rbc070725

The Story:

This quilt was purchased in 2025 by Robin Culbertson in an antique shop in Black Mountain, NC. The only information available was that it came from a Carson family home down the mountain in McDowell County, NC.

The Carsons were some of the area’s earliest settlers and played a large role in local history. The first Carson House, built in 1793 by Colonel John Carson, even hosted folks like Andrew Jackson and Davy Crockett over the years.

Like many Southern families of that time, the Carson family story is complicated. The original McDowell County Carsons were wealthy and owned enslaved people whose work supported the household and estate.

By the 1930's, there were many Carson family households in McDowell County. We don’t know exactly who made this quilt — but it’s a piece of that layered history. It carries quiet stories from a time long past, full of beauty, hardship, and everything in between.

About the Quilt

This pattern is often called "Grandmother's Flower Garden," although it's a little unusual to find a diamond-shaped motif such as this. A "Hexagon Diamond Field" quilt pattern was published in 1932 by the Kansas City Star newspaper, but it featured only three rounds of color before the "sashing," while this one has four.

The historic Carson House was built by John Carson, who emigrated from Ireland in 1773 and made his way to the Western North Carolina frontier in search of land and opportunity. When McDowell County was formed in 1842, his home served as the county seat until a proper courthouse could be built in Marion.

The Carson family sold the property in the 1870s and by the 1960's was in disrepair. The house was re-opened to the public as a museum and library in 1964. After closing for a year due to damage from Hurricane Helene in 2025, the house is now open to the public as a museum and venue.

www.historiccarsonhouse.com

Quilt Record

Quilt Name: "Hexagon Diamond Field"

Hand Pieced and Quilted by: Unknown, found in a Carson family estate

Place: McDowell County, NC, USA

Size: 60" x 60"

Care Instructions: Soak in cold water with mild detergent in the bathtub with a white sheet. Remove the quilt from the water using the sheet to lift. Air dry in the sun.

Current Owner: Robin Culbertson

Current Location: Black Mountain, NC, USA

Label URL: https://www.heystitchy.com/hs/q/rbc070725

If found: Call 828-277-4100

To print a label:

Click on "Pintable Label" above to download the .pdf label. Use an Inkjet Fabric Sheet. Adjust your printer settings according to the manufacturer's instructions, but try it on plain paper first to make sure it works. Sew your Hey Stitchy Button or buttons over the "Tap Here" logo, or if using an invisible button, iron on under the "Tap Here" logo before attaching the label.

To print a photo:

Right-click (or touch and hold on a phone or tablet) to save an image. Then open it in your computer’s photo or print program.

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