Louise Reynolds

Louise Reynolds

10/04/02

AQSG-008

2019oh0222_qsosaqsg0008

audio

Oral History

Louise Reynolds

Martha Spark

The National Quilting Association

Rockford, Illinois

Joanne Gasperik

Martha Spark (MS): This is Martha Spark. Today is October 4, 2002. It is 2:37 p.m. and I'm conducting an interview with Louise Reynolds for Quilters' S.O.S. - Save our Stories project in Rockford, Illinois. Louise, thank you so much for being interviewed. [paper rustling in microphone.]

Louise Reynolds (LR): Thank you for asking me.

MS: Tell me about the quilt or the objects that you brought in today.

LR: I brought in a patchwork quilt and a China doll--family heirlooms that have been passed down through my maternal lineage. Elvira Smith Brouse, my great-great grandmother made the quilt in the 1840s. Mother [Marie (McVey) Renken.] estimates that time period because Elvira died in 1850 – at the age of 21 years, 4 months and 6 days. When I received the quilt, I was familiar with its generational heritage, but I didn't fully appreciate that connection until a couple of years later. A few weeks before Mother gave me Elvira's quilt I'd started work on a red and white, Double Irish Chain quilt top for my daughter's wedding present. One day Susan told me, 'Mother, Kevin and I've discussed it. We know you don't have a lot of money to spend on a wedding gift, all we really want is for you to make us a quilt [their wedding was less than 6 months away.].' As soon as we agreed on the pattern [she originally wanted the Double Wedding Ring.] I feverishly began hand-piecing blocks every minute I could. [I was working FT.] During the same time period I was helping chauffeur Dad to his bi-weekly dialysis treatments. One evening I asked Mother to show me the quilts she had. While she prepared supper, we began looking at quilts. A cardboard box from the closet revealed several quilts that I remembered from childhood. Most had been made by my paternal grandmother. One was made by mother's uncle. The last box she pulled from under Dad's bed. As we unfolded Elvira's blue and white patchwork quilt the hair stood up on my arms. I thought the pattern was the same as I was making for Susan. Elvira's pattern looks like a large checkerboard, 42 - 12 inch blocks [21 blue/white and 21 all-white.], 6 rows across and 7 down. I don't know the exact pattern. Others tell me it's a version of the Nine-Patch. The blocks consist of 81 [9 by 9.] 1 and 6/8 inch precise pieces. From a distance the indigo fabric appears solid, up close one can see two miniature designs: one resembling a beetle's body; the other, a snowman with a tail. A third design in the border symbolizes a cross--two rows of tiny white, intersecting dots.

MS: I wonder if that has any significance in--

LR: You know, I think it might. When I was working on my thesis I started thinking about Elvira and her family background. I knew very little about her - only what few facts Mother had recorded from oral history. One day at work I did a computer search for “Highland County, Ohio." The search engine revealed the name of Rinda Ferguson, native of Highland County. [Elvira's home.] Rinda lived in Indiana. She was working on her genealogy certification. I promptly sent her an e-mail listing what little I knew about Elvira. Rinda replied immediately. For $20 she would send supporting evidence to my questions. In her information, I learned that Elvira's father [Moses Smith.] had been a prominent member of the Auburn Methodist Church in Highland County, Ohio during the 1830s. [he may even have been a minister.] Moses Smith was listed with several others including Peter Cartwright, the famous circuit riding preacher. I like to think Elvira selected her fabric for religious reasons. Anyway, I think her quilt holds more significance than I will ever be able to determine. I've searched the quilt looking for Elvira's name, initials or perhaps a date the quilt was made. I'm not even sure Elvira made the quilt, however that's where the China doll enters the story. Mother has said, 'Elvira won the China doll for her quilting ability. If you measure, there are 10 stitches to the inch.' The doll and quilt have always been a duo. I'm the fifth generation custodian. The doll and quilt will go to my older daughter, Susan, then to her only daughter, Elizabeth. They will be the fifth and sixth generation descendants. I'm trying to take good care of the quilt. After 150 years it's showing wear-- especially around the binding. I'd love to duplicate the quilt. I've shopped for reproduction fabric [no luck.], but when I look at the postage stamp-size pieces [1701 in all.] I realize what a challenge the patchwork would be, not to mention Elvira's quilting. The solid blocks are quilted in a clamshell pattern. The checkerboard blocks and the border are quilted in a diagonal design, lines approximately ½" - 5/8" apart. The only quilt I've hand-quilted took me four years to finish, so I appreciate the time-value in Elvira's quilt. I want to pass her genealogy along with the quilt. All pictures and any other personal belongings of her have been lost. [Martha: hmm.] Elvira's husband remarried in 1854, a little more than four years after her death. [He married the housekeeper.] Her household items probably stayed in the Brouse home; maybe some personal items went back to her parents [Moses and Catharine (Underwood) Smith.] or were lost over the years.

MS: Right. And you mentioned the doll, is this--

LR: This is the China doll. [both speak at the same time.]

MS: China doll is here--

LR: Mother had the doll redressed by a dressmaker back in the 60s or 70s. How I wish they had saved the original clothing. The “new" dress is beautiful, but I doubt that it reflects Elvira's rural Ohio lifestyle. [Her father was a farmer.] The satin dress looks like a Victorian ball gown-- scooped neckline, fitted bodice, puffed sleeves tapered to the wrist. Over time, the blue dye has faded completely away--changing to a hint of pink. The billowing skirt has a petticoat, and an overskirt open in the front, showing a 4-tier accent trimmed with lace and black velvet. The trim also embellishes the wrist and skirt perimeters. Someday I hope to redress the doll in period clothing, typical of the 1840s. Mother entered Elvira's quilt in a quilt exhibit in 1979 at Biggsville's 125th Anniversary Celebration. It won Best of Show. [I have a photograph – the ribbon has been lost.]

MS: Wonderful. So--

LR: That may be the only official award Elvira's quilt has received.

MS: Yes. Now, why did you choose this particular quilt to bring to this interview?

LR: I've gotten interested in genealogy, and because of this workshop, Save Our Stories. Elvira's quilt has the most interesting, sentimental story of any quilt in my family.

MS: Do you have other quilts that she had made?

LR: No. [both speak at the same time.]

MS: This is the only one.

LR: It's amazing that Elvira's quilt has been preserved all these years--passed from family to family without being lost. It's starting to show wear. I've considered repairing the binding, but I've heard that would change the antiquity value and I don't want to do that. After receiving the quilt, I started thinking about Elvira a lot, especially when I worked on my thesis. During the literature review many questions came to mind. 'What was Elvira like?' 'Why did she die so young?' 'What was the real cause of death?' Mother said it was complications from childbirth. [The baby was named Elvira.] Her life had only begun. In August [2002.], I had an opportunity to visit Columbus, Ohio [my first Ohio visit.]. Quite by chance, I discovered in Rinda's material the name of the cemetery where Elvira and several of her family were buried. On the hottest day of the year, my friend and I headed for Hillsboro. Auburn Cemetery was 80 miles southwest of Columbus. The directions we followed were from a telephone conversation with a total stranger days before we left. The woman was an avid genealogist--I trusted her judgment, but as we passed cemetery after cemetery, some with hundreds of stones, I began to worry whether we'd have time to find Elvira's stone. All morning the weather radio had predicted a heat advisory for Columbus and the surrounding areas. At noon the temperature was near 100o, heat indices forecast for 110-115, maybe higher. Listeners were advised to 'stay indoors -- in air-conditioning, if possible, drink plenty of fluids, avoid alcohol, and limit outdoor activity until sundown. Weather conditions are extremely dangerous for the very young and the elderly.' Amazingly, our directions led us straight to Auburn Chapel and the Cemetery--out in the country, about 5 miles from Hillsboro. I was delighted to see the small cemetery. Jumping from the car I headed into the cemetery believing I would walk right to Elvira's grave. It wasn't quite that easy. Some of the inscriptions on the older stones were so worn and weathered the names were difficult or impossible to make out. Looking around, I noticed a broken headstone, one piece on top of the other. As I stroked the stone, I nearly overlooked the name, “Moses Smith." [Elvira's father.] I was ecstatic. Checking closer we discovered grave markers belonging to several other family members. Some of the slabs had fallen over. Others leaned at 45o angles. The stones had settled so deep in the ground the names were no longer visible. Reaching down I grabbed one of the stones with both hands and pulled. Surprisingly, it came right out the ground. In all, I pulled up four stones--three of Elvira's sisters and her 12-year old nephew. Nearby we found her mother's stone, flat on the ground practically covered over by grass. But we couldn't find Elvira. I was devastated. She was the first in her family to die or so I thought. We had started for the car when Bob said, 'If I had a shovel, we could dig up this rock.' Without a word I leaned over and began pulling grass. The first handful revealed the edge of another slab. Heart pounding, I frantically ripped up the remaining grass--exposing the backside of an entire slab. We turned the stone over. It belonged to my great-great grandmother. [she says this hoarsely, with emotion in her voice.]

