String Quilt

Designed by Anna Byrd (1890 – Unknown)
Spartanburg, SC
ca. 1880
Gift of John W. Byrd


McKissick Museum Collection 5.1546

Anna was born in Fairfield County, SC. She married James Byrd in 1925 and they had six children. The donor of the quilt was their oldest son, John W. Byrd. This quilt is hand stitched patchwork in a string pattern that quilters use to repurpose fabric scraps. The African American maker of this quilt was especially skilled at juxtaposing light and dark fabric “strings” to great visual effect, which she quilted in long, running, stitches, with no definite design. McKissick Museum is fortunate to have six quilts by Mrs. Byrd and most are improvised from scraps like this example. 

Central Medallion Chintz Appliqué
Attributed to Mary Eliza Hatteridge
Blackville, SC
1861
Gift of Mrs. Winnie Hay and Mrs. Dick Atkins  

Rectangle Quilt
Thomas Mack
Beaufort County, SC
1999

Anna L. Byrd (1890- Unknown)   5.1546

Anna was born in Fairfield County, SC. She married James Byrd in 1925 and they had six children. Their oldest son was John W. Byrd, born in 1913.

 

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