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.

Friday, September 17, 2010

Love Letters - Jennie L. Hullinger

Harold and Jennie wrote a number of letters to each other while living apart during their college years before they were married.

At the time this letter was written Jennie was attending the Brigham Young Academy. She was enrolled in a one year "Normal Course" to fulfill the requirements to become a school teacher.

Harold was working in Vernal.

When Jennie finished and returned to Vernal to teach, Harold came to Provo, UT to work on his teaching degree.

They were separated for two years before they then married and moved to Provo while Harold attended the BYA.

This is a letter Jennie wrote to Harold:






Dear Harold,

I received your dear letter today and altho I am always tickled to death to receive them, this one rather made me sad. Dear I wish I could express my feelings and say to you what I want to in the right way but as long as I can't I guess I had better keep still. Only I was awfully sorry you couldn't or felt you could not come out for Christmas. But dear you know best what you can do.

I have such a lump in my throat tonight I am afraid if I was talking to you instead of trying to write I would certainly have to stop. Daddie got in last night and believe me it sure seemed good. And O, if my Harold could just have come with him. I just can't tell you how I feel tonight. Half of my time I can't see my paper.

Well school has been fine today.

Listen dear the school had a dance on Armistis Day, and a guy from out that way (you never could guess who) wanted me to go to the dance with him. And altho he is a splendid good boy, I didn't go with him. I went with the girls.

I heard Victor Wilkins was going to be married, and I don't think I ever heard of anything so ridiculous in my life.

I was sorry to hear about you breaking your glasses, but sorry they didn't have to send you to SLC instead of them.

Please dear let me put my hands in your new overcoat pocket for just a minute. Will you let me? Alright.

I am almost afraid to send an application home, I think that old Olson is a regular old pill anyway.

I certainly hope you can come out to school next year, for dear you can't help but enjoy it, only a normal course is enough to kill anyone. I make plans and teach kiddies and worry over my school all night long in my sleep.

I heard Bill P. (Pierce) had got an office job in McGill for $4.25 a day, so that isn't so worse.

Well old dear write often and everyday if you can.

Yours forever
Jennie



*Harold would mark on the envelope the date he answered the letter
A (Answered)
Date (Nov. 18)
Year (1922)
H (Harold)