MS: Oh, my goodness. [sighs.]

LR: So, I have her quilt. I have her doll, and now, I've found her grave. [her voice quivers.] That experience has moved me away from the practical side of quilting into genealogy.

MS: But still, what a wonderful story. Oh. That was meant for you at that time.

LR: When I returned from Hillsboro, I could barely wait to see Mother and tell her about my discovery. Mother lives in an assisted care facility. She was headed to the dining room for supper. 'Mother, you've got to wait. You'll never guess where I've been this weekend. I've been to a cemetery in Highland County, and I found Elvira's grave.' Tears started tricking down Mother's cheeks. [One of the few times I'd seen her weep.] 'Oh.' she said, 'How I wish Mother knew this.' I told her, 'I think she knows.' Mother could not believe I had traveled 450 miles [three states away.] and found Elvira's grave. So little was known about her [inaudible.].

MS: [whispers.] Great. I'm so excited. Now, tell me more about this quilt. Do you only bring it out on special occasions or do you display it in your home in a certain way or--

LR: Mother kept it stored in a box under my dad's bed. After she gave it to me, I kept it stored away for awhile. But when I started on my thesis [quilting.], I hung Elvira's quilt on the bedroom wall next to my bed--most of two years. Had Mother known she probably would have had a fit, as she kept it carefully stored away? It was a daily inspiration to me. Each night I went to sleep thinking about the quilt and Elvira. My thesis was finished when I found Elvira's grave. If not for the research and discipline connected with that project, I could not have pursued genealogy, like I have.

MS: Wonderful. [softly.] And you mentioned that this quilt was probably going to go to--

LR: It will go to my older daughter, Susan.

MS: Yes.

LR: Traditionally the quilt has been handed down to the oldest daughter in the family. Mother is an only daughter and I'm lucky to be the eldest of three. The quilt will go to my older daughter, Susan, then to her only daughter, Elizabeth. As the quilt is handed down, I hope to pass on Elvira's family genealogy that I'm discovering. Mother and I have not talked about what would happen if there are no daughters to pass the quilt on to. I guess we'll let future generations decide that.

MS: Right [softly.] So, tell me a little bit about your interest in quilting. Did it start with Elvira's quilt or--

LR: I've tried to think about when my interest in quilting actually started. In 1978, we made a move because of my ex-husband's work. It was a move I didn't want to make. [pause of about 8 seconds.]

MS: Do you want to?

LR: Yeah.

[tape is shut off.]

MS: We've turned the tape back on and Louise is talking to us about her interest in quilting, where it began.

LR: My first real interest in quilting started with the move I mentioned. I had been used to working outside the home and now I was home all day--my children were in school, and I was looking for some interest. I thought about organizing a neighborhood quilt club; however I didn't quilt, I didn't know my neighbors, and I wasn't sure they quilted. Before I got anything organized, I went to work in the local community college office. My quilting aspiration went on hold for 10 years, until a budget-crunch came along, and I was out of work for a year. When the college offered a hand-piecing quilt course I signed on. If students completed their weekly assignments, they could finish a sampler quilt top in 8-weeks. I loved the class and finished my first quilt top. Soon afterward some of the women wanted an evening class and when the instructor was not interested in teaching, I volunteered. That was the beginning of my quilt career. I taught the class 4 or 5 semesters, each time making a quilt top along with the students. I gave those [quilts.] to my children. [MS: mmm.] I have one son and two daughters.

MS: And the ones, the tops that you've made, were they a reflection of what was going on inside of you at the time or were they just--

LR: Not really. The sampler quilt tops made in class were selected for the patterns, so the students could have experience in stitching straight, curved and diagonal lines. Some of the classic patterns we used were Drunkard's Path, Clay's Choice, Dresden Plate, Baby's Block, Grandmother's Flower Garden and more. I don't remember them all. It was exciting to see their finished results. Each student was making the same patterns, but the quilts were uniquely different because of fabric and color selections. The only thing my tops reflected was personal preference in colors and material. The quilt tops did not reflect any social issues or women's issues--we did discuss feminine issues.

MS: So how many hours a week do you quilt now, would you say?

LR: Actual quilting? Because of my thesis and genealogy interest I do very little quilting anymore. But I have a deep desire to do some type of sewing almost daily. After a day's work, sewing is therapeutic. Usually, it's in the form of clothing repair or alterations. I sew for other people

MS: Do you have any stories to tell about quilting, and if quilting has gotten you through a difficult time in your life, besides this?

LR: [laughter.] I think I just did. I prepared a survey for my thesis and distributed it to the members in my quilt guild. I wish I'd had asked that question. I can't remember a time when I didn't sew. As a child I leaned on Mother's box sewing machine watching her mend clothes. I was fascinated with the mechanics of her treadle machine. She said I drove her crazy asking questions. I started sewing when my daughters were one and two years old. As far as 'quilting helping me through a difficult time,' I can't think of any [other than the move.] and that was 10 years before I actually started. Some days I should have been working on my thesis instead of quilting, but that was more procrastination than working through a difficult time--maybe it was a difficult time, and I didn't know it. Now, I spend more time altering or repairing clothes for other people than I do quilting. It's faster, and those short jobs satisfy my yen to work with fabric. I don't think this is a very good answer to the question, but--

MS: No, it's fine. It's wonderful. What now pleases you about quilting? I know you have these wonderful old quilts in your family, but what else pleases you about the nature of quilting?

LR: What else pleases me about the nature of quilting? I'd say starting new quilts. I usually have a new project in mind before I've finished what I'm working on. I have to fight the impulse to buy more fabric or to start new projects. I love hand quilting. I have a quilt in the frame right now. It took me four years to finish the first quilt I hand quilted. I designed matching pillow shams and hand quilted those too. When I was teaching the quilt classes at the community college, I was making tops faster than I could ever hope to get them quilted. At some point I met an Amish woman [MS: oh.] who lives about 25 miles from Macomb. She's a fabulous quilter [and fast.]. I don't like wearing thimbles so my fingers would get really sore. Then I'd have to stop quilting and let them heal. Now, I make the tops and let my Amish friend do the quilting.

MS: So, for you it's more the piecing

LR: [both are speaking at the same time.] It's more the piecing and choosing the pattern. I do machine piecing, but I prefer hand-piecing.

MS: And have you exchanged any designs with your Amish friend, where you both have had patterns that go back and forth or anything like that?

LR: We have not. I've known A.F. [the name is omitted at the request of the interviewee and the initials “A. F." for Amish friend are being used.] now about 12 years. [MS: mmm.] One time I drove out and brought her back to Macomb to attend the quilt show my quilt guild was sponsoring at Western Illinois University. We've developed a close friendship. I take quilt books and save articles of interest for her, but we've not exchanged any patterns. We visit about her quilting orders, what she's working on or what she's completed. We look at the quilt tops she has for sale [hers and those belonging to other women.] and laugh about problems we encounter with our customers or our sewing.

MS: Right. Right. [softly.] And what do you think makes a great quilt?

LR: First I think it's the individual's interest in a particular quilt. I think each of us may look at a quilt and not be too impressed by it--that is, until we know more about the quilt, the quiltmaker or the person who owns the quilt. As we learn, we begin to understand and appreciate the greatness connected with a quilt. I think a great quilt is in the eyes of the beholder. A great quilt can mean one thing for one person, something different for another. I think there are several considerations that make a quilt great.

MS: And then going along with that what do you think makes a quilt artistically powerful?

LR: For me, its color. The first thing that I notice in a quilt is the color, then the pattern. That's a tough question. A lot of contemporary quilts may be art. I don't know. I'd rather listen to someone else answer this [inaudible.] question [chuckling.] than myself.

