This essay was
written by Joan Holmes after the quilt's completion.
Read about the
quilters as a group.
In 1973 a pictorial quilt was made by
the "Friends" group of the Hopkinton Village Library. The quilt was started as
a money-making project, and the group planned to raffle it. As the quilt grew,
the women became so attached to it they didn't want to see it sold, and
decided to have postcards made of it instead. They kept their quilt to hang in
their library.
Those of us from Contoocook Village who
saw it were so taken with the beauty of their quilt that, with encouragement
from the Hopkinton women, we decided to make one of our own village.
In October of 1973 at a meeting of the
Bates Library "Friends," it was decided to put a notice in the library about
such a project to see how much interest there might be. Members of the Bates
group signed up and women in the community that we thought might be interested
were contacted. Word about the idea began to get around and interest was so
great that we had to stop the size of the quilt at forty-two squares.
Also in October a group of us attended a
slide program presented by the Hopkinton women about their quilt and left that
evening with much helpful advice from their group. Our feelings of enthusiasm
were mixed with doubts about our ability to accomplish such an undertaking.
In November of 1973 we met for the first
time as a group at the Bates Library to plan our quilt. The women were asked
to bring lists of places they would like to see on the quilt, and a lively
discussion developed as we made our decisions.
First, we decided to show places now in
existence on the quilt, with three expectations. It would be up to the
individual making the square whether she chose to portray her subject as it
looked in the present or as it had in the past. Those buildings to be shown
which are not now in existence were the Old Kingsbury and Davis Plant, to
represent the industries in the village, and the old high school, to represent
the schools of the village.
The fountain was mentioned over and over
as a subject for the quilt and was the third exception. When we planned the
assembly of the squares, the fountain was placed in the center of the quilt
and, as much as possible, the village shown around it as it actually is.
By process of elimination we chose the
subjects for the quilt. We wanted our quilt to portray some of our activities
as a small town, and also to represent those people who serve us every day-our
doctor, policemen, and firemen. Each woman chose to square she wanted to do
and each was given a piece of white cloth and paper for her sketches. (Those
who were unable to attend were called and chose their squares from those
left.)
A very simple demonstration of applied
appliqué was closely observed by everyone, as most of the group had
never done anything in appliqué before.
We met once more in November to compare
sketches and to enable the women who needed help to sign up with one of our
four artists. We then called a halt in our activities until after the
holidays.
On January 7, 1974 we met at the
Community Center for a casserole supper. This was one of our most colorful
meetings. After a supper by candlelight, every quilter brought out her box of
scraps brought for mutual exchange by all the workers on the quilt. With her
sketch in hand each woman went from table to table, each strewn with gay
scraps of cloth, to choose just the right colors for her own creation. Two of
the women had their squares started and everyone paid close attention as they
explained what they had done.
At this meeting it was decided to meet
twice a month for fun and inspiration. Not a lot of work was accomplished at
these meetings, for appliqué is painstaking and requires close attention on
the part of the worker. The meetings were mostly a wonderful time to
sympathize with each others problems, to get new ideas, and to encourage each
other when things looked hopeless.
We met again in January in the cafeteria
at the fiberglass plant. It seemed that from then on through a rather
cheerless winter with the energy crisis upon us, that the quilt warmed much of
the town. Those of us doing a square each had innumerable people interested
and involved in helping us. Our husbands took a great interest and all of our
children. Friends sent materials and pictures and lent advice and
encouragement. In small groups and large throughout the winter evenings
needles too tiny stitches, patiently creating pictures in cloth.
It was decided that each woman should do
a short history of her square and that drew many other people to the quilt.
Older people who could remember dates and events were a wonderful help.
Conversations in the bank, A & P, post office or library, wherever people met,
would sometimes seem very strange to the eavesdropper. "I have ripped out my
rock three times"; "Have you seen her cow's tail"; or "Wait until you try to
do your windows". We viewed our surroundings with a new awareness and details
never noticed before came to our attention.
By the first of February the first
squares were done. We began hanging them in the library and then in the bank
so that each square could be appreciated before it was sewn on the quilt. In
February we met twice-at Ruth Blanchard's home and at the home of Barbara
Smith. We were pleased to see at the second meeting in February that almost
half of the squares were done.
On March 5 we met at the home of Eveline
Houston, where each square that was complete was photographed, and we
assembled the squares on a large sheet to see how they looked together. Some
of our husbands came to this meeting to join in the fun and sociability of the
evening. All of the meetings during the winter were all well attended.
It should be mentioned here that the
deadline for our quilt squares was April 1, and every square was done. The
spirit of cooperation among the forty-four women working on the quilt was
truly inspiring, and we all had a mutual feeling of accomplishment as we met
the deadline.
As we had the arrangement of the quilt
planned and more than half of the squares were done, we decided to start
putting the quilt together well before April 1. On March 7 we moved into the
family room at the home of Mr. and Mrs. Woodbury Roberts. This room was
perfect for us as it had its own entrance and we could come and go without
disturbing the household. For five weeks as we worked to put our quilt
together, Ginny Roberts welcomed us with a cheery fire in the fireplace on
cold March mornings and graciously put up with people coming and going to work
on or just to visit the quilt.
We had high hopes of completing our
quilt for National Library Week, which started April 21, and we took the last
stitches on the quilt on April 15. That evening the quilt frame was assembled
and a trial hanging was staged at the home of Mrs. Robert Smith.
On April 19, 1974 at the Maple Street
School, we unveiled our quilt and presented it for the first time to the
quilters, their families and invited guests. A large group attended,
refreshments were served, and an evening of mutual admiration was enjoyed by
all.
The quilt was hung for display in Bates
Library for National Library Week where it attracted many admirers. The
Friends of the Bates Library presented a display of old and new quilts at the
same time, making Library Week most successful.
We met for the last time on May 14 at
the Maple Street School where again we enjoyed a casserole supper together. A
slide program was presented to the quilters showing each square on the quilt,
the assembly of the quilt and the unveiling party.
As so many of the women wanted a picture
of the quilt as a keepsake, we decided to have the quilt photographed and
colored prints made for their enjoyment.
We left the last meeting with some
regrets, as we had all made new friends and had enjoyed our association as we
worked together. Everyone left with a special feeling of pride in having been
a part of the "Contoocook Village Quilt."
About the quilters as a group
As a group we ranged in age from
silver-hared ladies to two young people aged fifteen. Among us were
schoolteachers, businesswomen, artists, a nurse and young mothers. Many of the
women worked outside of their homes.
We were busy women who took up the quilt
project for the sheer fun of it. It was one thing we were all doing because we
wanted to, fitting it in among the many things we had to to.
Some of us were long time residents of
the town, quite a few were new the the community. We met people we would not
have otherwise known, and our newcomers felt part of the town more quickly as
they took part in the creation of the quilt.
Most of us had never done anything even
remotely resembling applied appliqué, some had hardly held a needle before.
All of us took a great interest in each
other's work, and the spirit of cooperation was wonderful. As we learned we
shared our experiences and many new friendships developed.
Fourteen members of the group were
Friends of the Bates Library, the rest were drawn from the community.
This resume of the quilt was put
together to the best of my ability in July of 1974.
Already we have forgotten some of the
things about the quilt, but none of us will ever forget the experience of
making it.
Joan Holmes
Chairperson
Contoocook Village Quilt