Quilt Repair Tales - Saving History One Quilt at a Time

 

On May 3 and 4, I’m participating in the Global Quilt Connection’s Sampler Platter program.  I’ll be joining 17 other quilt teachers, who’ll be presenting short programs demonstrating the topics we teach about virtually.  Both guilds and individuals can register, and the presentations will be recorded and available for a few days after the weekend.  I did this last fall, and it was super fun - a wide variety of topics to learn about!

Here’s where to learn more and register:
https://www.globalquiltconnection.com/samplerplatters

This time, I’ll be presenting “Quilt Repair Tales - Saving History One Quilt at a Time”.  This spotlights a name-inscribed quilt made in the 1890s that I researched to learn more about its history.  I have lots of tales to tell - interesting stories about the people named on the quilt, the repairs I made to the quilt, and the journey the quilt and I have had from having it gifted to me to being part of a weekend gala bringing the quilt back to its home.

This block has the names of Rev. John D. Pickles, his wife Elizabeth, and daughter Helen.  I was lucky enough to contact a descendant who provided this photo of the family!

 

 

 

 

There are many other blog posts that share information on the research I did.  Start here and then follow links to many aspects of what I learned.  Enjoy!

 

Gaia Speaks

Late one winter night, I was walking in my neighborhood park, thinking sadly about how wantonly we are treating our beautiful planet. These words then came into my mind:

I have love for you
Love each other
Go slow
Be kind
See the Cycles
Be of the Planet

I knew I needed to make this experience into a quilt. 

Preserving Our Quilt Legacy - Virtual Workshop

Good news!  My Preserving Our Quilt Legacy Virtual Workshop is coming up soon.  Sessions take place on five Saturdays, Jan 28 - Feb 25 2025.  This is a rare opportunity to learn about the many aspects of restoration and conservation all in one package.  Find out more:

A full description and registration info 

An introductory video

Besides lectures and demos, you’ll receive a set of samples of tools and fabrics, access to video demos of techniques and stitches, links to other resources.  You’ll be able to show a quilt and see everyone else’s quilts and learn about how to assess what each quilt needs and how to proceed.   

Why do I like taking care of quilts?  My academic background is in anthropology, which taught me about how much meaning the objects we make and use every day can hold.  And all quilts have their story.

"Storytelling is the place where social and personal history meet."

This is a line from a lovely book I recently received, How to Write Your Personal or Family History, by Katie Funk Wiebe.  The book was written by the mother of a dear friend of mine.  She wrote many books, many of them about family and history.

One thing she stresses is how small memories and facts can build a valuable memoir.  I feel the same is true of quilts - it's not only the flashy and museum quality quilts that are worth gentle handling and care.

Every quilt cared for and saved preserves a little bit of both family history and our collective history.  It brings to life the history that is not written in textbooks.

Seminole Patchwork

Occasionally,  I get requests to mend things other than quilts.  This is Seminole patchwork, a technique developed among the Seminole peoples in Florida.  Traditionally and continuing today, these patchwork strips are used to make clothing.  This wall hanging was likely made for sale to tourists.  I think the colors of the fabrics date it to the 1940s.  It measures 51" x 64".

Friends Across the Sea

 

A family memento.  Here's the story the quilt owner told:

This quilt was made for us by our friend Shelia in England.  It was given to us as a thank you gift for housing her daughter one summer.  Her daughter, Sally, was twenty years old and wanted very much to work one summer in the Chicago area.  Our youngest son was staying at college that summer, so we had an extra bedroom.  We spent a delightful summer with Sally who quickly became our English "daughter".  We later attended Sally's wedding in Broughton, England.  Sally has made subsequent trips here so that we could meet her children. We treasure the quilt as a reminder of wonderful times.

The dedication is embroidered on a Log Cabin block appliquéd on the back.  It is dated 1991.

And as with any date-inscribed quilt, it's also a fine record of fabrics available, in England, at this time.  

My Favorite Basket Quilt

I absolutely love this quilt!  If it had been in a shop rather than coming to me for repair, I might have just "had" to buy it. 

Part of why I love it is that green is my favorite color.  (To see another 1930s quilt with a green background, take a look at a Magic Vine quilt which I bought as a nearly completed top, which I finished and quilted.)  I also love the use of that dark green in (most of) the cornerstones and corners of the quilt.  They are a great example of how a bit of a contrasting accent can really perk up the design.  And I love the little red and white seersucker stripe that's in many of the blocks.  Such a tribute to summer!

 

The Pied a Terre Quilt

A couple of years ago, I told Part 1 of this story, in which I mended a memory quilt for a customer.  She shared its sweet story for me to share here.  On the post, you can see the quilt and read the story of family love across generations and many miles.  I've also described the mending and rebuilding that I did. 

Here are a couple of photos from Part 1 to whet your whistle.  In today's post, I will share Part 2.