"Tobacco Bag" Tack Quilt

Feeling cold this November? This artifact of the week is guaranteed to keep you warm. The top on this interesting quilt was made from 150 Country Gentleman Tobacco bags, some of which were dyed red and pieced together to make a pattern. This quilt, often referred to as a comforter, is "tacked" together. Tacking was a simple and easy way to fashion bed covers and the process involves passing the needle and thread through the quilt, bringing it back through the top, and tying the two ends of thread together. This simple process was usually the first "quilting" that a young girl learned. These quilts were meant to be utilitarian and were not usually ornate. This one was made by Stella Mason of the Smokey community in the 1950s.

Bonus fact: It is believed that these cheaply made tack quilts served as the inspiration for the word "tacky", which means shoddy or cheap looking.

Information provided by family of Stella Mason and A People And Their Quilts by John Rice Irwin

This interesting quilt was made by Stella Mason of the Smokey community in the 1950s.

Stella Mason saved more than 150 of these small tobacco sacks, dyed some red, and then pieced them together to make the top of a quilt.