It is not usual to find quilts that combine Log Cabin and Crazy quilt elements, since both are constructed on a foundation and could be made from similar silk fabrics, highlighting the sensuous materials available on the market in the late 1800s. This example features a number of embroidered Chinese figures, reflecting the era’s fascination with Asian-inspired imagery. Although sources for these images have not been found, illustrations depicting life in China were widely available in publications of the late 1800s.

Pattern: 
Log Cabin/Crazy Quilt
Maker: 
Possibly made by Elizabeth Shelton
Circa
1880
1900
Possibly made in
Coeur d'Alene
Idaho
United States
77
63
International Quilt Museum, Ardis and Robert James Collection
1997.007.0802