Selma Gray Lee
Photos
Title
Selma Gray Lee
Identifier
DC20002-004
Format
audio
Type
Oral History
Interviewee
Selma Gray Lee
Interviewer
Evelyn Salinger
Interview Date
10/6/04
Interview sponsor
Brenda Brinn
Location
Washington D.C.
Transcriber
Evelyn Salinger
Transcription
Evelyn Salinger (ES): Today is October 6th, 2004. I am interviewing Selma Gray Lee Number [DC.] 20002-004. We are meeting on Capitol Hill, Washington, D.C., at the home of Virginia Quinn. The interviewer is Evelyn Salinger. Hi, Selma.
Selma Lee (SL): Hi. ES: How are you today?
SL: Fine.
ES: It's nice of you to come over here to have your interview. I usually start to talk about the quilt first. I think we should probably talk about the quilt that you brought. [background noise.] First of all, it is in a lovely bag that's purple and green and blue. Huge. [noises as we spread it on the table.] Can you spread this here? Oh, beautiful backing. It has a purple background with little hearts and through the middle it has a beautiful contrasting border print. And what did you bring today?
SL: I brought that one because that's one that I made for my daughters when they first moved into their townhouse. And that's one that I made because they have a big wall. And I made it to hang on the wall.
ES: Oh. It is a huge quilt. And they could hang it up on the wall as a decoration?
SL: Uh-hum. Yes.
ES: And the two daughters were living together at the time?
SL: Yes, the two daughters were living together.
ES: That's very nice. So let's describe it for people who can't see it. It's made of--
SL: Butterflies in all different color fabrics.
ES: These fabrics that you had around the house?
SL: Yes.
ES: And then you seemed to put feather stitching around all the butterflies?
SL: Yes.
ES: And embroidery on the antennae. Now, is this hand done completely?
SL: No. It's machine sewn.
ES: The borders and so forth--but I think the quilting here is lovely.
SL: The quilting is all hand quilting.
ES: Lovely hand quilting. It's just beautiful. Do you know when this was made? Do you have a date on here?
SL: It should be—on your end, on the back side.
ES: Just your name is there, maybe beneath the wall hanging--
SL: I usually put the date on it.
ES: You can give me the date later, when you think about it. It's very nice. Were these some of the fabrics from the girls' clothes or anything like that?
SL: No, just scraps.
ES: Just scraps. As I say, it has a beautiful lavender background.
SL: Virginia [Quinn.] says that's one of her fabrics.
ES: Uh-huh. That's beautiful. Now where does it stay at your house, or did you have to borrow it today?
SL: They borrow some of my quilts. They don't keep the quilts up full time. They borrow some of mine and then I have to take theirs back over to my house to keep, because they don't have any place to keep them.
ES: Yeah. You keep them safe. That's beautiful. [table noises.] Could you tell us your earliest memories of quilts and quilting?
SL: I can remember around 1976, I was talking to my girlfriend and she was telling me about how her grandmother quilted. And it sounded so interesting. I said, 'Let's do it.' And when we started making tops and all and my girlfriend said, 'I don't know about quilting, all I know is what my grandmother showed me.' So then we got books and started that way. And then my mother started. She said, 'That's the quilting that's you all's idea. I'm not going to get interested.' Then she got more interested than we were. [laughs.]
ES: Oh, my.
SL: But it just started that way and then about 1987 after my mother died, I got into the group. [Daughters of Dorcas.] And then I learned more and more from people like Virginia [Quinn.] and Viola [Canady.] and all. And that's just how my interest grew.
ES: I see. Had you done a lot of sewing as a child?
SL: No.
ES: Your stitches are so fine and beautiful there on that quilt. You had to pick that up all later?
SL: I picked it up. And that was my hobby. I could quilt all day.
ES: Aha.
SL: But recently I've had a medical problem and I can't do it any more. I tell the girls, 'Do it while you can, you never know.'
ES: That's right. Where did you grow up?
SL: I grew up in Washington. I was born in Atlanta, Georgia. But I grew up in Washington at about age 5. So I have been here in this vicinity ever since. [banging noises.]
