Crazy Quilt
Maker, Sarah Brien
c. 1885
62″ x 72″
Sarah Brien made this gorgeous crazy quilt from many colorful pieces of silk and velvets. The quilt is composed of 56 blocks, mostly pieced. Blocks include the typical crazy style with a few pieced corner fans. There are also appliquéd elements, found in fans, leaves, and flowers.
Crazy quilts often have odd shaped pieces and on this quilt, those pieces are filled with 3-D flowers, ribbons, a flag button, ink drawings, and embroidery. One unusual piece features a small bag with “mice”, fashioned out of apple pits with thread feet and whiskers. Many pieces are painted and they are the work of Sarah’s sister, Mina. There are many embroidered initials and names on this quilt. We can identify family members but some are unknown, perhaps others who helped with the blocks. Embroidery stitches cover every seam and make up elements in the quilt. One piece has a few embroidered measures and the words to “My Country, ‘tis of thee, Sweet land of Liberty…” The quilt is finished with a plain silk backing and small binding.
The Brien family lived in Wisconsin at the time this quilt was made. They moved briefly to Kansas before ending up in Puyallup, Washington in 1910.
Part of our permanent collection ~ the Northwest Collection.
Photos by Mariana Foliart.
