A visit to 10 1/2 Street, Springfield Illinois

Today we have been very fortunate in securing a visit to see some of the quilts belonging to the Ilłinois State Museum. Located on 10 1/2 Street, yes, you read it right, 10 1/2 Street, this facility houses a vast array of items, but of course our interest was in the quilts.

We started in the archive rooms, just to get an idea of the restoration process. Irene uses tuille overlay to stop any further deterioration of fibre and does not replace any fabrics, no matter how worn. If a piece has totally disintegrated she might tuck another under any remaining fibres. Painstaking, but what a great result.

Today we got to see a satin picture quilt that she is about halfway through restoring.

Angela, the Associate Director for Decorative Arts & History chose her favourites for us to view today. We viewed the quilts chronologically.

Volunteers, Jane & Claire were almost as excited as we were as each box had its lid removed, tissue unwrapped and quilts laid out.

This quilt was made on the east coast in the 1830s using chintz cotton. The glaze finish is still visible.

Lone Star Quilt made in the 1840s by a farm wife in the St. Louis/ Missouri  area. Hand pieced and appliqued, she has hand quilted with very narrow Baptist Fan design.

This Album quilt would have been made to celebrate an engagement or wedding quilt. Dated 1845

It looks like one person wrote the names of family and friends into each block. The bride and grooms blocks were marked with wool knots. Some very lovely fabrics in this quilt.

Some very lucky babies would have slept under this very finely hand quilted quilt. Worked in Petersburgh Il. In 1853.

In the 1860s the Rose of Sharon quilt was hand worked by Jessie Bateman of Waverley Il.  

I hadn't seen an Amish bordered crazy quilt before, so what a treat.  Machine pieced and hand quilted.

Made by a church group for the 1893 World Expo, this Crazy quilt is one big Infomercial. Each block features a business or social group. 1893 world expo. 

Amish Quilt made by Mrs Yodder in 1903. Corners each have initials and heats embroidered into them.

Sarah Rorke worked lace and embroidered collars and cuffs into this appliqué quilt in the 1920s. 

Albert Small was an explosive engineer in a quarry in the 1940s. His wife and daughters all made quilts and he became challenged with making one too. He never finished his first hexagon quilt as he thought he had made it to easy for himself with the size of hexagon and the layout chosen.

His second quilt consisted of 43,000 pieces, this his third is 1/4 inch finished hexagons  and there are 123,000 in it.

Bertha Stenge collected 1840-60 fabrics and using a pattern from 1850, quilt made in the 1960s.

In 1982 June Dickson made this quilt to commemorate her husband's service in WW2. Baltimore style, mixed with traditional and personal blocks.

This last quilt is made by Jean Lohmer of Galesburg Il.  Machine pieced and free hand quilted. 2003