...Quilts of the Past .:: Coos Art Museum ::.

235 Anderson Avenue
Coos Bay, OR 97420
(541) 267-3901
info@coosart.org

Hours:
Tues - Fri
10 am to 4 pm

Saturday
1 pm to 4 pm

Closed Sunday,
Monday and all
major holidays

Tour the Exhibit

(L-R) Presentation Quilt includes the names of congregation members from the First Christian Church of Coquille, OR, circa 1897, Four Patch Pinwheel Pattern, circa 1895, Nine Patch Pattern circa 1910. In the foreground are copies of historic quilt patterns that can be colored by children visiting the exhibit.

(L-R) Crazy Quilt was made by Elfrieda Eickworth from Coos County, OR, circa 1894, Double Pattern Wedding Ring was made by Elizabeth Adams of Marshfield, OR, circa 1895, Butterfly Appliqué was made by the Chenoweth Family of Curry County, OR, circa unknown, Eight Point Star Pattern, circa 1865.

Double X Pattern, circa 1910

There are many ways quilting is taught to younger generations. Quilting competitions are held at county fairs all over the nation, which can influence children to begin sewing. Pattern templates are drawn by hand or cut from paper and used as teaching tools. Quilting and sewing oriented toys are given to children for early instruction.
Exhibited here are some examples of these practices:

- Children’s Singer Sewing Machine, circa 1960
- Children’s Doll Quilt, circa 1955
- Josephine County Fair Ribbons, 1965
- Hand drawn Dresden Plate pattern, early 20th century
- Hand cut paper templates for quilting, early 20th century

Courtesy of the Debra Means Collection

In the early 20th century, many quilts were made using a combination of machine and hand sewing. A quilt block would be cut from fabric using paper as template pieces and sewn together by hand, then applied to the quilt with a sewing machine. Excerpts of the quilt making process are shown here using hand pieced fabric patterns and templates made of sandpaper with personalized instructions.
Examples here include:

- Man’s Bowtie pattern fabric blocks and sandpaper templates
- Flower Garden pattern fabric blocks and sandpaper templates
- Bethlehem Star pattern sandpaper templates with written instructions
**(Note names of quilt recipients inscribed on the template)
- Ocean Wave pattern sandpaper template with written instructions
- Merry Go Round pattern sandpaper template with written instructions
- Texas Star pattern sandpaper template with written instructions
- Carpenter’s Wheel pattern sandpaper template with written instructions

All of these objects date to the early 20th centuy
Courtesy of the Debra Means Collection

For more information on CAM, email info@coosart.org.