The Metropolitan Museum of Art Decorative Accents*American Quilt Tea Towel

This Charming Tea Towel Embellished With A So-Called “Honeycomb” Pattern Exhibits A Detail From The Earliest Wholly Pieced American Quilt In The Museum’S Holdings. Elizabeth Van Horne Clarkson (American, 1771–1852) Is Thought To Have Made This Prismatic Creation As A Wedding Present For Her Son Circa 1830. While Pieced Quilts Were Common In 18Th-Century England, The Technique Didn’T Catch On In America Until The 19Th Century, When Increased Leisure Time Popularized The Craft And Small Printed Cotton Fabrics Became More Affordable.