2015 Quilter`s Chronicles

Transcription

2015
Quilter’s Chronicles
2015 Quilt Gardens along the Heritage Trail
Quilter’s Chronicles
ABOUT THE PROJECT ............................................................................................................................................................................................................. PAGE 2
ABOUT THE PROJECT MANAGER ....................................................................................................................................................................................... PAGE 2
ABOUT THE AUTHOR .............................................................................................................................................................................................................. PAGE 3
QUILTING FUN ......................................................................................................................................................................................................................... PAGE 4
THE GARDENS
CONCORD MALL / “ROCK RUN MANOR” ........................................................................................................................................................................ PAGE 5
COPPES COMMONS / “DUTCH DOUBLE WRENCH” ...................................................................................................................................................... PAGE 6
DAS DUTCHMAN ESSENHAUS / “HANDS ALL AROUND” ........................................................................................................................................... PAGE 7
DUTCH COUNTRY MARKET / “NEW YORK BEAUTY” ..................................................................................................................................................... PAGE 8
DUTCH VILLAGE MARKET / “DUTCH WINDMILL” ........................................................................................................................................................... PAGE 9
ELKHART CENTRAL PARK / “ELKHART PRIDE” ................................................................................................................................................................ PAGE 10
ELKHART COUNTY 4-H FAIRGROUNDS / “PURDUE EXTENSION CONNECTING IN OUR COMMUNITY” .................................................... PAGE 11
ELKHART COUNTY COURTHOUSE / “LINCOLN PATRIOTIC” ....................................................................................................................................... PAGE 12
ELKHART COUNTY HISTORICAL MUSEUM / “FLYING SWALLOWS” ......................................................................................................................... PAGE 13
GLORY GARDENS / “GRANDMA’S FAN”.............................................................................................................................................................................. PAGE 14
KRIDER GARDEN / “DOUBLE WEDDING RING” ............................................................................................................................................................... PAGE 15
LINTON’S ENCHANTED GARDENS / “PINK SWIRLS OF HOPE” .................................................................................................................................. PAGE 16
MARTIN’S ACE HARDWARE / “CHILD’S JOY OF OUR COUNTRY” .............................................................................................................................. PAGE 17
NAPPANEE CENTER / “OMA’S BLUMEN GARTEN” .......................................................................................................................................................... PAGE 18
OLD BAG FACTORY / “LEGACY”............................................................................................................................................................................................ PAGE 19
PREMIER ARTS, DOWNTOWN ELKHART / “DRUNKARD’S PATH” .............................................................................................................................. PAGE 20
RUTHMERE HOUSE MUSEUM / “POMEGRANATE WINDOW” .................................................................................................................................... PAGE 21
WAKARUSA / “WILD GEESE” ................................................................................................................................................................................................. PAGE 22
WEAVER FURNITURE SALES / “LOG CABIN” ..................................................................................................................................................................... PAGE 23
Visit QuiltGardens.com for more information
The 2015 Quilt Gardens along the Heritage Trail Quilter’s Chronicles
About the Quilt Gardens along the Heritage Trail
Quilt Gardens along the Heritage Trail is an innovative, creative, one-of-its-kind experience designed to interest a wide-range of
audiences and promote the area as a premier visitor destination. It offers a variety of opportunities for partnerships with local
businesses and communities and creates widespread community involvement.
The project was initiated as a concept by the Elkhart County, IN Convention & Visitors Bureau (ECCVB) in early 2006 and tested in 2007
with 2 pilot locations. 2015 is the eighth year for the season-long attraction that continues to grow and now features 19 quilt gardens
and 21 artist rendered quilt murals presented in seven communities along the Heritage Trail driving tour, viewable annually May 30 to
October 1.
Recognizing the importance and value of high quality in both the gardens and murals displayed, each garden and mural is required
to meet ten standards and related product/service specifications. Based on those standards, all official sites and patterns are juried
into the program by a committee that includes landscapers, designers, horticulturists, growers and park professionals. Official garden
partners are responsible for performing all of the work necessary to plant and maintain the gardens throughout the season.
The Quilt Gardens along the Heritage Trail has garnered national media attention and draws significant audience interest from three of
the largest hobby groups in the nation – gardeners, quilters and photographers. It has also been very favorably received by the group
motor coach audience, having been named an American Bus Association (ABA) Top 100 Event in 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014
and 2015.
“Like” us on Facebook to get weekly Quilt Garden photo udpates: https://www.facebook.com/QuiltGardensTour
Follow us on Twitter to get up-to-the-second info on all things Quilt Gardens: @quiltgardens & #QuiltGardens
Watch videos on Funky Finds ... along the Heritage Trail: http://www.youtube.com/visitamishcountry/
Sonya L. Nash, Project Manager, Elkhart County CVB
It is often times said that creating anything worthwhile takes time, money and a lot of
effort. The Quilt Gardens along the Heritage Trail embodies that statement. This project
would not have started, nor would it have continued with such success, without the
great team at the Elkhart County Convention & Visitors Bureau (ECCVB) and our
community partners.
The ECCVB leadership and staff work year-round to plan, prepare and promote
this project. Countless man hours including graphic design, website updates,
ad placements, journalist inquiries, group tour planning, and yes, even paying the bills
and answering the phones all occur under the parameters of the ECCVB.
At the same time more than 200 volunteers in 7 cities and towns do the same for their
sites and businesses. They work on soil content, site beautification, planting, weeding
and maintaining gardens for four months, sometimes during difficult weather
conditions, doing their part in welcoming visitors.
Elkhart County, IN Visitor Center
219 Caravan Drive | Elkhart, IN
w: AmishCountry.org
p: 800.262.8161
e: [email protected]
My role is to keep everyone working together on the same page while steering this
project in a positive future direction. Over 8 years, we have learned through trial and
error a multitude of things about transforming quilt designs into living gardens that
flourish throughout the viewing season. Educational sessions, working with garden
experts and experimenting with plant types are all part of the event too. While
gardening can be a science, we have learned that sometimes Mother Nature overrules
our efforts to excel, and sometimes we are amazed at how our plans come to fruition
in a fantastic way.
Yes, the Quilt Gardens Project is a work of art. It’s also A LOT of work involving A LOT
of people. It has become an annual event in our destination that our residents love to
share with visitors. Definitely it’s time, money and effort well spent and enjoyed by all.
We look forward to your visit and hope you return time and again as we continue to
learn and grow along with our gardens.
PAGE 2
Mary Davis, Quilter’s Chronicles Author
Gold 1000 Level Master Gardener & Indiana Master Naturalist
As a little girl, Mary had her own corner of the family garden and
loved to sew with her mother. When she was twelve, she decided
she wanted to make a Sunbonnet Sue quilt. Rather than laugh,
her mom helped her pick out fabric from scraps (her mom made
most of her clothes) and she appliqued the first square.
Tragically, Mary’s mother died less than a year later and the quilt
obviously was forgotten. Mary’s life became busy with college,
marriage, law school and practicing law with her husband.
Sometimes “what goes around, comes around” can be good and
in 2003 Mary became a Master Gardener. In 2004 she took a
beginning quilting class through adult education. Both old loves
were renewed, so Mary was thrilled to become involved in the
Quilt Gardens by researching the history of the quilts.
She retired at the end of 2010 after 36 years of practicing law, but combined quilts, gardening and talking
by becoming a step-on bus guide for Quilt Garden along the Heritage Trail. She figured this was her perfect
retirement job - having been a lawyer, she loves to talk and she says this way she has a captive audience!
Be sure to download the 2015 Master Gardener Guidebook!
Every Quilt Garden has its own intricate pattern, many are original
designs, and each has its own unique story. The Master Gardener
Guidebook gives you detailed information about each garden
focusing on plants and gardening tips.