ES: Did you work here? Did you have a career for part of your time here?
SL: Yeah. I taught special education part of the time. I taught in the government part of the time. I had different jobs.
ES: But it was teaching most of the time.
SL: Uh-hum.
ES: And you raised two daughters.
SL: Yeah.
ES: And does either one of them quilt?
SL: No, neither one of them quilt but I have one that knits. She is a fantastic knitter. But neither one of them quilt.
ES: When you taught your mother, was she able to have some years of enjoyment of making quilts?
SL: Yes. About ten years or so.
ES: Did you inherit some of her quilts?
SL: She gave all of hers away. As she quilted them, she gave them away. And I may have one or two that belonged to my father.
ES: And now, what do you do with your quilts?
SL: I keep them, and I give them away, I give the girls some. I keep them. I can't get rid of them. I want to get rid of them, because I have too many, but I haven't gotten to the place that I can just give them away yet.
ES: Yeah. And do your girls use them on their beds?
SL: Yes.
ES: Would you tell us about the wedding quilts that you made?
SL: I made each one of them, with the help of Virginia [Quinn.], a wedding quilt. Patty does not use hers. She just keeps hers away. But Lola puts hers on the wall.
ES: Aha. And what were the two patterns that you had for those?
SL: The first one was a basket pattern, little baskets.
ES: Little baskets?
SL: And the second one was a cut stack and whack--
ES: But it has a better name. Dresden Star. [laughter.]
SL: And it was made from a fabric that my brother brought from Africa. It's beautiful.
ES: Yes, it came out very well.
SL: Yeah, it really did.
ES: Good. What is or was your most favorite part of quilting?
SL: Hand quilting.
ES: You like the hand work.
SL: The hand quilting, not the hand piecing. 'Cause I don't piece by hand any way. I piece by machine.
ES: Uh-huh. And your least favorite thing to do?
SL: Machine sewing.
ES: Did you make your own designs as you went along or do you use traditional designs?
SL: Mostly traditional patterns.
ES: Have you kept an album or any kind of record of what you've made?
SL: I have started keeping albums but it got to be too much.
ES: How has quilting impacted your family? What involvement?
SL: My husband is very involved. Although he doesn't admit it, he is involved in everything I do. If I have anything outside of the home, he's always involved. If I need any help getting the quilting frame fixed or anything, he gets involved in that. So he's very helpful. He really is.
ES: And has he built some frames and things?
SL: Yes, he has built frames for other people. He doesn't do it any more, but he has done it.
ES: They are the kind that can ratchet, can move, that kind of frame, or--
SL: Yeah.
ES: Have you ever entered shows?
SL: I've done a couple of shows at the Decatur House. I've done shows at where I live in Prince George's County. I've done several shows there. I just can't remember everything. But I have done several shows.
ES: Were some of them juried? Did you receive awards or anything?
SL: No. Well the one at Decatur House was juried, but I did not get an award. But I did sell one at Decatur House, once.
ES: What was that quilt?
SL: It was a house quilt.
ES: Have you done any teaching--of quilting?
SL: I've had several classes. Virginia and I worked with the children. We did one at Howard University for adults. I did several classes. I've done one other one with Doris Scott [former member of Daughters of Dorcas.] in Prince George's County. I've done four or five classes.
ES: Very nice. And you yourself, when did you say you came into the Daughters of Dorcas?
SL: Around 1987. My mother died in '86 and I was lonesome and wanted something to do. Joyce Nixon and I came together at the Daughters of Dorcas.
ES: And what did you do first when you were there? Do you remember what you got involved with when you first joined?
SL: Just quilting and just learning. I think the first thing I was working on was Grandmother's Flower Garden. One of the ladies was working on that. And we all started working on that. Just different things that the ladies were doing and we were picking up clues from them.
ES: Very nice. Do you make quilts for charity sometimes?
SL: Just for the children with the Daughters of Dorcas.
ES: What you look for when you look at a quilt?
SL: I look at the colors. The first thing that hits me-- what are the colors and how do they work? And how do I feel about them. And then, next, the patterns, and how they are arranged. And of course I look at the quilting.
