double rows of simple running stitches, creating "blocks" across the entire quilt. The Association has a second whole cloth quilt, constructed of rich pink glazed wool (see accession number 1978.8).

Collections

Quilts

ProvenanceThe quilt was purchased in 1967 from Juliana Newman Antiques in Moorestown, Burlington County, New Jersey, as part of the original furnishings of the restored Covenhoven House in Freehold.