by Quilt Alliance | Feb 19, 2013 | On this Day in History Quilts series
On This Day in History Quilt for February 19: On this day in 1942 the Army Air Corps’ 100th Pursuit Squadron was activated at Tuskegee Institute. The “Tuskegee Airmen” were the first African Americans called to serve as airmen in the U. S. military. Before this date they were denied training and opportunities due their race. This hand and machine pieced and hand quilted cotton muslin quilt is titled “Aeroplane.” The maker is unknown; the owner inherited it and documented the quilt in 2004 during the Wyoming Quilt Project. View this quilton 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.blackfacts.com/fact/950f3fdb-bde2-461c-82f2-2daa31b9eb66 http://www.tuskegeeairmen.org/ Posted by Amy E. Milne Executive Director, Quilt Alliance…
by Quilt Alliance | Feb 18, 2013 | On this Day in History Quilts series
On this day in 1931 Nobel prize-winning novelist Toni Morrison was born Chloe Anthony Wofford in Lorain, Ohio, the second of four children in a working-class African-American family. Her 1987 novel “Beloved” set in post-Civil War Ohio includes this vivid reference to quilts: Kneeling in the keeping room where she usually went to talk-think it was clear why Baby Suggs was so starved for color. There wasn’t any except for two orange squares in a quilt that made the absence shout. The walls of the room were slate-colored, the floor earth-brown, the wooden dresser the color of itself, curtains white, and the dominating feature, the quilt over an iron cot, was made up of scraps of blue serge, black, brown and gray wool–the full range of the dark and the muted that thrift and modesty allowed. In that sober field, two patches of orange looked wild–like life in the raw. This Nine Patch quilt was made by Catherine Miller Gingerich around 1880 in Iowa. The 68” x 79” quilt is hand and machine pieced and hand quilted and tufted. Old repairs are visible on the quilt with dark grey patches appliqued over worn areas of the top that have been quilted over in a teacup pattern. The quilt is part of the Illinois State 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/toni-morrisons-birthday http://www.goodreads.com/work/quotes/736076-beloved http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beloved_%28novel%29 Posted by Amy E. Milne Executive Director, Quilt Alliance…
by Quilt Alliance | Feb 14, 2013 | On this Day in History Quilts series
Red’s favorite month is February. On this day in 278AD a priest named Valentine was brutally executed for defying Emperor “Claudius the Cruel’s” ban on marriages and engagements. Claudius was convinced that his waning military enrollment was due to the Roman mens’ allegiances to their wives. According to one legend, Valentine left a note for his friend, the jailer’s daughter, and signed it “From Your Valentine.” This is just one version of how Valentine, sainted after his death, became associated with this lover’s holiday. Quilting legend Yvonne Porcella of Modesto, California made this 16” x 16” quilt for the 2011 Quilt Alliance contest, “Alliances: People, Patterns, Passion.” Yvonne said this about her quilt, titled Hi 5: “In pursuit of Visual Alliance I chose to use compatible colors. Red is a favorite from pink to burgundy. Sometimes Red asks for its friend Teal from the other side of the color wheel. Red’s favorite month is February. Thinking of Valentine hearts or all the Red hearts shuffling around in a deck of cards, I have to tell you, when I see the 5 of Hearts, I say “Hi 5”. 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/st-valentine-beheaded Posted by Amy E. Milne Executive Director, Quilt Alliance…
by Quilt Alliance | Feb 13, 2013 | On this Day in History Quilts series
Bold in Burgundy On this day in 1457 Mary, the Duchess of Burgundy was born (an only child) to Charles the Bold and Isabella of Bourbon. After her father’s death in 1477 she took over the rule of the Netherlands, Franche-Comte, Artois and Picardy. She successfully resisted Louis XI of France’s efforts to force her to marry his son, the Dauphin Charles, in order to stake claim of these lands for France. Instead Mary chose Maximilian, archduke of Austria and they had three children. She died at the age of 25 in a horseback riding accident. This burgundy and white wholecloth beauty was made by Beatrice Wong in the 1940’s in Honolulu on Oahu Island, Hawaii. The top is hand appliqued and not quilted. It was documented by the owner during the Hawaiian Quilt Research Project in 1997. I found this quilt by using the Search Quilts page and choosing Burgundy under the Predominate Colors drop-down menu (see below). 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/medrenqueens/p/mary_burgundy.htm Posted by Amy E. Milne Executive Director, Quilt Alliance…
by Quilt Alliance | Feb 12, 2013 | On this Day in History Quilts series
Kin to a Green Mountain Boy On this day in 1789 Vermont co-founder and patriot Ethan Allen died of a stroke at age 52. Allen was very involved in legal disputes over New Hampshire territory land grants, and later led the Green Mountain Boys to take the British fort at Ticonderoga in 1775. Allen was the first of eight children born to Joseph and Mary Baker Allen in Litchfield, Connecticut. This Wreath of Grapes Medallion quilt from the permanent collection of the DAR Museum was made between 1810-1830. The hand pieced, appliqued and quilted piece features a ruffle binding. Although the quiltmaker’s name is not listed in the record, the donor of the quilt said it was made by a niece of Ethan Allen. 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/ethan-allen-dies http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ethan_Allen Posted by Amy E. Milne Executive Director, Quilt Alliance…
