Textiles at the Museum of Appalachia

The Aunt Cordie Parker Quilt, The Museum of Appalachia

Our IDS212 class visited the Museum of Appalachia. We explored the grounds and saw items made out of different materials. I am part of the textiles group and found quiltmaking interesting. One item I found inparticular was the Tulip Quilt.

The Tulip Quilt was made by Cordie Peters Parker. She was born in 1856 in East Tennessee. Specifically she lived in Union County which is in Luttrell, Tennessee. Cordie was married to Elvin Parker and they had nine children.

This quilt has a tulip pattern and made in the traditional quilt style. It is composed of three layers, a woven cloth top, a layer of batting which is like insulation for the quilt to keep people warm. The back is woven. Each piece of cloth is woven together. There are two distinguishable types of squares: a navy one and then the cream one with the tulip design on it. There are smaller squares within those two types that make up the quilt. Two fabric layers are joined together by stitches. The top of the quilt is usually called the "patchwork." (a series of blocks.) There is a binding that goes all the way around the quilt and seals in the batting. 

The quilt was used for sleeping. It was a way for their family to keep warm at night when it was cold, especially in the winter. 

Women of Appalachia stayed at home and did housework. They cooked and sewed. Making quilts was something that the women liked to do. There are several patterns and designs that can be created. Quilting was almost a necessary craft. Designs and patterns would become more extravagant therefore quilts started to become art. 

This quilt was passed down to Cordie's children, grandchildren and then was given to the museum. Her family cares about the quilt and knows that quilts were a prominent part of her life. Quilt-makers care about their craft and the different designs that they can create. It is important because, they can incorporate personal elements into the quilt. For example, while visiting the Museum of Appalachia, we listened to a current day quilt-maker, Ruby. She told us about the time she let her granddaughter help make part of a square for the quilt and then sewed her initials into that square. I like how quilts can be personable. To me Appalachian people cared about their craft and focused on making products that were functional but still included ornamental details.