MS: Okay. Well, we can go on from there. What do you think makes a great quilter? That's kind of tied in, but it's a little different.

LR: What makes a great quilter? I think a great quilter is a person who is passionate about the craft. I don't think it takes an expert seamstress to be a great quilter. Anyone who loves fabric, quilt patterns, books, going to quilt shows or talking about quilts can be a great quilter. I no longer think it has to be limited to needle and thread activity.

MS: And what is your feeling about machine quilting versus hand quilting?

LR: Well, my preference is definitely hand piecing and quilting, although I've started doing machine piecing and machine quilting with members of my quilt guild and a small group at church. Machine work is faster, but I think hand stitching is more precise. I can better manipulate the fabric and seam allowances. I have a hard time keeping the pieces and seams matched when I machine stitch even when pinning the pieces.

MS: Interesting. How about when you see quilts on display? And is that some of the criteria that you use when you view them, whether you know, its machine piecing or--

LR: No, I appreciate both. One of the women in my quilt guild has a long-arm machine. She has switched from hand to machine quilting. She does outstanding work--for herself and others. As far as viewing quilts, I really don't have a preference of hand quilting over machine or vice-versa. I think either is good, in individual categories.

MS: And why would you think quilting is important in your life?

LR: First, quilting is important to me from a practical perspective. Secondly, it is important to me from an academic point of view. During the literature review phase of my thesis, I was surprised to learn there are two types of quilter scholars: educators who come to quilting through the educational process of learning [these persons may not quilt OR even sew.]; and independent quilt scholars, who work outside an academic setting and come to quilt scholarship through the love of quilts. I'd never imagined anyone who was interested in quilting who did not quilt [or sew.]. I still have trouble understanding that. [MS: laughs.] Now, I have met some of these women. They are out there doing research, being promoters, and lecturing on quilts and quilt making, but they don't quilt. I'd say quilting is my passion, whether from a practical or an academic standpoint. I can't imagine not being interested. This is my first American Quilt Study Group conference. Before arriving, I wondered what the conference and workshop would be like. I felt compelled to sign-up for this workshop, “Save Our Stories." This is just one more chapter in my quilt life. I'm more fired up than ever.

MS: That's great. In what ways do your quilts reflect your community or your region?

LR: I'm not sure what you mean with this question. I belong to one quilt guild--a local guild. Some women belong to two and three. For the past few years, we have made charity quilts for different organizations. This past year, through a contact person, we made numerous child-sized quilts that were sent to New York for the 911 volunteers--

MS: Wonderful.

LR--emergency workers, First Aid personnel and First Responders. We scout around for a community organization that can put the quilts to good use. My church group also makes charity quilts that are donated to a youth home. I'm not sure any of these quilts reflect my community or my region except for the donation they represent. [MS: hums.] I can't think of any particular type of quilts or quilting I'm involved in that highlights my community or region.

MS: And the Amish are kind of separate in that, you mentioned there--

LR: There are several Amish families living in McDonough and Hancock counties. I'm not aware of them holding organized shows or exhibits where they sell their work. I think many of the Amish women sell their quilts on an independent basis. And this A.F. that I'm friends with, I've encouraged her to get business cards and advertise. But she is very humble about her work. I try to respect their culture and habits. I'm not very aggressive in prodding her. One visit she said, 'Maybe I should have business cards made up. What do you suggest I put on them?' When I stopped a few months later she had business cards.

MS: And so, and A.F. is your friend that you've known--

LR: A.F. is my personal friend--

MS: --for twelve years now. Yes.

LR: I'd love to have a picture of her, but the Amish do not want to be photographed. I wanted to use A.F. survey for my quilt thesis. She agreed as long as I do not write anything that would disclose her identity. A.F.'s mother reported on her survey that she had 75 grandchildren. And she's made quilts for all 75.

MS: This is a note to the tape then; we'll certainly want to make sure that we also respect A.F. privacy for the people who are listening to this tape recording. And what do you think about the importance of quilts in American life?

LR: I think quilts have had more influence on women's culture in America than we realize. That's certainly true for me. That was the springboard idea for my thesis. How can quilts continue to be so popular when they are no longer “necessary" as bedcovers? This trend and pastime is thriving 300 years later. What has kept quilts so popular? The interest has spread internationally, as well as nationally. Quilting was revived during the Bicentennial in 1976, along with numerous other American crafts, but I think there is as great a revival in quilting today--maybe greater than the 70s. I don't have a good explanation for that. I think we're still discovering the impact that quilts and quilting have had on our society. The art world recognizes the importance of quilts today, where that wasn't the case 25 to 50 years back. Still, there's a lot more interest than just from the practical or artistic slant.

MS: And in what ways do you think that quilts have special meaning for women's history in America?

LR: I think we're still discovering that. A couple of years back I learned about the International Quilt Study Center at the University of Nebraska–Lincoln. That Center is a marvelous resource for the quilt world. It was established in 1997 with the donation of more than 900 quilts from the Ardis & Robert James Quilt Collection--one of the largest publicly owned collections in the world. James' also donated a million dollars toward establishment of the center. In 1998, the James Collection was named one of "the 100 top treasures" in the United States by Art and Antiques magazine [March issue.]. In August 2000, the Collection was designated by the National Trust for Historic Preservation as an official project of the Save America's Treasures program. The fact that the Center is connected with a university is a tremendous statement about the interest and information that's available about quilting. I think we're just beginning to understand the influence and impact that quilts and quilt making have had on our society--not only for American women, but women worldwide.

MS: Not only America--

LR: Right. I think people have come to realize that quilts influence many facets of our lives. What used to be considered women's work or women's interest is now enjoyed by men. Quilt making is done by all classes and most cultures. I think it's the richest reflection of human history there is. I read once that 'the quilt is the only artifact or antique that has survived time-- that was actually made by the individual.' Furthermore, quilting has not only maintained, it has gained interest and popularity.

MS: Amazing. [softly.] And how do you think that quilts can be preserved for the future?

LR: “Save Our Stories" is an excellent start to preserving quilts for the future. S.O.S. provides insight and zeal that inspire people to tell their family stories. Education and information is a great plan for doing that. This workshop is a wonderful example of how we can preserve quilts by sharing communication, education, quilt exhibits and personal exchange. There are approximately 200 women [and men.] in attendance. What a wonderful resource and network we have here this weekend--everyone working to preserve quilt history.

MS: That's definitely true.

LR: So, that's what I'm excited about.

MS: Well, great. We only have a couple more minutes and I want to thank you Louise for taking the time to interview with us today. It's really been a pleasure.

LR: Thank you.

MS: Is there anything else that you'd like to add before we conclude the interview.

LR: Nothing that I can think of. This is probably more than you wanted to hear.

MS: All right [softly.]

LR: Thank you. I've enjoyed it.

MS: Thank you so much again. This will conclude the interview for AQSG-008 on October 4th. We concluded the interview at 3:20 p.m.

