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This all-cotton pieced quilt is constructed with blocks of eight-pointed stars with colors and values arranged in a variety of ways. The blocks are set on-point and alternate with plain blocks of a small red and brown madder geometric print. The star blocks have a variety of mid-nineteenth century small calicos, madders, overdyed greens, double pinks, cool browns, ginghams, stripes, checks, and shirtings. One length and one width have a pink border, presumably to fit a bed placed in a corner. The blocks are hand-pieced and assembled by machine. The batting is a thin cotton. The backing, which is made of plain white and natural cotton, is printed with winged horses and “Massachusetts Fine sheeting B.B.” which show in reverse.

The quilt was pieced by Eli Guttormsdatter Ørtizland and Anna Marthe Erkisdatter Knudson on Willow Farm in Kendall County, Illinois between 1852 and 1864. It was quilted by Ellen Knudson in 1865 when she was 12.