Quilted by Essie Lawson
Circa 1978
United States
96.75 x 85 inches
246 x 216 centimeters
Hand appliquéd, machined appliquéd, embroidered, hand quilted
Mountain Mist Collection, Gift of the Robert and Ardis James Foundation
IQM 2012.015.0134

This quilt features the winning blocks of a 1978 contest for the batting company Mountain Mist. The quilt was used in advertising and exhibited throughout the United States.

The rules for the contest instructed entrants to: 
“Design and make a preshrunk 12” x12” (finished size) square showing your choice of a famous woman and / or her accomplishments... Winning squares will become the property of Stearns & Foster Co, and will be sewn together into the Famous Women Friendship Quilt.” 

The Mountain Mist quilt contests began in 1974 and continued through 1988. Early contests were block contests; later on, entrants had to enter a quilt.

This quilt previously appeared in the 2016 exhibition "Inside the Wrapper: The True Tales of the Mountain Mist Quilt Patterns," guest curated by Linda Pumphrey.