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<partial_transcript>This is Martha Spark. Today is October 4, 2002. It is 2:37 p.m. and I'm conducting an interview with Louise Reynolds for Quilters' S.O.S. - Save our Stories project in Rockford, Illinois. Louise, thank you so much for being interviewed.</partial_transcript>
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<synopsis>Louise Reynolds discusses a quilt and a porcelain doll that both belonged to her great-great-grandmother, Elvira Smith Brouse. The blue and white checkered quilt was made by her sometime between 1840-50, before Elvira died at the age of 21. This quilt has been passed down in their family ever since, and Reynolds plans to give it to her oldest daughter in the future. Reynolds was inspired by the quilt when making one of her own for her daughter's wedding gift, following a similar checkered pattern. She became interested in genealogy about a year ago, and has since discovered clues about her family history through this quilt. The quilt and the doll are the only items that remain of Elvira, since her husband remarried after her death and likely got rid of the rest of her belongings. Reynolds has been shopping for reproduction fabric, and hopes to recreate the quilt one day.</synopsis>
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<partial_transcript>And you mentioned the doll. Is this the doll over here?</partial_transcript>
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<synopsis>A porcelain doll that belonged to her great-great-grandmother has also been inherited by Reynolds. According to stories passed down in the family, Elvira received the doll as a reward for her quilting skills. Reynold's mother had the doll redressed in the 1960s or 70s, and the original dress was lost. This doll, along with the quilt, are estimated to be about 155 years old. In the late 70s, Reynold's mother entered Elvira's quilt in a local show in their hometown: Bixville, Illinois, in Henderson County. It won best in show, and is likely the only official reward Elvira has (posthumously) received for a quilt.</synopsis>
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</hyperlinks>
</point>
<point>
<time>419</time>
<title>Using inherited quilt to study genealogy</title>
<title_alt/>
<partial_transcript>Now why did you choose this particular quilt to bring to this interview?</partial_transcript>
<partial_transcript_alt/>
<synopsis>Reynolds has become interested in genealogy recently, and thought it would be fitting to bring her touchstone quilt to the "Save Our Stories" event, since it is associated with a story that's important to her. This is the only quilt she has from her great-great-grandmother, and she often wonders about the kind of person she was, especially since she passed away so young. Reynolds then tells the story about how she happened to be near Hillsboro, Ohio, where Elvira was buried, and decided to go looking for her grave. It took some time, but she was able to find her grave stone, which felt very important to her. Her mother was so excited that Reynolds found the grave, especially since they had so little information about Elvira to go off of.</synopsis>
<synopsis_alt/>
<keywords>inherited quilt; Generational quiltmaking; Antique quilts; Quilt conservation; Female quiltmakers</keywords>
<keywords_alt/>
<subjects/>
<subjects_alt/>
<gpspoints>
<gps/>
<gps_zoom>0</gps_zoom>
<gps_text/>
<gps_text_alt/>
</gpspoints>
<hyperlinks>
<hyperlink/>
<hyperlink_text/>
<hyperlink_text_alt/>
</hyperlinks>
</point>
<point>
<time>702</time>
<title>Displaying touchstone quilt</title>
<title_alt/>
<partial_transcript>I'm so excited. Now, tell me more about this quilt. Do you only bring it out special occasions now? Or do you display it in your house in a certain way?</partial_transcript>
<partial_transcript_alt/>
<synopsis>Before giving the quilt to Reynolds, her mother kept it stored underneath a bed. After she gave it to her around 1995, Reynolds also kept it stored for a while. Eventually, while working on her master's degree, she decided that she wanted to see it and be inspired by it, especially since her thesis project was about quilts. She kept it displayed on her bedroom wall for about two years. When Reynolds is ready to pass the quilt along, she'll be giving it to Susan, her oldest daughters, in keeping with the tradition that her family has followed thus far.</synopsis>
<synopsis_alt/>
<keywords>Quilt Purpose - Home decoration; children; inherited quilt; Quilt Purpose - Personal enjoyment; Antique quilts</keywords>
<keywords_alt/>
<subjects/>
<subjects_alt/>
<gpspoints>
<gps/>
<gps_zoom>0</gps_zoom>
<gps_text/>
<gps_text_alt/>
</gpspoints>
<hyperlinks>
<hyperlink/>
<hyperlink_text/>
<hyperlink_text_alt/>
</hyperlinks>
</point>
<point>
<time>852</time>
<title>Interest in quilting / Teaching quilting</title>
<title_alt/>
<partial_transcript>So, tell me a little bit about your interest in quilting. Did it start with Elvira's quilt, or?</partial_transcript>
<partial_transcript_alt/>
<synopsis>Reynolds' interest in quilting started in 1978, when she moved somewhere with her husband for his job. She found herself with a lot of spare time before she found a new job, and thought about starting a neighborhood quilting group, but started working again before she could start. Another 10 years later, she took a sampler quilt class at a local community college and fell in love. When fellow classmates expressed wanting an evening class, Reynolds offered to teach it herself, doing so for about five semesters. Each semester, she made a quilt top along with her students, giving them to her two children whenever she finished one. The tops were sampler patterns, including Drunkard's Path and Clay's Choice, and otherwise giving students a chance to practice different techniques.</synopsis>
<synopsis_alt/>
<keywords>Learning quiltmaking; quiltmaking classes; Quiltmaking for family; Sampler quilts; Drunkard's Path - quilt pattern; Teaching quiltmaking</keywords>
<keywords_alt/>
<subjects/>
<subjects_alt/>
<gpspoints>
<gps/>
<gps_zoom>0</gps_zoom>
<gps_text/>
<gps_text_alt/>
</gpspoints>
<hyperlinks>
<hyperlink/>
<hyperlink_text/>
<hyperlink_text_alt/>
</hyperlinks>
</point>
<point>
<time>1076</time>
<title>Current and past quilting habits</title>
<title_alt/>
<partial_transcript>So, how many hours a week do you quilt now, would you say?</partial_transcript>
<partial_transcript_alt/>
<synopsis>Reynolds doesn't quilt much anymore, instead spending more time on researching and studying quilts. She still sews almost everyday for her customers, since she does alteration and repair work. Looking into her past, she remembers being interested in her mother's sewing materials as early as preschool. She was constantly asking her mother questions about sewing, and eventually started making clothes for her own children. She has realized throughout her life that she wants to sew at least a little every day.</synopsis>
<synopsis_alt/>
<keywords>Quilt Purpose - Personal enjoyment; Quilt Purpose - Artistic expression; Quilt documentation; Learning quiltmaking; Generational quiltmaking</keywords>
<keywords_alt/>
<subjects/>
<subjects_alt/>
<gpspoints>
<gps/>
<gps_zoom>0</gps_zoom>
<gps_text/>
<gps_text_alt/>
</gpspoints>
<hyperlinks>
<hyperlink/>
<hyperlink_text/>
<hyperlink_text_alt/>
</hyperlinks>
</point>
<point>
<time>1207</time>
<title>Piecing vs. quilting / Favorite part of quilting</title>
<title_alt/>
<partial_transcript>What now pleases you about quilting? I know you have these wonderful old quilts in your family, but what else pleases you about the nature of quilting?</partial_transcript>
<partial_transcript_alt/>
<synopsis>Reynolds usually has an idea of the next quilt she wants to make, though she tries to refrain from starting another one before she finishes a current work in process. She has one in a frame right now that's in the middle of being hand quilted, and the only quilt she has finished hand quilting thus far is the first quilt she made when taking a quilting class, which took her four years to finish. She also hand quilted pillow shams to match that quilt. She has developed a friendship with an Amish woman who is a great quilter, and since Reynolds prefers hand piecing to quilting, she has sometimes outsourced her quilting to that friend. Ultimately, her favorite parts of making a quilt are choosing a pattern and hand piecing the top.</synopsis>
<synopsis_alt/>
