Quilt
- Date 1880-1900
- Place of Origin Freeport, IA
- Creator Marguerite Danielson Stie
This pieced quilt was made predominantly from wool fabrics in a pattern known as Wagon Wheel or Wheel of Chance. The quilt top is consists of large wheels, or rosettes, set into squares of wool. These wheels are made of colorful fabrics arranged in straight rows with no borders. The center hub in each wheel is hand-embroidered with an initial or flower, and they appear to be stuffed with extra batting. The wagon wheels were pieced by hand, then sewn together by machine. The seam edges are covered with decorative embroidery. Lines of feather stitching create an overall diamond grid that visually unites all the wheels in the design. The batting is a dark brown cotton, and the backing is an attractive woven pattern in cotton and wool. The binding was made by folding the backing to the front and sewing it by machine. The quilt was tied on the back and does not show on the front.
The quilt was made by Marguerite Danielson Stie who immigrated from Skien, Telemark, to Freeport, Iowa, in 1870. The initials on the quilt are: MBS (Marguerite B. Stie, the maker of the quilt), HMS (Herber Melvin Stie, the maker’s eldest son), HAS (Halvor Anerson Stie (maker’s husband),and AMS (Arthur Monroe Stie, the maker’s youngest son). The quilt was probably made for her oldest son Herbert Melvin Stie because the quilt was passed through his family.
- Materials Wool, cotton
- Dimensions length: 81 inches; width: 65.5 inches
- Identifier / Source 1993.068.001 - Gift of Ardyth Weller