Vickie Estep, Master Gardener Guidebook Author
Gold 2000 Level Master Gardener
2015
Master Gardener
Guidebook
Gardening is part of my makeup. My interests seem to
grow right along with my gardens. I began helping in my
grandmothers garden as a very young child and in 2006 I
took my love of gardening to a whole new level. I enrolled
in the Purdue Master Gardener training class. I love learning and have always
been intrigued by science. I made many new like-minded friends and found a
new voice for my passion. A voice that ultimately led to an opportunity to write
the Master Gardener Guidebook for Quilt Gardens along the Heritage Trail.
PAGE 3
Quilting Fun
Almost everyone who starts quilting quickly amasses fabric, usually called their “stash.” If you need some
support for buying quilting fabric, here are some suggestions:
•
Fabric has no cholesterol, fat or calories
•
Closets of fabric act as insulation, keeping your house cooler in summer and warmer in winter
•
Buying fabric is cheaper than seeing a therapist (well, usually)
•
A meteor could strike the manufacturer and I couldn’t get anymore
(or they might discontinue the pattern)
•
It helps the economy during a recession (it’s a tough job, but someone has to do it)
•
Buying fabric is more calming than seeing a psychiatrist
•
Fabric requires no refrigeration or freezing, so it helps the environment by reducing electricity
•
Fabric doesn’t require cooking
•
Fabrics don’t need to be fed, walked, wiped, read to, sung to sleep or require back rubs
•
Dust doesn’t collect under fabrics, which is a good reason to store them on the dining room table
•
There may never be another sale
•
My dog (cat, devil) made me do it
•
Someday I am sure I will use it
•
Fabrics are not illegal, fattening or immoral
•
The price was too good to pass up
•
Bolts of fabric provide good traction by adding weight to the back seat or trunk of your car
•
Whoever dies with the biggest stash wins!
PAGE 4
B3
SIZE:
Elkhart
“Rock Run Manor” - Concord Mall
30’W X 30’H
For the fourth year Concord Mall has partnered with the Elkhart Dahlia Society
in designing and presenting its Quilt Garden, and for the fourth year they have
used a dahlia pattern as the inspiration for their garden. The mall has hosted the
annual Dahlia Society Flower show for over 20 years, so it’s a natural partnership.
The society notes the colors picked for their garden highlight and coordinate
with the Quilt Mural, Jazz It Up.
Ambassador Green Leaf
Red & White Begonia Mix
White Rock
Little Hero Yellow Marigold
Low Grow Orange Zinnia
Stone Pavers
The design was inspired by two families active in the local dahlia club and
growing dahlias. The Dahlia Society has cited Mac and Norma Boyer, who have
grown dahlias in the fruit hills of Bristol for over 50 years and introduced several
varieties of dahlias, and Jerry and Ruth Ann Wittrig who have also been growing
varieties for over 50 years in Goshen. The Wittrig property is bordered by Rock
Run Creek, hence the name for this year’s pattern.
Dahlia quilts basically follow two tracks - one is a pieced quilt, usually
including dozens of “petal” pieces, appliqued to resemble the beautiful blossom
of a dahlia. The other is a pieced quilt based on a star pattern; there are six, eight
and even twelve pointed stars that have all been used as a base for a dahlia quilt.
Frequently these have a circular and star pattern in the center, but since their
2014 quilt used a star center, this garden features a diamond center. Using the
diamond center for this quilt design is interesting because looking at the
schematic drawing for the garden it looks very much like a bow tie quilt, which
simply illustrates how many different quilts utilized similar building blocks to
interpret the final design.
Stars of all kinds have long been favorites for quilters making pieced quilts.
They have also been used by Native American Indians, although usually using
a Lone Star design that is more complex than this year’s garden design. Eight
pointed star patterns are also frequently called Ohio Stars. The Ohio Star is a
staple for generations of quilters, and it is the official quilt block of the State of
Ohio. (Whoever knew states had official quilt blocks!) It is a 9-patch-block
(three rows of three squares). Four of the squares consist of four quarter
triangles. This quilt would be pieced and historically popular with Scottish and
Irish immigrants of the Midwest. It is also found in many traditional Amish quilts.
With clean, straight lines star quilts can be tackled even by beginning quilters,
as long as they are careful in cutting and joining pieces together. The
traditional seam allowance for quilts is 1/4”, which is much less than
traditionally used in making clothing. This reduces bulk, which can become a
problem in designs with multiple pieces.
Concord Mall
3701 S Main Street (US 33) | Elkhart, IN
w: ShopConcordMall.com
p: 574.875.6502
Of course, the final step in making a quilt is binding. Bindings are usually
created from bias strips of fabric, or straight strips, fastened with a bias seam.
The binding is then sewn to the quilt, folded over and hand stitched, creating
kind of a sandwich with the quilt as the filling.
PAGE 5
A6
Nappanee
“Dutch Double Wrench” - Coppes Commons
SIZE: 30’W X 30’H
The team at Coppes Commons describes their pattern for this year’s Quilt Garden
as an original design adapted from a stencil pattern on a historical Nappanee
Dutch Kitchenette. The inner design is taken from a pattern commonly known
as Monkey Wrench or Double Wrench. It was also known as Broken Plate, Hole in
the Barn Door and Lincoln’s Platform among others. All of Coppes’ Quilt Gardens
have emphasized tools used by craftsmen.
Silver Dust Dusty Miller
Hawaii Blue Ageratum
Profusion Yellow Zinnia
Cocktail Vodka Bronze Leaf Red Begonia
White Rock
Turf Grass
When I moved to the Elkhart area in 1973, the first two things I learned about
Nappanee were how to remember to spell the town because it has two of each
letter and that a Coppes kitchen was something to brag about. Coppes was a
company started in Nappanee in 1875, first making tables and shipping boxes.
In 1899 they introduced kitchen cabinets. In 1920 they became hugely
successful producing Hoosier cabinets - their version called the Dutch
Kitchenet. That story is told inside this historic building that once housed the
Coppes factory and now renovated to house a variety of small shops, food
emporium, bakery and ice cream maker.
The folks at Coppes note this year they are incorporating more color into their
garden - adding blues, yellows and reds - while their prior gardens emphasized
earth tones. Gardening and quilting are a lot alike when it comes to colors.
Both tend to use the color wheel, combining complementary colors depending
on the mood one wishes to set for their garden or sewing project. If a
beginning quilter needs help, he or she has some resources to assist - many
patterns suggest colors. There is literally a plethora of books with pictures and
information on quilts that may help. The personnel in quilt shops are always a
great help - not only in making suggestions, but knowing just the right fabric,
which you may not have even noticed in a large shop. Also the primary
manufacturers of materials used in quilts usually introduce groups of
complementary patterns and colors.
Coppes Commons
401 E Market Street | Nappanee, IN
w: CoppesCommons.com
p: 574.773.0002
PAGE 6
F2
Middlebury
“Hands All Around” - Das Dutchman Essenhaus
Das Dutchman Essenhaus is the oldest continuous site of a Quilt Garden,
having one of the original two “pilot” gardens. Essenhaus owner, Sue Miller,
likes the “Hands All Around” design because it partners with the company’s
mission statement, “We are dedicated to providing each guest with a wholesome
environment, warm hospitality, outstanding service and consistent quality.”
Plus the pinks and purples selected are Sue’s favorite colors.
This is a traditional old quilt block. The Ladies Art Company (see Wakarusa)
included it in their 1901 catalog. It represents Amish women gathered around
a quilt frame working on a quilt. Since quilts are almost always mounted on a
frame to finish (see Elkhart County Historical Museum) it is very conducive to
women working on the quilt together and socializing.
