Piecing it together

on November 1, 2012

Quilts are part of many cultures and found in households across the country. They are often made by hand using familiar materials such as scraps of clothing, grandpa’s old coveralls, or delicate lace from a wedding dress. Quilting continues to be a form of artistic expression.

Quilts can be works of art, as well as stories through pictures and memories. They tell a story about their creator. The story of my great-aunt’s quilt is remarkable. I find perseverance in my great-aunt and the journey of her quilt.

My great-aunt grew up in difficulty, like most others growing up in the same era. She found happiness in simple things, like family and close friends. When her only daughter announced that she was going to marry a local boy, my great-aunt was overjoyed.

The difficulties my great-aunt faced did not end with poverty. Rheumatoid arthritis found its way into her life at a very young age. As a small child, I always wondered why her hands looked so crooked and broken.

Despite her physical handicap, my great-aunt began to hand-sew a quilt that she intended to give to her daughter at her wedding. 

The quilt is made up of one-inch by one-inch square tiles of miscellaneous material. As I run my hand over the quilt, I wonder where each piece of fabric came from.

What stands out the most to me was the magnitude of the quilt. It is eight feet long and six feet wide. It is made out of 3,710 small pieces of various fabrics. How many hours must my great-aunt have put into creating this quilt?