DOUBLE IRISH CHAIN QUILT

Description of Top

Red and green on cream Double Irish Chain patterned quilt (98" x 86") with double printed fret border. Fabric top is cotton. Fabric patterns are printed floral, dotted fret. Structure includes 68 alternating full blocks, 36 pattern and 36 5-patch. Set is 9 x 8. Block orientation is straight. Borders: four alternating white and red print (2 ¾" inner white, 2 ¾" red print, 2 ¾" white, 2 ½ outer print).

Quilt Back

Muslin in three pieces.

Quilting

Hand-quilted heavy in quantity, fine in quality (@ 10-12 stitches per inch). Quilt patterns: stippling, all-over, diagonal in border, floral in alternating block (from SC notes: "The exquisite quilting, both design and work, represent someone's beloved flower garden-there are Canterbury bells, coxcomb, asters, dahlias, and grapes").

Finishing

Edges are straight, corners square. Self bound, backing brought to front.

Condition

Damage minimal except in fret border where there is major fabric deterioration.

Miscellaneous

SC states that this quilt came from northern Maryland. A closer examination of the quilting may give more clues. SC states that the "fine old wall of troy print border is quite rare, note that something in the dark red dye of the spots, has rotted the cloth." SC states that the quilt was probably made before 1850.

Accession number H11282

Descriptive data collected by Elizabeth Hoffman and Shannon Myers, January 2001