Easy Wave Neon Rose Petunia
Ambassador Green Leaf White Begonia
Easy Wave Blue Petunia
Ambassador Green Leaf Pink Begonia
Turf Grass
Perhaps we should clarify what exactly is an “Amish” quilt? Rebecca Haarer, noted
Amish quilt historian and collector (and operates a business in Shipshewana
selling quilts, antiques and other merchandise), distinguishes three different
styles of quilts all referred to as Amish quilts. The first of these is a true Amish
quilt, which is made by Amish, usually in a very traditional pattern (or one of
their own designs) and crafted using solid color fabrics, quite often in dark colors.
This is partly due to the Amish culture. They are often called “plain people” since
they wear solid color clothing and eschew ornamentation in almost every aspect
of living. So it is no surprise they used plain fabrics for their quilts which were
primarily utilitarian and used as bedspreads or blankets. Amish would never
hang a quilt on a wall or use it for decoration in their home. This may also be
attributable to the fact that their quilts were often made from scrap fabrics they
had left from making clothing.
Next is the Amish made quilt. This is a quilt made by Amish people, but intended
for sale and may incorporate prints and pastels. There are several places in and
around northern Indiana where you can purchase a quilt made by an Amish
person. Some of these quilts are still made from solid color fabrics but in a
rainbow of colors, and if an intricate pattern is used, you may do a double take
before you realize the pieces are all solid.
Finally Rebecca relates there are “Amish owned” quilts. She indicated the Amish
sometimes purchase mass market quilts for day to day use in their homes, and
these quilts may reach the used quilt market as having been owned by Amish.
Das Dutchman Essenhaus
240 US 20 | Middlebury, IN
w: Essenhaus.com
p: 800.455.9471
Of course, there are also hybrids. The first quilt I made was an embroidered quilt
top, which was then beautifully hand-quilted by an Amish lady (see Elkhart
County Historical Museum for more detailed information about methods of
quilting).
PAGE 7
F2
“New York Beauty” - Dutch Country Market
SIZE: Danube Blue Ageratum
Picobella Red Petunia
Brown Mulch
Turf Grass
Dutch Country Market
11401 CR 16 | Middlebury, IN
w: amishcountry.org/things-to-do/
shopping/dutch-country-market-1/
p: 574.825.3594
Middlebury
45’W X 45’H
When I first saw the pattern for Dutch Country Market and the name, I thought
perhaps it was named or inspired by the Statute of Liberty, since it is reminiscent
(I thought) of the spikes on her crown. It is a pattern I was not previously familiar
with until I started doing research and was surprised with what I discovered.
The DK Quilt Guild gives a history of this interestingly named quilt pattern. In
the 1990s quilt historians registered every heirloom quilt they could through
individual state projects, but they found very few quilts in the entire northeast
featuring the New York Beauty pattern. Rather it was more popular in the south
and carried such interesting alternate names (many quilts are known by a variety
of names) as Crown of Thorns, Rocky Mountain and Polk in the White House! The
latter name possibly emerged from the 1844 Presidential election pitting James
Polk against Henry Clay. One of Polk’s platform planks was to annex Texas if
elected. It was guessed that perhaps grateful women favoring annexation called
it this name and a quilt from this pattern so named was dated to 1849. Texas
entered the union as a slave state, which may explain why the pattern remained
popular in the south, but didn’t migrate north.
So where did the name come from? A bit of digression on quilt making in
general. Fabric production started in the 1820s. Prior to that time fabric was very
precious because it was very expensive and laborious to produce. Manufactured
fabric was reasonably priced and women began using it to make bedding. Early
quilting used cotton or wool wadding for batting. Quilting stitches were done
in straight lines close together to hold the wadding in place. Stearns and Foster
began making cotton batting for quilts in 1846 in Cincinnati, Ohio. Their batting
was clean, seedless (early batting often contained cotton seeds - one thing used
to date early quilts) and came in large sheets. Quilting became a homemaking
basic skill in North America. In the 1920s, to boost their batting sales, Stearns
and Foster started putting printed pattern instructions in their Mountain Mist
Cotton Batting. They renamed some of the patterns for the colonial revival
popular at the time, including the New York Beauty! They also claimed the
pattern dated all the way back to 1776, even though they had no evidence to
support this claim and there was very little quilting going on at that time.
They recommended colors of yellow, orange and white or red, white and blue.
Norm and Katie Lehman who own the Dutch Country Market picked the pattern
for the Quilt Garden by going through a book of quilt patterns. They have since
added a visit to New York City sometime in the future to their bucket list. Be sure
to stop in their inviting market which sells Katie’s homemade noodles (you can
watch them being made) as well as other specially made products. Norm is also
a beekeeper and the store stocks a variety of wholesome honey products.
PAGE 8
A6
Middlebury
“Dutch Windmill” - Dutch Village Market
The Dutch Village Market features an Amish style restaurant, shops and craft
booths. Last year was the initial year for the market to have a Quilt Garden and
they chose the tulip - obviously one of the first things that pops into one’s head
when thinking of Holland. What is probably equally symbolic? Of course, the
windmill! That is just what the committee at the market thought too. Patricia
Yoder, the leader of the group, a quilter and part owner of the market, said they
wanted something Dutch, so she looked on line and found the pattern that was
the basis for their design. It also seemed appropriate since the market actually
has a windmill on the property. As with last year, the market also has the pattern
rendered as a quilt on display in the market and available for purchase. The quilt
displayed is a pieced quilt, as windmill quilts almost always are, and it was created
by Alice Hostetler, a local quilter who has been quilting for over 40 years.
Lime Delight Coleus
Ambassador Green Leaf Rose Begonia
Boy Yellow Marigold
Dream Sky Blue Petunia
Wood Chips
Windmill quilts usually utilize triangular pieces of fabric. Pattern choices run the
gamut from easy, basic quilts up to more complex patterns. Precision cutting and
piecing is critical for patterns involving geometric shapes, such as triangles.
Inaccuracies of even 1/8” will be magnified and multiplied in piecing the entire
quilt top, resulting in mismatched seams and pattern blocks that will not lie flat.
The windmill pattern has been around for some time. The Ladies Art Company
featured a Dutch windmill quilt in its 1928 catalog (see more information on
The Ladies Art Company at Wakarusa) HOWEVER, this is not at all a traditional
windmill quilt - it is more of a whimsical quilt conveying a picture. Whimsical
quilts frequently involve using a preprinted panel and adding pieced borders
(sometimes called “cheater quilts”) or appliquéing cut-out pieces to achieve the
desired design, or by cutting out pieces usually using templates included in the
quilt pattern and piecing the quilt. This design would be fairly compatible with
piecing since it consists primarily of straight lines. In fact, you can find the pattern
on-line through Protoquilt. One caveat, it is rated as 4 out of 5 on a difficulty scale.
In case you are not a quilter and wonder how quilters cut out all those myriad
pieces that go into a quilt, it is NOT with scissors. Quilters use rotary cutters and a
mat. The mat is made of material that “heals” itself - the sharp blade doesn’t leave a
mark in the mat. Rotary cutters are fairly inexpensive (one of the few inexpensive
parts of quilting) and come in a variety of sizes. They are similar to an old fashioned
edger used for gardening. One can also buy sharpeners to keep the blades sharp
and replacement blades, since a nick in the blade can repeat itself in fabric cutting.
Multiple pieces are usually cut in a variety of ways to minimize the amount of work.
For example a quilter would first cut strips in the width desired and then rotate
angular or straight cuts so that a single cut forms the edge of two pieces of fabric.
Whimsical pieces, such as hearts, may be available already precut in a variety of
fabric choices through quilting catalogs.
