Embroidered Applique Quilt 1935 - 1942

Marian Curtis Foster made this embroidered applique quilt and goodness, it’s lovely. So, I’m imagining Marian, her hands moving rhythmically, cutting shapes, stitching them onto fabric, building up this whole world, block by block. I see these roses bursting out, these little trees, even a house with a horse and carriage. It feels so personal, like a diary page or a sampler of her world. The stitches create these tiny textures and the colors are so soft. The rose-reds and leaf-greens make me think about the garden. The hand of the maker here is so clear; I can almost feel her presence. And that’s the thing about quilts, right? Like paintings, they’re such direct expressions. It’s like Marian is saying, “Here’s what I see, here’s what I care about.” And by sharing it with us, she joins this conversation with artists across time, all trying to make sense of the world, one stitch, one brushstroke at a time.