Newly Discovered Susan McCord Quilt

In February Michigan's Henry Ford Museum announced the acquisition of a newly discovered quilt by Susan McCord.

 Susan McCord, Triple Irish Chain

The Henry Ford Museum

For fans of antique quilts it's equivalent to finding a new Rembrandt. Susan McCord was a 19th-century quilting genius, creating at least thirteen quilts of unique design. She seems to have invented the string-pieced applique vine in the border above. Nobody else used it---until of course we all made our own.

Here's one of mine.

 Several years ago Shauna Christiansen, Deb Rowden and I published a book called Susan McCord: The Unforgettable Artisty of an Indiana Quilter. We made many quilts inspired by McCord.

Deb Rowden, Vines

Deb used Susan McCord's vine idea to set some antique blocks. 

Barbara Brackman, Oh Susannah!

I was inpired by McCord's quilt that the Ford Museum calls Colorful Branches to do a wall hanging.

Susan McCord, Colorful Branches

The Henry Ford Museum

See the Ford Museum's blog with links to more pictures of the quilt here:

http://blog.thehenryford.org/2012/02/cozying-up-to-a-new-acquisition-susan-mccord-triple-irish-chain-quilt-circa-1900/

And see their online exhibit Quilting Genius here:http://www.thehenryford.org/exhibits/quiltinggenius/quilts/72_140_1.asp

Our Susan McCord book is still in print. The Star's Pickledish Store carries it. Read more here:

https://www.pickledishstore.com/productDetail.php?PID=1040

Janet at Quiltsalott has generously posted a free pattern for her interpretation of the Trailing Vines quilt:
http://quiltsalott.blogspot.com/p/trailing-vines.html

Update: Annette Ratzenberger sent a picture of a quilt she made inspired by Susan McCord's Ocean Wave. She made the pattern herself