Mill Wheel signature Quilt from the collection of San Jose Museum of Quilts & Textiles

Mill Wheel signature Quilt, 1844

Cottons

96 x 96.5 in (243.84 x 245.11 cm)

Signature: Names embroidered in red floss. Date of 1844, Chester County

Inv: 2016.500.001

This beautiful signature quilt was created in or around Chester County, Pennsylvania. It contains the names of twenty-two individuals and appears to have been embroidered by the same hand throughout most of the quilt. It also bears a date of 1844, Chester County, embroidered within one of the squares. Signature quilts were very popular beginning about 1840 or so, and were often given as gifts to mark a special occasion such as a marriage, or as a presentation to a valued member of a church or other organization.

Who were these individuals and what inspired them to make the quilt? After much searching, there is still little known for sure. Their surnames appear in early records of Chester County, but we have only one full name and one name recognized as a probable local physician of the area at the time. The beautiful embroidery of the names in this quilt reflects the admiration these people held for the recipient. Its beauty and mystery bring together people who will never know each other, yet entices us to search on.

Techniques: Hand pieced and quilted
Culture: American
Geographic Location: North America, Pennsylvania
Credit Line: Gift of Lea Russo and Bruce Berman

Email Facebook X LinkedIn Pinterest

From San Jose Museum of Quilts & Textiles

Dominie Nash

Peculiar Poetry 13, 1996

Cotton

45 x 49 in (114.3 x 124.46 cm)
Kathleen Sharp

Witness, 1995

Various fabrics

80 x 72 in (203.2 x 182.88 cm)
Unknown Artist

Endless Chain Quilt, c. 1950

Cotton

83 x 68 in (210.82 x 172.72 cm)
Unknown Artist

Double Wedding Ring, c. 1930

Cotton

79.5 x 78 in (201.93 x 198.12 cm)
Unknown Artist

Amish Bars Quilt, c. 1900

Cottons

86.5 x 66.5 in (219.71 x 168.91 cm)
Unknown Artist

Nine Patch Crib Quilt, c. 1890

Cotton

26.5 x 21 in (67.31 x 53.34 cm)
Unknown Artist

Ocean Waves Quilt, c. 1880

Cotton

102 x 84 in (259.08 x 213.36 cm)
Unknown Artist

Contained Crazy Quilt/Diamonds, 1870

Cotton

85 x 78 in (215.9 x 198.12 cm)

View All Artworks

Additional Details

Additional Artworks

Peculiar Poetry 13, 1996

Witness, 1995

Endless Chain Quilt, c. 1950

Double Wedding Ring, c. 1930

Amish Bars Quilt, c. 1900

Nine Patch Crib Quilt, c. 1890

Ocean Waves Quilt, c. 1880

Contained Crazy Quilt/Diamonds, 1870