Circa 1870-1890
Possibly made in Indiana or Ohio
Ardis and Robert James Collection, 1997.007.0200

Dazzling blue and white stars in this quilt draw the viewer's eye from square to square creating an effect like that of a sparkling winter night sky. The maker, whose name and story we do not know, hand pieced this quilt in the later decades of the 19th Century, using the powerful positive-negative combination of clear white and bright blue. Though the thought of a quilt as a piece of art may have been far from the quilter's mind, this quilt could certainly find its place in any gallery of design.

This creative quilter may have lived in Indiana or Ohio, and made the quilt sometime between 1870 and 1890. The Shooting Star pattern, with its precise geometric pattern, is one of many patterns with a star theme or motif so popular with quilters of any era. That enduring pattern, the quilt's stunning visual impact and the quality construction make this quilt an important part of the collection of the International Quilt Museum.