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Museum object · Textiles and Quilts

Red and white pieced and appliqued star quilt

1880-1920

Smithsonian NMAAHC collection

COLLECTION RECORDImage not availableExplore the catalog description and source record.
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Source catalog description

This description refers to material held by Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture. Visual details below describe the original material.

A red and white quilted bedcover with a hand-pieced and hand-appliqued design of sixteen-pointed (16) stars placed in three (3) columns and four (4) rows for a total of twelve (12) blocks. Each star has a red circular center surrounded by white diamonds, then red diamonds, then white triangles. The blocks are set on point with squares set on point between the stars. One block has two diamonds made from blue printed cotton with small repeating white designs in place of two of the red diamonds. The bedcover is backed with an off-white cotton fabric that is turned to the front and machine-stitched to form a binding. The top and back have a layer of cotton batting between them and are attached with white cotton thread quilted in a pattern of scalloped lines.

Sources & collection details

Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture — original record ↗

Source collection ↗

Catalog metadata · CC0 · Source checked 2026-10-13

Catalog reference: 2013.162.1

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