Sue's News

Arizona Quilt Documentation Project – Tucson

By Sue Franklin

In March, the Tucson team learned from Sue, Terry, and Joyce, about the fabulous AQSG regional study day in Phoenix, held February 25.  Guest Sharon Waddell enchanted all with her lecture on New York quilts of the 19^th century.  Sharon brought a few examples as well as lovely slides.  AQSG member, Anne Hodgkins showed her collection of Bicentennial quilts; a truly amazing number. 

Finally, AQSG member Jean Carlton amazed the group with her talk and examples of thinking small.  Jean demonstrated how she made many varied little quilts from one quilt top, with more possible!  In fact, she so inspired Sue, that she went back to the silent auction table and got the winning bid on a “sad” top that someday may be deconstructed and then made into tiny quilts.  This was Joyce’s first study day; she is “hooked” and it won’t be her last.

Continuing Education, “Quilts, last quarter of the 18^th century through 1840” was presented by Sue.  Sue focused on three key topics:  1) Textiles in Revolutionary America, 2) John Hewson; Revolutionary War Printer and Hero, and 3) Quilt Styles in Early America.  Details of this program are available on the AZQS web site www.azquiltstudygroup.org/.

Quilts documented included the following:  Of interest, each are crib quilts and all belong to Sue!  Of course, that is partly because Terry gave Sue two of them that morning.  The oldest quilt documented was Ladders, circa 1890, a quilt Sue bought last September in Tempe at the American Quilt Study Seminar, from vendor Julie Silbers.  The unique pattern was unlike anything she had ever seen.  It has lovely hand quilting!

Next, were the two quilts Terry gave to Sue.  Both are likely Bucilla kit quilts from the 1960s.  The first, called Balloons, is a happy scene of balloons waving cheerily from various spots on the quilt.  The other, Summertime, depicts fun things to do during the summer. These were done on pre-quilted fabric and either appliquéd, embroidered or cross stitched.

The final quilt, Amish Diamond in a Square, Sue bought it at the recent Quilt Fiesta from vendor James Carroll.  This quilt is circa 1980s.

In April, the Tucson team discussed the April 1^st Public Documentation. Seventeen quilts were documented, four less than expected due to the illness of two owners.  They ranged widely in type and purpose; two by Chris Nelson, Dreaming Under Rainbows, a wedding quilt for her daughter and Southwest Dreams to The Farmers Wife, made by Marguerite Hepner for her sister’s 80^th birthday.  In between, Sue’s redwork wall hanging and an Amish crib, a lovely beautifully pieced and fussy cut Grandmother’s Flower Garden top from the 1930s belonging to Audrey Wann.   Also, an Ozark Tile and an Album were shared by Joan Armstrong.  Charity Everitt brought her Dresden Plate and Loving Album while Barb Clark shared Shades of Escher.  Linda George had Trip Around the World and Cynthia Jarnoff a Star of the Mountain.  Rachelle Cheney came with her Chevron Patchwork and Jacqueline Morris a Flower Basket.  Laraine Daly-Jones also had a lovely Crazy, a newly acquired Museum piece.  What a fun time!

At the April documentation meeting Terry presented the continuing education piece: The Spanish Colonial Colchas of New Mexico.  Details of this program are available on the AZQS web site www.azquiltstudygroup.org/. Quilts documented included the following:  Kate’s two sided bed quilt, Prickly Pear, and two crib quilts owned by Sue.  One a hand quilted Single Irish Chain in a green geometric and white and the second, a whimsical Boy and Girl appliqué quilt featuring a boy giving a girl flowers while birds and animals grace the top and bottom.

Anyone is welcome to visit our meetings!  We love guests.  For questions about either quilt documentation or joining the team, please either call or email Tucson liaisons Sue Franklin, (520.490.4721; suevette63@comcast.net) or Terry Gryzb-Wysocki, (520.749.9326; terry-gw@mindspring.com).  New team members are welcome. Monthly training sessions are held from 9:30 until 12:30 at the Ellie Towne Flowing Wells Community Center on Ruthrauff Road.  The next meeting is Monday, May 8^th.

Information about quilt documentation teams throughout Arizona may be obtained from Lynn Miller at either 480.202.1230 or azquiltdoc@yahoo.com.  Lynn also needs people familiar with the computer to aid her with data entry for the Quilt Index.  Lynn does distance training which takes about two hours.