Oldest Quilt Discovered?

The oldest quilt discovered was thought to be this Pot of Cherries red and green appliqué quilt made in 1820. The owner believes it was made by her great-great grandmother, Mary Moffet Aiken, in Pettigo, Ireland. It was handed down in the family and came through Ontario to its present home in Neche, ND.

Quilt historians are not sure about the accuracy of the dating on this quilt. The Pot of Cherries pattern was not commonly used in the 1820s and the fabrics were commonly used throughout the 1800s and so give no clues to help date the quilt. However, since there is no documentation about the quilt, the owner’s guess as to the quilt’s maker is used to establish a tentative date.

This story was preserved as part of the North Dakota Quilt Project