A Celebration of Quilts
Every Quilt Tells a Story
Below are quilts contributed to the celebration of quilts and quilting in Cloverdale in April and May, 2023. So many were submitted, not all were able to be exhibited, so we are featuring all entries on this website.
CALM SEAS Pat Abercrombie and Reggie
Cloverdale Public Library
VIOLET'S UNI Violetta Berg
Cloverdale History Center Gould-Shaw House
ASLAN Shelley Bowers
Cloverdale Arts Alliance
MARTA'S GIFT Marta Anatra
Cloverdale History Center Cooley Room
FIBONACCI LIZARD Shelley Bowers
Cloverdale Arts Alliance
HELIX MOUNTAIN LAKE Shelley Bowers
Cloverdale Arts Alliance
LAZY GREY CATS Shelley Bowers
Cloverdale History Center Cooley Room
UNDERGROUND RAILROAD Elizabeth Black Cloverdale Public Library
UNDERGROUND RAILROAD Elizabeth Black Cloverdale Public Library - Detail - Symbol Legend
This quilt was created to teach school children about the history of the United States during the time of slavery, and the dangerous journey illiterate slaves underwent to escape to freedom. Safe houses along the route of the “underground railroad” were marked using quilts displayed on a laundry line, each quilt directing the escapees where to go next. There is a legend on the bottom back of the quilt that describes the meaning of the quilt designs. This quilt contains all of the designs used.
- ELIZABETH
CRY OF THE CAT Trudy Brajnikoff
Cloverdale History Center Gould-Shaw House
Between 50 and 60 times a year, an infant is born in the United States with Cri du Chat. These infants are often born with a smaller than average head, poorly developed muscles, and have a cry which is high-pitched, not unlike the cry of a cat.
When my neighbors first asked me if I would make a quilt for their daughter to help raise awareness, I kind of put them off; you know the excuses. I was too busy…making quilts is expensive and would cost too much…
But the idea grew on me and my whole family became involved. I learned more about Five P Minus and came up with a design. I thought about my own little sister who was born missing a portion of one of her chromosomes, and it became personal. I knew that I had to make this quilt happen.
Most quilts I make are designed to reflect the recipient in multiple ways and this was no exception. Each human is designed to require 46 chromosomes so the quilt would need 46 strips of fabric. A portion of the fifth chromosome for Cri du Chat children is missing, so a portion of the fifth strip would be missing also. My neighbor’s daughter loves pink, all pinks, so each strip was made from a different “pink”. The quilt needed to share information; I added letters so that those wanting to learn more could find it easily. The family wanted to be able to throw the quilt down on the ground for picnics, so denim was used as backing and binding.
Have fun! Quilting should be fun and rewarding. Find what interests you most and pursue it. Find people to share with who will support you and help you grow as you support them to help them grow. - TRUDY
SPACE FORCE II Judi Brooks
ALWAYS FLOWERS Judi Brooks
Cloverdale History Center Cooley Room
This “Friendship Signature Quilt” came out of a barrel belonging to Roger Lubeck’s great-grandparents, Delena (Ouellette) and Everett S. Hilton. The quilt was not finished. We had only the top layer and 25 years ago added batting, backing, and binding, all done by hand quilting.
The quilt has a dozen signatures dated between 1847 and 1849 from residents of Greenfield, Saratoga County, NY.
It seems as though the various signatures were written by two people and some of the last names are the same. In researching the quilt, we identified some history for a few individuals who signed the quilt. We also discovered that no Hilton or Ouellette signed the quilt or lived in Greenfield or Saratoga County, NY. But they lived 90 miles from there. Our quilt has many
unanswered questions. Who completed the quilt top? What is the story of the people who signed it? Does the quilt represent two family trees? Why weren’t all of the squares filled with signatures? And how did it come into the Lubeck family? Our quilt remains a mystery.
- LYNETTE CHANDLER
LUBECK FAMILY FRIENDSHIP QUILT Unknown Artist
Bolt Fabric and Home
MY FIRST QUILT Lynette Chandler
Cloverdale Center For Performing Arts
Kay Wells gave me her sewing machine and this started a new hobby in my life. I took an introduction to quilting class at Bolt and was hooked. This is the quilt that I made through that class. My first quilt and one of many, I hope.
- LYNETTE
GRANDMA'S HANDKERCHIEFS Diana Codding
Cloverdale History Center Gould-Shaw House
This quilt has 15 of my grandma’s hankies incorporated into the overall design. Grandma always had a hankie with her in a pocket or up her sleeve. I ended up with about 35-40 of her hankies after she passed. It has taken years of looking at them before I decided how to put them into a quilt.
Grandma Dewey was a quilter and inspired me to learn this beautiful craft.
