About Quilting 1989
The Raffle Quilt one year
Note: in the late 1980’s and 1990’s a very dedicated group of ladies, in Geraldine, had quilt shows, made and sold quilts and quilted for other people in an effort to build a library — where there had never been one. An American man, who worked in Saudi Arabia, read about our quilt shows and asked if we would make two quilts for him. We did and he came to Geraldine to pick them up. +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Today we quilt again on the Saudi Arabia quilt and my finger is so picked and punctured that I have to bandage it. I don’t quilt as well with the bandage on the finger that works under the quilt, because I need to get the point of the needle when it comes to the bottom so I can send it in the other direction. An old remedy for sore and aching quilting fingers is to use hot dishwater, but that can only do so much.
There are so many superstitions and tales connected to quilts and quilting — if a person pieces a lone star quilt, she will soon be left a widow. Also it’s bad luck to put black in a quilt. Four single girls can hold a quilt out flat — one at each corner and someone else put a cat in the middle of the quilt –the girls shake the quilt and bounce him up and down. When he jumps out the girl nearest him will be the next one to get married. Before a girl marries she should have 12 quilts for regular use and one for the wedding night. Now what if the wedding is in August? I don’t guess the quilt for the wedding night would be needed!
It’s considered an offense toward God to make a perfect quilt and there are those who will put one piece in the quilt top upside down just for this purpose. Now this is one thing I don’t worry about — I cannot make a perfect quilt and I’ll never offend God in this manner.
Should the reader have a quilt stored in a plastic bag, go immediately and take it out. The quilt needs to breathe and have fresh air circulate through and around it. It’s okay to store it on a shelf — but don’t let it touch the wood — put it in an old pillow case. Take the quilt out often and lay it on the bed or throw it across a chair. Fold the quilt differently each time — many times an old quilt will be worn out at the fold. Fold the textile in thirds instead of half and sometimes roll it.
What a wonderful, relaxing and rewarding thing — quilting. I have met so many interesting people and I’m never in a group where quilting is being discussed that I don’t learn something. Sometimes it is how little the so-called “authority” knows. Try quilting, you might like it. It’s definitely part of country living.