ES: Uh-hum. What is your feeling about machine quilting versus hand quilting?
SL: I think machine quilting is awesome. And I really would like--one of the ladies in the group is a fantastic machine quilter. And I really would like to learn from her. I really think it's awesome. And I really would like to learn more about it.
ES: Do you have any stories or experiences to do with quilting that you might like to share?
SL: I can't think of anything off hand.
ES: In what ways has quilting had meaning for the American woman?
SL: I feel it gives us an opportunity to project ourselves in different ways—art. It gives you time to be with yourself and be with what you want to do. And I feel that's very important.
ES: Very nice. Do you have any advice for new quilters?
SL: I feel that, just like Virginia said, finish what you start. Don't try to start too much, because it is frustrating. But finish what you start and then start something else. But most of the ladies don't take that advice.
ES: Yes. Some of us get so backed up.
SL: Yeah.
ES: Is there anything that we haven't covered that you had wanted to talk about? Oh, have you participated in quilt history documentation?
SL: Only the one that they had at Daughters of Dorcas, that's the only one that I have participated in when the ladies were here at the meeting.
ES: What did they do?
SL: They had a lot of old quilts and they were trying to give the meanings and age and all of them. That's the only time I have participated in it.
ES: Have you participated in any television programs? You mentioned something about the Daughters of Dorcas having television shows.
SL: A couple of times, Daughters of Dorcas were involved in television programs. A lot of my friends still tell me they remember me on television. [laughter.] One time, Virginia, Doris and I, and Raymond [Dobard.] were with the children on television. And then, once before we were on television. I can't remember what show that was. But some of my friends still remember me on television. [laughter.]
ES: Very nice. Is there anything else that we should talk about today?
SL: I can't think of anything.
ES: I think we've covered pretty much everything I can think of. Oh, one thing I see here—do you do any other crafts?
SL: No.
ES: I think we'll leave it there. Thank you very much for your information. It is very nice of you to come today.
SL: Thank you. [tape ends.]
Selma Lee (SL): Hi. ES: How are you today?
SL: Fine.
ES: It's nice of you to come over here to have your interview. I usually start to talk about the quilt first. I think we should probably talk about the quilt that you brought. [background noise.] First of all, it is in a lovely bag that's purple and green and blue. Huge. [noises as we spread it on the table.] Can you spread this here? Oh, beautiful backing. It has a purple background with little hearts and through the middle it has a beautiful contrasting border print. And what did you bring today?
SL: I brought that one because that's one that I made for my daughters when they first moved into their townhouse. And that's one that I made because they have a big wall. And I made it to hang on the wall.
ES: Oh. It is a huge quilt. And they could hang it up on the wall as a decoration?
SL: Uh-hum. Yes.
ES: And the two daughters were living together at the time?
SL: Yes, the two daughters were living together.
ES: That's very nice. So let's describe it for people who can't see it. It's made of--
SL: Butterflies in all different color fabrics.
ES: These fabrics that you had around the house?
SL: Yes.
ES: And then you seemed to put feather stitching around all the butterflies?
SL: Yes.
ES: And embroidery on the antennae. Now, is this hand done completely?
SL: No. It's machine sewn.
ES: The borders and so forth--but I think the quilting here is lovely.
SL: The quilting is all hand quilting.
ES: Lovely hand quilting. It's just beautiful. Do you know when this was made? Do you have a date on here?
SL: It should be—on your end, on the back side.
ES: Just your name is there, maybe beneath the wall hanging--
SL: I usually put the date on it.
ES: You can give me the date later, when you think about it. It's very nice. Were these some of the fabrics from the girls' clothes or anything like that?
SL: No, just scraps.
ES: Just scraps. As I say, it has a beautiful lavender background.
SL: Virginia [Quinn.] says that's one of her fabrics.
ES: Uh-huh. That's beautiful. Now where does it stay at your house, or did you have to borrow it today?
SL: They borrow some of my quilts. They don't keep the quilts up full time. They borrow some of mine and then I have to take theirs back over to my house to keep, because they don't have any place to keep them.
