70273 quilt stories – Jeanne Hewell-Chambers

While The Engineer and I made our way to Iceland yesterday, this was happening at Rochester Cathedral . . .

a large table is covered with red and white checked table cloths and on top of the tablecloth is an expanse of white fabric

Photo Description: a large table, covered with red and white checked tablecloths. On top of the tablecloth is an expanse of white fabric, waiting.

Photo Description: A jumble of red X’s with the occasional quilt block (white background with pairs of red X’s)

people bent over stitching red X's onto the white fabric

Photo description: People stitch the red X’s onto the white fabric

women stitching red X's onto white fabric

Photo Description: Women stitch red X’s onto the white fabric

women stitching more red X's onto white cloth background

Photo description: Women stitch red X’s onto the white background

women stitch red X's onto white background cloth

Photo Description: Women stitch red X’s onto the white cloth background

a large red x is stitched onto the white cloth background

Photo Description: One red X is stitched onto the white cloth background. (One down, one to go)

two red X's are stitched onto the white cloth background

Photo Description: Two large red X’s are stitched onto the white background

Photo Description: Two red X’s are stitched onto a large white cloth background as women look on

Before:

Photo Description: Rochester Cathedral as it appeared in the morning

After:

Rochester Cathedral with banners hanging

Photo Description: Banners hanging at Rochester Cathedral

five smiling women who appeared in other photos as they were stitching the red X's to the expansive piece of white fabric

Photo description: Five smiling women who appeared in other photos as they stitched the red X’s to the expanse of white cloth

Artist Wendy Daws (wearing glasses) with her Band of Merry Banner Makers.

These banners and the quilts will hang in Rochester Cathedral through 3/12/2018. The Engineer and I will be at Rochester Cathedral on 1/24 to see these magnificent banners and the quilts they portend, and I look forward to having an opportunity to thank (and hug) those who commemorated those we honor with such dedication and astonishing beauty. If you want to come put your neck in front of me to be hugged, let me know and I’ll get back to you with the exact time to meet up.

Thank you, Lucy Horner and Wendy Daws for these photos
. . . and so, so, so much more.

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There’s much more magnificent commemorating to come,
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Lynn Woll is a woman who does what she says she’s gonna’ do. I meet Lynn at The 70273 Project Special Exhibit at the International Quilt Festival in Houston, Texas last month. She asks if she can interview me for Create Whimsy, her beautiful blog, and she does. She tells me she is going to make quilts with her sister and friends at Marbridge, and she does.

On December 2, 2017, Lynn takes fabric and other supplies to Marbridge where 12 people make 12 Middlings.

Photo Description: A man wearing a red sweater and a big smile adds fabric in the shape of pairs of red X’s to a base of white fabric.

Photo Description: A woman wearing a green t-shirt weaves strips of red fabric to make a pair of red X’s on a base of white fabric.

Photo Description: A man wearing a white t-shirt and a big smile cuts and arranges red ribbon in the shape of pairs of X’s to a base of white fabric.

Photo Description: Janet, Lynn’s sister wears a big smile, a Christmas headband, and a long-sleeved t-shirt with the word “Texas” on it as she arranges red fabric as pairs of red X’s to a base of white fabric.

Writes Lynn after the quilt-making afternoon:

“I had 12 residents participate and made 12 Middlings. We had so much fun today, and I love sharing your story with the residents of Marbridge. I explained about WWII and the Nazis and how they didn’t like people who were different from them and that 70273 people who doctors said were different were murdered, and we were honoring those people. The resident got it – a few even said, ‘People like me?'”

Thank you Lynn, Janet, and friends at Marbridge. I can’t wait to hear more stories and see your finished quilts.

Audio of Jeanne reading this blog post

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I’m starting a monthly newsletter – The 70273 Project XXtra – that will be filled with bits of information you might be interested in and might not see anywhere else. Maybe you want to subscribe?

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