Monday, February 27, 2012

LET ME TELL YOU ABOUT SOME FEED SACK QUILTS

This past Saturday, my husband and I drove to Round Top, Texas to attend the first meeting of the Lone Star Quilt Study Group at the Winedale Historical Complex to discuss quilts made from cotton bags, particularly 1930s - 1960s. Here is a little Smilebox slide show of the photos we took at the meeting.  Keep in mind, I am neither a good photographer or reporter, but I am enthusiastic if nothing else.

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There were 50 of us in attendance from all over Texas, all quilt lovers who like to talk about, look at, or feel quilts as often as we can.  I met some lovely ladies and look forward to seeing them at future gatherings.  The next meeting is scheduled for August 25, 2012 in Waxahachie, Texas where the subject will be Pennsylvania antique quilts.  I can't wait!  The Lone Star Quilt Study Group is developing a website where you can get additional information in the future.  There is nothing on the webpage now but the address is http://www.lonestarquiltstudygroup.org.


Although I am not a huge feed sack quilt fan, I feel a strong connection to them because of my Dad’s mother, a rural southwest Texas ranch wife.  They were extremely poor.  Raising Angora goats was not a get rich kind of living.  There was a lot of hard work and a bit of luck involved.  As many ranch women of the 1930s-1960s did, Granny made most of her and her children’s clothing from cotton sack material purchased at the local feed store or grocery store.  She also made quilts using scraps of those fabrics.  She was not a particularly skilled quilt maker.  There were many corners cut off, uneven blocks, poor alignment – but she “made do” with love for her family.

Prior to her death in 1959, Granny made quilt tops for her five grand kids.  Mom had one quilted for my brother.  Years later, I hand quilted the second one for my sister, and the third one I kept un-quilted for myself.  Why, you ask?  Because the scraps of fabric were pieced onto foundation paper – a 1950s era black and white Sears or Montgomery Ward’s catalogue.  I love looking at the house dresses, foundation garments, etc. featured on those pages on the back of that quilt top.  I wouldn’t fix it for the world.

Sammy Welch  1910-1959

Thanks Granny for sharing your love and craft with us.






12 comments:

  1. What a wonderful show. I enjoyed the Smilebox and will look at it again later, great photography. How special that you have one of your grandmother's quilts using the vintage catalogs. I hear that people are lucky enough to find feed sacks at thrift stores but I have never seen one. Thank you for sharing.

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  2. Donna, thanks for the wonderful slide show!!! Can you get this put on the TVQG yahoo group site for all to see? I know everyone would love it!!! You must have had a great time!!

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  3. Great study day! Thank you for sharing.
    I love your M Wrench - such a wonderful variety of prints.
    Great job!

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  4. What a wonderful show! I loved all the little information scripts along with the beautiful old quilts & tops. Thanks so much for sharing!

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  5. Thanks for sharing your smilebox of photos with us, which l enjoyed. l believe a friend of mine was attending that day and maybe you met her.

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  6. Thanks Donna it looks like you had a great day. Something popped out in the text of one of the descriptions = that it was probably made in Necessity, Texas. I've never heard of that town but for some reason it makes me feel good to know such a place exists! Also love the story of your rancher Grandmother. I'm sorry to see she died young, but her legacy lives on.

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  7. Thanks for posting about this. Loved seeing these quilts and learning more about the cotton bags.

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  8. Donna, that was so much fun to watch!! i LOVE vintage feedsacks and am lucky enough to own a few vintage quilts made from them :)) cheers, Marian

    http://marianedwardsdreamweaver.typepad.com

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  9. Thank you Donna for taking the time to put the slideshow together. It is wonderful to see quilt study activities and quilts in another part of the country. Many would be wonderful inspiration for a study quilt. :-)

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  10. I really enjoyed the slideshow, thankyou for putting it together!!! I love genuine feedsack fabrics and have a few precious pieces in my stash - waiting for a special project! The quilts you featured are very inspiring, I love that they are not 'perfect'!!! I was also very taken with the stuffed cotton tobacco pouch quilt, what a great use of these precious little cotton pouches, brilliant!!!!!

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  11. Thank you for sharing all your photos.

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  12. Thank you for the slideshow! It was just like being there with you.

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