Helping Mama Quilt

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Helping Quilt 1
Mary’s neat sewing, with the squares joined by “seaming.” The finished block measures 5 1/2 inches square.

There once was a lady who lived and sewed in New England, way back around 1810. She had a little girl who wanted to help, and so she taught her how.

This lady (I’ll call her Mary because there’s a 27.4% chance that was her real name) was making a simple quilt out of four patch squares. Calico was dear, so she used every teensy scrap she had to make the patches.

Helping Quilt 2
This is a view of the back showing Mary’s careful piecing. The narrowest blue striped bit measures 3/8″ inch, not including the seam allowance.

She gave Betsy (I’ll call Mary’s daughter Elizabeth because there’s a 14.3% chance that was her real name) some squares to practice on. Betsy wanted the pretty patterns to work with, but Mary was reluctant to use those for lessons, so she compromised. One print, one plain.

Helping Quilt 3
Betsy’s finished square. Do you notice something a little odd here?

Well, Betsy finished her block, and Mary finished 89 others. Then she packed them all away. They were never made up, but remained in a box in the attic for 200 years. Don’t you wonder why?

Helping Quilt 4
Betsy’s work from the back. Yes, her stitches are a little clumsier than Mary’s, but she was learning. And they’re straighter than mine – go Betsy!

Published by twothreadsback

3 thoughts on “Helping Mama Quilt”

  1. I wonder why, and I do also think there’s a high percent chance that the Mary and Betsey story might have a sad ending. Are they yours now? If not I hope they reside with someone with imagination and appreciation like you.

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    1. I hope it wasn’t sad, but I suppose we”ll never know.
      Thank you for the compliment! I’m watching over them for now. Maybe I’d be a better storyteller than historian, since I get so ‘creative’ with numbers. And dates… that should have read 1820 …or so…

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