by Quilt Alliance | Nov 11, 2014 | On this Day in History Quilts series
On this day in 1918, World War I (also known as the Great War) ended on the 11 a.m. when German forces, low on manpower and supplies and facing certain invasion, signed an armistice agreement with the Allies outside of Compiegne, France. The war left nine million soldiers dead and 21 million wounded, and at least five million civilians dies from disease, starvation or exposure. In honor of Veteran’s Day I’d like to spotlight two quilts and their makers whose work is documented in the Quilt Index, one made by a solider and one made in honor of a military nurse. Levi Griswold of Yarrow, Missouri machine and hand pieced this Schoolhouse Variation quilt sometime between 1890-1925 and his aunt hand quilted it. From this Quilt Index record, contributed by the State Historical Society of Iowa: “Levi made the quilt when he was about 15 years old. He was awarded Distinguished Service Cross in WW I where he was killed in action.” Quiltmaker Ann Holmes from Asheville, North Carolina, made “Thank You Clara Barton” as her entry to the Quilt Alliance’s “Home Is Where the Quilt Is” contest in 2012. Ann’s artist’s statement: “It is amazing all that she accomplished for our country. Establishing a public school; “Angel of the Battlefield” during the Civil War; spent four years to identify over 22,000 missing soldiers; established the American Red Cross and served as president for 23 years; at 83, president of National First Aid Association. She certainly patched many lives together! Her work was not considered women’s work and never had the right to vote. Clara died in 1912.” View these quilts on The Quilt Index to find out (just click on each image above)! Read more about their 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/world-war-i-ends Posted by Amy E. Milne Executive Director, Quilt Alliance…
by Quilt Alliance | Nov 10, 2014 | On this Day in History Quilts series
On this day in 1969, “Sesame Street,” the educational television show for young children conceived by documentary producer Joan Ganz Cooney, debuted. Cooney hired puppeteer Jim Henson to create diverse characters with positive social messages to help underprivileged 3-5-year-olds prepare for kindergarten. Bert and Ernie, Big Bird, Oscar the Grouch, Cookie Monster and friends have aired in more than 120 countries and today, an estimated 8 million people watch the show each week in the U.S. alone. Letha Lundquist of Port Sanilac, Michigan, hand pieced, hand appliqued and hand quilted this original design of scenes from her childhood, titled “A Village Street” in 1978. Lundquist documented her quilt as part of the Michigan Quilt Project in 1984. 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/sesame-street-debuts Posted by Amy E. Milne Executive Director, Quilt Alliance…
by Quilt Alliance | Oct 31, 2014 | On this Day in History Quilts series
On this day in 1860, Juliette Gordon Low, the founder of the Girl Scouts of the USA was born in Savannah, Georgia. Known to her family as Daisy, Ms. Low had a lifelong interest in the arts and a love of animals including exotic birds. Visitors to the family home–a museum since 1956 (www.juliettegordonlowbirthplace.org)–can view a star-patterned quilt, made by Low’s niece Sarah Stites Gordon, proudly displayed in one of the bedrooms. This remarkably modern looking “Star of Columbia” quilt was made in Fort Gaines, Georgia between 1876-1900. It was pieced by hand and machine, and quilted by hand and is 79 inches square. The owner of the quilt, the granddaughter of the quiltmaker, contributed this documentation in Minnesota. She recalled: “The big house burned in 1939 from a chimney fire. The tenants were able to get 2 trunks of quilts & my grandmother’s organ out. Family bible, 14 portraits and 5 trunks of quilts burned. My father and mother kept the quilts and at their death passed on to me and my sister. My sister died July 2008. She had no children.” This quilt was documented during the Minnesota Quilt Project in 2010. 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.girlscouts.org/who_we_are/history/low_biography/ Posted by Amy E. Milne Executive Director, Quilt Alliance…
by Quilt Alliance | Oct 30, 2014 | On this Day in History Quilts series
On this day sometime in the early 1940’s, the tradition of “Devil’s Night” began in the Detroit, Michigan. Similar to “Mischief Night” practiced in other parts of the U.S. and the world, the night was marked by vandalism including arson, especially from 1970’s to the 1990’s. Community activists have attempted to tame the cultural phenomenon by renaming it “Angel’s Night” and organizing volunteer neighborhood patrols to keep the peace and prevent crime. Jane Burch Cochran of Rabbit Hash, Kentucky made this 65” x 54” quilt, titled “Deviled and Angel,” in 2003. It is part of the Founders Collection at the National Quilt Museum. 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://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Devil%27s_Night Posted by Amy E. Milne Executive Director, Quilt Alliance…
by Quilt Alliance | Oct 29, 2014 | On this Day in History Quilts series
On this day in 1966, the National Organization for Women (NOW) was founded. Betty Friedan was elected the first president of this civil rights organization focused on women’s rights. Another Betty, Betty Hobbs, a housewife and seamstress from Perquimans County, North Carolina, made this “Texas Star with Nine Patch Corners” quilt in the early 1900’s for her granddaughter. Hobb’s hand quilting is recorded as 12 stitches per inch and the quilt is 73.25” square. Hobbs’ quilt was documented as part of the North Carolina Quilt Project in 1986. 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://womenshistory.about.com/od/feminism/p/now.htm Posted by Amy E. Milne Executive Director, Quilt Alliance…
by Quilt Alliance | Oct 28, 2014 | On this Day in History Quilts series
On this day in 1886, U.S. President Grover Cleveland dedicated the Statue of Liberty in New York Harbor. The 151 foot tall sculpture was a gift from the citizens of France to the American citizens in honor of the two countries allegiance during the American Revolutionary War (1775-83). This quilt titled “Freedom to Dream” was made in 1985 by Marie Anita Wingate Murphy of Kountze, Texas. From this quilt record: “This original design was made by Anita Murphy as her entry for the Great American Quilt Contest Honoring the 100th Anniversary of the Statue of Liberty. The pictorial design depicts her idea of “The Freedom to Dream.” It contains an airplane as a reminder of the first time she saw the Statue of Liberty (she was an airline hostess and had earned travel miles for a trip to New York; the pilot tipped the plane just so Mrs. Murphy could see the Statue of Liberty). This quilt was reviewed and documented during the Texas Sesquicentennial Quilt Association’s Phase II of the Texas Quilt Search, 1986-1989. Karey Bresenhan served as quilt historian. 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/statue-of-liberty-dedicated Posted by Amy E. Milne Executive Director, Quilt Alliance…