<keywords>Hand quilting; Hand piecing; Amish quiltmakers; Quilt Purpose - Personal enjoyment; unfinished objects (UFO); Quilted goods</keywords>
<keywords_alt/>
<subjects/>
<subjects_alt/>
<gpspoints>
<gps/>
<gps_zoom>0</gps_zoom>
<gps_text/>
<gps_text_alt/>
</gpspoints>
<hyperlinks>
<hyperlink/>
<hyperlink_text/>
<hyperlink_text_alt/>
</hyperlinks>
</point>
<point>
<time>1369</time>
<title>What makes a great quilt or quilter</title>
<title_alt/>
<partial_transcript>Right. And what do you think makes a great quilt?</partial_transcript>
<partial_transcript_alt/>
<synopsis>Reynolds believes that it is up to the viewer's interest in a quilt to determine whether or not it is great on an individual basis. Additionally, learning more about the maker or owner of a quilt, and the story behind it, may give the viewer a better appreciation of the quilt. She says that color and pattern are the most important factors that can make a quilt artistically powerful. Reynolds says that a great quilter doesn't necessarily have to be a technically great seamstress, and that their passion and interest in the craft is more important.</synopsis>
<synopsis_alt/>
<keywords>Color theory; Quilt Purpose - Artistic expression; Quilt shows/exhibitions; Color theory; Art quiltmaking</keywords>
<keywords_alt/>
<subjects/>
<subjects_alt/>
<gpspoints>
<gps/>
<gps_zoom>0</gps_zoom>
<gps_text/>
<gps_text_alt/>
</gpspoints>
<hyperlinks>
<hyperlink/>
<hyperlink_text/>
<hyperlink_text_alt/>
</hyperlinks>
</point>
<point>
<time>1526</time>
<title>Machine quilting vs. hand quilting</title>
<title_alt/>
<partial_transcript>And what's your feeling about machine quilting versus hand quilting?</partial_transcript>
<partial_transcript_alt/>
<synopsis>Reynolds personally prefers hand sewing and quilting. When making charity quilts for babies or troubled teenagers with her quilt guild, though, she does utilize machine sewing for the sake of speed and productivity. Although it's faster, she finds machine quilting to be harder overall. She prefers manipulating fabric by hand to keep things even, and finds it more difficult to succeed when dealing with pins and a machine. When it comes to appreciating quilts made by others, though, she doesn't have a preference between hand or machine quilting, referencing a quilter in her guild who produces great work with a longarm machine.</synopsis>
<synopsis_alt/>
<keywords>Machine quilting; Hand quilting; Hand piecing; Long arm quilting machine; Quilt Purpose - Charity</keywords>
<keywords_alt/>
<subjects/>
<subjects_alt/>
<gpspoints>
<gps/>
<gps_zoom>0</gps_zoom>
<gps_text/>
<gps_text_alt/>
</gpspoints>
<hyperlinks>
<hyperlink/>
<hyperlink_text/>
<hyperlink_text_alt/>
</hyperlinks>
</point>
<point>
<time>1662</time>
<title>Importance of quilting in life</title>
<title_alt/>
<partial_transcript>And why would you think quilting is important in your life?</partial_transcript>
<partial_transcript_alt/>
<synopsis>At first, quilting was important to Reynolds from a practical standpoint. As she studied quiltmaking for her thesis project, she realized that there are some quilters who avidly engage in the craft, while some women studied quiltmaking but didn't participate themselves. She was surprised at this, as she can't imagine studying quilts and not wanting to sew. For herself, quilting is both a hobby and a passion, and can't imagine not being interested in it in some capacity.</synopsis>
<synopsis_alt/>
<keywords>Quilt Purpose - Artistic expression; Quilt Purpose - Personal enjoyment; Quilt history; Quilt Purpose - Utilitarian; Female quiltmakers</keywords>
<keywords_alt/>
<subjects/>
<subjects_alt/>
<gpspoints>
<gps/>
<gps_zoom>0</gps_zoom>
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<gps_text_alt/>
</gpspoints>
<hyperlinks>
<hyperlink/>
<hyperlink_text/>
<hyperlink_text_alt/>
</hyperlinks>
</point>
<point>
<time>1787</time>
<title>Quilts reflecting the community</title>
<title_alt/>
<partial_transcript>In what ways do your quilts reflect your community or your region?</partial_transcript>
<partial_transcript_alt/>
<synopsis>Reynolds says that the quilt guild she's a part of impacts their community by making charity quilts for different groups. Last year, they made children-sized quilts and sent them to New York for the first responders of 9/11. She also mentions the Amish communities nearby in McDonough and Hancock counties, though she believes they only sell independently and don't have any organized shows or sales. To her good friend who is Amish, she has suggested making business cards and promoting her quiltmaking, but tries to respect her culture. Reynolds wanted to cite her in her thesis paper, but withheld in order to respect her friend's privacy concerns.</synopsis>
<synopsis_alt/>
<keywords>Quilt guild; Donating quilts; Quilt Purpose - Charity; Amish quiltmakers; Social quiltmaking activities</keywords>
<keywords_alt/>
<subjects/>
<subjects_alt/>
<gpspoints>
<gps/>
<gps_zoom>0</gps_zoom>
<gps_text/>
<gps_text_alt/>
</gpspoints>
<hyperlinks>
<hyperlink/>
<hyperlink_text/>
<hyperlink_text_alt/>
</hyperlinks>
</point>
<point>
<time>1985</time>
<title>Importance of quilting in American life</title>
<title_alt/>
<partial_transcript>And what do you think about the importance of quilts in American life?</partial_transcript>
<partial_transcript_alt/>
<synopsis>Reynolds says that the question of what the importance of quilting is in American life was at the crux of her thesis project. After hundreds of years, and while no longer needing them as bedcoverings, she wondered why handmade quilts are still important to Americans. She comments on how some people thought that the American Bicentennial saw a resurgence in quilting and other colonial crafts, but Reynolds argues that there is even more of a revival in quiltmaking today. Quilts are also recognized as an art form in a way that they haven't been historically, but she finds it hard to pin down the ways in which quilts influence our lives.</synopsis>
<synopsis_alt/>
<keywords>Quilt history; Gender in quiltmaking; Art quilts; American Bicentennial; Quilt preservation</keywords>
<keywords_alt/>
<subjects/>
<subjects_alt/>
<gpspoints>
<gps/>
<gps_zoom>0</gps_zoom>
<gps_text/>
<gps_text_alt/>
</gpspoints>
<hyperlinks>
<hyperlink/>
<hyperlink_text/>
<hyperlink_text_alt/>
</hyperlinks>
</point>
<point>
<time>2110</time>
<title>Quilts and women's history</title>
<title_alt/>
<partial_transcript>And what do you think about the importance of quilts in American life?</partial_transcript>
<partial_transcript_alt/>
<synopsis>Reynolds believes that we are still discovering the significance of quilting within women's history. She realized just how much interest there is in quilting through the opening of the Study Quilt Center, and how much funding went into it from Robert and Ardis James. Reynolds says that the importance of quilting is not only an American issue or a women's issue, but is also found across cultures and from all kinds of people. She thinks of it as a great example of human society that has retained interest to this day.</synopsis>
<synopsis_alt/>
<keywords>Gender in quiltmaking; Quilt history; Quilt documentation; Quilt preservation; Female quiltmakers</keywords>
<keywords_alt/>
<subjects/>
<subjects_alt/>
<gpspoints>
<gps/>
<gps_zoom>0</gps_zoom>
<gps_text/>
<gps_text_alt/>
</gpspoints>
<hyperlinks>
<hyperlink/>
<hyperlink_text/>
<hyperlink_text_alt/>
</hyperlinks>
</point>
<point>
<time>2232</time>
<title>Preserving quilts for the future</title>
<title_alt/>
<partial_transcript>And how do you think that quilts can be preserved for the future?</partial_transcript>
<partial_transcript_alt/>
<synopsis>Reynolds thinks that this project, Quilters' S.O.S. - Save Our Stories, is a great development for preservation and education of quilt history. Overall, quilt history can be preserved through education, the quilts themselves, and the exchange of information between quilters. It's important to create networks of quilters and people who care about this topic who can spread the word and preserve the history and stories behind quilts.</synopsis>
<synopsis_alt/>
<keywords>Quilt preservation; Quilt conservation; Quilt documentation; Quilt history; Learning quiltmaking; Social quiltmaking activities</keywords>
<keywords_alt/>
<subjects/>
<subjects_alt/>
<gpspoints>
<gps/>
<gps_zoom>0</gps_zoom>
<gps_text/>
<gps_text_alt/>
</gpspoints>
<hyperlinks>
<hyperlink/>
<hyperlink_text/>
<hyperlink_text_alt/>
</hyperlinks>
</point>
</index>
<type>interview</type>
<description/>
<rel/>
<vtt_transcript><![CDATA[WEBVTT