Dutch Village Market
700 N Tomahawk Trail | Nappanee, IN
w: DVillageMarket.com
p: 574.773.2828
In addition to a rotary cutter and mat, a quilter utilizes a quilting ruler, which
helps as one butts the cutter up against the ruler edge. The rulers have traditional
inch markings and also may have angle markings, etc. to assist in the desired
shape. There are a variety of rulers for cutting out pieces other than squares and
rectangles. A single ruler may not be too expensive, but most quilters have a
variety of sizes and storage options for organizing all their rulers.
PAGE 9
B2
Elkhart
“Elkhart Pride” - Elkhart Central Park
Before Elkhart became known as the RV and mobile home capital of the world it
was long called the “Band Instrument Capital of the World.” Both the Selmer and
Conn factories were located here as well as many smaller manufacturers. Charles
Gerard Conn was the patriarch of musical instrument manufacturing in Elkhart,
and in 1893 his instruments were awarded the highest honors in the World’s
Columbia Exposition in Chicago. Conn also pioneered unusual instruments
building the first American made saxophone and the first sousaphone. The
Selmer Company, which was comprised of brands such as Vincent Bach, Selmer,
Emerson, Ludwig, Musser and Glaesel, was also a leader in American craftsmanship.
Pacifica XP White Vinca
Pacifica XP Really Red Vinca
Pacifica Deep Orchid Vinca
Magellan Yellow Zinnia
High Tide Fi Blue Ageratum
Turf Grass
Although much of the manufacturing of musical instruments has moved out of
Elkhart, the city still has some reminders of this interesting past that includes
hosting the popular Elkhart Jazz Festival each year and exhibiting public art that
pays homage to its musical history. Along downtown Elkhart’s RiverWalk there is
sculpture of a marching band and another of a saxophone player. On the south
wall of the Elkhart Chamber of Commerce (right next to the Premier Arts’ garden)
there are two whimsical wall murals - one features a marching band. Even one of
the hand-painted elk figures displayed around the city conveys the theme.
The Elkhart City Buildings & Grounds Department has also decided to honor that
history with this year’s Quilt Garden in downtown Elkhart’s Central Park. The
department designs its own quilt patterns, and even though no one in the
department is a quilter, the team is getting pretty good at designing! They
named their quilt pattern to reflect the city’s bond to its music industry.
Color can be an important part of the symbolism of a quilt. This quilt pattern
features a red, white and blue background in keeping with patriotism that is
often associated with marching bands and parades. Gold is used on the large
trumpet, appropriate since Conn started his famous band instrument business
making a soft mouthpiece for cornets and trumpets.
Elkhart Building & Grounds Department
Waterfall Drive & Franklin Street
Elkhart, IN
w: ElkhartIndiana.org
p: 574.295.7275
Although this pattern hasn’t been a quilt, it could easily be made as a quilt.
The background would be pieced. The large trumpet would be appliqued. It
could be either a solid or patterned fabric; quite possibly a quilter could find a
fabric with musical motifs. The musical notes could be embroidered, appliqued
or could use yo-yos which are made by gathering fabric in a circle (usually with
the use of a template to help) then the completed “pleated” circle is sewn on
to the quilt. The same fabric used for the trumpet could be used as the binding
around the edge of the quilt to pull it all together.
PAGE 10
D4
Goshen
“Purdue Extension Connecting in our Community”
- Elkhart County 4-H Fairgrounds
The Extension Office is located on the Fairgrounds in Goshen. It was created as
a result of the Smith Lever Act of 1914, which is a United States federal law that
established a system of cooperative extension services, connected to the land-grant
universities, in order to inform people about current developments in agriculture,
home economics, public policy/government, leadership, 4-H, economic
development and many other related subjects. This year the service will be
celebrating the 101st anniversary of that Act.
Their Quilt Garden is a project of four groups that showcase volunteerism of Elkhart
County and the work ethic of the people: the Purdue Elkhart County Extension
Team members, the Elkhart County Extension Homemakers, Michiana Master
Gardeners and the Elkhart County 4-H Fair Board. This year’s garden pattern is an
original design by Extension Educator Robert Kelly. The sides of the patchwork
represent these four organizations and the continuous border shows strength of
the Extension programs. As has been the case in every fairground garden, the four
corners feature parsley, again for the four organizations and the green color
emphasizes “life”. The garden is a concept of the old-fashioned crazy patchwork quilt
with irregular shapes and colors.
Sunstorm Rose Vinca
Ambassador Green Leaf Pink Begonia
Cocktail Vodka Bronze Leaf Rose Begonia
Ambassador Green Leaf Salmon Begonia
LoGro Yellow Rudbeckia
Curley Leaf Parsley
Black Mulch
Turf Grass
Elkhart County 4-H Fairgrounds &
Purdue Co-Operative Extension Service
17746 County Road 34 | Goshen, IN
w: 4HFair.org | Extension.Purdue.edu
p: 574.533.FAIR | 574.533.0554
According to Crazy Quilts: The History of a Victorian Quilt Making Fad
(www.womenfolk.com/quilting), the 1876 Philadelphia Centennial Exposition was a
big event in Victorian society. One of the most popular exhibits was the Japanese pavilion with its crazed ceramics and asymmetrical art. Women were eager to incorporate this new look into their quilts and with the help of popular women’s magazines
the making of crazy quilts became quite the rage. Creativity was wide open with
women sewing asymmetrical pieces of fabric together in abstract arrangements.
Enthusiasm for the quilting fad continued until about 1910. Early quilts were more
show pieces than functional and were often made as lap robes, used to decorate
the parlor. These quilts used velvet, silk and brocade fabric. The joining seams were
usually embellished with decorative stitches using silk thread (many of these antique
quilts show why cotton thread and fabric age better).
To the Victorians, the word “crazy” not only mean wild but also broken or crazed into
splinters. These quilts feature triangles and other odd shapes. Although they may
appear haphazard they were carefully planned with hours spent cutting shapes
and arranging the pieces before sewing. An 1883 article in The Chester Times gave
instruction on making these quilts: “If your pieces are of good size, and all fresh and
handsome, one way is to cut out blocks of cotton cloth, either square of diamondshape. Cut enough blocks to make the quilt the desired size, then paste on the
pieces of silk, satin or velvet; lap the edges and turn the upper one under: then cover
every seam with feather-stitch, cross-stitch, or any fancy stitch you can invent.”
While the making of these quilts was originally done by wealthy women who had
the time and money for expensive fabric, before long other women got in on the fad
and found ways to make their own crazies. Some were made from fancy clothing
handed down to less affluent relatives and packets of silk scraps could be purchased
inexpensively through mail orders (even without the internet!). After 1900 women
adapted crazy quilting to use all sorts of other fabrics and often simply pieced the
quilts omitting the fancy stitching.
PAGE 11
D4
Goshen
“Lincoln Patriotic” - Elkhart County Courthouse
Brownie Troop 58 is an ambitious group of nineteen girls age 7-9. They are very
community service oriented, doing projects for the Salvation Army and the
Humane Society. They are trying to do a project a month, so when the local
Scout council asked for a troop to take over the Quilt Garden at the Courthouse,
they quickly accepted the challenge. Their leader said one of their individual
projects for last year was for each girl to plant an annuals garden, so they have
some experience.
The Courthouse has always been a symbol of local government, currently
housing three courts and support offices. Thus, the Quilt Garden at this site has
traditionally been patriotic. This year they have come up with an original design,
featuring Abe Lincoln’s stovepipe hat, inspired by the fact that the Lincoln
Highway runs next to the Courthouse.
This design would be a whimsical quilt, with the hats probably appliquéd onto
a background. Actually, given this design, the quilt might be finished as a
comforter rather than quilting. In this application the quilt top, middle layer of
batting and backing are tied together at intervals using yarn. Made of flannel,
it could be a warm lap-robe for cuddling up next to the fire dreaming about next
summer’s gardens!