ES: Yeah. You keep them safe. That's beautiful. [table noises.] Could you tell us your earliest memories of quilts and quilting?
SL: I can remember around 1976, I was talking to my girlfriend and she was telling me about how her grandmother quilted. And it sounded so interesting. I said, 'Let's do it.' And when we started making tops and all and my girlfriend said, 'I don't know about quilting, all I know is what my grandmother showed me.' So then we got books and started that way. And then my mother started. She said, 'That's the quilting that's you all's idea. I'm not going to get interested.' Then she got more interested than we were. [laughs.]
ES: Oh, my.
SL: But it just started that way and then about 1987 after my mother died, I got into the group. [Daughters of Dorcas.] And then I learned more and more from people like Virginia [Quinn.] and Viola [Canady.] and all. And that's just how my interest grew.
ES: I see. Had you done a lot of sewing as a child?
SL: No.
ES: Your stitches are so fine and beautiful there on that quilt. You had to pick that up all later?
SL: I picked it up. And that was my hobby. I could quilt all day.
ES: Aha.
SL: But recently I've had a medical problem and I can't do it any more. I tell the girls, 'Do it while you can, you never know.'
ES: That's right. Where did you grow up?
SL: I grew up in Washington. I was born in Atlanta, Georgia. But I grew up in Washington at about age 5. So I have been here in this vicinity ever since. [banging noises.]
ES: Did you work here? Did you have a career for part of your time here?
SL: Yeah. I taught special education part of the time. I taught in the government part of the time. I had different jobs.
ES: But it was teaching most of the time.
SL: Uh-hum.
ES: And you raised two daughters.
SL: Yeah.
ES: And does either one of them quilt?
SL: No, neither one of them quilt but I have one that knits. She is a fantastic knitter. But neither one of them quilt.
ES: When you taught your mother, was she able to have some years of enjoyment of making quilts?
SL: Yes. About ten years or so.
ES: Did you inherit some of her quilts?
SL: She gave all of hers away. As she quilted them, she gave them away. And I may have one or two that belonged to my father.
ES: And now, what do you do with your quilts?
SL: I keep them, and I give them away, I give the girls some. I keep them. I can't get rid of them. I want to get rid of them, because I have too many, but I haven't gotten to the place that I can just give them away yet.
ES: Yeah. And do your girls use them on their beds?
SL: Yes.
ES: Would you tell us about the wedding quilts that you made?
SL: I made each one of them, with the help of Virginia [Quinn.], a wedding quilt. Patty does not use hers. She just keeps hers away. But Lola puts hers on the wall.
ES: Aha. And what were the two patterns that you had for those?
SL: The first one was a basket pattern, little baskets.
ES: Little baskets?
SL: And the second one was a cut stack and whack--
ES: But it has a better name. Dresden Star. [laughter.]
SL: And it was made from a fabric that my brother brought from Africa. It's beautiful.
ES: Yes, it came out very well.
SL: Yeah, it really did.
ES: Good. What is or was your most favorite part of quilting?
SL: Hand quilting.
ES: You like the hand work.
SL: The hand quilting, not the hand piecing. 'Cause I don't piece by hand any way. I piece by machine.
ES: Uh-huh. And your least favorite thing to do?
SL: Machine sewing.
ES: Did you make your own designs as you went along or do you use traditional designs?
SL: Mostly traditional patterns.
ES: Have you kept an album or any kind of record of what you've made?
SL: I have started keeping albums but it got to be too much.
ES: How has quilting impacted your family? What involvement?
SL: My husband is very involved. Although he doesn't admit it, he is involved in everything I do. If I have anything outside of the home, he's always involved. If I need any help getting the quilting frame fixed or anything, he gets involved in that. So he's very helpful. He really is.
ES: And has he built some frames and things?
SL: Yes, he has built frames for other people. He doesn't do it any more, but he has done it.
ES: They are the kind that can ratchet, can move, that kind of frame, or--
SL: Yeah.
ES: Have you ever entered shows?