This quilt honors my grandma: Marion Catherine Patton Dewey 4/16/1904 – 9/7/1998
- DIANA CODDING
SCRAPPY PATCHWORK Diana Codding
Cloverdale Public Library
FOLK ART Comptche Quilters
Cloverdale History Center Cooley Room
RAINY DAYS Comptche Quilters
Cloverdale Public Library
ALPHABET Jean Cunningham
Cloverdale Performing Arts Center
FARMYARD Jean Cunningham
Cloverdale History Center Cooley Room
RATTLE SNAKE Margaret Davids
Cloverdale History Center Gould-Shaw House
MY CRAZY Margaret Davids
Cloverdale History Center Gould-Shaw House
FEELING THE SEASON Kathleen Davis
Cloverdale History Center Cooley Room
ALMOST WEDDING QUILT Candi Delgardo
Cloverdale Public Library
CIRCLING THE HIVE Candi Delgardo
Cloverdale Performing Arts Center
FLOWER BASKET Candi Delgardo
Cloverdale History Center Cooley Room
When my maternal grandmother died, my mother found this quilt in my grandmother’s attic. It was in such good shape, I assume it was hardly, if ever used. There was no information about who made this quilt or when it was made.
My mother thinks her grandmother made it. Some day I will get it appraised by a quilt appraiser in hopes of at least identifying when it was made. It quite possibly was a kit.
- CANDI DELGARDO
INDIGO MODERN Candi Delgardo
Cloverdale Performing Arts Center
DEAR JANE IN BLACK VELVET Rhonda Denny
Cloverdale History Center Gould-Shaw House
In 2009, I joined a mini-group of quilters, a microcosm of the Santa Rosa Quilt Guild. I was new to the guild and the mini-group, Rosehips, was comprised of six individuals – all of them leaders in the guild, save me, a frightened, relative newcomer. In a roundtable meeting, we agreed that we wished to engage in a bee of Civil War Era Quilts, specifically one called “Dear Jane”, a Jane A. Stickle quilt of 1863, revisited by one Brenda Papadakis.
The original is 13 rows of 4 ½” square blocks and an outside of wedges. The original is made of muslin and other period fabrics. No two prints are duplicated. Only the muslin is repeated in use. Further, no two block designs are the same.
I opted to make two quilts, one similar to the original in muslins and period prints of the time, and the other watercolors and batiks on a background of black velvet. One might ask why four blocks instead of two. I liked the idea of creating each block in its negative (or opposite) format as well.
The better part of half a year passed and my blocks were piling up when I got the opportunity to head to Kansas to see my family. I took my 20-some blocks and made the journey with most of my embroidery threads, and a good selection of my beads.
SENTIMENTAL SAMPLER Karen Devine
Cloverdale History Center Gould-Shaw House
All of my blocks came home heavily embellished.
I sent the muslin number to my brother Randy and his wife Jane, rather fitting, I thought. I love the black velvet quilt. It is the closest I have come to making a crazy quilt, one of my heart’s desires. It is vibrant and heavily laden with jewels of garnet, a diamond or two, and lots of silver in the form of “singleton” earrings and pendants sans chains.
I have been assured by my sister quilting mavens that they have seen many a Dear Jane Quilt, but none embellished or of velvet. – RHONDA
BIRD HOUSE Karen Devine
Cloverdale Performing Arts Center
MANTEL TREE Karen Devine
Cloverdale History Center Cooley Room
LOG CABIN Karen Devine
Cloverdale History Center Cooley Room
SNAKE TRAIL Lucy Diggs
Cloverdale History Center Cooley Room
TERRAZO AT 0200 HOURS Lucy Diggs
All of the dyes in this quilt are natural dyes. Most of the dyes are extracted from walnut husks from the California black walnut tree (Juglans californica) which grows abundantly all over this county and in most of California.
This quilt is called Terrazo at 0200 Hours because as I was making it, at first it seemed a little dull with all the soft beiges and tans and ochres, so then I added some glimmers of color and light, and I saw some young American soldiers in the winter of 1944, the waning days of World War II. They had been fighting in North Africa and had crossed the Mediterranean into Italy and were making their way northwards from the tip of the boot, fighting, fighting, fighting to join forces with Patton. It was late at night, they were bone tired, and high on a hill they spotted a villa and headed that way hoping that they might find rest there at least for a night. As they crested the hill, they came upon a wide terrazzo patio surrounding the villa. Here and there shafts of moonlight glimmered like tiny beacons of hope on the light-colored tiles.
- LUCY
GRANDMOTHER'S LACE Meredith Dreisback
Cloverdale Performing Arts Center
The squares in this quilt were embellished using crocheted or tatted lace from my grandmother’s collection, all handmade by her.
The lace was from pillowcase edges, pieces that would have been sewn together to make tablecloths, edging on cloth doilies, or decorative trim.
One of the lace pieces (not made by my grandmother) is from my friend’s grandmother’s wedding dress.
I made this quilt to showcase the lace, as a remembrance of my grandmother and her creative work with a crochet hook or tatting shuttle.
– MEREDITH
CHLOE'S WEDDING QUILT Jane Eller
Cloverdale History Center Gould-Shaw House
FOREST FAIRY PLAYDAY Maurette Foster
TEDDY BEAR BABY QUILT Maurette Foster
PINWHEELS Janet Horrall
Cloverdale Performing Arts Center
GRANDMA'S BLAZING STAR Vera Ray Whitman Johnson
Cloverdale History Center Gould-Shaw House
This quilt was hand made by my grandmother, Vera Ray Whitman Johnson in about 1915. She lived in a small farming community of Cameron, Illinois near Galesburg, Illinois.
