Does Every Quilt Have a Story?

WarmQuilts
6 days ago
3 min read

I had an engaging conversation the other day - it was not with a quilter, but someone interested in the short stories that I am writing. The purpose of writing the short stories is to give each unlabeled quilt that I have found, in antique shops and in private collections, an imagined history.

When asked about the quilts, I said that every quilt has a story. There was a long pause, and she seemingly laughed in disbelief. No, she didn't have any quilts. So, I asked if she had anything in her home that was deeply meaningful or sentimental. Perhaps there was one thing that she would miss if she was evacuated and couldn't go back home - maybe a letter from a family member, a photograph, something special or irreplaceable. Each response came back as, "no".

This purple quilt top has a continuing story . . .

Made from extra strips of a quilt presented to my 92-year-old second cousin and purple fabric from my stash, this Log Cabin quilt top is a work-in-progress (WIP). It rested on a shelf, waiting for me to create something special for the center.

Then, one summer, I placed it with two other quilt tops, several sewing notions & tools, and three quilting books all in a red go-bag. I knew that I would work on the quilt tops eventually but wanted something from my sewing room saved if we ever had to leave in a hurry.

When a lightning-strike fueled an enormous fire in our area, I methodically went from room to room, collecting every red go-bag and items with red ribbons and placed them in the trunk of the car. Then, with a sudden shift of the wind, we could see the flames on a nearby ridge and we evacuated. That one bag from my sewing room held what was visually and physically left of my creative quilting journey.

Unfinished, I often used the purple quilt top as a tablecloth in our small rental. Or, when we came up to the building site, I would put it on folding table for a splash of color during lunch. Everywhere we looked things were burned and charred; I know that my husband appreciated the gesture because we needed some brightness and tradition. We did not eat on paper plates, we used items from our furnished rental - stoneware plates, flatware, glasses, fabric napkins - and sometimes even put roses from the garden in a small vase and brought everything with us to feel the profound permanence of our homesite.

I spend a great deal of time in my studio on creative projects: writing short stories, designing a fabric collection, and working to complete sewing and quilt projects. The purple quilt top is a reminder of how far we have come. When we heard a dear friend's story, I knew how I wanted to finish this quilt.

Our friend Steph lost her mother and sister last year. Both loved roses and their favorite color was purple. I nearly burst into tears when I realized where this quilt could soon call home. Roses for the center and possibly a whimsical rose and trailing leaves pattern quilted edge-to-edge, is what I envision. I am already making notes for the quilt label. I love how serendipitous this is all coming together; it was truly meant to be.

"To quilt is to live in a world where beauty is created from scraps, and every thread tells a story." ~Jennifer Chiaverini

So, "does every quilt have a story?" Yes! And, in some instances, there may be several stories associated with a quilt.

Are you currently working on a quilt with a special story? Please remember to sign your quilt by adding a label. And, if there is a sentimental or heartfelt purpose for the quilt, why not add that to the label, too.