SL: I've done a couple of shows at the Decatur House. I've done shows at where I live in Prince George's County. I've done several shows there. I just can't remember everything. But I have done several shows.
ES: Were some of them juried? Did you receive awards or anything?
SL: No. Well the one at Decatur House was juried, but I did not get an award. But I did sell one at Decatur House, once.
ES: What was that quilt?
SL: It was a house quilt.
ES: Have you done any teaching--of quilting?
SL: I've had several classes. Virginia and I worked with the children. We did one at Howard University for adults. I did several classes. I've done one other one with Doris Scott [former member of Daughters of Dorcas.] in Prince George's County. I've done four or five classes.
ES: Very nice. And you yourself, when did you say you came into the Daughters of Dorcas?
SL: Around 1987. My mother died in '86 and I was lonesome and wanted something to do. Joyce Nixon and I came together at the Daughters of Dorcas.
ES: And what did you do first when you were there? Do you remember what you got involved with when you first joined?
SL: Just quilting and just learning. I think the first thing I was working on was Grandmother's Flower Garden. One of the ladies was working on that. And we all started working on that. Just different things that the ladies were doing and we were picking up clues from them.
ES: Very nice. Do you make quilts for charity sometimes?
SL: Just for the children with the Daughters of Dorcas.
ES: What you look for when you look at a quilt?
SL: I look at the colors. The first thing that hits me-- what are the colors and how do they work? And how do I feel about them. And then, next, the patterns, and how they are arranged. And of course I look at the quilting.
ES: Uh-hum. What is your feeling about machine quilting versus hand quilting?
SL: I think machine quilting is awesome. And I really would like--one of the ladies in the group is a fantastic machine quilter. And I really would like to learn from her. I really think it's awesome. And I really would like to learn more about it.
ES: Do you have any stories or experiences to do with quilting that you might like to share?
SL: I can't think of anything off hand.
ES: In what ways has quilting had meaning for the American woman?
SL: I feel it gives us an opportunity to project ourselves in different ways—art. It gives you time to be with yourself and be with what you want to do. And I feel that's very important.
ES: Very nice. Do you have any advice for new quilters?
SL: I feel that, just like Virginia said, finish what you start. Don't try to start too much, because it is frustrating. But finish what you start and then start something else. But most of the ladies don't take that advice.
ES: Yes. Some of us get so backed up.
SL: Yeah.
ES: Is there anything that we haven't covered that you had wanted to talk about? Oh, have you participated in quilt history documentation?
SL: Only the one that they had at Daughters of Dorcas, that's the only one that I have participated in when the ladies were here at the meeting.
ES: What did they do?
SL: They had a lot of old quilts and they were trying to give the meanings and age and all of them. That's the only time I have participated in it.
ES: Have you participated in any television programs? You mentioned something about the Daughters of Dorcas having television shows.
SL: A couple of times, Daughters of Dorcas were involved in television programs. A lot of my friends still tell me they remember me on television. [laughter.] One time, Virginia, Doris and I, and Raymond [Dobard.] were with the children on television. And then, once before we were on television. I can't remember what show that was. But some of my friends still remember me on television. [laughter.]
ES: Very nice. Is there anything else that we should talk about today?
SL: I can't think of anything.
ES: I think we've covered pretty much everything I can think of. Oh, one thing I see here—do you do any other crafts?
SL: No.
ES: I think we'll leave it there. Thank you very much for your information. It is very nice of you to come today.
SL: Thank you. [tape ends.]
OHMS Object
OHMS Object Text
5.42019oh0389_qsosdd0005Interview with Selma Gray Lee, October 6, 20042019oh0389_qsosdd0005qsosddQuilt Alliance’s Quilters' S.O.S.- Save Our Stories Oral History Project: Daughters of DorcasQuilt AllianceSelma Gray LeeEvelyn Salinger0https://nunncenter.aviaryplatform.com/embed/media/181106Aviaryaudio13Touchstone quilt: Purpose, appearance, and stitchingToday is October 6th, 2004. I'm interviewing Selma Gray Lee, Number 20002.004. We are meeting in Capitol Hill, Washington, DC, at the home of Virginia Quinn. Uh, the interviewer is Evelyn Salinger.
