I absolutely love to hand quilt. It gives me such a measure of peace and fun in a hectic world. I hand quilted this little nine-patch quilt above, about 18x24 inches. A blue, and a brownish yellow. Butternut and Blue! If you could please ignore the shadow, that is me leaning over the quilt...it is very much yellower in the picture than in real life.So! I wanted to do a giveaway for my hundredth post. And missed it, so to honor my 118th post, I would love to give away this little quilt! But this is the catch...won't you please share a quilting legend that you have heard in the past? Or some romance about quilts? Some old family story about quilts? Please share!! And be entered in the drawing! Next Friday, November 21st, at noon, I will draw a name from those who tell me a quilting legend to win this quilt. This should be so fun!! For example, one legend I have heard is the a girl who is the first to sleep under a new quilt will dream of her husband to be. Please tell me your folklore!!
JulieK
40 comments:
It is an adorable quilt! Quilt Legend - I"d have no idea where to start!
Darling quilt. Quilt Legend hmmm well my MIL gave me 3 quilts from 1940. One of the quilts has hand embroidered signatures including my MIL, her sister and her mother. Not a legend but definitely a unique treasure. Throw me into the pot, please.
This was fun.. I learned a lot about this!
Even before 1830 abolitionists were working hard to end slavery. One way they did this was to hold grand fairs to raise both awareness and money for the abolitionist cause. Quilts were one of many craft pieces sold at these fairs. These quilts were usually fine quilts often with beautiful appliqué. Women sometimes put anti-slavery poems and sayings on the quilts they made for fairs as well as for friends and family. The goal was to show the terrible plight of the slaves.
Some abolitionists were active in the Underground Railroad helping runaway slaves get to safety. There are stories that certain quilts were used as signals to help the slaves in their flight to freedom. The idea that a log cabin quilt would be hung on the line of a safe house was one. More recent stories tell of certain quilts being used to tell the slaves what they needed to do to get to safety. This all sounds quite romantic but there is no historic evidence that quilts were ever used in this way. But we do know that a valiant effort was made by both whites and free slaves to help these slaves to their destination.
Source:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_quilting
Wow, I was lucky enough to find your blog, and a give away in progress...how cool is that. My quilt lore that I heard is that if you sleep under a quilt that has hearts on it before you get married, you'll never find a husband. I didn't chance it, and found a really nice one, so maybe it works?
I didn't know any legends but here is something I found online....
If you make a quilt out of 1000 pieces of fabric, with no two being the same then the quilt is “charmed” and any dreams to be had while sleeping under the quilt will come true.
Great give away!
Lovely quilt. One legend is of a quilt the maker sold for money during hard times. A condition put on the selling of the quilt is she had the right to come and visit the quilt on a monthly basis.
Ilove your quilt-so pretty! I have fond memories of snuggling under warm quilts that my mom had made-the quilts weren't fancy but so warm and cosy!
Elaine R
emrosser@shaw.ca
Hello Julie, Love to be in the draw for Butternut and Blue Quilt Giveaway. Congrats on your 118th post.A True Aussie bush style of quilt would be the Wagga Wagga.These quilts were originally made by men.They sewed grain sacks together, using twine and a bag needle.(which could be found in any shed)Later on women made theirs with well washed sugar bags.Few have survived but were used up until the 1960's.Later on the trend was to use wollen fabric.Regards Lyn
Hi Julie,
what a beauty you're giving away!
As here, where I live, quilts are quite uncommon, I sadly haven't heard any quilt related legend first hand. But I once read a little story about charm quilts (sorry, I can't remember, where, and I didn't found it again): If a charm quilt, that contained one 'charm' twice, were given to the suitor of a young lady and he then identified those, they would have a 'charmed' life & live happily ever after ;o)
I am looking forward to many more stories to come ;o)
Hugs, Julia
Terrific quilt! I have heard several. But they are the ones that have already been spoken. The 1st one is the one that you have written about and the second is about the underground railroad. I wish I knew of others. But maybe I should create my own, like if a quilt is given to your son or daughter, they will be forever loving to one another.... LOL! I guess I can only dream.
Here's a saying "Many a tory has slept under a rebel
quilt"
My great aunt was a quilter and so was my great grandmother but my aunt was known was known for her work.I used to have quilts from her but she passed away and so did the quilts after much use.My aunt could make anything,I still have a couple dolls she once made for me.
The legend that I've heard is that if a newly married couple sleep under a double wedding ring quilt on the 1st night of their marriage it will bring them good luck.
Barbara
Your quilt is just beautiful! Unfortunately the few bits of folklore I knew have already been mentioned...like the quilts used to guide slaves to freedon and dreaming about your future spouse if you slept under a new quilt. But can I PLEASE be in your giveaway anyway? Thanks so much!
