Princess Feather with Bowknot Border quilt, or Princess Feather Star quilt, unknown maker from the United States

Exhibition Label: "Quilts: Flora Botanica," Jun-2008, Barbara Brackman and Susan Earle This worn quilt from Sallie Casey Thayer’s donation illustrates one of the goals of a teaching collection like that of the Spencer. Museums conserve objects for future generations. Many might view this stained quilt with its shattered fabrics as something not worth saving, but the design, in particular the quirky bowknot and swag border, offers inspiration to later generations. In the 1920s Rose Kretsinger seems to have been inspired by the border for her New Rose Tree quilt. In the twenty-first century Georganna Clark recreated the design as a small wall hanging. (The pattern for Georganna’s quilt is available in the Museum Shop.)