Star-patterned, pieced-wool bed cover, created by Martha Lutz Walter from her husband William Walter's Reading Railroad uniforms. Alternate black wool blocks are decorated with multicolored wool plushwork stars w/ raised, sculpted appearance. Remaining alternate wool blocks are secured with wool yarn ties. Seams of pieced blocks have green and red feather stitching. Binding stitch secures edges. Backing is blue and orange, striped, pilled cotton flannel.
Provenance
Made by donor's mother. William Walter was a station agent for the Reading Railroad in Denver, PA.
Plushwork decoration was popular in the early 20th century.
See Trish Herr's Amish Arts of Lancaster Co.1998 for other examples of plushwork and a description of this decoration on page 44. See page 45 for photos demonstrating this technique. See also pp. 90-91 for another example of a plushwork bed cover.
"Max Cohen, Inc. Paris New York" - label inside, behind metal ornament
Black velvet sleeveless 2- tiered evening dress with v-neck . This piece is lined with a pink silky fabric along its length with facing from waist to sholder. 20 inches below the right shoulder a 6 inch wide metal ornament, silver covered with small rhinestones (glass). This ornament is sewn to the gathered "train" that falls 17" below the lower hem when the dress is worn. Inside pale tan straps attached to shoulders hold a black fabric tube/ lining that ends with the black velvet inner/lower skirt.
From shoulders to first hem is 36 inches. Last 17 inches extends 37 inches to side. The lower skirt is 14 inches long. Total legnth of dress from shoulder to bottom hem is 48 inches.
Object ID
1967.012.6
Credit
Courtesy of LancasterHistory, Lancaster, Pennsylvania.
2 Pieced Pillowcases and and Bolster cover. Pillowcases (A & B) are constructed of polka dot pattern with yellow ground cotton fabric alternating with 4 patch blocks of various patterned printed fabrics set on point. Bolster cover (C) is constructed of polka dot pattern with yellow ground cotton fabric alternating with 9 patch blocks of various patterned printed fabrics set on point. Reverse panel of each is composed of polka dot pattern with yellow ground cotton fabric with a flat felled seam.
Crazy quilt constructed of primarily silk fabrics. No middle layer, Chain stitched using various colored threads. Backing made of Pillsbury Company flour bags. Made by Sarah Ann Huber and her daughter.
Quilt, nine block design w/ stars, all cotton. Centerfield has 13-inch blocks set on point; all-white blocks alternate with blocks of blue 8-point stars on a white ground. Stars composed of triangles and squares, using a blue floral print with tiny white and red flowers. Centerfield surrounded by a border of three narrow strips (1.75-1.25"), white positioned between two blue strips, all mitered at corners. The inside blue strip uses the same floral print as the center, but the outer blue strip has a "pawprint" motif of white. Applied binding of white cotton hand stitched to back and machine stitched at front. Batting almost gone - residual clumps only.
Hand-quilted designs done in white thread: Diagonal and straight parallel lines, open blocks have potted flowers and half-blocks at perimeter have a flowering pineapple design. Many pencilled quilting lines still visible.
Overall good. Areas of brown to yellow acid burn, especially in and around come star blocks. Apparent dye transfer of blue print in some blocks. Scattered stains, some very dark brown.
Object ID
1969.12.1
Credit
Courtesy of LancasterHistory, Lancaster, Pennsylvania.
Collection of six rolls of woven tapes of various widths, lengths, colors and threads/yarns.
A. 1/4" x 37.5", black, white and red linen. Pencil inscription on Kraft paper "label" is "hand woven by grandmother? Hostetter with ?? strings".
B. 1/4" x 32", black, white, blue, red & brown linen. Pencil inscription on Kraft paper "label" is "hand woven? by grandmother? Hostetter with ?? strings".
C. Two lengths of 1.25" wide: 9.5" long & 4" long of red & green wool warp and green linen weft.
D. 1.375" x 20.5", brown, tan & orange cotton on tan linen.
E. 1.375" x 21.5", green, blue-green & tan cotton warp yarns and dark brown weft threads.
F. 1.25" x 19", tan, red & black wool warp yarns and red linen weft.