:0)
Love your quilt - I don't have have any stories to share . . . darn it *s*
Such a sweet little quilt, and alas I don't know of any legends either, must live a sheltered life *s*
What a beautiful little quilt! My Great-Grandmother was the quilter in our family. I don't remember her talking to me much but I was always fascinated by her basket of little peices. One day she got up from her sewing chair and fell. When they found her on the floor she was still holding her sewing peices together! She broker her hip and died 2 weeks later. My Mom and are I are working through all of her UFOs but every time we think we are ahead of the game another relative arrives with more blocks!
LOvely quilt.
We received a quilt from my husband's great aunts - they were eccentric to the point that one time they had a spat (they were spinsters and lived together all their lives) and they divided the house in two - but the bathroom was only on one side - so the second sister had to have a door built into the bathroom from outdoors so she could use the facilities without crossing her sister's half of the house.
The quilt was too worn to ever be used - so gathering Civil War reproduction fabrics I made a copy of the quilt and it was a gift to our oldest daughter and her family for christmas a few years ago.
Hi Julie, I love you quilt. Congrats on your 118th post. I loved reading about the Under ground Rail Road blocks that have already been mentioned. I have also heard of a woman who slept under every qquilt that she made before she gave it away for good luck and happiness to the new owner.
I made my own quilt legend for my brother. I put all his family, in representation in a quilt I designed myself, & he loves it. We don't seem to have had long traditions of quilts in New Zealand or Australia.
I love the learn of the American quilts.
I would love to win your quilt!
First of all...congratulations to reaching more than 100!!!
This is funny...I just read a book about old swedish quilts and in that book I read about a quilt for a little girl. The quilt would include a sacred fabric piece to bring happiness for the little girl. The quilt were done in 1800 sometime ...and afterwards they have checked the little golden "sacred" piece and that piece were from 1600 sometime... and probably from a church in the area... My mind started to wander with this... How did they get that piece?? And what else happened on the way when the quilt was made...and so on...I just love these stories... :o)
Please add me to your wonderful quilt ( swedish colours...;o) give away...:o)
I had always heard that a girl should have 20 quilts in her hope chest before she marries. Of course that didn't happen for me but my daughter managed to wrangle that many from me. The first quilt I made was for her when she was two and over the years she has laid claim to almost every quilt I'v emade, now I just have to get her married off!!
Sue Cahill (sbonetsue at yahoo dot com)
Cute little quilt!
I love the stories of quilts used as signals on the Underground Railroad. I like to think that it really did happen. The Runaway Quilt by Jennifer Chiaverini is my favorite of all her books because it involves quilts used as signals on the Underground Railroad.
I have enjoyed reading everyone's stories. I'm not sure if this qualifies, but I'll share it anyway. Years ago I worked at a uniform company and often had to make a long sleeved shirt into a short sleeved shirt. I saved the sleeves, and then made baby quilts for co-workers who had babies. When they looked at the quilts they would see squares made of very familiar looking fabrics. Everyone seemed to like them, and I'd love to see one now, to see how it has held up.
First off, I LOVE the colors in this little quilt, it would look lovely in my new house!!! :)
I'm not sure if this counts but here is some of my family quilt history....my grandmother when she was a very young girl had every living family member sign quilt blocks for her. After she got married she decided that she and my grandfather would only have 3 kids so she divided all the blocks up into 3 quilts for her babies to be!!! In the end she had 4 kids and my dad was the only one without a quilt!!! :(
Kristie
My husband's 92 year old grandmother made quilts and taught my husband who then taught me. I had always been infatuated with the double wedding ring quilt she had made and asked to be shown how it was constructed. She said that a quilter was to never make a DWR for herself because she would then be doomed to a spinster forever and since she didn't trust that I could give it away after all the work, she refused to teach me.
My quilt legend:
The quilting gene skips a generation or two. You see both of my Paternal Great Grandmothers were quilters. My grandmother's mother died when my grandmother was young, so she was always "too young" to learn... Since she did not know the craft, she did not pass it on to her children.
An aside legend, my greatgrandfather moved in with his son & daughter-in-law in Pennsylvania with a ton of quilts. My greatgrandfather then moved to Florida - without the quilts. The daughter-in-law would not let anything leave her house without him taking it out. He never returned to Pa., so 99% of my families heirlooms went to that part of the family.
I own the only of my great grandmother's quilts that my grandmother owned. (My grandmother can point out pieces that were in dresses & bloomers....)
The legend I remember from one of the Elm Creek Quilt book series is that you should never make a baby quilt using the Winding Ways pattern as the child will be sure to go far from home when grown.