NOTE
TRANSCRIPTION BEGIN

00:00:01.800 --> 00:00:29.059
<v Martha Spark (MS)> This is Martha Spark. Today is October 4, 2002. It is 2.37 p.m. and I'm conducting an interview with Louise Reynolds for Quilters S.O.S. Save Our Stories Project in Rockford, Illinois. Louise, thank you so much for being interviewed. Tell me about the quilt or the objects that you brought in today.

00:00:29.059 --> 00:00:58.179
<v Louise Reynolds (LR)> I brought a quilt that was given to me by my mother. Mother is still living, but this blue and white checkered quilt was made by my great-great-grandmother. We think somewhere around 1840 to 1850 because Elvira Smith Browse passed away in 1850 and she was just barely 21 years old.

00:00:58.179 --> 00:01:27.980
<v LR> She had been married a little over a year and she left a three-month-old daughter. And so at the time mother gave me this quilt, I knew it had been passed down in the family and it didn't, you know, except to appreciate it, it didn't have a lot of meaning for me. But a few months later I was making a double Irish red and white checkered quilt for my daughter's wedding gift. She says, "Mom, I don't want anything for our wedding but a quilt."

00:01:27.980 --> 00:02:19.919
<v LR> So I started and began to feverishly hand quilt that checkerboard quilt. And this blue and white one that Elvira made at one time I thought was the same exact pattern. I still do not know the exact pattern that's in it. There are several, it just looks like a huge checkerboard. And there are approximately, going across the top, there are five blue and white checkerboard squares alternating a solid white square. And then there are five rows down, five across and five down.

00:02:19.919 --> 00:02:57.219
<v LR> And the blue fabric I think is what is indigo, it's labeled indigo blue, which was popular in that time period. There's a very small design in the background of the blue. There's like little round balls and the border of the quilt has crosses. And I wonder if that has any significance in-- In some of the genealogy, I got interested in genealogy about a year ago.

00:02:57.219 --> 00:03:27.159
<v LR> And a lady that grew up in Highland County, Ohio where Elvira lived, this lady was working on her genealogy certification. And so she sent me just a little bit of information. And in some of that material I found where Elvira's husband, possibly, if it's the same Moses Smith, he was a Methodist minister. So I feel that this quilt has a lot of significant value and that's what I'm trying to discover.

00:03:27.159 --> 00:03:57.939
<v LR> I've looked very closely at the quilt trying to determine if there is possibly a year of when the quilt was made. Her initials were hidden in the stitching. And at the time I received this, I hadn't done a lot of personal quilting myself, but Mother pointed out to me, if you measure the stitching, there's more than 12 stitches per inch, which indicates an expert seamstress.

00:03:57.939 --> 00:04:22.899
<v LR> And there's a china doll that has been passed along with the quilt. And so the china doll, according to oral history, was Elvira's reward for her quilting ability. And so far I am the fifth generation custodian of the quilt and this china doll. And I do have two daughters and it will go to my older daughter, Susan.

00:04:22.899 --> 00:04:45.920
<v LR> And Susan has one daughter. She has four children but one daughter. And then it gets passed to her daughter, which will make the seventh generation that it's been handed down. So I'm trying to take good care of it. I've shopped for reproduction fabric. I would love to try to duplicate it.

00:04:45.920 --> 00:05:20.699
<v LR> But when I look at these postage size squares that make up the quilt, that will be a challenge. And when I look at the quilting, that's even more of a challenge. Because the solid white squares have a clam shell, a scalloped clam shell design. And then the checkerboard squares, there's diagonal quilting through them, approximately a half inch apart. So the quilting alone would take considerable time.

00:05:20.699 --> 00:06:03.279
<v LR> But it's become a very treasured item for me and one that I hope to pass on to my daughter. And be able to provide a lot of information along with the quilt. Which at this time, we have no other material possessions from this woman. Only the quilt and the doll. All pictures and any other personal belongings have been lost. Elvira's husband remarried approximately four years after Elvira's death. So any personal belongings would have gone into a different family.

00:06:03.279 --> 00:06:05.879
<v MS> And you mentioned the doll. Is this the doll over here?

00:06:05.879 --> 00:06:38.899
<v LR> That china doll is the one that comes along. My mother had the doll redressed. And I was thinking of replacing her clothing. But the fact that my mother had that part done, I think I may go ahead and save that particular dress. But when mother had it redressed, maybe in the 60s or 70s, I feel real badly that the original dress was lost at that time. And so this quilt is approximately, we figure it's about 155 years old.

00:06:38.899 --> 00:06:51.720
<v LR> And back in the late 70s, mother won a best of show. She entered it in a quilt show in our hometown of Bixville, Illinois, which is in Henderson County. And she won best of show.

00:06:51.720 --> 00:06:52.379
<v MS> Wonderful.

00:06:52.379 --> 00:06:59.639
<v LR> So that may have been the only official award that Elvira's quilt received.

00:06:59.639 --> 00:07:09.470
<v MS> Yes. Now why did you choose this particular quilt to bring to this interview?

00:07:09.470 --> 00:07:31.449
<v LR> Well, I've gotten interested in genealogy. And when the title of this weekend is Save Our Stories, Elvira's quilt has the most significant sentimental story of any quilt that I'm familiar with.

00:07:31.449 --> 00:07:34.529
<v MS> Do you have other ones then that she had made?

00:07:34.529 --> 00:08:15.329
<v LR> No, that's the only one. And the fact that it's been saved and passed along from family to family without being lost, it's showing where. And at one point I thought about rebinding the edge of it, but people discourage that. And I wondered a lot about Elvira, as to what type of woman she was, and the fact that she died so young. I mean, she had hardly started living. We think of 21-year-olds today. And this woman had produced that quilt.

00:08:15.329 --> 00:08:38.548
<v LR> And after I got interested in genealogy, I thought, I just happened to be in Columbus, Ohio for some other event. And I had a spare day between arriving and coming back to Macomb. So I asked my host, I told him, I said, I had this grandmother buried in Hillsboro, which is about 80 miles away. Would they be interested in driving down there?

00:08:38.548 --> 00:09:05.210
<v LR> And I had very brief telephone directions from some woman that I had just accidentally learned about. And so here we are driving along on this August Sunday. The meteorologist said there was a heat index out. It was like 115 outside. And I thought I was nuts for taking this person on this wild goose chase drive to Hillsboro.

00:09:05.210 --> 00:09:25.789
<v LR> We come out using the directions. We happen to drive right to this cemetery. We had passed cemeteries with hundreds of stones. I thought, well, if we find it, there will be so many stones we won't be able to find it. So we got there. It was a little chapel along the road. A small cemetery behind it.

00:09:25.789 --> 00:09:53.629
<v LR> We hopped out of the car and looked around. And finally I found, I started finding Elvira's family members at the very back of the cemetery. Some of the stones, the lettering was weathered and you couldn't make out the names. And I noticed this broken stone and I started rubbing the lettering like that was going to make it plainer to read. And I realized it was Elvira's dad's name.

00:09:53.629 --> 00:10:21.529
<v LR> So then I start looking both directions. I found her sister's graves. I found her mother's grave. But this Elvira was not there. And she was the first one to die. So we kept looking around. Some of the stones had slipped. They had sunken into the ground until they just were tilted at a real low angle. Anyway, checked everything, was ready to leave the cemetery.

00:10:21.529 --> 00:10:51.779
<v LR> And this person said, if I had known what this would look like today, we would have brought a shovel. We could have dug up this rock. And I started looking around for this rock. And it's where I had been standing to take pictures of these graves. Started pulling the grass away. Turned out to be another cemetery slab. We turned it over. And it was my great-great-grandmother's grave.

00:10:51.779 --> 00:11:03.509
<v LR> So I have her quilt. I have her doll. And I found her gravesite. So that's gotten me a little bit away from the practical side of quilting.

00:11:03.509 --> 00:11:09.409
<v MS> But still, what a wonderful story. Oh, that was meant for you at that time.

00:11:09.409 --> 00:11:45.299
<v LR> So I came back. I told my mother. My mother is in an assisted living facility. And I told her, I said, Mother, I said, you'll never guess where I've been this weekend. But I found Elvira's gravesite. And she was like, she could not believe it. I mean, there was so little known about this woman. And she just could not believe that I had, with what scarce information that I had, was able to drive that home.

00:11:45.299 --> 00:11:55.620
<v MS> I'm so excited. Now, tell me more about this quilt. Do you only bring it out special occasions now? Or do you display it in your house in a certain way?

00:11:55.620 --> 00:12:36.639
<v LR> It's rarely, um, mother kept it stored in a box under my dad's bed. And after she gave it to me, I think that was in 95. And I probably kept it stored away for a while. And I decided that I wanted to appreciate it. And I wanted to see it. And I have, I've been working on my master's degree. And had my coursework finished. And if I was going to complete that degree, I needed to either do an intern project, which was difficult to do since I was working full time. Or I'd have to write a thesis.

00:12:36.639 --> 00:12:58.860
<v LR> And I decided I loved quilting. So I would direct my thesis toward quilting. And so that's what I did. So I hung the quilt on my bedroom wall, which would have, my mother would have had a fit about it if she'd known that was hanging up there on the wall, out for everyone to see for two years.

00:12:58.860 --> 00:13:19.220
<v LR> But anyway, I kept it beside, I kept it in my bedroom where I could see it daily. It was inspiration as I worked on my quilt, or on my thesis. And I would, the two seemed to complement one another.

