by Quilt Alliance | May 8, 2013 | On this Day in History Quilts series
On this day in 1945, Great Britain and the United States celebrated Victory in Europe (VE) Day. The Nazi’s surrendered on this day and more than 13,000 British Prisoners of War were released and sent home. Mary Gasperik of Chicago, Illinois made this Victory Garden quilt in the mid 1940’s. The description in this Quilt Index record, provided by Gasperik’s grand-daughter Susan Salser, “This quilt is Mary’s personal expression of her hope for future peace in the world and for the survival of her native Hungary. To a traditional pattern, she added symbols to honor her two countries: V for Victory of the Allied Cause and the Oak and Olive Branch Wreath, a symbol found surrounding the coat of arms on historical flags of Hungary.” The quilt is part of the Mary Gasperik Private Collection, documented by author and researched Susan Salser. 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/v-e-day-is-celebrated-in-american-and-britain Posted by Amy E. Milne Executive Director, Quilt Alliance…
by Quilt Alliance | May 7, 2013 | On this Day in History Quilts series
On This Day in History Quilt for May 7. On this day in 1919 Maria Eva Duarte de Peron, the First Lady of Argentina (1946-1952), was born in the village of Los Toldos in rural Argentina. At age 15 Eva, nicknamed Evita, moved to Buenos Aires to pursue a career as an actress and there she met Colonel Juan Peron. Peron was elected President of Argentina in 1946, and Eva’s outspoken advocacy for labor rights and women’s suffrage won her the love and admiration of working class Argentinians. The musical “Evita” popularized her life, which ended sadly at age 33 when she died of cancer. “Mamaw” Eva Colvin of Louisiana made this cheerful red cotton Square Dance quilt in 1900. It was documented in 1997 by Eva’s granddaughter, who now owns it, during the Louisiana Quilt Documentation Project. She wrote, “The quilt was my grandmother’s and was given to my mother, who gave it to me.” 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://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eva_Per%C3%B3n Posted by Amy E. Milne Executive Director, Quilt Alliance…
by Quilt Alliance | May 6, 2013 | On this Day in History Quilts series
On This Day in History Quilt for May 6. On this day in 1933, United States President Franklin D. Roosevelt signed an executive order to enact the Works Progress Administration (WPA), one of several Depression-era relief programs that put unemployed people to work in 1935. Three million people were employed by WPA jobs alone. Civil projects like building bridges, highways, schools, hospitals, and public arts work like murals, literary publications and plays were all funded by WPA funds. Minnie Benberry of Western Kentucky, mother-in-law of quilt historian Cuesta Benberry made this “W.P.A. Tulip” quilt around 1930. From this Quilt Index record: “Mrs. Benberry (Cuesta) noted that this quilt was one of the WPA quilts from the Great Depression era. She explained that the government hired artists and craftspersons to make quilts during that time of economic hardship. This program served two purposes: These quilts were something of use, utilitarian, yet beautiful and also gave work to talented Americans who had no other means of employment. This quilt is part of the Cuesta Benberry Quilt and Ephemera Collection, donated to Michigan State University Museum. in 2008 by Benberry’s son. 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/fdr-creates-the-wpa Posted by Amy E. Milne Executive Director, Quilt Alliance…
by Quilt Alliance | May 3, 2013 | On this Day in History Quilts series
On This Day in History Quilt for May 3. James Joseph Brown, “The Godfather of Soul,” was born on this day in 1933 in Barnwell County, South Carolina. At the age of six Brown was sent to live with his Aunt Honey Washington who ran a brothel in Augusta, Georgia. Young James got his performance experience on the streets, dancing and singing to attract customers to his aunt’s business. This quilt titled “But I Know Crazy” was made by Luke Haynes for the 2009 Quilt Alliance quilt contest “Crazy for Quilts.” Haynes says in his artist’s statement: “This quilt made itself. With the title of the project I couldn’t help thinking of the James Brown quote “I don’t know Karate . . . But I Know Crazy”. Having laughed at that line every time it came up in the song, it made an association for me with the word crazy. When Amy told me of the crazy quilts contest, it just made sense. I also played with new methods here.” 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/james-brown-is-born Posted by Amy E. Milne Executive Director, Quilt Alliance…
by Quilt Alliance | May 1, 2013 | On this Day in History Quilts series
On This Day in History Quilt for May 1. On this day some time during pre-Christian times, the summer festival of Flora, the Roman goddess of flowers began. In modern times May Day is celebrated with the tradition of dancing around the maypole and crowning the Queen of the May. (I myself have fond memories of being crowned the May Queen of Miss Gray’s kindergarten class on this day in 1973.) : ) Therese May made this small house-shaped quilt, titled “True is True” in 2006 for the first Quilt Alliance contest, “Put a Roof Over Our Head.” May wrote this about her quilt: “House shaped quilts create a feeling most all of us can share. As children, in kindergarten, we each draw the house that we call home. Sometimes we use the house as a metaphor for our bodies. It is truly a “True” symbol! The butterfly within is a symbol of who we really are.” Several of May’s quilts are documented in the Quilt Index. On the advanced search page enter her name under the quiltmaker field to find May’s quilts documented by the Kentucky Quilt Project, the National Quilt Museum, the New England Quilt Museum and the Rocky Mountain Quilt Museum. 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://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/May_Day Posted by Amy E. Milne Executive Director, Quilt Alliance…
