Feathered Star Quilt by Susan McCord, circa 1890

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Artifact Overview

Susan McCord was an ordinary Indiana farmwife with an extraordinary genius for quiltmaking. Prince's Feather, often called Princess Feather, was a popular mid-19th century appliqued quilt design. McCord's graceful version of this feathery pinwheel pattern features her distinctive striped leaves, expertly pieced from tiny colorful scraps of fabric.

Artifact Details

Artifact

Quilt

Date Made

circa 1890

Location

Not on exhibit to the public.

Object ID

92.176.1

Credit

From the Collections of The Henry Ford.

Material

Cotton (Textile)
Batting

Technique

Applique (Technique)
Piecing
Quilting
Hand sewing
Roller printing (Printmaking)

Color

Multicolored
White (Color)
Red
Pink (Color)

Dimensions

Height: 79 in
Width: 75.5 in

Specifications

Pattern: Feathered Star
Number of Pieces (top): 9 blocks
Fabric (top): Cotton prints and solids
Piecing Technique: Hand pieced and hand appliqued
Number of Pieces (back): 3
Fabric (back): Sold muslin
Stitches per Inch: 11
Quilting Pattern: Appliqued leaves and buds are single outline quilted against a background of diamond crosshatch
Quilting Technique: Hand quilted
Binding: Turned under
Batting: Thin cotton batting
Note(s): This pattern is loosely based on the Princess Feather (sometimes called Prince's Feather) applique pattern