00:13:19.220 --> 00:13:22.399
<v MS> And you mentioned that this quilt was probably going to go to--

00:13:22.399 --> 00:14:00.639
<v LR> It will go to my daughter Susan. Traditionally, it has been handed down to the oldest daughter in the family. My mother is an only daughter. I am lucky to be the oldest of three daughters. And I have two daughters, but it will go to Susan. And it just seems to be given to the generation, or the person in the generation that truly appreciates it and will preserve the quilt and the history that goes with it.

00:14:00.639 --> 00:14:18.490
<v LR> We've never discussed what would happen if, you know, it could be handed off to someone else, or if there's no girls. We've not discussed that, but we'll let other generations decide that.

00:14:18.490 --> 00:14:25.629
<v MS> So, tell me a little bit about your interest in quilting. Did it start with Elvira's quilt, or?

00:14:25.629 --> 00:14:49.200
<v LR> I've tried to think about when my interest in quilting actually started. There was a move that I made in 1978. It was with my husband's work. It was a move I didn't want to make.

00:14:49.200 --> 00:14:51.519
<v MS> Do you want me to?

00:14:51.519 --> 00:14:54.139
<v LR> Yeah.

00:14:54.139 --> 00:15:25.100
<v MS> We've turned the tape back on, and Louise is talking to us about her interest in quilting, where it began. Well, my first interest in quilting, I think, came at this time when I made this move that I didn't want to make. And I thought, for the first time in about 15 years, I was not working. And I looked around the neighborhood, and I thought, here's these old ladies that are home, and maybe they'd like to quilt. I think some of them, I knew some of them did.

00:15:25.100 --> 00:15:55.639
<v LR> But anyway, I thought about organizing a neighborhood quilting group, and before I could actually get it in place, I did go to work. And it was about 10 years later. Then I was off work for a year. And I had been working for a community college, and we were offering noncredit quilting classes. So when I was off work that year, I thought, great, now's when I'll learn to quilt.

00:15:55.639 --> 00:16:21.820
<v LR> So I did. I took that eight-week quilting class. It was a hand piecing sampler class. And I took the course and loved every minute, every stitch of it. And after we finished, some of the ladies wanted an evening class, but the instructor was not willing. She had problems with her eyes seeing at night, so she didn't want to offer a night class.

00:16:21.820 --> 00:16:46.419
<v LR> After eight weeks instruction, I started teaching the class at night. And I think I did that probably four or five semesters. And each semester, I'd make a new quilt top. And those are the ones that I just make them right along in step with the students. And as I did that, I'd give them to my children. And I have three children. A boy and two girls.

00:16:46.419 --> 00:16:58.259
<v MS> And the tops that you made, were they a reflection of what was going on inside of you at the time, or were they just processes you'd try?

00:16:58.259 --> 00:18:00.630
<v LR> They were, um, sampler quilts. They tried to expose the student to straight stitching, working with diagonal lines, curved lines like the Drunkard's Path. It had some of the really classic sampler quilt patterns in there. Clay's Choice. I don't remember what they are now, but it was just very exciting to see each individual's preference in color and fabric choices made. Even though everyone was making basically identical quilts, their color choice and pattern choices made them very unique. And so basically, I just stuck to colors and prints that I liked. I don't think it's any reflection of any social issues or women's issues.

00:18:00.630 --> 00:18:07.509
<v MS> So, how many hours a week do you quilt now, would you say?

00:18:07.509 --> 00:18:42.410
<v LR> Actual quilting, I've gotten away from the practical side because I'm more into research and study. Even though I finished my thesis, I still love to read. I'm really just into the research and reading part of it. But I still, I sew almost every day, but it's doing customer sewing. I do alterations and repair for people.

00:18:42.410 --> 00:19:00.369
<v MS> Do you have any stories to tell about quilting and if quilting had gotten you through a difficult time in your life? Besides this.

00:19:00.369 --> 00:19:26.329
<v LR> I think I've just, when I did my thesis, I prepared a survey and I didn't ask that particular question on the survey, which I now regret. And I think I just like, I can never remember when I learned to sew. I can remember as a preschooler standing at my mother's box sewing machine. I was fascinated with it at that time.

00:19:26.329 --> 00:20:04.400
<v LR> She said I drove her crazy asking questions, but I was still fascinated with the mechanics of the machine and repairing clothes. And then I ended up making clothing for my daughters when they were small. So as far as sewing or quilting helping me through a tough time, it's just something I've learned, I've just come to realize that I want to sew a little bit every day. It's not a very good answer to this question, I don't think.

00:20:04.400 --> 00:20:21.720
<v MS> No, it's fine. It's wonderful. What now pleases you about quilting? I know you have these wonderful old quilts in your family, but what else pleases you about the nature of quilting?

00:20:21.720 --> 00:20:58.880
<v LR> Usually I have projects in mind or the next quilt I know what it's going to be. I try to reframe from starting another quilt. I have one in a frame that I'm hand quilting. The very first quilt that I made in that quilting class, it was totally hand pieced, and that is the one quilt I have done all the hand quilting on, which took me almost four years. Plus I made pillow shams to match and hand quilted those.

00:20:58.880 --> 00:21:21.339
<v LR> At that time I was still teaching these community college classes and making tops at a pace or a speed I knew I'd never get those hand quilted. I became acquainted with an Amish lady that lives about 25 miles from Macomb, and I developed a friendship with her, and she is a fabulous quilter.

00:21:21.339 --> 00:21:44.180
<v LR> I really prefer the hand piecing and creating the tops more so than the quilting. I do enjoy the quilting. I'm not fast at it, and I end up with my fingers so sore that I have to quit and let them heal up. Even though I like to quilt, that's not a major interest.

00:21:44.180 --> 00:21:45.920
<v MS> So for you it's more of the piecing.

00:21:45.920 --> 00:21:59.819
<v LR> It's more of the piecing and looking for a pattern to make. I do some machine piecing, but my preference is hand piecing.

00:21:59.819 --> 00:22:09.720
<v MS> Have you exchanged any designs with your Amish friend where you both kind of had patterns that you worked back and forth with or anything like that?

00:22:09.720 --> 00:22:49.619
<v LR> Have not done that, but even when I haven't had a project for her to quilt for me, I've known her now about 12 years. I went out one time and picked her up to bring her into Macomb to a quilt show that our quilt guild was sponsoring, and so we've developed a real close friendship, but we really haven't exchanged patterns, patterns or pieces. She bounces ideas off of, we both exchange challenges that we're encountering within our personal work.

00:22:49.619 --> 00:23:02.940
<v MS> Right. And what do you think makes a great quilt?

00:23:02.940 --> 00:23:59.210
<v LR> First I think it's the individual's interest in that particular quilt. I think each of us can look at a quilt and not be too impressed by it until we understand the maker or the owner of that quilt, and then learning about it we begin to understand and appreciate the greatness connected with that. I think greatness of a quilt is in the eyes. It can be one thing for the eyes of the viewer, but the greatness could be different for the owner or the maker. So I think there's different factors that can make a quilt great.

00:23:59.210 --> 00:24:08.569
<v MS> And then going along with that, what do you think makes a quilt artistically powerful?

00:24:08.569 --> 00:24:49.750
<v LR> I think color. The first thing that I notice is the color and the pattern in a quilt. That's a tough question. A lot of contemporary quilts, and that may seem like art, I don't know, that's just a really tough question. I'd love to listen to other people's answers about it, but I don't typically like to answer the question myself.

00:24:49.750 --> 00:25:00.170
<v MS> Okay, well we can go on from there. What do you think makes a great quilter? I know it's kind of tied in, but it's a little different.

00:25:00.170 --> 00:25:40.049
<v LR> A great quilter. I think a great quilter is a person who is passionate about the hobby. I don't think it takes an expert seamstress to be a great quilter. I think someone that just loves, loves the fabric, the patterns, just has a passion for doing it.

00:25:40.049 --> 00:25:45.710
<v MS> And what's your feeling about machine quilting versus hand quilting?

00:25:45.710 --> 00:26:11.599
<v LR> Well my preference is hand sewing, is hand quilting, although I've started to do more machine quilting and machine piecing. But that's been basically through the quilt guild I belong to. Once a year we have projects where we do charity quilts. They have been baby quilts, but then they're also for troubled teenagers.

00:26:11.599 --> 00:26:42.140
<v LR> The church that I belong to, we make charity quilts that go to a children's home, and they're like a twin size quilt, and they're given to each, each individual that comes into that home is given their own personal quilt to keep. And so in those two different projects I have done machine piecing and quilting, but more just for the speed and the time involved.