Picobella Blue Petunia
Turf Grass
Elkhart County Courthouse
in partnership with the Goshen Chamber
of Commerce and the downtown
Economic Improvement District of Goshen
The courthouse itself dates to 1868 and was built for an unheard of $100,000
(most courthouses in that era were budgeted around $30,000)! The Magnificent
92, a book about Indiana courthouses, noted that in 1868 a $100,000 courthouse
was worth a buggy ride into town to view it. Of course, in Elkhart County that is
how many of our Amish residents still come to town!
Another piece of Goshen’s history stands just south of the garden the police bunker. In the 1930s, three banks stood on the other three corners of
this intersection. The city was on a major highway and given the rampages of
John Dillinger, there were concerns about bank robbers. So the city decided to
erect the bunker with slots for weapons to keep the city and its citizens’ money
safe. Although by the time it was completed the likes of John Dillinger’s gang
were gone, it still stands on the corner as a part of Goshen’s history. Interestingly,
it ties in quite well - look around the top and you’ll see a decorative border that
could easily be a quilt border!
101 North Main Street | Goshen, IN
w: ElkhartCountyIndiana.com
w: Goshen.org
p: 574.533.2102
PAGE 12
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Bristol
“Flying Swallows” - Elkhart County
Historical Museum
Like many of their past pattern choices, the Elkhart County Historical Museum’s
choice for this year’s garden was inspired by a historic quilt included in its collection
of antique quilts. (The museum has programs featuring some of its collection
available by advance reservation.) It was likely made as a patriotic tribute to the end
of World War I, which was confirmed by Donna Kooistra, a certified quilt appraiser.
The museum felt this was especially apropos recognizing the centennial of World
War I. As with many patriotic themed quilts, it features red, white and blue. This
pattern is often known as Flying Geese or Half Patch Triangle (see Wakarusa for Flying
Geese).
Eureka Green Leaf Pink & Scarlet Mix Begonia
Eureka Green Leaf White Begonia
Turf Grass
The quilt in the collection is a pieced quilt. There are two parts to making a quilt.
First is the top of the quilt, which may be pieced or appliqued. A pieced quilt tends
to be what we think of first - pieces of fabric joined together in a pattern or design.
An appliqued quilt features a solid piece of fabric background and then has pieces
sewn onto it to create the design. There are a variety of ways to attach appliques.
They can be stitched on by hand, frequently using a turned needle approach, turning
under the raw edge of the piece as it is stitched in place. Many quilters now use
machines to do their appliquéing; either by a satin or other decorative stitch to
attach the fabric, or with the fancy embroidery machines that have a program to
automatically attach the applique (a variation is called trapunto, which involves
adding bulk - usually extra batting--between the fabric and the back of the quilt).
The museum has an antique quilt called “Applique and Trapunto.” It’s a beautiful
example of this technique and interpreted in a stunning quilt mural in Bonneyville
Mill Park, near the historic museum.
The second part to making a quilt is referred to by the verb form of “quilt.” It involves
fastening the quilt top and a backing, which may also be pieced, but tends to be
solid. Usually a layer of batting is added between the two fabrics to provide warmth
and texture. The “fastening” may be accomplished by hand-stitching, using a tiny
running stitch that goes through all the layers, machine quilting or a long-arm
quilter, an expensive machine that utilizes computer technology to stitch the layers
together using a variety of patterns. Most quilters today use a sewing machine to
do the piecing, including Amish-made quilts. Many Amish ladies still use a treadle
sewing machine for sewing (indeed, this is traditional wedding gift from a groom to
his bride).
Elkhart County Historical Museum
304 West Vistula Street | Bristol, IN
w: ElkhartCountyParks.org
p: 574.848.4322
You can still get a quilt hand-quilted by an Amish person; the quilt shops usually
have names of Amish people who do quilting and will refer you. Hand-quilting takes
up a lot of space. The pictures of a seamstress holding a lap frame stitching away at a
quilt are pretty much a fantasy; typically the layers are all stretched on a frame
allowing continuous quilting without stopping and starting that greatly improves
the finished product. Since it usually takes a while for a quilt to be hand-quilted, the
frame is normally set up where life can go on around it. As I mentioned, my first quilt
was hand-quilted in an Amish home and the seamstress said she had to plan her
quilting around the holidays because she used her dining room for the quilt frame
and had to get the frame down to accommodate her family’s Thanksgiving and
Christmas holiday meals. She was a widow and said she quilted eighteen hours a
day, finishing 25 to 30 quilts a year! An interesting note is sometimes quilting prices
are charged by the number of spools of thread used, since that obviously indicates
the complexity of the quilt.
PAGE 13
G3
Shipshewana
“Grandma’s Fan” - Glory Gardens
Glory Gardens is an Amish-owned 13-acre farm and greenhouse belonging to
the Yoder family, comprised of mom, dad and six children ages 8 through 17.
They grow peaches, apples, pears, grapes, strawberries, raspberries and rhubarb
which they sell at their store, located on the farm, as well as homegrown flowers
and homemade jams and jellies. They are new to the Quilt Gardens and hope
people will come and visit them. They have chosen Grandma’s Fan for their first
Quilt Garden in loving memory of Grandma Wilma Miller, who lived with the
family and they say was quite a gardener.
Bada Boom Bronze Leaf Rose Begonia
Bada Boom Bronze Leaf Scarlet Begonia
Turf Grass
Grandmother’s Fan is another old pieced quilt pattern, dating back at least to the
Victorian era. It was frequently made from elegant silks, satins, velvets, ribbons
and lace and embellished with embroidery and beading. Of course, at that
time a lady’s fan was as much a part of her ensemble as a hat. With all the
petticoats and undergarments making up a woman’s wardrobe and with no
air conditioning, a fan was really a necessity. The quilt pattern was renewed in
popularity during the depression since it could be made from small and
mismatched pieces of fabric.
The pattern first appeared in print in a Ladies Art Company catalog of 1897. Fans
were common motifs in late nineteenth century crazy quilts (see Fairgrounds),
again inspired by the interest in Japanese Art resulting from the Philadelphia Exposition. By the 1930s fans were standard favorites for quilt patterns. It was also
known as Milady’s Fan or Japanese Fan. Again such quilts often featured fancy
stitching along the seams.
The Elkhart County Historical Museum in Bristol has a quilt in this design created
to celebrate the 1919 WW I Armistice by the women of Grace Lutheran Church in
Syracuse, Indiana. It consists of 54 fan patterned squares, each square including
an embroidered statement recognizing specific contributions to the war effort
made by individuals and organizations, many of which are from Elkhart County.
These quilts, like crazy patch quilts, became popular for fundraising. Sometimes
churchwomen would write to famous people asking for a piece of clothing that
could be incorporated into the quilt they were making to raise money to help
missionaries, build a new church or other worthy cause.
Glory Gardens
2190 S 900 W | Topeka, IN
w: AmishCountry.org
p: 260.768.7800
PAGE 14
E2
Middlebury
“Double Wedding Ring” - Krider Garden
Symbolic of some of our most cherished sentiments, rituals and traditions friendship, love, marriage, eternal fidelity - the circle is one of the most common
design motifs in every culture. When incorporated into the Double Wedding
Ring Quilt, the circle is an integral part of one of the most beloved of all
patchwork patterns. Drafting, cutting and piecing of the pattern demands
great care and precision, and time, patience and care are definitely needed by
the quilter. This is one of the most popular quilt patterns, both in terms of its
appeal and in terms of the number of quilts made.