I believe it was made on a loom at her church, Cameron Christian Church. It is well-loved and was washed many times in her home. She was my favorite person in the world and therefore I loved anything she made. She also was a talented artist.
- JANET HORRALL
SCRAP STRIPS Janet Horrall
Cloverdale History Center Gould-Shaw House
AWESOME OCEAN Trina Jahnsen
TIGER IN REPOSE Trina Jahnsen
ABBEY LANE Diane Kruse
Cloverdale History Center Cooley Room
BE LEAF Jim Jensen
Cloverdale Performing Arts Center
AFTERNOON DELIGHT Ginny Leber
Cloverdale Public Library
BARN QUILTS SAMPLER Ginny Leber
Bolt Fabric and Home
BLOOMS FOR JULIE Ginny Leber
Cloverdale Public Library
FRIDA KAHLO Carolle LeMonnier
Bolt Fabric and Home
DAISIES Louise Morris
Cloverdale History Center Gould-Shaw House
This quilt was made by Louise Morris. She was a resident of Cloverdale and has her quilts in the Grace Hudson Museum in Ukiah. She lived for 100+ years, was well known in Cloverdale and volunteered at the Historical Society and the Senior Center.
I had the pleasure of meeting and interviewing her to ask about the history of aprons! When she died and an estate sale was advertised, I went quickly to the sale to see if any of her quilts might be for sale. This one was and I was so grateful to have a little piece of her with me. – CAROLLE LE MONNIER
BACKYARD INDIGO Kathy McCormick
Cloverdale Performing Arts Center
BAMBOO MOON Kathy McCormick
BORO 1 Kathy McCormick
Bolt Fabric and Home
FLOATING PINWHEELS Kathy McCormick
Cloverdale Public Library
GOLD COINS Kathy McCormick
Bolt Fabric and Home
JAPANESE CRESTS Kathy McCormick
PUZZLED HOUSES/LOSS OF AFFORDABLE HOUSING
Kathy McCormick
Bolt Fabric and Home
RUSTED INDIGO Kathy McCormick
GIRL NEXT DOOR Jeanne Parent
Cloverdale Public Library
CHRISTMAS BIRDHOUSE Leanne Thompson
CENTRAL PARK, NYC Joan Rousseau
Cloverdale History Center Cooley Room
Seven years ago, my husband and I traveled to New York City so he could perform with Paul Winter and the Consort at St. John the Divine Church on the Upper West side. It had snowed recently and we were walking by Central Park. He took this picture of the park with the trees, and even though it was daylight, all you could see was black and white and a towering building way in the back that was red from the last rays of the sun.
I began to create a set of pictures based on that photograph using paper- piecing, following the guidelines outlined in a book by Ruth B. McDowell called “Piecing – Expanding the Basics”. It is a fabulous book, but I had not had any kind of training on how to do paper- piecing, nor did I know much about how to make quilts. After several false starts, I started taking classes with Judy Bianchi, starting with her basic class. It lasted 10 weeks and I was hooked. I took every class possible, and began to understand how to make quilts.
It took six more years, but I finally finished. Judy was not available by the time I finished and she will probably never see this quilt. It is the most challenging thing I have ever tried to do, and I could not have done it without her encouragement, guidance and support.
This quilt carries all the fondest memories of my husband and I in New York City, and all my fondest memories of Judy Bianchi.
- JOAN ROUSSEAU
PARTRIDGE IN A PEAR TREE Leanne Thompson
Cloverdale Performing Arts Center
WISTERIA Leanne Thompson
QUARTERED STRIPES Janet Tonkin
Cloverdale Performing Arts Center
BIRD QUILT Sherry Van Gelder
Cloverdale Performing Arts Center
BANDON RETREAT Betty Townsend
MY MOON'S OVER THE MOUNTAIN Debbie Ward
Cloverdale History Center Cooley Room
PATCHWORK HORSES Debbie Ward
Cloverdale Arts Alliance
PEEK-A-BOO KITTIES Debbie Ward
Cloverdale Performing Arts Center
TORCH GINGER Kay Wells
Cloverdale Performing Arts Center
The story goes that a Hawaiian woman watched her keiki (children) learning to cut snowflakes from folded pieces of paper. Suddenly, she had an idea of using the same technique and applying it to cloth fabric. This moment was the beginning inspiration for the unique Hawaiian Quilt Design created by folding and cutting large pieces of fabric.
My Hawaiian quilt features the plant Torch Ginger, cut from one piece of fabric drawn by Auntie Deborah Kakalia and cut by Uncle David, her husband. He then pinned the design down and I began stitching, using a large hoop. The most rewarding part was stitching with other mostly local women at the Bishop Museum in Honolulu where I lived at the time. This quilt took me a LONG, LONG time and was finished after moving back to San Francisco. - KAY
BLEEDING HEART KALEIDOSCOPE
Dale Yamamura
Bolt Fabric and Home
