Tuesday, April 15, 2025

Quilting history- who knew?

 Welcome spring- even though winter is not giving up without a fight.  But the daffodils are in bloom, and the birds are singing, and we are enjoying some perfect spring days.                                              Our April meeting was a week early since next weekend is Easter.  Even so, there was a slightly smaller crowd- many are still hiding out in warmer climes.  The show and tell didn't suffer at all, though!


Nancy Mitchell pieced this top from a community service kit


Wendy Wilson shared her first quilt with us!

Chris Kuehl had to set this aside when her hands couldn't do the embroidery.  Recently she discovered her machine could do it!

Donna Tomski made this beauty from a kit.  Mary Lowe did the quilting for her.


Kathi Everett started doing "Kantha" stitching during the covid days.  This was one of her first pieces, which will be a bag.
This newest piece, made from Tracy Jachimowicz's scraps, will also be a bag for Tracy
This bag was also made during covid. Begun as a gift for another, Kathi made it a gift to herself instead!


Dee Waldraff made this donkey piece because it reminded her of her own donkey.  From a kit by Toni Whitney.  
The sunflower is also a Toni Whitney design, but Dee chose the fabrics from her stash.  


Mary Ellen Ames had some help at retreat to get this piece finished.  It came out different from the kit, but she likes it anyway. 


Dianne Szczupakowski  Made this courthouse steps piece for a strip challenge- using a jelly roll.

Dianne made this one from a kit which included the barn panels.


Robin Jarvis shared this community service donation quilt made by member Carol Farkas

Bonnie Dedo used this panel as a practice piece to try our the new stitch regulator she got for her domestic machine.

This piece was part of the unfinished projects left by our former member Ann Gouinlock.  Bonnie finished it, but without the appliqué that Ann so loved in the border.

John Rolle and Joann Flynt collaborated on this piece,

John made this one on his own, discovering more fabric was needed partway through, so he had to make do.  I think it looks like it was designed this way!


Nancy Schrader rediscovered the pineapple pincushion thanks to her grandson, so thought she'd share it.

Nancy was gifted sewing supplies by a friend, so she used some of it to make "Jack and Jill" quilts as gifts for the friend and her spouse.  (above and below)



Alex Hammon was happy to have finished this collage, from a pattern by Laura Heine and begun in a class at The Stitchery.  She pieced the backing (below)



Eileen Sorochty knitted some cute little critters for Easter baskets- she said the sheep are a "one a day" project.


Elaine Ross had the panel and fabric set aside for quite a while, but finally got them out to finish this beautiful piece. The metallic thread in the quilting adds just that right amount of magic!



Apologies to the speaker, but I did not get her name.  She is an interpreter at the Genesee Country Museum, working in one of the Victorian era houses. She has been a quilter for many years.  She shared some of the (replicas of the originals) quilts from the museum, as well as some of her personal collection as part of a history of quilting presentation.  

A couple of the more interesting quilting tidbits we learned from her were:

There were quilts in Ancient Egypt, and under the armor of "knights of old".

Women wore quilted petticoats in the winter as insulation against the cold.  (So they had quilted underwear!)

                                                      Showing off her winter underwear!

                                         The museum is searching for the name of this pattern


                     One of the most popular quilts at the museum. A replica Baltimore Album

                                                             Burgoyne surrounded

                                                                         Crazy quilt

                                                      Redwork, made by the presenter

                                                     The name of this is also a mystery

This one is known as an 1800s friendship quilt.  I'm glad someone simplified that block!

In May we will enjoy a visit from Barb Miller, formerly the owner of Mount Pleasant Quilting Company in York, with a trunk show for us.



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