Lenice Bacon’s interest in quilt began in Tennessee, where she make her first quilt in 1926
for her daughter. It was a Marie Webster patter, “American Beauty Rose.” A second quilt was
made for a son in 1930. As was the custom at the time, the quilts were sent to a professional
to be quilted.
After moving to Massachusetts, Lenice worked on her quilts at her sewing circle meetings.
The other members wanted to know more about her quilts and their history, launching her on
a career as a lecturer. Her travels to her home state of Tennessee, to West Virginia and
North Carolina allowed her to collect quilts and their stories that became a part of her
lectures. She dressed in colonial costume and used her collection of quilts and quilt blocks as
visual aids when lecturing in 16 states and at the American Museum in Britain.
Lenice visited honoree Dr. William Rush Dunton, Jr., Ruth Finley, Florence Peto and Joyce
Gross. The books of honorees Marie Webster, Ruth Finley, Carrie Hall and Rose Kretsinger
were helpful when writing her own book, American Patchwork Quilts, in 1973, at the age of
78. Several pattern blocks and her silk “Diamond in the Square” quilt are in the New England
Quilt Muesum, Lowell, Massachusetts.
for her daughter. It was a Marie Webster patter, “American Beauty Rose.” A second quilt was
made for a son in 1930. As was the custom at the time, the quilts were sent to a professional
to be quilted.
After moving to Massachusetts, Lenice worked on her quilts at her sewing circle meetings.
The other members wanted to know more about her quilts and their history, launching her on
a career as a lecturer. Her travels to her home state of Tennessee, to West Virginia and
North Carolina allowed her to collect quilts and their stories that became a part of her
lectures. She dressed in colonial costume and used her collection of quilts and quilt blocks as
visual aids when lecturing in 16 states and at the American Museum in Britain.
Lenice visited honoree Dr. William Rush Dunton, Jr., Ruth Finley, Florence Peto and Joyce
Gross. The books of honorees Marie Webster, Ruth Finley, Carrie Hall and Rose Kretsinger
were helpful when writing her own book, American Patchwork Quilts, in 1973, at the age of
78. Several pattern blocks and her silk “Diamond in the Square” quilt are in the New England
Quilt Muesum, Lowell, Massachusetts.
| Lenice Ingram Bacon (1895—1978) |
Quilters, collector, lecturer, author of American
Patchwork Quilts. Inducted into The Quilters Hall of
Fame in 1979 at the Continental Quilting Congress,
Arlington, Virginia.
Research Assistant: Susan Fiondella
Patchwork Quilts. Inducted into The Quilters Hall of
Fame in 1979 at the Continental Quilting Congress,
Arlington, Virginia.
Research Assistant: Susan Fiondella