Jamboree Quilt: Linda Woodward Geiger sends these gems

Today is a GREAT day! Linda Woodward Geiger just sent these pics of her quilt blocks. The story behind them is very precious. Linda writes:

I’ve sent off three quit blocks to Gena Ortega. Now that I’m looking at your Genea-Quilters 2011 Block Challenge instructions, I regret that I do not have a photo of me with the blocks.

I’m attaching images (low resolution, but have high resolution copies if you need them) of the three blocks inspired by my maternal grandmother Alice (Brown) Perkins whom we called Nana Perkins, and my father’s sister, Virginia (Woodward) Smith. 

I grew up in rural New Hampshire where I never knew anyone to produce a quilt that was not made from scraps left over from clothing. The backing was generally a sheet and instead of batting, the innards were generally two sheets that had been patched and/or very worn. It wasn’t until I left rural New Hampshire that I learned there were delightful block patterns and that some folks actually purchased fabric just for quilt making and that cotton (and later polyester) batting was available for loft and warmth. Nana Perkins started me off quilting, but we never used a particular pattern or “block design.”

We did pre-determine the size of the squares and the width of piecing strips and the number of square we’d need for a particular project. Our blocks were built from non-descript strips and sometimes with embroidered elements (generally inspired by Aunt Virginia who did lots of hand embroidery and crewel work).  The squares I’ve submitted reflect the teachings of the two special women in my life, Nana Perkins and Aunt Virginia.

The first full size quilt I made for my son was a combination of embroidered and appliquéd squares of our favorite things. As I had been taught the back was a sheet and the interior layer was a couple of worn sheet.

So a GREAT BIG THANKS goes out to Linda for contributing these squares for the quilt to to be tied at the Southern California Genealogical Society's Jamboree. One lucky person will receive the quilt which will be raffled off at the June 2011 Jamboree. Funds collected will be used for scholarships to future Jamborees.