Lee made her touchstone quilt when her daughters moved into a townhouse together. It was intended as a wall hanging for a large stretch of wall and is quite big. Its squares depict butterflies in many different colors and incorporate feather stitching and embroidery. Lee used machine sewing, but hand quilting, to construct the quilt. Lee and the interviewer discuss the date the quilt was made briefly, without reaching a conclusion. The interviewer comments about how lovely the lavender background is.Hand quilting;Machine sewing;Techniques;Virginia Quinn212How Lee's quilts are used / Earliest memories of quiltingNow where does it stay? At your house or did you have to borrow it today?Lee's daughters rotate her quilts in and out of their house. They borrow some of her quilts and then their quilts return with her to her house, because the daughters do not have space to store them. In approximately 1976 a friend of Lee's, told Lee about the friend's grandmother's quilting. Lee became interested in quilting then, but her friend did not know much about what her grandmother had done, so they resorted to books to learn more. Later, Lee's mother got interested in quilting. Lee joined the Daughter of Dorcas in 1987 and learned more about quilting from a couple of the members.Daughters;Daughters of Dorcas;Family;Learning quiltmaking;Mothers;Quilt guild;Quilt Purpose - Home decoration;Viola Williams Canady;Virginia Quinn308Background and familyNow had you done a lot of sewing as a child?Lee did not do much sewing while she was growing up. Her birthplace was Atlanta, GA, but she spent most of her childhood in Washington, DC. As an adult, she worked in different contexts as a teacher. She also reared two children. Her daughters do not quilt. One, however, knits extremely well. Lee's mother was able to quilt for about ten years after learning how to quilt relatively late in life. Lee does not have any of her mother's quilts, as her mother always gave them away immediately, but she might have one or two that her father owned. Family;Family life;Illness;Mothers;Sewing429What Lee does with her quiltsAnd, now, what do you do with your quilts?Lee sometimes gives her quilts away, especially to her daughters, and sometimes keeps them. She has more quilts than she needs or really wants, but can't bring herself to pass many of them on. Her daughters have quilts she made on their beds. She made wedding quilts for both her daughters. One daughter does not use hers and the other displays hers on a wall. Lee says she used a Little Baskets pattern for one quilt and the other was a Stack and Whack quilt. The interviewer suggests "Dresden Star" as a nicer name for the Stack and Whack quilt. It was made from fabric from Africa.Daughters;Dresden Star (quilt pattern);Family;Little Baskets (quilt pattern);Mothers;Quilt Purpose - Bedcovering;Quilt Purpose - Home decoration;Quilt Purpose - Wedding;Quiltmaking for family;Stack and whack quilts;Virginia Quinn514Favorite part of quilting / Support from husbandWhat, what is your most, what was or is your most favorite, part of quilting?Lee's favorite part of quilting is hand quilting, but she does her piecing by machine. Her least favorite part is sewing by machine. For the most part, Lew uses traditional patterns, rather than designing her own. She kept albums of her work for a while, but eventually decided it was too much work. When asked about how quilting impacts her family, Lee talks about the assistance she receives from her husband, who, she says "gets involved in everything." In particular, he helps if something takes place outside the house or if Lee is having problems with her quilting frame. He also has made frames for other people.Family life;Frames;Hand quilting;Machine piecing;Quilt documentation635Quilt shows / Teaching quilting classesHave you ever entered shows?Lee has entered her work in shows at the Decatur House (Washington, DC) and in Prince George's County, MD. The Decatur House shows were juried, but Lee did not win anything. She did, however, sell a "house quilt" at a Decatur House quilt show. Lee has taught quilting classes to both adults and children, sometimes in conjunction with other people.Decatur House (Washington, DC);Doris Scott;Quilt shows/exhibitions;Selling quilts;Teaching quiltmaking;Virginia Quinn713Joining the Daughters of Dorcas / What Lee looks for in a quilt / Machine quilting vs. hand quiltingAnd you yourself, wh-, um, let's see, when did you say you came into the Daughters of Dorcas?Lee joined the Daughters