How we made an American quilt

Do you remember that movie ‘How to make an American quilt’? It’s from many years ago and starred Winona Ryder. You’re forgiven if you don’t and while the movie was nice enough, for me it inspired my need to create my own American Quilt aka a Baltimore or story quilt. I seem to throw myself headlong into difficult projects but this one was made a whole lot easier because it was a joint project with my Mum. I did all the story blocks and the vines (all hand appliqued) and Mum did the alternate blocks and the hand quilting and binding. There were many long distance conversations on sourcing fabrics and we got together on New Year’s Eve 1999 to put it all together and tackle the mitred corners. It took us about 6 years to complete.

Every November in the town where my parents retired, Braidwood NSW, (and where my Dad still lives) they hold an annual airing of the quilts event. The town is heritage listed so it has many beautiful old buildings and it’s such a wonderful sight to see all the stores on the main street with an abundance of quilts hanging from their balconies. The year we finished our quilt Mum entered it in the competition that runs during the event and we received a Highly Commended. The rule is a quilt can be entered into the competition once but it can be aired every year. This year the ladies of the Anglican church asked if our quilt could be hung in the church as a memorial to my mother. I really wanted to see it on display but to be honest I wasn’t prepared for how emotional it would make me. Mum had named our quilt ‘Our Time Together’ and I am so thankful I got to share it with her.