Eureka Bronze Leaf Rose Begonia
Eureka Bronze Leaf Pink Begonia
Gold Painted Metal Rings
Stone Pavers
The team at Krider uses quilt patterns that represent the Middlebury community
and specifically Krider World’s Fair Garden. They picked the Double Wedding Ring
for the Quilt Garden because Krider is the site of many weddings, usually held
adjacent to the Quilt Garden and using it as a backdrop for the couple’s special
day. They also like to incorporate non-quilting accents in their gardens which
they do this year with the addition of two 8’ gold wedding rings that symbolize
the intertwining of lives in marriage. The motif of interlocking rings dates as far
back as the fourth century when it was used to decorate Roman cups (although
double ring weddings didn’t become popular until the twentieth century).
Double Wedding Ring quilts were often given as wedding present and became
family heirlooms. There is folklore that says a newlywed couple will be blessed if
they slept under a Double Wedding Ring quilt received as a gift.
Interestingly, there is some controversy about exactly how long this pattern has
been around, although most quilt historians believe it originated in 1928, being
mentioned in both the Kansas City Star that is recognized as the first newspaper
to offer quilt patterns on a regular basis, and in the 1928 edition of The Ladies Art
Company catalog for the first time.
For those who can’t get enough Double Wedding Rings, be sure to stop at nearby Das Dutchman Essenhaus in Middlebury. Around the corner from their Quilt
Garden is a Double Wedding Ring quilt mural. The pattern is also seen on a wall
hanging in the Essenhaus Inn and Conference Center and the pattern repeated
on the carpeting throughout the building.
Krider Garden
302 West Bristol Avenue (County Road 8)
Middlebury, IN
w: MiddleburyIN.com
p: 574.825.1499
PAGE 15
C2
SIZE: Elkhart
“Pink Swirls of Hope”
- Linton’s Enchanted Gardens
66’W X 32’H
For a number of years, by special permission from the Vera Bradley Foundation,
an area fiber artist created a “Hope” quilt crafted with exclusive Vera Bradley
fabrics and raffled to benefit the foundation’s breast cancer research projects.
The specially designed quilt patterns were realized in flowers in Quilt Gardens
and also in quilt murals in downtown Middlebury and at Wellfield Botanic
Gardens in Elkhart.
This year’s “Hope” inspired Quilt Garden is at Linton’s Enchanted Gardens in
Elkhart. It is the second year this site has hosted such a garden as a living tribute
to the fight against breast cancer in honor of the owner’s late sister who waged
a valiant battle with breast cancer. Linton’s has indicated the garden is intended
to provide inspiration and hope to cancer patients, their family and friends and
hopes that visitors to the garden will take uplifting thoughts home with them.
Titan Punch Vinca
Sunshine Prism Petunia
Janie Deep Orange Marigold
New Look Dusty Miller
Madness Pink Petunia
Dark Opal Basil
Turf Grass
This is also the second year that Connie Kauffman has created a quilt to
benefit the Foundation that is recreated in a Quilt Garden at Linton’s. Connie is
an independent quilt designer and author who resides in Nappanee. Over the
years she has written six quilting books and has many patterns published in
books and magazines. Among the publishers she has worked with are:
American Quilter’s Society, American School of Needlework, All American Crafts,
House of White Birches, Quilter’s World Magazine and Quilter’s Newsletter Magazine. She also has created her own pattern line called Kauffman Designs.
A number of her works are on display in the Nappanee Welcome Center.
Her “Pink Swirls of Hope” quilt is inspired by the Vera Bradley color “Pink Swirls”
and involves a very creative use of exclusive fabrics to create a wall hanging
that is on display with an enter-to-win opportunity at Linton’s (with proceeds
benefiting the Vera Bradley Foundation). Of course the fabric, the design and the
wall hanging quilt are all one of a kind originals and could only be duplicated if
you wanted to sacrifice a lot of handbags for the fabric! However, at Linton’s you
will see how a special fabric can inspire a quilt design, a Quilt Garden and hope.
Linton’s Enchanted Gardens
315 County Road 17 | Elkhart, IN
w: Lintons.com
p: 888.779.9333
PAGE 16
f2
SIZE: Middlebury
“Child’s Joy of Our Country”
- Martin’s ACE Hardware
30’W X 30’H
If you are a quilter and you look at the design at Martin Ace Hardware, you will
think it is a variation of a Whirligig or Pinwheel quilt. There are dozens, perhaps
hundreds, of variations of this popular design. But this design wasn’t conceived
by a quilter - it was designed by Janae Werner, of Atlanta, Georgia, a graphic artist
and interior designer. She is daughter of the owners of the Hardware and has
designed their garden for the past three years, since they became part of the Quilt
Gardens. This design could easily be converted into a pieced quilt.
Eureka Green Leaf ScarletBegonia
Picobella Blue Petunia
Wood Planks
Turf Grass
The pinwheel pattern is one of the oldest historical patterns known. Redbarn
has produced a timeline history of quilting in general and indicates the pinwheel
dates back to 1795. When the cotton gin was invented in 1793, it played a key
role in expanding quilting. Most quilts were still made from a large single fabric
with appliques and other blocks used in borders. Pinwheels in the easiest form is
simply made from triangles--sew two together on a diagonal, then rotate so that
the color that was in the upper right corner moves down to the lower right and
the seam runs on the opposite angle. Then reverse for the lower two squares. If
you sketch this out it will make more sense. Basically the triangles rotate every
other one so that it appears the pinwheel is rotating. Piecing so all the points
meet in the center is the key to making this quilt beautiful.
Many variations have developed; the double pinwheel has two interspersed
pinwheels. Another variation makes the rotating “blade” a finished triangle and
it is only attached on the angle, so that it poofs out, making the quilt three
dimensional and the pinwheel really comes alive. The quilt can use one fabric
or different patterns of the same color or simply use up scraps. A quick Google
search will lead you to dozens of patterns, many of which can simply be
downloaded for free.
The Martin’s patriotic theme is continued in the mural on the side of the
hardware building that was added a few years ago. Janae also helped research
and develop the pattern for the mural. Small Town America was chosen to
represent the family’s commitment as business owners to provide their customers
as many American-made products as possible.
Martin’s ACE Hardware
103 Crystal Heights Blvd | Middlebury, IN
Incidentally, while you are here, you might want to step inside the store - it isn’t
exactly what you might expect to find in a “hardware” store. It has a lovely gift
shop called The Tulip Tree, which features gift items, soaps, candles, gourmet food
mixes and too many other things to mention.
p: 574.825.7011
PAGE 17
A6
Nappanee
“Oma’s Blumen Garten” - Nappanee Center
“Oma’s Blumen Garten” is German for Grandmother’s Flower Garden. The beloved,
traditional pattern called Grandmother’s Flower Garden is built on the hexagon
(which is thought to have originated in the mosaic patterns of the Middle East;
indeed, the pattern is also sometimes called Mosaic). Some scholars find the
origins for the pattern in ancient Roman times and at that time it was known
as honeycomb.
Ablazin Purple Salvia
Surefire Rose Begonia
Various Garden Produce
Vista Silverberry Supetunia
Life LIme Coleus
Limencello Supertunia
Brown Mulch
Barbara Brackman, a quilt historian and author, reports that the Grandmother’s
Flower Garden was the most popular pattern after 1925. She stated, “… many
women who never made another quilt finished a Grandmother’s Flower Garden.”
(Of course, the original quilt with its myriad of tiny hexagons might have persuaded some women they never wanted to make another quilt!) It became popular
again during the depression, when quilt making became a necessity in many
homes because the tiny hexagons could make use of the tiniest scrap of fabric.
It is popular today for those quilters who always need to keep their hands busy as
the small pieces can be made in a car, in an airplane, taken on vacation, etc.
