Stamford Quilts

The Stamford Historical Society Presents: Stamford Quilts

September 22, 2000 through February 24, 2001

Red Gallery

1. Patchwork quilt of multicolored printed 8-pointed stars with border of larger 8-pointed stars. The quilting on the unbleached percale is densely and well executed. 82″ x 88 1/2″. Made by Elizabeth Scofield Bostwick, mother of donor Emily Fay, in 1840. F282-10.

2. Patchwork rose calico quilt on white percale ground. Pattern of an 8-pointed star surrounded by borders of calico triangles. 62″ x 80″. c. 1880-1890. Donor: Charlotte D. S. Cruikshank. C955-792.

3. Rose calico patches on white percale and blue and white patches shaped as an oak leaf. There is a beautiful blue swag border with pink bows. 86″ x 100″. c. 1840-50. Donor: Charlotte D. S. Cruikshank. C955-148.

4. Appliquéd quilt inscribed Harriet Knapp, Stamford, Conn. March A.D. 1854. Quilt was made for her school children as a teaching aid. Each square is done with a different motif in its design: birds, cows, hearts, scissors, etc. Wide over-all border is an applied green vine with red flowers, while quilt has many colors appliquéd on white. c. 1854. Published in Safford & Bishop’s American Quilts and Coverlets. Purchased. PM62-1.

5. Friendship quilt with 8-pointed stars in alternating blue and red calico. Signatures of 49 South Norwalk members of the Ladies’ Society of Reverend Hoyt’s church. 80″ x 83″. c. 1847. Donor: Ingersol Hoyt. H868-Ro-1.

6. Printed green chintz with brown quails in a tree, filled and backed to a brown print fabric and quilted diagonally. 80″ x 88″. c. 1870s. Donor: Charlotte D.S. Cruikshank. C955-149.

7. Patchwork and appliquéd quilt know as an album or friendship quilt. made in blocks of multicolored 8-pointed stars, each signed by a friend. There are signatures of 47 friends who presented this quilt to Sarah Ayres of Old Long Ridge, Stamford, Conn. 80 1/2″ x 89 1/2″. c. 1850. Purchased. PM-74-4.

8. This appliquéd quilt depicts 30 selected scenes representative of 350 years of Stamford history. Conceived and designed by Stamford Historical Society members Jennifer Peters, Priscilla Munch and Yvonne Wardwell, the quilt was two years in the making. Twenty-eight stitchers, with other community members, collaborated to produce this permanent, historical celebration of Stamford’s 350th anniversary.

9. Patchwork quilt in the pattern called “Robbing Peter to Pay Paul” It is made of medium blue, brown and ivory colored prints. 80 1/2″ x 71 1/2″. c. 1840-50. Donor: Catherine Chadayne. C432-5.

10. White twill fabric with light blue underside. This coverlet has appliquéd floral cutouts from a cretonne fabric sewn in a design of the maker’s choice. This type of work was known as “Broderie Perse.” 71″ x 80″. c. 1900s. M657-2.

11. Appliquéd and embroidered banner honoring Harry Rosenbaum, founder and owner of Stamford Shopper and Weekly Mail and a civic leader in the 1950s and 60s.

12. Dark blue linsey-woolsey quilt, quilted onto a brown and white striped cotton. 33″ x 72″. c. 17th century. Purchased. PM76-1.

Halliday Gallery

13. Quilt made from India linen cloth and printed in a modified tree of life design. There is a wide border on three sides of another India hand-blocked cotton fabric in brown with rose and blue blossoms. 84″ x 83″. c. late 18th century. Donor: Charlotte D.S. Cruikshank. C955-147.

14. Patchwork quilt of unbleached muslin with different colored calico stars in the variable star pattern. 77″ x 84quot;. c. 1873. Donor: Emily Fay. F282-8.

15. Patchwork quilt of turkey red calico in the variable star pattern on white percale. Well executed and densely quilted throughout. 76″ x 86″. c. 1875. Donor: Emily Fay F282-9.

16. Quilted patchwork. Geometric design of print patches in green and brown in succession of different sizes incorporated into the printed rose background. Back is of white homespun. Quilted all over in straight rows no more than 1/2 inch apart. Made by the donor’s grandmother, Mrs. Caroline Elizabeth (Betsey) Seely, who died at the age of 87 in 1893. She lived on Ponus Ridge, New Canaan. 77 1/2quot; x 9 I”. c. 1860. C718- 1.

17. Child’s patchwork quilt with green background and 4″ brown print and pink print squares. 35″ x 45″. c. 1860-70. Donor: Mrs. Valentine Ketchum. K43-9.