by Quilt Alliance | Apr 5, 2013 | On this Day in History Quilts series
On This Day in History Quilt for April 5. On this day in 1908, American actress Ruth Elizabeth “Bette” Davis was born in Lowell, Massachusetts. After her parents divorced, Bette moved to New York City with her mother and sister, where Bette studied acting and dance (with Martha Graham). In 1930, she traveled by train from New York to Hollywood. She failed early screen tests, but finally made her screen debut with the help of a cinematographer who said she had “lovely eyes.” Davis is famous for her willingness and talent at playing unsympathetic characters. Portuguese immigrant Theresa Oliver Mello of Lowell, Massachusetts made this Z-Lightning quilt around 1910. The quilt is part of the New England Quilt Museum’s permanent collection. There are two other quilts by Mello documented by NEQM in the Quilt Index. View this quilt on The Quilt Index to read more about it’s history, design and construction. Be sure to use the zoom tool for a detailed view. Sources: http://womenshistory.about.com/od/quotes/a/bette_davis.htm http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bette_Davis Posted by Amy E. Milne Executive Director, Quilt Alliance…
by Quilt Alliance | Apr 4, 2013 | On this Day in History Quilts series
On This Day in History Quilt for April 4. On this day in 1968 Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was assassinated in Memphis, Tennessee. The 39-year-old civil rights leader was in Memphis to support a sanitation workers’ strike and was on his way to dinner. Beverly Ann White of Pontiac, Michigan finished this pictorial quilt, titled “View from the Mountain Top” in July 1991. Included in this Quilt Index record is a quote by the artist: “The dedication on this quilt was made to slain civil rights workers [including King] which I describe as warriors for the cause of freedom and equality. I cannot chronicle the brave and valiant fight of each and every one of the honorable souls who have fought for the rights of African-Americans throughout the history of the United States; I can, however, attempt to show several of those heroes who have impressed me.” This quilt is in the Michigan State University Museum collection. View this quilt on The Quilt Index to read more about it’s history, design and construction. Be sure to use the zoom tool for a detailed view. Sources: http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/dr-king-is-assassinated Posted by Amy E. Milne Executive Director, Quilt Alliance…
by Quilt Alliance | Apr 3, 2013 | Go Tell It at the Quilt Show!, QuiltCon
Go Tell It at the Quilt Show! Findlay Wolfe, Gering and Knauer Interviews Seven new interviews for the Go Tell It at the Quilt Show! project were conducted at QuiltCon in Austin, Texas, February 21-24. Go Tell It! is a new Quilt Alliance project designed to capture the stories of quilts where quiltmakers and quilt lovers gather. The protocol for Go Tell It! is brief and personal: one person talking about one quilt in front of one video camera for three minutes, recording the most essential and compelling details of the quilt according to the “teller.” We were so proud to document and preserve stories from Victoria Findlay Wolfe, Jacquie Gering and Thomas Knauer at the first-ever QuiltCon. Read the full press release here. [youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CptX_VWHezc] QuiltCon Best in Show winner Victoria Findlay Wolfe (New York, New York) talks about her quilt Double Edged LOVE. [youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mAl8pnVENwQ]Jacquie Gering (Chicago, Illinois) tells the story of her quilt, Bang You’re Dead. [youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mtTF0FDHyc4]Thomas Knauer (Utica, New York) tells about his quilt, In Defense of Handmade. Let us know what you think about this new project. Leave comments here, on our Youtube channel or Facebook page. Posted by Amy E. Milne Executive Director, Quilt Alliance…
by Quilt Alliance | Apr 3, 2013 | On this Day in History Quilts series
On This Day in History Quilt for April 3. On this day in 1934, Jane Goodall, the renowned British expert on chimpanzees, was born in London, England. Goodall’s love of animals began early and at age 26, she traveled to Tanzania equipped only with binoculars and a notebook, to begin studying the wild chimpanzees. In 2002, Goodall was named a UN Messenger of Peace for her “dedication to what is best in mankind.” Alice Goodall Pierce of Hitchcock, Nebraska pieced and hand quilted this wool Whirling Hexagon (Brackman # 0245) quilt for a family member in 1940. The quilt was documented in 1987 during the Nebraska Quilt Project (19 years after Pierce’s death). View this quilt on The Quilt Index to read more about it’s history, design and construction. Be sure to use the zoom tool for a detailed view. Sources: http://www.janegoodall.org/ http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jane_Goodall Posted by Amy E. Milne Executive Director, Quilt Alliance…
by Quilt Alliance | Apr 2, 2013 | On this Day in History Quilts series
On This Day in History Quilt for April 2. On this day in 1513, Spanish explorer Juan Ponce de Leon came ashore somewhere near present-day St. Augustine, Florida and claimed the territory for the Spanish crown. Ponce de Leon was looking for the fabled “Fountain of Youth.” He never found the source of eternal youth, but he is credited for naming Florida. De Leon’s landing on the lush, green coast happened around Easter feast time, or Pascua Florida (Festival of Flowers). Patricia L. Styring of St. Augustine, Florida made this miniature quilt, titled “Mariner’s Quilteenie” in 2006. The quilt measures 13.5” x 13.5” and is now part of “The Oh Wow! Miniature Quilt Collection at the National Quilt Museum in Paducah, Kentucky. View this quilt on The Quilt Index to read more about it’s history, design and construction. Be sure to use the zoom tool for a detailed view. Sources: http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/ponce-de-leon-discovers-florida http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Juan_Ponce_de_Le%C3%B3n Posted by Amy E. Milne Executive Director, Quilt Alliance…