of Dorcas in roughly 1987. Joyce Nixon was entering the group at around the same time. The first project Lee worked on was a Grandmother’s Flower Garden quilt, that a number of the other quilters worked on. Lee's participation in the Daughters of Dorcas includes some charitable work for children. When asked what she looks for when she looks at a quilt, Lee answers that she looks at the colors, the patterns, and the quilting, in that order. Lee thinks "machine quilting is, awesome" and she wants "to learn more about it."Daughters of Dorcas;Grandmother’s Flower Garden (quilt pattern);Joyce Nixon;Machine quilting;Quilt Purpose - Charity853Meaning of quilting for American women / Advice to beginning quiltersUm, in what ways has quilting, had meaning for the American woman?When asked about the meaning of quilting for American women, Lee says, "it gives us an opportunity to project ourselves in different ways..." She adds that "it gives you time to be with yourself, and be with what you want to do." Her advice to beginning quilters is to complete the projects they have started. She recommends avoiding starting a lot of new projects, but rather starting a new project when the old one is complete. She adds that often her advice on this point is ignored. Quilt Purpose - Artistic expression;Quilt Purpose - Personal enjoyment;Virginia QuinnQuilting934Quilt history documentation / Television appearancesOh, have you participated in quilt history, preservation or quilt history, documentation?Lee says that her one experience with quilt history documentation was at a Daughters of Dorcas meeting. She reports that the presenters were "trying to, give, uh, um, meanings and, and age and all of them" of a number of quilts. Lee appeared on television in connection with the Daughters of Dorcas twice. Lee does no other crafts.Daughters of Dorcas;Doris Scott;Quilt documentation;Quilt history;Raymond Dobard;Virginia QuinninterviewAll 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.audioInterviews may only be reproduced with permission from Louie B. Nunn Center for Oral History, University of Kentucky Libraries.0https://quiltalliance.net/ohms-viewer-master/viewer.php?cachefile=
Lee made her touchstone quilt when her daughters moved into a townhouse together. It was intended as a wall hanging for a large stretch of wall and is quite big. Its squares depict butterflies in many different colors and incorporate feather stitching and embroidery. Lee used machine sewing, but hand quilting, to construct the quilt. Lee and the interviewer discuss the date the quilt was made briefly, without reaching a conclusion. The interviewer comments about how lovely the lavender background is.Hand quilting;Machine sewing;Techniques;Virginia Quinn212How Lee's quilts are used / Earliest memories of quiltingNow where does it stay? At your house or did you have to borrow it today?Lee's daughters rotate her quilts in and out of their house. They borrow some of her quilts and then their quilts return with her to her house, because the daughters do not have space to store them. In approximately 1976 a friend of Lee's, told Lee about the friend's grandmother's quilting. Lee became interested in quilting then, but her friend did not know much about what her grandmother had done, so they resorted to books to learn more. Later, Lee's mother got interested in quilting. Lee joined the Daughter of Dorcas in 1987 and learned more about quilting from a couple of the members.Daughters;Daughters of Dorcas;Family;Learning quiltmaking;Mothers;Quilt guild;Quilt Purpose - Home decoration;Viola Williams Canady;Virginia Quinn308Background and familyNow had you done a lot of sewing as a child?Lee did not do much sewing while she was growing up. Her birthplace was Atlanta, GA, but she spent most of her childhood in Washington, DC. As an adult, she worked in different contexts as a teacher. She also reared two children. Her daughters do not quilt. One, however, knits extremely well. Lee's mother was able to quilt for about ten years after learning how to quilt relatively late in life. Lee does not have any of her mother's quilts, as her mother always gave them away immediately, but she might have one or two that her father owned. Family;Family life;Illness;Mothers;Sewing429What Lee does with her quiltsAnd, now, what do you do with your quilts?Lee sometimes gives her quilts away, especially to her daughters, and sometimes keeps them. She has more quilts than she needs or really wants, but can't bring herself to pass many of