00:26:42.140 --> 00:27:05.779
<v LR> I think even though it's quicker, for me personally, I think the machine sewing is tougher. I can manipulate fabric by hand, and get it to come out even. Where even pinning it and holding it from the machine, I have more trouble with everything staying even and perfect. So personally I prefer the hand sewing.

00:27:05.779 --> 00:27:14.500
<v MS> How about when you see quilts on display? And is that some of the criteria that you use when you view them, whether, you know, there's machine piecing or...

00:27:14.500 --> 00:27:48.130
<v LR> No, I appreciate both. And one of the ladies in our quilt guild has one of the long arm machines and she has converted from hand sewing to the machine quilting. And she does outstanding work. But as far as viewing the quilts, I really don't have a preference of the hand over the machine. I think both are very good in their own categories.

00:27:48.130 --> 00:27:55.890
<v MS> And why would you think quilting is important in your life?

00:27:55.890 --> 00:28:30.029
<v LR> First, it was important in my life from the practical aspect. And as I worked on my thesis, I realized it takes on... Early in my thesis study, I read where there were two types of quilters. The quilters who were avid quilters and seamstress. And then there were those women who were involved in the study of it that didn't sew at all.

00:28:30.029 --> 00:28:52.829
<v LR> And that statement absolutely blew me away. I could not imagine anyone being interested in quilting that did not sew. I still have trouble with that today. But I've met some of these women and realized, you know, they're out there studying and promoting itand talking about it, lecturing about it, but they don't do it.

00:28:52.829 --> 00:29:46.970
<v LR> But quilting has really... I'd say it's my hobby and my passion. So I can't imagine a time from here on that I wouldn't be interested in it in one way or another. In attending this workshop this weekend, this is my first American Quilters Study Group conference. And before I came, I thought, gee, I wonder what that'll be like, and I wonder what I'll learn. And so I felt compelled to sign up for this workshop of Save Our Stories. And so that's just one more chapter in the effect it has on my life. And I'm just more fired up than ever.

00:29:46.970 --> 00:29:57.069
<v MS> That's great. In what ways do your quilts reflect your community or your region?

00:29:57.069 --> 00:30:17.910
<v LR> From a community standpoint, like I mentioned earlier, my quilt guild, I belong to one quilt guild. Some women belong to two and three, but I only belong to one. It's a local chapter. We make these charity quilts. We try to do it for different groups.

00:30:17.910 --> 00:30:46.910
<v LR> And this past year, we had a contact where we made child-sized quilts, and they were sent to New York for some of the 911 workers. I think they went specifically to emergency workers, like for the first aid people and the first responders. But we always try to pick out some kind of organization to provide the charity quilts for.

00:30:46.910 --> 00:31:03.930
<v LR> And then the church charity quilts are a little different. But as far as the region, I can't think of any particular type of quilts that highlight the region specifically. I just can't think of anything in that area.

00:31:03.930 --> 00:31:08.849
<v MS> And the Amish are kind of separate in that you mentioned...

00:31:08.849 --> 00:31:45.329
<v LR> There's a lot of Amish families in McDonough and Hancock County. I'm not aware of them having any kind of organized shows or exhibits or places where they sell their work. I think a lot of them sell it on an independent basis. And this Clara Borentraeger that I've been friends with, I've urged her when I go out there. I said, I can't imagine why you don't have business cards, why you're not advertising this.

00:31:45.329 --> 00:32:09.430
<v LR> But because of their culture, I'm somewhat standoffish about... I try to be very respectful of their culture. So at one point she did say, "Maybe I should have business cards made up. What would you suggest I put on them?"

00:32:09.430 --> 00:32:13.730
<v MS> And Clara is your friend that you've known for 12 years now.

00:32:13.730 --> 00:32:45.900
<v LR> I'd love to have pictures of her, but you're not supposed to take pictures, you know, face-on pictures of Amish people. I wanted to cite Clara in my quilt thesis, but she was very adamant that I not use any information that would divulge who it was. Again, the privacy, the ethics statement type thing, I assured her of that.

00:32:45.900 --> 00:32:56.700
<v LR> Her mother did point out to me that Clara's mother had 75 grandchildren. She did mention that she made quilts for all 75 of those grandchildren.

00:32:56.700 --> 00:33:08.529
<v MS> This is a note to the tape then. We'll certainly want to make sure that we also respect Clara's privacy for the people who are listening to this tape recording.

00:33:08.529 --> 00:33:15.069
<v MS> And what do you think about the importance of quilts in American life?

00:33:15.069 --> 00:33:55.950
<v LR> I think quilts have more of an importance to American life than what a lot of us realize. And that was the question or the statement that was really at the thrust of my thesis. I wondered to myself, two and three hundred years later, how could quilting still be so important to women and to families and to cultures today where we really didn't need them for bed coverings, which we did at the founding of this country.

00:33:55.950 --> 00:34:28.719
<v LR> Why and what had kept them so popular and the interest continues to snowball? They claimed like in 1976 at the bicentennial of the United States or of America that quilting came out again, but it was like after all the crafts and all the family colonial interest.

00:34:28.719 --> 00:35:16.130
<v LR> But I think there's been a revival in quilting today that is even greater than it was at that time. And I still don't have a real good answer to that. I think quilts influence our lives to a point that we find difficult to describe. The art world recognizes them today where that wasn't true 25, 50 years ago. But still there's a lot more interest out there than just practical or the art interest.

00:35:16.130 --> 00:35:25.190
<v MS> And in what ways do you think that quilts have special meaning for women's history in America?

00:35:25.190 --> 00:35:46.690
<v LR> I think we're still learning that. And when I realized about five years ago that the Study Quilt Center had been, that brainchild was out there and it was opened through the generosity of Robert and Ardis James,

00:35:46.690 --> 00:36:15.269
<v LR> I thought if someone could donate a thousand quilts and a million dollars to start that Study Quilt Center connected with a university, there was tremendous interest and knowledge out there that we were just, we're just beginning to understand. And that's an international interest and educational facility.

00:36:15.269 --> 00:36:16.869
<v MS> So not only America.

00:36:16.869 --> 00:36:51.030
<v LR> Right. So I think that people have come to realize that quilts affect multiple disciplines within our life. What used to be thought of just as women's work or women's interest has now taken on both male and female interests. It's done by all classes of people, all cultures. I think it is the most fabulous example of human society that there is.

00:36:51.030 --> 00:37:19.510
<v LR> I read one time that they said the quilt is the only artifact or antique, that may not be the right term, but that's the only one that was actually made by the individual themselves that has maintained that interest and popularity.

00:37:19.510 --> 00:37:24.590
<v MS> And how do you think that quilts can be preserved for the future?

00:37:24.590 --> 00:38:03.750
<v LR> I think this, Save Our Stories, has been a wonderful invention or it's been an insight for people to spread the word and to cultivate and preserve this history. I think education is one of the greatest ways of doing this. And through this workshop this weekend, that's just another example of that.

00:38:03.750 --> 00:38:36.380
<v LR> So we preserve it through the word, through the education, through the quilts, through exchange with each other. There's approximately 200 women here this weekend, men and women, and this has just created a network of people that are each working to preserve this history. So that's what I'm excited about.

00:38:36.380 --> 00:38:45.699
<v MS> Well great, we only have a couple more minutes and I wanted to thank you, Louise, for taking the time to interview with us today. And it's really been a pleasure.

00:38:45.699 --> 00:38:46.679
<v LR> Thank you.

00:38:46.679 --> 00:38:53.079
<v MS> Is there anything else that you'd like to add before we conclude the interview?

00:38:53.079 --> 00:38:58.860
<v LR> I can't think of anything at this time. Thank you, thank you, I've enjoyed it.

00:38:58.860 --> 00:39:10.860
<v MS> Thank you so much again. And this will conclude the interview for AQSG-008 on October 4th. And we conclude the interview at 3.20 p.m.

NOTE
TRANSCRIPTION END

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<rights>All rights to the Quilters' S.O.S. -- Save Our Stories (QSOS) oral history project, including but not restricted to legal title, copyrights and literary property rights, have been transferred from the Quilt Alliance to the University of Kentucky Libraries. Please contact the Louie B. Nunn Center for Oral History regarding rights pertaining to individual interviews.</rights>
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