As I mentioned yesterday, I was at the local Harvest Festival helping over the weekend. Last year I shared about the pretzel making I do there. Since I have started this series on quilting I thought I'd share about that part of the festival today. The Harvest Festival is the big fundraiser of the year. Visitors have the opportunity to learn about Pennsylvania German farm life in the 1800s and all that was involved in keeping a farm and household running. There's also plenty of traditional food to taste, a one room schoolhouse program, and a small encampment of Civil War reenactors. One of the things done to both demonstrate and raise some funds is a quilt raffle.
Each year at Harvest Festival a quilt which was completed during the year is displayed and raffled off. In front of the one being raffled the quilters sit and work on the quilt for the following year. Since I was on my own lunch break when I had a chance to come visit the quilters it was also lunch break for several of them. Normally there are several women working together on the quilt, not only during festival but through out the year as they cut and piece the patches as well as finish the quilting.
When I asked the quilters if I could sneak around behind them to get some pictures they told me to be sure to get a close up of the stitching. They were proud to show off their handiwork. It was a bit of a challenge to get the picture since the wind was blowing the quilt as it hung on the line but I hope it gives a feel for the lovely hand quilting.
Each year the quilting group chooses a traditional design to share with the public and each year visitors wait with great anticipation to see the finished product. It's a wonderful way the group gets to share so much time together making a beautiful quilt which can be used to raise money for the farm and be enjoyed by whoever wins it in the raffle.
Here is just one of the many hands that helped make the quilts. Beautiful isn't it?
21 comments:
Yahtzee! O What a lovely handiwork is that! It is exquisite!!! I envy whoever is going to win that!
I would love to make a quilt by hand but that is only because I can't use a sewing machine!
They are beautiful.
**Mona...you beat to the Yahtzee**
It takes a patient personality to be a quiltmaker. My attention span only allowed me to make patchwork hotpads. Those are beautiful quilts. Good photos too.
that's so cool, seeing someone work on something like a quilt like that is super impressive
I like your photography here, too. Especially the close-up of the hand.
Oh darn it I was hoping for a pictue of you in that sexy outfit and bonnet!
:P
Lovely quilts
Nice photo of such a wonderful thing. Capturing all that goes into making the quilts both in words and photo is perfect. Just winning the quilt (which I would love to do) is nice but nothing compared to knowing the rest of the story.
I love the up close shot of the stiching.
It's amazing what those hands can do. The older I get, the more my arthritic hands can appreciate what those older hands manage to do with less flexibility and stamina.
Peace - D
I'm always impressed by those who enjoy doing such work as quilting, crocheting and the like. I wonder if those skills are going to disappear in the future? Sad to think about!
My grandmothers were quilters. They worked on the frame in the old style and did the hand-stitching. One of them worked in raucous colors and the other's work was more subdued. Several quilts were handed down to me and I treasure them. Sadly, I don't display them since our southwestern sun is too harsh.
The work you display here is intricate and gorgeous.
I have problems typing some days. I can only imagine how tough it is to make something that big.
I don't know anything about quilting. Quiting - yes, quilting - no.
Wow. That is awesome. I know nothing about quilting but man. That looks like a lot of work. It is beautiful!
Those are beautiful - I love hand quilting.
now that i'll have my nights to myself, i might have a go at quilting. if i do a square at a time i might not get overwhelmed. i've always wanted to make one. ha - i could call it my "freedom" quilt!
Kewl stuff...
Pride in stitching is clear proof of a REAL quilter. I love the white-on-white stitches!
I have to say late Happy Birthday! Sorry I missed it - it looks like you had a great time. I've been away for so long - it is great to come back. I wish I could quilt; my grandmother and her mother were pros at it and I can do absolutly zilch.
Lime its really is so beautiful, how lucky is the person who wins that?????
What a great gift to hand down the family line.....
Quite delightful. I especially like that they're hand stitched. There seems a proliferation of machine stitched quilts which always look lovely but somehow skips an essential element, the collective effort and sense of community.
Cheers
I was hoping to see a pic of you Limey.
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