The Heritage Quilts small group was treated to a close look at some of the quilts from the Emily Reynolds Historic Costume Collection. Collections Manager Susan Curtis (an FM Quilters member) gave us a close look at the quilts (but no touching!) and gave us the history and background as much as was known. Thanks to Susan for a fascinating introduction to the riches in the collection she manages.

This is an example of why labeling and recording your makers information can be so important. This lovely crazy quilt was donated by a person who believed it had been made by a great-grandmother because of the initials “LGW”. However, when Susan researched the supposed maker, she found it could not have been her because she was born after the 1899 date embroidered on the quilt and the initials did not match her actual name. It would be great to know more about that person. You can see pieces of Native American beadwork incorporated into the quilt. It looks to be pieces meant to be sewn together into moccasins but we can’t be sure. The style of the beadwork looks like it could be Ojibwa or Metis but there’s no way to be sure. The quilt was bordered with a ruffle made of the same fabric used as a backing.

Susan has no information on the maker or how it came into the collection. Two interesting features are the pieced binding made of several fabrics, and what appears to be feedsack or flour sack fabric for the backing.

It’s wonderful when the maker and provenance of a quilt is documented. This log cabin quilt was made by the mother of former Fargo mayor Herschell Lashkowitz. She came from New York City and returned there after the death of her husband. She was also known to have been quite the fashionista. The quilt was made in the 1930s when silk log cabins were very popular. The quilt also came with a set of matching accessories: a dresser scarf, a night table “doiley” and a bolster pillow which all featured the very elegant lilac trim. Interestingly, the lilac satin strips runninng down the top of the quilt appear to have been added after the quilt top was finished because they run over the log cabin blocks rather than being inserted between the columns.

This very well-loved quilt has an interesting story. It was made by Nettie Mason of Buffalo, ND for her son Bill to take to college. Nettie was a prolific quilter and made a wedding quilt for every couple from Buffalo who got married. The whole cloth white satin quilt was made for the wedding gift for her granddaughter Jean Mason and future governor Bill Guy. Although her eye sight weakened over time, she made quilts up until her death.

We saw several more outstanding quilts from the collection and plan future excursions to other historic collections. If you would like to become a member of this small group to learn more about heritage quilts, fill out the Small Group Sign Up form to get notices of upcoming meetings.