I have also heard of "healing quilts" that are supposed to have some kind of power to make people well if they sleep under them when they are sick. I have a quilt that my husband's grandmother made and gave to me, and we call it our healing quilt. It always made me feel better to cover up with that quilt when I felt sad or sick and then I noticed that my children were also getting it when they were not feeling well. So, maybe there is some truth to that legend. I know my husband's grandmother could mix up home remedies from things she gathered in the woods outside of her mountain home in West Virginia.
Haven't read all the comments so I hope I don't duplicate any. A couple things come to mind right away.
Don't give quilts made with certain blocks - a Drunkard's Path could turn the man sleeping under it to a drunk, and don't give a child a Wandering Foot quilt or they will grow up to leave home and never return.
Then the idea behind a charm quilt. Collect 999 different fabrics for a charm quilt. Then when you find your last - and 1000th fabric - you'll find the man you'll marry.
Would LOVE to win this beautiful quilt!
I would love to be entered in your giveaway. It's an adorable quilt. How about a family story? When my mother finished a quilt for a family member, she always slept under it one night before she got it ready to give away. Kind of like a test drive - putting her imprint on it. Good luck on the giveaway!
The Calico Quilter
My blog: itsthecatshouse.blogspot.com
What a lovely quilt. I would love to win it. A quilt legend - well, I read somewhere that girls had to make quilts for their dowry, and the wedding ring quilt was always the last one.
Love your little quilt. I will have to do some research on this story, but I know I had seen something about this story on a show once. There was a woman and her daughter (I believe the woman was widowed, and her daughter young) anyway story goes they has fallen on hard times and were about to lose everything. The daughter had found a place in a quilt which was given to her mother as a wedding gift, where a few stitches had come loose. The mother went to repair the stitches and noticed something odd. She further opend the seam to find money in the quilt that had been placed there by the maker for the bride and groom. I'm pretty sure its more than just an urban legend, but even if not what a wonderful story.
What a pretty quilt you are giving away!! The quilt legend I remember is from the Amish (and maybe others) that there has to be a mistake in a quilt because only God can make something perfect. (At least that's the way I remember it!!!) Loved reading everyone's comments!!
Our family has a Christmas quilt that the week before Christmas everyone gets a chance to sleep under, starting with the youngest and ending with mom and dad. Sleeping under this quilt ensures all your Christmas dreams come true.
My grandmother once told me it was good luck for the one who receives that quilt if you pricked your finger during its construction and you had left a small speck of blood. Which comes out by the way with your own spit, or regular, blue Windex. I am not sure if it is true, but many of my quilts must give the recipients luck.
I just finished reading thru the comments and like both Calicos (cat and quilter) I come from a long line of quilters. It is true that it skips a generation as my mother did not quilt but my grandmas on both sides did and I inherited the gene. Like Calico Quilter's mother, when I finish a quilt goes on the bed to see how it looks and feels. That is an adorable quilt.
This is not an old story, but it's my favorite quilt story. I have made quilts for each of my 14 nieces and nephews. On the label I always write who I made the quilt for, "made with love from Aunt Kathy", and I include a photo transferred to fabric of a picture of me and the child. My sister told me that my favorite niece Ellen who is now 9, every night when she goes to bed, snuggles under the quilt, pulls the label up by her face and gives the quilt a little hug, and says "Goodnight Aunt Kathy"! That is why I love to make quilts for my family!
I am so glad I didn't miss out on your giveaway! What a beautiful quilt. I guess I have a family story to share about a quilt. My Mother went to help her church get ready for a rummage sale. She saw a quilt on a table and thoughtof me (of course!). She bought it for $5.00. After she got it home she thought some of the fabrics looked familiar, like clothing that she once wore. She showed the quilt to her two sisters to see if they recognized the quilt. To make a long story short, my Grandmother made the quilt and gave it to the church to use in their Evangelistic quarters (where visiting minsters stayed). the church no longer had need of the quilt and they decided to put it in the rummage sale. The quilt is now safely back in the family. I love having this quilt in my home!
I love this little quilt and would be proud to own it...especially made by a nurse as I consider nurses some of the most special people on earth! (I'm a retired teacher and they are the NEXT most special, in my opinion!!! hehehe) Anyway.....I don't know of any legends or folklore not already mentioned, but.....I do know that the Amish get together and make a quilt for each Amish girl before she is married. It is a social function for the women but it is a very practical gift for the young woman and I believe she chooses which pattern she wants (from among the patterns her family and neighborhood women use). Please enter me in your contest!
Don't know if I'm in time for the giveaway but I know of a Chinese custom regarding a quilt.
When a child is born pieces of fabric are requested from family members and friends. With each fabric a good wish, or blessing, is requested as well. The quilt constructed from such fabric is meant to bring much good luck to the child. I can't remember the Chinese name, but I think I have seen it called the 100 Wishes Quilt.
It's so nice of you to give your quilt away!
Cheers!
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