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Circa 2000 embroidered quilt with Texas motifs, TTU-H2017-085-001.
Photo courtesy Museum of Texas Tech University.
Quilt with Texas Motifs Comes to the Museum of Texas Tech University
By Marian Ann Montgomery, Ph.D.,
Curator of Clothing and Textiles
The Museum of Texas Tech University recently acquired a quilt made sometime after 2000 of original embroidered blocks featuring many Texas themes. The quilt was brought to the museum’s attention via a donor to the collection that saw it on eBay and thought it would be a perfect addition. All of the images on eBay showed Texas motifs—the Alamo, the Texas flag, Cattle, barrel racers, etc. so it was considered important to acquire for the Museum, even though we seldom purchase objects due to the limited acquisition budget.
Section of quilt with cattle block, covered wagon, rodeo clowns, bull riding, dressed cactus and block of San Antonio Rose song.
Photo courtesy Museum of Texas Tech University.
Block with barrel racer.
Photo courtesy Museum of Texas Tech University.
JBF Ranch motifs in central block of the quilt with names of Texas cities embroidered on either side.
Photo courtesy Museum of Texas Tech University.
However once the quilt arrived at the museum it was apparent that this was more than just a Texas quilt, it is a special family piece. Many of the blocks depict scenes from family life such as an archer shooting a bicycle rider in the back side or Dad with steam coming out of his ears, while children run from a station wagon with a fishing boat on the back. The stories behind these blocks are of great interest in fully interpreting this piece.
Archer shot an arrow that landed in a bicyclist.
Photo courtesy Museum of Texas Tech University.
Block with family around the table and “Dad” falling off a broken chair.
Photo courtesy Museum of Texas Tech University.
The quilt is a marvelous example of folk art as the embroidered blocks are original. Some with Texas motifs may have been copied from coloring books, but the others that depict family stories using what must be original art. The quilt has blocks for five family members: Raymond Duane Jordan, Angela Christine Lane Jordan and their daughters Stephanie Mae Jordan, Rebecca Suzanne Jordan and a third daughter born in March 2000.
Raymond was born in Pennsylvania and Angela in Maryland. It is unclear when they came to Texas, but were surely here by 2000 when their third daughter was born, as there are representations of Little Miss Texas and Miss Wise County for their daughters on the quilt. There is some evidence that Raymond and Angela are separated. The piece came from a dealer in Pennsylvania so possibly the quilt went back to its maker when Raymond and Angela split up. To fully understand the stories behind the blocks it is important to connect with Angela Jordan or Raymond Jordan. Angela is in Ft. Worth so it is possible that someone reading this article will know her or know someone who knows her. Raymond is in Boyd.
Please contact me at marian.ann.montgomery@ttu.edu if you can help me connect with them, as surely they know the stories behind the blocks that represent family history which are part of the charm of this piece.
Border motif along the top edge is of a howling coyote among cactus.
Photo courtesy Museum of Texas Tech University.
Learn more about the Museum of Texas Tech University Textile Collections.
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