Friday, August 26, 2011
Goodwill Club 1949
Okay, I promised, in my my very first or second blog post, to post about this project.
This:
..came to me, via my aunt, who had somehow inherited it, and didn't know what to do with it. It was in pretty bad shape, and she knew I liked to quilt, so she gave it to me.
It's a friendship/autograph quilt with names and in some cases a verse or sentiment. We don't know who it was made for, but suspect it might have been made for my great-grandparents as a parting gift as they left Missouri to come to California. Out of the area they lived in, in Missouri, their names are the only ones not on it. And since it was in their possession, it seems logical that it was made for them.
The middle block says Goodwill Club, Dormis, MO., And then a date in 1949.
I was torn between leaving the top like it was, edges frayed out, seams (some of them sewn by hand) coming apart in many places, a few holes in the top, the seams at the center of the circles coming apart, and having it just sitting in the closet folded up..
or doing what I could to salvage it, add a little spin to it, and quilt it out.. finishing it and quilting it in honor of the many women of the Goodwill Club of Dormis, MO.
I decided on the second option. These women were country women. My dad remembers being very small and going to school in the one room schoolhouse in Dormis (now called Dora) in the 40's. Which was also the church. Which also had an outhouse. In the 40's. I am sure that all of the women who signed this quilt lived a country life and had chickens as a part of that way of life.
I realize that the spin I put on this quilt might have taken the quilt in a little bit of a country direction, but I felt that sewing these rooster panels, and border to the quilt would be a kind of tribute to them.. (Don't step on it!!!) And also help reinforce seams that were apart or coming apart.
On the panel, there was the perfect number of roosters so that no two are the same,
..and there was one that had eggs in a basket. That one went right in the center of the Goodwill Club block, as I am sure that any of the women on the quilt would have shared anything they had with each other. And I felt that by sewing a border to the edges, and appliqueing the roosters to the center of the circles would help stabilize the seams and fraying edges that had begun unraveling. I love how it turned out, but part of me is torn about changing it from its original state. Either way though, finishing it is my tribute to them. Strong farm women who loved their friends like family.
This quilt top was carried from here to there, stained, falling apart, and somehow wound up with me. I am hand quilting it out and finishing it in honor of those ladies.. it's about half done, and in my quilting frame at the moment. Life's been a little too hectic to be sitting at the frame for the last several months, but I'm hoping to get back to it soon.
This is the backing..
And I am drawing and quilting flowers into the half circles that border the edges.
And quilting around each rooster.
It was gorgeous the way it was, but in such bad shape and falling apart, literally. I hope that the changes I made will give it a longer life, and it will be able to be passed down for a long time to come, and I hope that the ladies who made it wouldn't mind the changes I made when it made its way to me. . .
This:
..came to me, via my aunt, who had somehow inherited it, and didn't know what to do with it. It was in pretty bad shape, and she knew I liked to quilt, so she gave it to me.
It's a friendship/autograph quilt with names and in some cases a verse or sentiment. We don't know who it was made for, but suspect it might have been made for my great-grandparents as a parting gift as they left Missouri to come to California. Out of the area they lived in, in Missouri, their names are the only ones not on it. And since it was in their possession, it seems logical that it was made for them.
The middle block says Goodwill Club, Dormis, MO., And then a date in 1949.
I was torn between leaving the top like it was, edges frayed out, seams (some of them sewn by hand) coming apart in many places, a few holes in the top, the seams at the center of the circles coming apart, and having it just sitting in the closet folded up..
or doing what I could to salvage it, add a little spin to it, and quilt it out.. finishing it and quilting it in honor of the many women of the Goodwill Club of Dormis, MO.
I decided on the second option. These women were country women. My dad remembers being very small and going to school in the one room schoolhouse in Dormis (now called Dora) in the 40's. Which was also the church. Which also had an outhouse. In the 40's. I am sure that all of the women who signed this quilt lived a country life and had chickens as a part of that way of life.
I realize that the spin I put on this quilt might have taken the quilt in a little bit of a country direction, but I felt that sewing these rooster panels, and border to the quilt would be a kind of tribute to them.. (Don't step on it!!!) And also help reinforce seams that were apart or coming apart.
On the panel, there was the perfect number of roosters so that no two are the same,
..and there was one that had eggs in a basket. That one went right in the center of the Goodwill Club block, as I am sure that any of the women on the quilt would have shared anything they had with each other. And I felt that by sewing a border to the edges, and appliqueing the roosters to the center of the circles would help stabilize the seams and fraying edges that had begun unraveling. I love how it turned out, but part of me is torn about changing it from its original state. Either way though, finishing it is my tribute to them. Strong farm women who loved their friends like family.
This quilt top was carried from here to there, stained, falling apart, and somehow wound up with me. I am hand quilting it out and finishing it in honor of those ladies.. it's about half done, and in my quilting frame at the moment. Life's been a little too hectic to be sitting at the frame for the last several months, but I'm hoping to get back to it soon.
This is the backing..
And I am drawing and quilting flowers into the half circles that border the edges.
And quilting around each rooster.
It was gorgeous the way it was, but in such bad shape and falling apart, literally. I hope that the changes I made will give it a longer life, and it will be able to be passed down for a long time to come, and I hope that the ladies who made it wouldn't mind the changes I made when it made its way to me. . .
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13 comments...:
Hi Kelli, I think you have done a great job on that quilt top.
not from Mo. but you've given this QUILT new life Beautiful job
You did an excellent job on this. I like what you added to it. I think it is even better. When I moved to Iowa 30 years ago, there were all kinds of lady "clubs"....corner club, birthday club, women's club. They have fallen out style I think. The town one disbanded a few years ago. They would get together once a month. I am not sure what they did. I never joined one.
Hi, Kelli, I love your quilting of this quilt. Truly beautiful! I just noticed that we're both following the Pioneer Woman. ^^ Will come back to read your blogs very often.
I love what you have done with the quilt. It truly will be a heritage piece that can be passed down, along with the story of what you have done. Excellent work!
I think you did a good work. I love it and the ladies who made it would be happy. congratulations. hugs
Hola, gracias por pasarte por mi blog, :)
me alegro que te guste, si son muy bonitos los zapatos y comodos
Me gusta las cosas que haces, te añado a favoritos
besos
What a challenge, but you "rose to the occasion" and have put this quilt in a place to be honored! So many times, we leave the piece in the box in the closet, but you've done a great job to make it the special quilt it is ~
:-}pokey
I'm also a hand quilter. I like what you've done with this quilt. I think the makers would be happy that it is being finished and will be used. That is the ultimate goal of all quilters.
What a clever girl you are!!! How creative your quilt project turned out!!
Just this afternoon I got another quilt loaded up on the ole PVC quilt frame hubby made me.....BUT, I like the looks of your frame!!! What/Where did you get yours?????
I am so glad you are refurbishing the quilt. Just love the history.
How great is that. I don't think those little ladies would mind at all. You have taken the top and are making it into a finished item. You've added your little piece of history and made it your own. How could they mind? Good job and a great story. Thanks for sharing it with us.
What a lovely thing you are doing to preserve this quilt top.
Also, what quilt frame do you have? What do you like or dislike about it? I want to get one as I much prefer working by hand thsn machine, so would love any tips. Ta.