Because there is no elaborate stitching interrupting the surface of this quilt, it fairly shimmers with the glossy silks used in highly contrasting colors. The quiltmaker demonstrates a strong understanding of the dynamic effect of placing red next to yellow-gold, colors traditionally associated with wealth and royalty because of the costliness of the dyes. It is an example of a log cabin quilt, constructed by stitching rectangular “logs” to one another and to a fabric foundation in a technique known as foundation patchwork or foundation piecing. The log cabin quilt came to prominence in the 1860s. While early versions were made in cotton and wool, by the 1870s a “show” style, utilizing the silks and fine wools of the period, had developed. The many variations of the log cabin are based on the use of light and dark strips of fabric. This variation is known as courthouse steps.

Stacy C. Hollander, "Log Cabin Quilt, Courthouse Steps Variation," exhibition label for Ooh, Shiny!. Stacy C. Hollander, curator. New York: American Folk Art Museum, 2012.