Square, Quilt

Object Name:

Square, Quilt

Object ID:

1981.017.01

Creator:

Burnham, Iranna H.

Place of Origin:

Epsom, NH

Date:

1847-1852

Description:

Quilt Square. Eleven pieces hand stitched together, arranged in Winding Blades or Windmill Block pattern. Center ecru colored cotton linen blend square angled as a diamond, autographed "Iranna H. Burnham Ep[som]" on a right angle. Four arrowhead shaped pieces of cotton with a Turkey red ground printed with a gold and black trefoil pattern, stitched to each edge of the linen center, forming an X pattern. Finished with 0.25" running stitched hem at 11 stitches/inch. Cotton double pink printed chin� triangle wedges stitched to corner of each red piece. Two additional pink triangles adhered with whip stitches measuring 0.5" on lower left corner of left facing triangle and 1" on upper right corner of right-facing triangle with seams pressed toward center square. Plain seams pressed together away from the center square. Fabric, pattern, and location of signature matches 1981.017.06. Same last name of signers suggests creators were related. One of a set of 46 for a friendship quilt.

Material:

Textile
Cotton
Linen

Dimensions:

H-9.6 W-9.6 inches

Provenance:

Apparently made for a girl named "Hannah". Mrs. Williams (maiden name, Abby Starr), from whom the squares were purchased, is a descendant of Hannah Starr of Boston, who married John Cutts of Portsmouth in 1662.

Credit Line:

New Hampshire Historical society Purchase

People:

Burnham, Iranna, Burnham, Lucy E., Williams, Abby S. (1903-1994)

Subjects:

Textiles, Quilts, Textile printing, Cotton, Friendship, Women, Madder red, Textiles resist dyed, Turkey red, Pink, Linen