Coxhoe Quilters and Quilt #33 of The 70273 Project
Good news, y’all: quilt #33 is completed! A 60-block beauty, this quilt was made entirely by the Coxhoe Quilters in Durham, UK. Writes Margaret Jackson:
Dear Jeanne:
Quilt #33 was made by a group of ladies who meet twice a month in Coxhoe Village Hall. We at Coxhoe Quilters first heard about The 70273 Project when it was mentioned by Chrissie Fitzgerald, one of our newest members. She put such a good case for it that we just had to get involved.
The Coxhoe Quilters
Both Eva Jackson and Karen Mitchell said they could donate white fabric for the blocks. This fabric was in the form of tablecloths which had been used by their Mothers and Grandmothers. Not only had they been used by these two families, but they had been loaned out to other families in the village for use in weddings, christenings funerals, and many other large gatherings over the years. (If they could only speak, they would have many wonderful tales to tell.)
We then set about raiding our own stashes and gathered a huge pile of red fabric – ribbons, trims, off cuts from various sewing projects, buttons, etc, and set about making our blocks. it was amazing to see how quickly our pile get and wonderful to see how imaginative we all could be.
Durham Cathedral
Galilee Chapel
I pieced and quilted our blocks together. Now that it is completed, it will be displayed in Durham Cathedral UK on January 27th (Holocaust Day) as we raise awareness of the suffering endured by the 70273 souls but also to encourage others to join the project.
Quilters who have blocks in Quilt #33 include:
Christine Fitzgerald (dedicated to Elizabeth Fitzgerald)
Ann Hewitt
Margaret Jackson
Dawn Kirk Walton
Karen Mitchell
4 Anonymous Makers
Norma Corner
Patricia Harvey
Lesley Shell
Janice Tilbury
Alison Wilson
Now that we have Quilt #33 completed, we’ve already started on our second quilt!
Love,
Margaret
~~~~~~
Dear Margaret,
Oh those tablecloths – more meaning added to The 70273 Project, and like you, Margaret, I do so wish I could hear the stories. I am absolutely delighted and deeply grateful to you and the other Coxhoe Quilters for the beautiful way you’ve commemorated 60 more souls. And Chrissie, thank you for joining the Coxhoe Quilters and telling them about The 70273 Project. Last but not least, thank all of you as you go forth to tell others in the community and get them involved, and for getting your families and friends involved via the tablecloths. So special, that.
~~~~~~~
Dear Reader,
Would you like to make your own quilt? It’s quite easy, you just:
1. Make the blocks.
2. Have each Maker complete and sign a Provenance Form.
3. Use a safety pin to attach blocks made by each Maker to their Provenance Form.
4. To identify the blocks, tag every block with the name of the Maker. You can write the Maker’s name on a piece of blue painter’s tape and attach the id tag to each block made by that particular Maker. Or write the Maker’s name on cloth or paper and pin it to the block.
5. Scan each Provenance Form and email a copy of each to me. Keep the original Provenance Forms with the quilt so that they both – the quilt and the forms – find their way into my eagerly awaiting arms.
6. When you’re ready to piece the quilt, contact me so I can assign you a quilt number. Please make sure this quilt number is made known to the Piecer and Quilter.
7. Deliver or mail the blocks and Provenance Forms to whoever is going to piece and quilt your quilt.
8. When the top is pieced, please create a quilt map – a sketch of the quilt block showing the placement of each block and the identity of the person who made each block. (I will give examples and explain in more detail in a post next week.)
9. Deliver the top to whoever is going to quilt it.
10. Send the following to me via email: scanned Provenance Forms of those who made blocks for this quilt / a list of the names of the Makers, the Piecer, and the Quilter / a high resolution photo of the complete quilt / high resolution closeups of the finished quilt / photos of the people working on the quilt / the quilt map / and a few paragraphs of the story of the quilt.
Isn’t this gratifying, y’all, commemorating these people? Thank you for being part of The 70273 Project.
Well done, Coxhoe Quilters!!