Getting in Touch with Your Inner Quilter--November 9, 2008--Karen Schoepflin Hagen
There are a number of little sayings that refer to quilters:
When live gives you scraps--Make a quilt
When you fall to pieces--Make a quilt
These sayings suggest an attitude adjustment--a therapy, or a healing process that quilt making can supply. I am not going to talk only about what quilts mean to me, but what I have observed them to mean to others.
When we think of quilts, we think of a comfort that might mean "to encircle." We don't feel alone when snuggled into a quilt. The quilt is a "safe" place. What a wonderful gift for anyone of any age! Many people create soft, beautiful quilts for new babies, as well as warm, cheerful lap quilts for the elderly. The quilt becomes an ever-present reminder of the care--the time--the love that went into that gift. However, there is also a reward for the quilt maker. We find the truth in the words "it is more blessed to give than to receive." We experience the joy of creation, and the satisfaction in fulfillment of ideas.
I belong to several quilt guilds. Those groups make quilts for families who lose everything in a fire, experience other tragedies, or just for individuals who need extra comfort in some way. The quilters don't usually get to see who receives their gift, but they know that it will make someone feel special. Quilting is sharing oneself with others.
Quilts are also a tie to the past. Many of us can reach back to memories of those old special quilts of interesting designs made from little calico prints or the cloth from flour sacks. Perhaps we remember quilts made from warm, but scratchy, wool pieces. Or maybe we remember running our fingers over the velvets and corduroys of an intricately stitched crazy quilt, as we feasted our eyes on the endless decorative stitch choices.
I've known people who spend years studying the fascinating history of quilts and the people who make them. Hundreds of traditional patterns were made up by unknown quilt makers who wanted to decorate and beautify the quilts they stitched. Many treasured quilts from the past have been carefully preserved and passed down. They can be a binder” between generations.
Possibly you have seen one of the many sunbonnet girl quilts made using the fabrics from the real dresses a little girl wore throughout her childhood, or quilts made from shirts and ties. Maybe you have seen quilts made from special T-shirts, from award ribbons, or from dainty handkerchiefs. I've seen quilts made for almost any subject: weddings, anniversaries, births, sports of all kinds, music, fishing, golf, dolls, cars, motorcycles, railroads, pets, tribute quilts to certain people, and so forth. I made a tribute quilt to the memory of our pet guinea pigs. Because of the way they wove themselves into our lives, I decided to try a method I had no idea how to achieve. I wove the quilt in the same weaving look of the chair weaving on my bent-wood rocker. This was to symbolize their entwining with our family. I brought that quilt to share as an example of a tribute quilt to pets.
Many quilts have been made to commemorate events such as the Statue of Liberty Centennial, or the Bicentennial year of our independence. I made a quilt for each of those celebrations, and will share the one I did to celebrate the Statue of Liberty.
Some quilts also express grief over devastating events. An example of this would be the ever-growing Aids quilt project. I also have seen photos of many incredible quilts relating to the 9-11 disaster.
There is a very interesting history of quilts being used as a signal for the Underground Railroad. The hanging out of a log cabin quilt with a black center rather than the traditional red center meant that was a "safe house." A wheel pattern showed that a group was going to be departing.
I was invited to Boise back in 1990 to help design the Idaho's People Quilt. That was when I first learned of the Boise Peace Quilt Project. This is an amazing group of women who have sought to combine peacemaking and quilt making. These are individuals working to produce quilts as gestures of international goodwill and as awards for peacemakers. Their goal has been to create a more peaceful world one stitch at a time. They design and make quilts to present as an award to various chosen, deserving recipients in recognition of their unique efforts toward peace among people. I have a collection of postcards showing quite a few of the quilts, as well as some photos printed from their web site if anyone wishes to look at them after the service. There are too many for me to name and describe in my talk, but this is a beautiful collection of quilts.
While I was helping work on the design for the Idaho's People Quilt Triptych, one of the women suddenly jumped up and quickly ran out of the room saying, " My men--I'm forgetting my men!" The others explained that she takes meals twice a day to a large group of homeless men who live under the bridge. I found this to be indicative of the nature of quilters: always concerned for the comfort of others.
It is not only women who find satisfaction in quilting. I knew an amazing elderly gentleman while I lived in Richland, Washington who made many quilts despite his very swollen, arthritic fingers. All of his quilts were made of one-half inch squares. He would draw his plan on graph paper, color the design, and cut his fabrics into piles of half-inch squares sorted by color. Then following his design, he would stitch square after square by hand in a ladder, stair-step fashion. All of his quilts were hand pieced and usually contained words, phrases, or whole sentences as part of the pieced design.
When I was doing my quilt exhibit in Salem, Oregon, several women brought quilt examples to show me that were made by men in the prison. They were teaching the men to make quilts, and the men in turn made quilts for their charity projects: an example of the healing power of quilts.
I have never been sorry that I was introduced to the hand quilting process at the little Viola Community Club in the 70s. They have a long history of hand quilting quilt tops for people. The sisterhood of our quilting and chatter one day a week was something I will always remember.
Because I marvel at all aspects of the outdoors and nature, many of my quilts were inspired by and depict birds, flowers, trees, and landscapes. I will finish by quickly sharing some of those quilts. These are a type of quilt meant to be hung on the wall. Finally, because this is a church service, I would like to share my quilt titled "Agony At Gethsemane."