them on. Her daughters have quilts she made on their beds. She made wedding quilts for both her daughters. One daughter does not use hers and the other displays hers on a wall. Lee says she used a Little Baskets pattern for one quilt and the other was a Stack and Whack quilt. The interviewer suggests "Dresden Star" as a nicer name for the Stack and Whack quilt. It was made from fabric from Africa.Daughters;Dresden Star (quilt pattern);Family;Little Baskets (quilt pattern);Mothers;Quilt Purpose - Bedcovering;Quilt Purpose - Home decoration;Quilt Purpose - Wedding;Quiltmaking for family;Stack and whack quilts;Virginia Quinn514Favorite part of quilting / Support from husbandWhat, what is your most, what was or is your most favorite, part of quilting?Lee's favorite part of quilting is hand quilting, but she does her piecing by machine. Her least favorite part is sewing by machine. For the most part, Lew uses traditional patterns, rather than designing her own. She kept albums of her work for a while, but eventually decided it was too much work. When asked about how quilting impacts her family, Lee talks about the assistance she receives from her husband, who, she says "gets involved in everything." In particular, he helps if something takes place outside the house or if Lee is having problems with her quilting frame. He also has made frames for other people.Family life;Frames;Hand quilting;Machine piecing;Quilt documentation635Quilt shows / Teaching quilting classesHave you ever entered shows?Lee has entered her work in shows at the Decatur House (Washington, DC) and in Prince George's County, MD. The Decatur House shows were juried, but Lee did not win anything. She did, however, sell a "house quilt" at a Decatur House quilt show. Lee has taught quilting classes to both adults and children, sometimes in conjunction with other people.Decatur House (Washington, DC);Doris Scott;Quilt shows/exhibitions;Selling quilts;Teaching quiltmaking;Virginia Quinn713Joining the Daughters of Dorcas / What Lee looks for in a quilt / Machine quilting vs. hand quiltingAnd you yourself, wh-, um, let's see, when did you say you came into the Daughters of Dorcas?Lee joined the Daughters of Dorcas in roughly 1987. Joyce Nixon was entering the group at around the same time. The first project Lee worked on was a Grandmother’s Flower Garden quilt, that a number of the other quilters worked on. Lee's participation in the Daughters of Dorcas includes some charitable work for children. When asked what she looks for when she looks at a quilt, Lee answers that she looks at the colors, the patterns, and the quilting, in that order. Lee thinks "machine quilting is, awesome" and she wants "to learn more about it."Daughters of Dorcas;Grandmother’s Flower Garden (quilt pattern);Joyce Nixon;Machine quilting;Quilt Purpose - Charity853Meaning of quilting for American women / Advice to beginning quiltersUm, in what ways has quilting, had meaning for the American woman?When asked about the meaning of quilting for American women, Lee says, "it gives us an opportunity to project ourselves in different ways..." She adds that "it gives you time to be with yourself, and be with what you want to do." Her advice to beginning quilters is to complete the projects they have started. She recommends avoiding starting a lot of new projects, but rather starting a new project when the old one is complete. She adds that often her advice on this point is ignored. Quilt Purpose - Artistic expression;Quilt Purpose - Personal enjoyment;Virginia QuinnQuilting934Quilt history documentation / Television appearancesOh, have you participated in quilt history, preservation or quilt history, documentation?Lee says that her one experience with quilt history documentation was at a Daughters of Dorcas meeting. She reports that the presenters were "trying to, give, uh, um, meanings and, and age and all of them" of a number of quilts. Lee appeared on television in connection with the Daughters of Dorcas twice. Lee does no other crafts.Daughters of Dorcas;Doris Scott;Quilt documentation;Quilt history;Raymond Dobard;Virginia QuinninterviewAll 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.audioInterviews may only be reproduced with permission from Louie B. Nunn Center for Oral History, University of Kentucky Libraries.0https://quiltalliance.net/ohms-viewer-master/viewer.php?cachefile=
Collection
Citation
“Selma Gray Lee,” Quilters' S.O.S. -- Save Our Stories, accessed October 15, 2026, https://qsos.quiltalliance.org/items/show/1571.