Hang On to Quilts — There’s a Story There

Hang On to Quilts — There’s a Story There - theHumm March 2024

By Sally Smith

What to do with that old quilt? It’s been in the upstairs trunk for years. Get rid of it? Hang on to it?

What’s the story behind it, anyway? Did Grandpa make it, or Mom? It was probably Mom…

For Olive Pheby Johnston, back in the day quilting was a necessity; the quilts she made kept her seven children warm throughout many cold Ontario winters.

But it was not just having babies and quilting that kept her vibrant and active into her old age (she lived from 1890 to 1971); during much of her “other” time over those 81 years she milked cows, gardened, canned, mended clothes, darned socks, and midwifed at more than 50 births.

Find her Pinwheel Block pattern quilt in a brand-new book on quilting just released by the Kemptville Quilters’ Guild partnering with the North Grenville Historical Society, and funded by a grant from North Grenville Community.

Authors and compilers of the book — Nancy Grundy, Teresa Harrison and Donna Saddler — chose a brilliant red Flying Geese quilt (made in 1858) for the front cover and peppered the back with old pictures of many of the quilters; the 135-page, spiral-bound book containing 127 quilts is available at the North Grenville Historical Society on Prescott Street in Kemptville.

Olive’s quilt was likely made between 1900 and 1930, probably over the 100-year mark in age now. Another featured quilt has a much newer history — made for the millennium.

Eleanor O’Neill found 2000 different prints, cut out a 2½” coloured block from each print, and pulled together her quilt after retiring from teaching at Holy Cross School in Kemptville.

An even newer one was made by Ann Charter — a Covid quilt stitched between 2020 and 2021, to keep her sane.

Quilts were made for lots of reasons, often to keep memories alive. Doreen O’Sullivan received a special quilt when she graduated from the Ottawa Civic Hospital School of Nursing in 1972; it was hand quilted in a Bow-Tie pattern, with a prairie point border, and made from student nursing uniforms.

Shelley Robertson remembers her grandmother reaching for sugar mints from the pockets of her aprons while cooking… and then sneaking them to her. Shelley has a quilt with large capital “S”s on it made of those aprons.

Marion Jordan made a racing quilt to honour her husband’s 200 races. It was inspired by advertisements in a race kit at the Boston Marathon. Logos of race shirts were cut out, machine edge stitched, then hand stitched together using blanket stitch. The edging was made from medal ribbons, and the hanging loops from race ribbons.

Information in Quilts of North Grenville and Area 2023 was collected from the quilt owners. Many of the quilts are categorized as thin and well-used; others, in pristine condition. Some have never been washed — kept in trunks over the years as treasured keepsakes.

Winter quilts were often made of heavy material like wool and flannel, or sample pieces of “suiting” picked up (for example) from the owner of Derbyshire’s Clothing in Merrickville.

Some were hand quilted, others machine stitched, some both; some are tied, some with tied ends on top. Some were finished with sawtooth edging, others with a square or scalloped edge, or prairie points. Some were decorated with hand embroidery, others with French knots, crewel work, or appliquéd.

Probably the best thing (especially for kids sleeping under the quilts) are the funny, descriptive names: Crazy Quilts, Log Cabin, Drunkard’s Path, Broken Star, Monkey Wrench, Four Winds, Celtic Knot.

And quilts, of course, are made for many reasons: sentiment, memories, passing from generation to generation, a needed warmth, to teach a skill, to keep fingers nimble, to get through chemo treatment, to be used at nursing homes, for tradition. Or, just as art… a quilt of your own design.

Jill Benger has one especially treasured memory. She remembers a particular quilt being on the daybed in their kitchen where the men would rest when they returned from daily farming chores. Her Dad’s mother made it.

The book can be picked up for $25 at the North Grenville Historical Society, 148 Prescott Street in Kemptville. For more information you can email nghsociety@gmail.com or call 258-4401.

So when contemplating what to do with that old quilt, do some research, look at the stitching, the material, feel the thickness (or thinness), ask your family about it.

And when you’ve done that, take it to the next Quilt Documentation session taking place from May 1–3. May 1 is for education purposes, and 2 and 3 are for the documentation.

Remember — every quilt has a story.

Pamela Stewart —An Invitation to Escape and Breathe - theHumm March 2024

By Sally Hansen

Art… and Soul

theHumm’s mandate is to connect and promote Ottawa Valley people and events, and that is why abstract mixed media artist Pamela Stewart is qualified to be our featured artist this month. The website of this Kanata-based artist at paminottawa.com proudly proclaims that she is Co-Owner/Gallerist of the new Carleton Place Gallery located at 210 Bridge Street.

Carlet......

Hang On to Quilts — There’s a Story There - theHumm March 2024