Susan McCord (1829-1909) was an Indiana farm wife who had 7 children, loved to garden and quilted for over 50 years. Like other quilters, she drew from her extensive bag of fabric scraps-choosing patterns, colors and techniques to make quilts. But she put all these elements together in ways that were highly original. In this gallery, we present Susan McCord's quilting genius.

 

Quilting Genius

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The Vine Quilt
Susan McCord's masterpiece.
While variations of the winding vine can be seen on a number of other McCord quilts, this one best expresses her extraordinary artistry. Over 300 leaves and buds are sewn together with tiny strips of fabric and arranged to look like they sprout from the vines.

Pattern: Vine
Technique: Pieced and Applique
Date: Made about 1890
Maker: Susan Noakes McCord
Location: McCordsville, Indiana
Material: Top: Solid-color and roller-printed cottons on cotton ground; Filler: Cotton; Back: Cotton
Quilting stitches per inch: About ten

Accession number: 72.140.1




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