All-cotton quilt with appliqued Tulip pattern; has 35 center blocks, 12" square, 18 of which have appliqued tulips. All done on white cotton ground. Appliqued blocks are straight set with solid white blocks as alternates. Quilt is machine pieced, hand appliqued and hand quilted. White solid border is 14 3/4" wide at sides and bottom, 7" wide at top, with mitered corners.
Tulip pattern done in solids and prints of green, blue, yellow and red.
Moderate amount of quilting follows applique and piecing designs. Floral or snowflake in plain blocks and border. Pieced by Edna Spangler Keefer (3/30/1912 - 6/6/1997). Quilting was done by a sheltered workshop and is not of high quality with some uneven stitches. Pencil lines still visible.
White cotton solid binding. Batting is mid-weight cotton. Backing is pieced white cotton.
Provenance
Provenance: Top made by donor's mother, Edna Spangler Keefer, and quilting done by a sheltered workshop. Edna was raised in York Springs area although the quilt was made while Edna and husband Dale were living in Sharon, Mercer Co. Inherited by donor.
Family Album pattern quilt is a personalized commercial pattern made of all cottons. Top has 20 12-inch appliqued blocks of solid colors and prints on white ground. Appliqued blocks are set straight with 2.5" blue sashing and 8.5" white mitered borders all four sides. Machine pieced, with hand applique and hand quilting.
Six center blocks are personalized to portray Keefer family history. Two central blocks have maker and husband's names, "DALE" and "EDNA". Center blocks above have house and standing couple. House does represent actual house, according to donor. Lower center blocks are a cradle with daughter Betsy's name and birthdate, and the other block has the church with 1938 marriage date. Donor does not believe her parents were married in a church. Remaining 14 blocks provide a frame for the central six. All 20 blocks portray very Dutchy floral and bird motifs. Vivid colors are blue, red, yellow, green and black.
Batting is mid-weight cotton. Backing is a white cotton. Binding of white cotton on bias is 3/8" wide. Hand quilting has good even stitches and follows the applique designs while sashing has a chain pattern. Borders have parallel lines in which pencil marks are still visible.
Top four inches of quilt were folded back and stitched to create a sleeve for hanging. Stitches now removed.
Provenance
Made by donor's mother, Edna Spangler Keefer (3/30/1912 - 6/6/1997), while living in Sharon, Mercer Co. Inherited by donor who was their only child.
Paint and herringbone, chain, buttonhole, stem, and running stitches on commercial cotton fabric, with commercial synthetic fringe. Machine-pieced top in Diamond in a Square type pattern on white background. Sashing to make diamond and square forms are pieced with blue and white cotton. Blue pieces are outlined in blue running stitch on their short sides. Points of square and diamond are white fabric, with blue running stitch in square form.
Painted floral wreath in center diamond, with an embroidered bow in blue buttonhole. Wreath includes five roses in pink and red; greenery; blue, pink, yellow, purple, and orange flowers; and red berried sprigs.
Triangular areas, outside of diamond, each contain 4 painted flowers. One blue flower in each outside corner, with orange center. Three flowers along diamond edge. One five-lobed yellow flower, with orange center. One large pink and red rose, with greenery. One purple five-lobed flower, with orange center. Floral vine and leaf outer border. Five-lobed pink flowers worked in blanket stitch, with stem stitch highlights. Vine worked in green herringbone stitch. Leaves in green blanket stitch, with chain and stem highlights. Machine-applied commercial synthetic twisted fringe on four sides.
Back is machine-pieced white cotton. Shows evidence of embroidered green leaves, blue running stitch and ribbon, and pink highlights.
Original inventory number--630.
Provenance
Collected by George Lyster in Lancaster Co. Intended as a gift, entire collection remains on loan.
