Friday, September 24, 2010

Jennie's "Serviceable" Quilt c. 1935

Jennie made a number of quilts throughout her lifetime. Most of them were what she referred to as "Serviceable" Quilts. They were meant to be used. The quilt squares in the following pictures were salvaged from a very used, very worn quilt Jennie made around 1935.

In the early half of the 20th century seldom was fabric purchased solely for the purpose of making a quilt. Flour sacks were bought in "pretty" prints so that an apron or quilt could be made from the sack fabric. By the time the fabric was re-purposed into a quilt it had almost always been used for something else first - usually an apron or a little girls dress. This is what makes this quilt so unique - it has lasted through so much wear. Each fabric represents a different dress, apron, flour sack, and memory.



Green w/ White Flowers: An apron made from a flour sack. This came from either Emma Hullinger (Harold's mother), Norma Hullinger McLean (Harold's sister), Mary Lewis Hatch (Jennie's sister).


Pink Plaid: Flour sack


Blue Floral: A dress of Emma Hullinger's


Black/Blue/Orange Stripe: Apron of Emma Hullinger's


Black Circle Floral: A dress that belonged to Emma Hullinger

Solid Colors: Likely came from sacks of Dry Goods - only Flour Sacks came in pretty prints.

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