On this day in 1752, Philadelphia printer Benjamin Franklin demonstrated electricity when he flew a kite during a thunderstorm and collected a charge in a Leyden jar, an early capacitor for containing static electricity.
This wool and silk Kite’s Tail quilt was hand pieced and hand quilted by an unknown quiltmaker in Iowa between 1925-1940. The owner of the quilt purchased it, and then documented it in 1988 as part of the Iowa Quilt Research Project. The record includes this note: “Quilt was originally tied. It was taken apart and new backing added and hand quilted.”
View this quilt on The Quilt Index to find out! Read more about its history, design and construction. Be sure to use the zoom tool for a detailed view or click the “See full record” link to see a larger image and all the data entered about that quilt.
Source:
http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/franklin-flies-kite-during-thunderstorm
Posted by Amy E. Milne
Executive Director, Quilt Alliance
amy.milne@quiltalliance.org