My thoughts on the shape are that it was made that way on purpose. Maybe a fainting couch sort of shape with a larger area that would account for the larger end. I think it is something that will probably remain a mystery as none of the principals or their immediate survivors are still living. The name Samuel A Bird was the husband, And Ida Mae Secrest was the wife. That much we know for sure. The date 1930 wasn't their wedding date, it was much earlier and my wife thinks it just represented the date of the making of the quilt. She made the quilt when she was 62. Samuel A. was long gone when she made the quilt. He died in 1909. It does make it unique. That is for sure. We have some pictures of other quilts that she made and they are very well executed and done "correctly" as it were. She was an accomplished quilter. So this one was made this way on purpose.
John