Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1899-11-16
Old Fashioned Quilts.

O'u AucHtOtOu GutibCt
ATLANTA, GA.-"Yes, my molhe
ard have Just finished our ninety
seventh quilt since last November.
said Miss Jane Sims Of Colambi.
County, Ga.
You see it began in this way: OuI
firm is mortgaged, and when m,
brother, who supports my mother anI
|, was taken i'll in the middle Of tn,
cropping season, we knew we wonlC
have an extra Lard time to make boil
ends meet. Then, to make matter.
worse, the drouth came on and GU
the crop off until there was next to
nothing to gather. By this time, yor
may be sure, we were worried, and
morning, noon and night | tried to
hit op some way might make money
my mother has a number of old
fashioned quilts. many OF them made
by hdi mother and given her on her
marrage. They are beautiful. as old
fashioned quilts go, have all been taken
good care of and never used except on
state occasions, and therefore are good
as the day they were finished Well,
one morning during our trouble
came in and found my mother on her
knees before one of the big chests in
which she keeps her quilts.
.Jane, she remarked, i was'think-
ing maybe we might get few dollars
for some Of these quilts. 1t would be
better than having them packed away
doing nobody any good
"In a minute thought OF the peo-
pie at the Bon Air hotel. The people
from the North who come there every
winter. Aud knew the hotel was
full right then. So made up my
mind, and in less than half hour
had selected two OF the prettiest
quilts, rising sun and "a rose bud
pattern, and was on my way to the
Bon Air.
Il sold those quilts to the first lady
who looked at them, and when the
other ladies heard had more they
made up party and drove over to
look at them. We sold sixteen-all
that my mother would part with.
Then one of the ladies asked if we
Couldn't make some more, and gave
us an order for five. We received
orders for ninety-seven, and, as said,
we have just finished them.
''For the patchwork kind, the log
cabin the worm fence, the hour
glass, the maltese cross and others
on that order we receive $25 each,
and make them in any colors wished
But for the rosebud the pond lily,
the rising sun, the sunhower.' the
watermelon vine and others where
the pattern has to be appliqued, we
charge from $40 to $50, and | assure
you that they are worth it.
"Of course you know the patterns
are cut out of the various colored cal
icoes and appliqued on a fine white
sheet of the desired size. Then
sheet to match is stretched on the
quilting frames and over this is spread
a double layer of cotton bats carded
by hand; not the kind bought in rolls;
those are too thick and have a sort of
harshness about them that can never
be disguised. Well, after the bats,
the top is laid on, stretched, of course,
and the quilting begins. OF course,
on white ground we can draw no
lines, so we have to use our eyes, and
you may be sure it takes careful,
dainty work, My mother is fine
needlewoman and my work is really
good. 1t is, however, impossible for
us to get the beautiful French calicoes
used in the old quilts, so, of course,
although we use only the finest cali
Goes and cambrics, we simply can
not make our new quilts quite like the
old"