Although large hexagons can be pieced by machine, this quilt is traditionally
hand-pieced. The hexagons are individually sewn by hand, then pieced together in
a flower and joined by a meandering path that forms the background of the quilt.
In the depression years each flower was usually different, with the path that unifies
the quilt being the only constant. Today most flower garden quilts pick a unifying
color scheme repeated in each flower.
Stone Pavers
The Nappanee Quilt Garden Committee chose this interpretation, which the
committee noted resembles a mosaic pattern, although it is one enlarged
hexagon. As Nappanee is in the heart of Amish country and many of its citizens
are Amish, they looked to Amish gardens. Almost every Amish farm has a large
produce garden, and many times these produce gardens are surrounded by beds
of flowers. Nappanee is known for “thinking outside the box” when it comes to
their patterns and this year is no exception; they are incorporating a patch of
produce as one section of their Grandmother’s Flower Garden. In interpreting
gardening as part of their quilt, an internet search for the history of country garden
patterns brought up 20 Country Gardens for Patchwork and Quilting by Kaffe
Fassett. These quilt patterns used Roman fabrics and have been made as quilts
by Mr. Fassett and many other well-known quilters, each reflecting a quilt as a
designer’s interpretation. The Nappanee committee points out that quilt patterns
are always an interpretation of a design by the quilter.
Nappanee Center
302 West Market Street | Nappanee, IN
w: NappaneeChamber.com
p: 574.773.7812
They are planning to anchor the produce section with rainbow Swiss chard and
borders of ornamental cabbage. Dwarf corn will form the back border and sunken
pots with different vegetables will be rotated in and out to keep the garden
looking tidy and to resemble a small home garden. Any produce resulting from
this section will be donated to a local food bank.
PAGE 18
C4
SIZE: Goshen
“Legacy” - Old Bag Factory
29’w x 32’h
Unusual, beautiful, original are just a few of the words that immediately come to
my mind when viewing the Quilt Garden at the Old Bag Factory. Unusual because
although the designs are definitely quilt designs, they are not the traditional quilts
you find on-line or in pattern books. Original because the gardens depict works of
art created by Shirley Shenk and daughter-in-law Kris Shenk. And beautiful - you
can judge for yourself.
Picobella Blue & Lavendar Mix Petunia
Cocktail Vodka Bronze Leaf Pink Begonia
Boy Yellow Marigold
Turf Grass
Old Bag Factory
1100 North Chicago Avenue
Goshen, IN
w: OldBagFactory.com
p: 574.534.2502
Shirley and her husband Dave own and operate the Quilt Designs shop at the Old
Bag Factory. Early in her career Shirley was a quilter, creating traditional quilts. But
she got bored and started sketching artistic designs. Although Dave told her she
should stick with the tried and true Shirley persisted. Today incredible quilts are
showcased in their shop that is housed in an 1897 log cabin they painstakingly
took apart, transported and put back together at the Old Bag Factory site. They
purposely copyright each design and do not enter shows and contests because
they don’t want anyone else to try and copy their designs, and they request no
photographs in their shop. Interestingly, the first year they had a Quilt Garden it
was selected by the Chicago Tribune as one of its finalists in their garden contest,
which speaks to the beauty of the design.
This year’s design was created by Kris, who said she and Shirley felt the design
had interesting geometrics that would do well in a garden. It is called “Legacy” in
homage to Kris’s grandmother, Susie Sommers. Susie was a quilter all her life and
taught Kris to quilt when Kris was seven. Although Kris didn’t stick with quilting
then, it has come full circle back to her. She said part of the design is similar to a
design Susie used in making a wedding gift quilt for Kris and her husband. In the
quilt version the letters “SS” are incorporated in the borders for grandma’s initials.
Kris said they have sold this as king and queen size bed quilts and also in various
size wall hangings. This quilt is totally a pieced quilt. The garden version by
necessity is simplified.
A stop in the shop is a must which probably allows seeing the garden version as a
quilt (although since the quilts are for sale, you can never guarantee it). The quilts
are crafted by carefully selected seamstresses and quilters. After Shirley or Kris
create a design, it is then sent to one of their piecers (or appliquers, if it involves
applique) who piece the quilts using a sewing machine. When the top is
completed it is sent to a marker who marks the design for the quilting pattern to
be used, then to a quilter for quilting, and finally to a binder who binds and finishes
the quilt. Each of the people involved in making the quilt has her own specialty, as
outlined above. The quilts are called “one needle quilts” because the entire quilt is
quilted by a single quilter. Since many of these quilters do this as a part-time
avocation, it may be a year or more before the final quilt is finished (the shop will
allow you to make payments while waiting with no interest). Dave says they are
not looking for good quilters or even expert quilters, but the crème de la crème
top quilters, and he estimates they hire about 1 or 2 per 100 applicants. While
many are Amish, not all are. Surprisingly the experts they hire are usually in their
20s or 30s. Dave indicates the younger women have keener eyesight and more
manual dexterity allowing them to excel in quilting. While he indicates he isn’t a
quilter, his “test” of a quilt is to flip it over and the look at the back side, where the
stitching should mirror the front.
PAGE 19
B2
“Drunkard’s Path”
- Premier Arts, Downtown Elkhart
SIZE: Cocktail Vodka Bronze Leaf Red Begonia
Black Ray Petunia
Dream White Petunia
Brown Mulch
Matriarch by Tuck Langland
Elkhart
30’W X 30’H
Premier Arts is creating a vivid Quilt Garden based on the Drunkard’s Path
pattern. While the Drunkard’s Path quilt design was not specifically designed
for the purpose, it became associated with the Women’s Christian Temperance
Union, founded in 1874. Sewing for a cause is an old tradition - women have
made quilts to raise money and consciousness and it appears more quilts were
made for the temperance movement than any other. Many antique quilts
featuring this pattern have WTCU in the corner in embroidery or ink and may be
signed by members of a local chapter. Women would sometimes pay a dime to
get their name on a “Crusader’s Quilt,”
The Drunkard’s Path was especially appropriate, since it makes one think of a
drunkards staggering walk. Frequently the quilts were made in two colors
- red or blue and white, which emphasized the staggering walk. The Ladies Art
Company included this design in their 1894 catalog (see Wakarusa re Ladies
Art Company). When I first made a Drunkard’s path square, I thought it was
probably named because making it might make you drink! The curving lines and
instructions were maddening, although suddenly, the block emerged!
Turf Grass
Premier Arts has picked this quilt because of its link to the purported Quilt Code
associated with the Underground Railroad and indicate the block was used as a
warning for slaves to move in a staggering path to elude slave hunters. While the
likelihood that a Quilt Code ever existed has recently been brought into question
by Leigh Fellner, who points out many historians consider it a myth, this in no
way demeans the significance of the Underground Railroad.
To honor the intrepid souls who made their way to freedom through the
Underground Railroad, Premier Arts has included a statue of a majestic black
woman in the center of its garden. This bronze sculpture was created by local
sculptor Tuck Langland (another one of his beautiful sculptures is featured in the
Wellfield Botanical Gardens in Elkhart). Harriet Tubman was a former slave and
Premier Arts is also staging an original musical that follows her story and her
amazing journey to freedom.
