Quilts with patriotic motifs were frequently made to commemorate events such as presidential campaigns, the admission of new states to the Union, wars, and various expositions, including the Centennial, the Columbian, and the Century of Progress. On January 29, 1861, a thirty-fourth state, Kansas, was admitted to the Union. Its star was placed on the flag on July fourth of that year. This crib-size patriotic quilt was both pieced and appliqued.

Elizabeth V. Warren and Stacy C. Hollander, ""Baby" Crib Quilt," Expressions of a New Spirit: Highlights from the Permanent Collection of the Museum of American Folk Art (New York: American Folk Art Museum, 1989), 148