Appliqued Quilt 1935 - 1942

This Appliqued Quilt was made by Lon Cronk, who lived between 1855 and 1995. The quilt has these lovely floral patterns in pink and teal, carefully stitched against a neutral background. Imagine the artist, hunched over the fabric, carefully choosing each piece, each color. It's a slow, deliberate act, kind of like painting, but with thread. You can see how the maker has taken the time to create these intricate designs, like those scalloped borders and the central starburst. Each stitch seems placed with care and thought. Quilts like this aren't just about keeping warm; they're about storytelling. They're about community, tradition, and passing down skills from one generation to the next. I think about all the hours of labor, the sharing of patterns and techniques, like a painter sharing her favorite brush. These objects become a record of life. And like painting, it's an ongoing conversation. Each quilt building upon what came before.