America Irby

America Irby (1916–1993), Center medallion, c. 1940

Corduroy, 83 x 76 in.; Private Collection

America lrby took old pinwale corduroy work clothes and created an elegant variation on the center-medallion form of “Housetop” quilt that could almost be an architectural blueprint for a classical temple. The central element is surrounded by white and off-white strips punctuated at the four corners by bands of green, which accentuate the strong sense of organization. A peripheral pattern of polyrhythmic bands of gray, sand, blue, and red serves as an intricate counterpoint to the classic balance of the central design, yielding a tension between the harmony of purely symmetrical structure and the energy of improvisation.

These images show the entirety of the quilts, including their handmade edges, against a white background.