Premier Arts
410 South Main Street | Elkhart, IN
w: PremierArts.org
p: 574.293.4469
PAGE 20
B2
“Pomegranate Window”
- Ruthmere House Museum
SIZE: Janie Yellow Marigold
Eureka Bronze Leaf Deep Rose Begonia
Extra Curled Parsley
Sizzler Burgundy Salvia
Brown Mulch
Turf Grass
Elkhart
30’W X 30’H
Ruthmere, a Beaux Arts mansion now museum and open to tour, usually picks
something related to the design of the house for its Quilt Garden. This year,
the Ruthmere team picked the pomegranate, which they indicate is ubiquitous
to the house. There are at least 289 pomegranate designs incorporated in the
architecture! (And that counts such things as plates on the doorways as one
each, even though there may be 3 or 4 pomegranates in the design.) Why so
many pomegranates? No one knows for sure, although it was a popular design
to use at the time this house was built and considered exotic. Pomegranates are
steeped in symbolism for many different cultures - everything from fertility to
prosperity to suffering and resurrection. In the early 1900s they generally
represented wealth and prosperity befitting a house of this character.
The quilt garden replicates a window featuring the pomegranate. If this were
made as a quilt, it would probably by appliqued, due to the curving design.
Actually the pomegranate was a very popular quilt pattern from the mid-1800s,
often combined with a rose, and was almost always appliqued. It frequently
used red and green fabrics - some quilt historians believe because those fabrics
were more colorfast. Turkey red was an expensive and time consuming way of
dying fabric, but it did retain its color. If you see an old quilt it may be red and
tan or yellow - the green did fade. It was usually created by dying blue over
yellow or vice versa and with time, one color faded out. Originally the red and
green were colors of nature and the quilt replicated those.
If you want to see how those 289 pomegranates are incorporated in the
architecture of Ruthmere, you should definitely take the time to tour the
magnificently restored house built by Albert and Elizabeth Beardsley in 1910.
(Albert was one of the original founders of Miles Laboratories – makers of
Alka-Seltzer and other pharmaceuticals.) Many of the original furnishings and
silk wall hangings are still in the house, even the original china. Upstairs are
specially designed ocular windows. Ruthmere plans to illuminate one of them
with a blood red light this year, as the “Pomegranate Window”, so you may also
want to drive by at night to appreciate this.
Ruthmere House Museum
302 East Beardsley Avenue | Elkhart, IN
w: Ruthmere.org
p: 574.264.0330
PAGE 21
A5
Wakarusa
“Wild Geese” - Downtown Wakarusa
Another traditional and very old quilt pattern has been selected by Wakarusa
for its Quilt Garden - Wild Goose Chase. Of course, experienced quilters are
familiar with flying geese, which is the term applied to each of twelve of the
smaller blocks comprising this quilt - a triangle with a smaller triangle tilted on
each side to make up a square.
Picobella Blue & Lavendar Mix Petunia
Picobella Red Petunia
Hotline Red Salvia
Picobella White Petunia
Little Hero Yellow Marigold
Stone Pavers
Wakarusa Chamber of Commerce
100 West Waterford Street
Wakarusa, IN
In making flying geese, it is very important that the points are precisely at the
top of the block, after it is attached to the surrounding blocks. There are
several different ways one can accomplish this. There are a variety of tools and
templates that make the process easier, especially for those who aren’t fond of
math. Some instructions have one stitch the middle triangle to a square and
then trim off the excess. This avoids the necessity of stitching two diagonal
pieces together; fabric cut on the bias tends to stretch very easily. Another way
to deal with the stretch is to spray the fabric with Best Press before cutting.
Best Press is a light weight starch alternative and is very helpful to quilters in
giving a clean, crisp look to their work. Then one stitches the diagonal pieces
together, which wastes less fabric. Pressing as you go is very important to keep
seams flat. Pressing is different from ironing. In ironing, one sweeps back and
forth across the fabric. In pressing for a quilt the iron is placed down on the
fabric, no back and forth, which again might stretch the fabric. It is also done
on the right side of the fabric, and it sometimes helps to “finger press” the area
- especially if one is pressing a seam open.
A Wild Goose Chase quilt appears in the 1897 Ladies Art Company catalog.
The Ladies Art Company started in 1895. They placed small ads in ladies
magazines and farm papers for their catalog which showed hundreds of quilt
patterns. A quilter could order a pattern, which was mailed to the customer.
Up until the 1950s the patterns consisted of a 3” pattern card featuring a color
suggestion for the quilt block and an envelope containing full size, tan
tissue paper templates (without seam allowance of any markings) of each shape
needed to complete the block. The earliest pattern cards were hand painted by
the owner’s children. In the 1950s the company changed hands and they started
producing mimeographed sheets that included fabric yardage, labeled
templates with seam allowances and line drawing of a portion of a completed
quilt or the full completed quilted. They also revised and reprinted the 1928
catalog. In attempting to date a pattern, it is often usual to find when the
pattern appeared in their catalog.
w: WakarusaChamber.com
p: 574.862.4344
PAGE 22
G3
SIZE: Shipshewana
“Log Cabin” - Weaver Furniture Sales
32’W X 32’H
Carolyn Miller is Amish and a proficient quilter. She has also completed Master
Gardener training and has been the designer and gardener for the four years
Weaver Furniture has had a Quilt Garden.
Ray Black Petunia
Ray Peach Petunia
Dream Sky Blue Petunia
Sun & Shade Dark Salmon Impatient
Royal Velvet Supertunia
Black Mulch
Turf Grass
The Log Cabin pattern has served as one of the most popular patterns for American
quilters since the mid-nineteenth century. However, quilt teacher and author Jane
Hall, indicates there are Log Cabin patterns in lattice silks and inlaid wooden designs
from the British Isles dated in the mid-1700s. She also indicates some trace the
pattern to mummies of animals buried with their Egyptian masters noting that the
linen strips wrapping them are very reminiscent of the Log Cabin pattern, including
some dyed with light and dark strips just like the pattern. Although she indicates
what she has been able to discover has probably been executed in fabric for less
than two hundred years. According to quilt historians, the pattern became popular
because it is versatile and easy to stitch making it appealing for beginning quilters.
Barbara Brackman pointed out that by 1870 the pattern was so popular it warranted
its own judging category at state and local fairs.
Log Cabin patterns start with a center shape, usually a square and then are built
with strips in sequence around the center, varying light and dark fabrics.
Traditionally it is viewed as an American design representing the log cabins on the
prairies. The center square, which customarily is red, represents the heart or hearth.
Alternatively, it may be yellow symbolizing the candlelight from the cabin. In a
traditional log cabin the light strips represent the sunny side of the house and the
dark strips represent the shade. Others have attributed it to symbolize the logs and
light radiating from the cabin. There are alternate methods for assembly.
Opposite side’s light and dark result in Courthouse Steps; adjacent sides dark and
light, Straight Furrow, Barn Raising and Sunshine and Shadow.
The pattern was extremely popular during the latter half of the nineteenth century
coinciding with the westward movement. Piecing of old log cabins is similar to
foundation piecing today. A square of muslin is cut to the size of the block. The
center small square then basted into place and “logs” added around the square.
Each log is cut placed right side down on top, cut to size and stitched in place
through all layers. That strip is then pressed open and the next log added,
continuing until all logs have been sewn.
Weaver Furniture Sales
7870 W 075 N | Shipshewana, IN
w: WeaverFurnitureSales.com
p: 260.768.7730
Quilts are traditionally made from all cotton fabric and sewn with cotton thread
(although there are new threads being developed that are often used). If using a
computer embroidered design on a quilt, rayon thread is preferred since it is
stronger, less likely to tangle and has a pleasing sheen. Batik fabrics (a method of
dyeing a fabric by covering the part which you don’t want to absorb the color with
a removable wax) are very popular for quilts. There are many quilt and fabric stores
in the Quilt Garden area selling batik and other fabrics. You may also see Amish
homes advertising fabric for sale and open to the public. They usually have a
limited supply of fabrics available that may tend to be in darker colors. You should
respect any indications of hours, etc. as these are usually not commercial stores and
may have limits on when they are open.
PAGE 23

2015 Quilter`s Chronicles

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