Quilts are part of the family…….

Two Hundred years from now, will your descendants know who made your quilts?  This is a very real issue.  Quilts are treasured family heirlooms, passed down through generations.  They are a tactile, visual history of the time in which they are created.  Most importantly, they are a unique expression of the person who made them.

In the 1980’s, while living in Phoenix, AZ I used to volunteer on a quilt search project.  We would drive out to these little mountain communities, away from the cities.  Families would bring in their quilts to be documented.  Old men would come in with an inherited quilt.  Asking them how old is this quilt, who made this quilt, you would get the most interesting responses.  They would start reminiscing, “Uncle Jed got this quilt from great grandpa Sam, who inherited it from his great Aunt Sara….let’s see, was that before or after great, great Grandpa came across in the covered wagon as a young child?” Those quilts were a cherished member of the family.

The quilts we make today document our lives, provide a brief glimpse into who we are and what brings us joy.  It is really, really important that you label your quilts.  Doing so documents your personal creative journey.  It sends a message to the people who come after you.  It says, “I was here, I created this quilt for beloved friends and family members, I made it for you who come later to cherish and enjoy.”