Utilitarian Quilt

Credit LineGift of Heidi Williams, London, Ontario, 1980

Object number1980.039.001

Label TextBarbara Wing Zurbrigg (1851-1953) made this central square comforter to keep someone warm. She hand-sewed the different fabrics together to create the patterned top. While she maintained colour consistency, Zurbrigg used different fabrics with varying colour values. She also sewed together smaller pieces of the same fabric to get the desired shape. For speed or because of the thickness of the bedcover, Zurbrigg tied the three layers together using green and orange yarn. Some of the fabrics that make up this comforter have frayed. This gives us glimpses of the material used for the middle layer. In addition to wool fibre or batting, Zurbrigg used a woven wool blue and pink coverlet. This is not unusual. Many quilt makers extended the use of old coverlets and quilts by using them as the middle layer in a new bedcovering.

NameQuilt

CopyrightPhoto Credit: Alex Walker