by Quilt Alliance | Nov 12, 2014 | On this Day in History Quilts series
On this day in 1954, Ellis Island shuts its doors. The immigration gateway that opened in 1892 processed more than 12 million people with a peak occurring from 1892-1924. The island was name for its owner in the 1770’s, Samuel Ellis. This Navy Signature fundraising quilt was made by the Ladies Auxiliary, Fleet Reserve Association, Unit No. 5 in Norfolk, Virginia between 1941-42. It contains 35 blocks and over 400 embroidered names, including that of NYC Mayor Fiorella Laguardia. From the age of 25-28 Laguardia, whose father was Italian and whose mother was Jewish of Austrian heritage, worked as an interpreter for the U. S. Immigration Services at Ellis Island. Karen Biedler Alexander of Lopez Island, Washington, owns the quilt and contributed her photos and research to the Quilt Index as part of the Signature Quilt Pilot Project. 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/ellis-island-closes Posted by Amy E. Milne Executive Director, Quilt Alliance…
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…
