Hexagon Mosaic Quilt by Susan McCord, circa 1900

01

Artifact Overview

Indiana farmwife Susan McCord, like other frugal housewives of the era, sewed her quilts from fabric she had on hand, mostly clothing scraps. McCord expertly pieced this top from small 1-1/4 inch hexagons arranged in concentric rings. A close look at the small scale prints reveals an encyclopedia of inexpensive clothing fabrics popular during the late 19th century.

Artifact Details

Artifact

Quilt

Date Made

circa 1900

Location

Not on exhibit to the public.

Object ID

73.120.4

Credit

From the Collections of The Henry Ford.

Material

Cotton (Textile)
Muslin
Batting

Technique

Piecing
Quilting
Hand sewing

Color

Multicolored
Pink (Color)
White (Color)
Red
Blue

Dimensions

Height: 86 in
Width: 76.5 in

Specifications

Pattern: Hexagon Mosaic
Number of Pieces (top): Not noted
Fabric (top): Plain cottons, novelty prints, florals
Piecing Technique: Hand pieced
Number of Pieces (back): 4
Fabric (back): Cotton muslin
Stitches per Inch: 5-7
Quilting Pattern: Single parallel lines following overall hexagon design
Quilting Technique: Hand quilted
Binding: Top and bottom edges are turned in; on sides front fabric turned to back
Batting: Thin cotton batting
Note(s): The pattern is also known as Honeycomb