Inventories indicate that Maryland families were using a variety of quilts during the 18th and early 19th centuries, but those which survive are from the 19th century. This quilt by Elizabeth Stouffer of Baltimore combines several major stylistic trends in early American quilting. Within a central medallion format framed by several borders, Stouffer composed a flowering Tree of Life cut from various printed fabrics and appliqued to the white cotton background. Such chintz appliqued quilts were popular during the first half of the 19th century, especially in the South. Their designs recalled painted and printed cotton bedcovers from India called "palampores" which were often decorated with a central flowering tree. In addition to chintz applique, Stouffer's quilt displays elaborate stuffed and corded work in the background and borders. Stuffed work quilting was made by stitching together two layers of cloth along a pre-drawn outline then inserting small pieces of cotton or wadding through the backing into the outlined areas to give a dimensional effect to the design. Linear elements such as stems or tendrils were made by running thick cotton cord or yarn through narrow channels formed by two parallel rows of fine stitches. Thus were created the oak leaves, exotic flowers, thistles, and pineapples found between rows of printed sawtooth patterns in this quilt's borders. Elizabeth Stouffer was born in Baltimore, the daughter of a Baltimore merchant and city councilman. She finished this quilt in 1809, initialling and dating it on the reverse with cross-stitching which also indicated that it was the seventh in a series of quilts she was making. Elizabeth married Robert Garrett, founder of the banking house of Robert Garrett and Sons in 1817. Her position in the community would seem to reinforce recent scholarship which holds that the making and owning of quilts in early America was more a sign of prosperity than a means of economy.