Trunk Treasures

Womens and Quilt History Study Group-WWll Con't

Thursday evening (4^th Thursday of every month) our Quilt History group will continue our discussions of Quilts, Quilting and the Women of WWll. This month we are going to talk about Redwork and the books, arts, movies and theater during this period.

With the wives and mothers left at home to take care of the home and thousands of women taking their first steps into the work force, quilting began taking a back seat to other sewing. Fabric mills were turning out uniform and military fabrics. Sewing and stitching time (what little there was of that) were devoted to mending and altering what families had in their closets or special items to send to their men overseas.

Still, there were quilts produced during WWII. Quilts with patriotic themes and colors, crazy quilts and string quilts to use up what little scraps were available, kit quilts and baby quilts, embroidered & redwork quilts… The women left at home during the war still found the time and resources to make quilts. The International Quilt Study Center in Lincoln, Nebraska has over 300 quilts in its collection that are dated between 1940 and 1949. Click here to go to the search menu and enter the years as a search guide to see  them. Then go back and enter the word ‘patriotic’ as ‘keyword’ and look for quilts made during this era.

 

Primary Pattern: Nine Patch variation Alternate Pattern: Star Brackman #: 2020 Title: Quiltmaker: Maker unknown Geographical Origin: Possibly made in Holmes County, Ohio, United States Date: Circa 1935-1945 Style/Type: Patriotic; Colonial Revival Dimensions (LxW): 94 x 73 Inches
239 x 185 Centimeters
Primary Technique: Pieced, Hand Other Techniques: Primary Fiber: Cotton Primary Fabric: Broadcloth/Muslin Quilt Stitches/Inch: 9 Binding: Straight Applied Inscription Type: None Exhibitions: Partisan Pieces IQSC Collection: Ardis and Robert James Collection IQSC Object Number: 1997.007.0370

As a study group, learning about the social and economic culture of each period is an excellent way to understand the untold stories behind the quilts. As we discuss the scientific discoveries and the industrial advances of each era, we learn of their contribution to fabrics, dyes and sewing tools.

This month, we will talk about social impact that WWll had on the women and quilters of the 40’s. 

The Lindy, possibly the most popular dance craze of the 40's.

Hand Applique

Baltimore Album
1845-1848 from the Maryland Historical Society Collection

There is a special place in a quilter's heart for an appliqued quilt. We love them for the history, we love them for the stories they tell, we love them for the amount of time and talent it has taken the quilt-maker to create these beautiful quilts.

A lot of quilters also have a "love to hate relationship" with the applique process. It is labor-intensive to say the least. In fact, if you are like me, you have learned to "love" raw-edge applique because it's a "get 'er done" deal. But I still love needle-turn applique! There is a quality of workmanship that, like hand quilting, no machine can reproduce and that is a fact.

On the 3rd Monday of each month, a group of quilters that love to applique meet to share their skills, learn and share tips, and work on their selected projects. Last year they worked on a "block of the month" for an appliqued Christmas quilt.

This past Saturday, Fleda Gorbea brought her completed top in to share with us and we were thrilled to see it and share it with you.  

Merry Christmas To All - Applique Quilt by Daisy Bell
Fleda Gorbea 2009-2010

 

Ken's Outstanding Entry

Meet our celebrity-Ken Casey. For the 4th year, Ken has been invited to submit a quilt into an exclusive show at the Rocky Mountain Quilt Museum in Golden, Colorado. His entry this year is a wonderful expression of his love of color and design.

If you have had the opportunity to take one of Ken's classes or spend any time with him while you are in the shop, you will know that he strives to create quilts that are "out of the box" and that's exactly what he did with this one.

Amber Dance

Congratulations Ken. You deserve a place in this quilt show.

Wranglers Among Us: 10th Biennial Quilt Show is exclusive to the men of the quilt world. Ken's entry was hung beside entries from many notable men who love quilting as much as he does. He joins Scott Murkin, Joe Cunningham, Ricky Tims, David Taylor, Richard Caro and many other men who are adding so much to the quilt scene today in this great venue. The show opened on February 2nd and will run until May 2nd of this year.

If you have the opportunity, make plans to add the Rocky Mountain Quilt Museum to your travel plans this spring.