List of quilts shown:
Little Friends
United We Stand
O Beautiful For Spacious Skies
Call of the Cranes
Forest Floor Fragment
Mt. Shuksan--Shalom
Beachcomber
Consider the Columbine
Display of Daffodils
Egret Elegance
Glorious Morning
Marsh Mates
Agony at Gethsemane
When live gives you scraps--Make a quilt
When you fall to pieces--Make a quilt
These sayings suggest an attitude adjustment--a therapy, or a healing process that quilt making can supply. I am not going to talk only about what quilts mean to me, but what I have observed them to mean to others.
When we think of quilts, we think of a comfort that might mean "to encircle." We don't feel alone when snuggled into a quilt. The quilt is a "safe" place. What a wonderful gift for anyone of any age! Many people create soft, beautiful quilts for new babies, as well as warm, cheerful lap quilts for the elderly. The quilt becomes an ever-present reminder of the care--the time--the love that went into that gift. However, there is also a reward for the quilt maker. We find the truth in the words "it is more blessed to give than to receive." We experience the joy of creation, and the satisfaction in fulfillment of ideas.
I belong to several quilt guilds. Those groups make quilts for families who lose everything in a fire, experience other tragedies, or just for individuals who need extra comfort in some way. The quilters don't usually get to see who receives their gift, but they know that it will make someone feel special. Quilting is sharing oneself with others.
Quilts are also a tie to the past. Many of us can reach back to memories of those old special quilts of interesting designs made from little calico prints or the cloth from flour sacks. Perhaps we remember quilts made from warm, but scratchy, wool pieces. Or maybe we remember running our fingers over the velvets and corduroys of an intricately stitched crazy quilt, as we feasted our eyes on the endless decorative stitch choices.
I've known people who spend years studying the fascinating history of quilts and the people who make them. Hundreds of traditional patterns were made up by unknown quilt makers who wanted to decorate and beautify the quilts they stitched. Many treasured quilts from the past have been carefully preserved and passed down. They can be a binder” between generations.
Possibly you have seen one of the many sunbonnet girl quilts made using the fabrics from the real dresses a little girl wore throughout her childhood, or quilts made from shirts and ties. Maybe you have seen quilts made from special T-shirts, from award ribbons, or from dainty handkerchiefs. I've seen quilts made for almost any subject: weddings, anniversaries, births, sports of all kinds, music, fishing, golf, dolls, cars, motorcycles, railroads, pets, tribute quilts to certain people, and so forth. I made a tribute quilt to the memory of our pet guinea pigs. Because of the way they wove themselves into our lives, I decided to try a method I had no idea how to achieve. I wove the quilt in the same weaving look of the chair weaving on my bent-wood rocker. This was to symbolize their entwining with our family. I brought that quilt to share as an example of a tribute quilt to pets.
Many quilts have been made to commemorate events such as the Statue of Liberty Centennial, or the Bicentennial year of our independence. I made a quilt for each of those celebrations, and will share the one I did to celebrate the Statue of Liberty.
Some quilts also express grief over devastating events. An example of this would be the ever-growing Aids quilt project. I also have seen photos of many incredible quilts relating to the 9-11 disaster.
There is a very interesting history of quilts being used as a signal for the Underground Railroad. The hanging out of a log cabin quilt with a black center rather than the traditional red center meant that was a "safe house." A wheel pattern showed that a group was going to be departing.
I was invited to Boise back in 1990 to help design the Idaho's People Quilt. That was when I first learned of the Boise Peace Quilt Project. This is an amazing group of women who have sought to combine peacemaking and quilt making. These are individuals working to produce quilts as gestures of international goodwill and as awards for peacemakers. Their goal has been to create a more peaceful world one stitch at a time. They design and make quilts to present as an award to various chosen, deserving recipients in recognition of their unique efforts toward peace among people. I have a collection of postcards showing quite a few of the quilts, as well as some photos printed from their web site if anyone wishes to look at them after the service. There are too many for me to name and describe in my talk, but this is a beautiful collection of quilts.
While I was helping work on the design for the Idaho's People Quilt Triptych, one of the women suddenly jumped up and quickly ran out of the room saying, " My men--I'm forgetting my men!" The others explained that she takes meals twice a day to a large group of homeless men who live under the bridge. I found this to be indicative of the nature of quilters: always concerned for the comfort of others.
It is not only women who find satisfaction in quilting. I knew an amazing elderly gentleman while I lived in Richland, Washington who made many quilts despite his very swollen, arthritic fingers. All of his quilts were made of one-half inch squares. He would draw his plan on graph paper, color the design, and cut his fabrics into piles of half-inch squares sorted by color. Then following his design, he would stitch square after square by hand in a ladder, stair-step fashion. All of his quilts were hand pieced and usually contained words, phrases, or whole sentences as part of the pieced design.
When I was doing my quilt exhibit in Salem, Oregon, several women brought quilt examples to show me that were made by men in the prison. They were teaching the men to make quilts, and the men in turn made quilts for their charity projects: an example of the healing power of quilts.
I have never been sorry that I was introduced to the hand quilting process at the little Viola Community Club in the 70s. They have a long history of hand quilting quilt tops for people. The sisterhood of our quilting and chatter one day a week was something I will always remember.
Because I marvel at all aspects of the outdoors and nature, many of my quilts were inspired by and depict birds, flowers, trees, and landscapes. I will finish by quickly sharing some of those quilts. These are a type of quilt meant to be hung on the wall. Finally, because this is a church service, I would like to share my quilt titled "Agony At Gethsemane."
List of quilts shown:
Little Friends
United We Stand
O Beautiful For Spacious Skies
Call of the Cranes
Forest Floor Fragment
Mt. Shuksan--Shalom
Beachcomber
Consider the Columbine
Display of Daffodils
Egret Elegance
Glorious Morning
Marsh Mates
Agony at Gethsemane
posted by UUCP Sermons at 9:16 AM
