When people think of a quilt they think of a blanket with ornate stitching. You may remember your mother or grandmother had a quilt spread neatly across the always-made bed. But for many women in early America, quilt making was a labor of love.

A prime example of the quilter’s art is the Federal Eagle quilt at the Plains Indians and Pioneers Museum in Woodward. This fine quilt demonstrates the skill, patience, and talent required to create a truly memorable work of art. It also captures the loving intent of the creator and has stood the test of time, and then some. This quilt didn’t originate in Woodward, or even Oklahoma. It started its roughly 1,200 mile journey to the Sooner State from Frederick, Maryland around 1800. Passed from generation to generation, it eventually found its way to Woodward.

The woman responsible for this beautiful and durable work was Anna Catherine Hummel Markey Garnhart (1773-1860). Mrs. Garnhart, born to a wealthy German family, lived her entire life in Frederick, Maryland and had made a name for herself as one of the finest quiltmakers of her time. She was one of the few quilters to use the difficult reverse appliqué method.

Appliqué, simply put, means stitching pieces of fabric together in layers to create a three-dimensional effect. The more daunting and labor intensive reverse appliqué (or inlay method) involves a printed fabric placed under a white ground cloth. The cloth is cut away, revealing the pattern. Mrs. Garnhart went a step further and used an impressive 22 stitches per inch to sew the entire 91” x 94” quilt.

The design, a Federal Eagle pattern popular at the time, was based on a Bald Eagle with wings outstretched and eighteen stars above its head. One example of Mrs. Garnhart’s artistry is revealed in the meticulous 3-D rendering of the bird’s feathers.

It is often thought quilts were made by the poor to recycle bits of used cloth into a serviceable bed covering. The truth is, quilts like those Mrs. Garnhart was famous for required more free time than available to most women of the period. The fabrics used were expensive and often imported. Mrs. Garnhart got much of her material from the trading ships when they arrived in Baltimore Harbor. Spinning and weaving were the order of the day for the average woman in early America, and that left little time for quilting.

The Woodward quilt is reportedly one of thirteen quilts, one made for each of Mrs. Garnhart’s grandchildren. It is said the quilt housed at the Plains Indians and Pioneers Museum was made for her first grandchild. The quilt descended to Mr. and Mrs. Wilbur Drake of Fort Supply, Oklahoma from Mr. Drake’s mother, the late Mrs. Geneva Drake of Fargo shortly after her death in1966. The Drakes then donated the quilt to the museum.

The importance of these textile connections to our past cannot be underestimated, as they give us a look into the America of our ancestors. To illustrate the value of the Garnhart quilt to the museum, Director Bob Roberson says, “We have a plan to deal with disasters such as fires. The very first thing on the list of things to rescue from the museum is the quilt.”

Mark your calendar, as this historic quilt is only shown during the month of May. For more information on The Plains Indians and Pioneer Museum (209 Williams Ave, Woodward), call 580-256-6136 or visit www.pipml.org

James R. Smith is a freelance writer and frequent contributor to MetroFamily Magazine.