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Friday, September 11, 2009

It's been a while - and look at this quilt!!!!

I've missed all you bloggers - I have been reading but not posting - it's been a hectic week or two and today I have some down time - down because I've got a nasty cough and cold and can't do much else but sit here in front of the computer - and nap in the easy chair. Just finished my second nap of the day - so here I am.

On September 5th I went to an all day sew-in with friends in Anacortes, a lovely little town about an hour south and west of Bellingham - you'd think you couldn't go much more west of here, since we are on the coast. We rent a little cottage in Anacortes that is set up for crafting and spend the whole day stitching and eating and talking and eating and laughing - and, well you get the idea.

During show and tell I took out that antique quilt that I bought for a quarter - and in the super bright sunlight of the day - made some fabulous discoveries.

Names - on the quilt blocks - tiny white embroidered names.


There was Isabella F.


and Emily H.

Eilene M.

Edna F. - is she related to Isabella F.?

Ruth Mary D.

Marion H.

and Jeanne D or Joanne D. - this one was very worn


And in larger embroidery - the date - 1933 - the photo came out a little blurry
but it is very plain on the quilt.

I don't know why I didn't see the names before. If you look the last post you can make out one of the names very faintly in one of the photos. So who were these ladies, where did they live, was it here in Bellingham, or someplace else? What was their connection? And why no last names, only initials? Were they related to each other or just friends? Did they get together and quilt this quilt or did they make this for one of the members of their group? Oh the questions - but no more answers. The lady who sold it to me (for a quarter) lived in an apartment down the road and she was moving to S. Bellingham to live with and care for her great grandmother so I will probably never see her again to ask these questions. When she sold it to us she didn't seem attached to the quilt - just wanted to sell things. I'm so happy that I have it - and the memories that are tied up in the quilt - so I guess I'll have to make up my own story about the quilt - but that is for another day.

And my next post will be of the show and tell from the Anacortes Sew-in -
see you there.
at

13 comments:

  1. blushing roseSeptember 11, 2009 at 12:55 PM

    Don't you just love Anacortes & Bellingham ... actually they are lovely areas in WA ST. We are former birth citizens of WA ST. Occasionally the blog pictures will resurrect a pang of 'I miss it' but we are happily displaced.

    I LOVE that signed quilt ... oh, what fun to find the history of it all. Contact Jim Coen of Hoffman Pubs in NY to do a story on it in the quilt magazines they publish.

    Have a great weekend. TTFN ~Marydon

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  2. Judy S.September 11, 2009 at 2:57 PM

    Oh, Anacortes, how fun! Don't you wish those little blocks could talk? That would be an interesting conversation! Feel better soon, Jo.

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  3. CrispySeptember 11, 2009 at 3:37 PM

    Oh Jo, I hope you get over that darn cold very quickly!! I look forward to the photos from the sew-in, you gals always have such lovely projects.

    Crispy

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  4. PatSeptember 11, 2009 at 3:43 PM

    What a great find in that old quilt...can't wait to see your "Sew In" photos!

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  5. LiliSeptember 11, 2009 at 5:05 PM

    Wonder if it was made as an entry into the huge 1933 quilt contest? See info on this link: http://www.womenfolk.com/quilt_notes/century-progress.htm

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  6. JulieSeptember 11, 2009 at 5:19 PM

    That is the coolest thing! Wow, what a treasure. When I worked for the Tribune I interviewed a lady who had a quilt she was using for wrapping during packing, and discovered it was a valuable quilt from the 1800s from Virginia (where she came from).

    This lady gave me two Victorian fashion prints (like from Godey's Ladies Book (sp? - too lazy to look it up - ha!). I've never checked to see if they are worth anything.

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  7. DenaSeptember 11, 2009 at 6:20 PM

    Jo ~ You really did find a great treasure here. I'm wondering if the local quilters quild, Moonlighters?, would have any information on the quilters who made the blocks. It's a shame the history of the history is missing. Beautiful quilt though.

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  8. Olde Dame PenniwigSeptember 11, 2009 at 8:42 PM

    1933 -- guess that quilt was made during the Depression. I wonder if getting together was one of the few bright spots for the ladies who quilted it.

    I used to live on Whidbey. I liked running up the road to B'ham, and the monkey puzzle trees in Anacortes were spectacular.

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  9. joanneSeptember 11, 2009 at 10:02 PM

    Anacortes is a beautiful area, I wish we would get up that way more often. I love Bellingham too, my best friend lives there!
    Do you think these could be childrens names? That was the first thing that came to mind when I saw it. What a great treasure you have found there...and now you will be able to give it a home and treasure it forever. How sweet..;p

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  10. JocelynSeptember 12, 2009 at 4:58 AM

    Wow, so amazing. Does make you wonder where the girl got the quilt? Don't you just love the old fashioned names? What a treasure.

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  11. LINDA BYLSMASeptember 12, 2009 at 7:18 AM

    Oh, I was so hoping you were going to research the history as I did. Too bad you can't find the woman. I have turned my 1931 quilt over to the Everson Library and they have great things in store for it. I still have to write the history for them.
    Enjoy.

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  12. Christine ThreshSeptember 12, 2009 at 7:28 AM

    "The memories that are tied up in the quilt." At least you will treasure them.

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  13. SabinaSeptember 12, 2009 at 7:10 PM

    Hello my Pieceful Afternoon friend - how have you been? What a interesting post and lovely quilt!!

    ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥!!

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