The 2007 Challenge Quilts

THE CHALLENGE 

To celebrate the 250th anniversary of Loudoun County, the members of the Waterford Quilters Guild were challenged to create a quilt that reflected their love of Loudoun County.  The quilts could be of any size, shape, or style and whatever fabric desired.

Ten quilters answered the challenge and the quilts were unveiled at the November Guild meeting where the Guild members chose “Underground Railroad” by Andrea Herman as their favorite.

UNDERGROUND RAILROAD IN LOUDOUN COUNTY

Machine pieced and hand quilted by Andrea Herman of Hamilton 

Loudoun County, Virginia is rich in American Civil War history and its residents actively participated in the “Underground Railroad” which aided runaway slaves along dangerous paths toward the northern states of the Canadian border.  From about 1817 to 1861 hundreds of slaves fleeing bondage passed through the country assisted by a large population of Quakers, who were strong abolitionists, farmers, teachers, store owners and others who believed in freedom for everyone.
Contrary to what many believe, the Underground Railroad was a very loosely organized effort. 

Communication between towns or farms was extremely difficult, so each area had to design its own methods of moving the slaves along.  Because the escapees were illiterate, the residents developed codes based on quilt block patterns.  The slaves were taught the quilt codes in their area and they then moved from rest stop to rest stop based on what the quilts told them to do.

Helping the slaves was dangerous.  Federal laws mandated the return of laves to their masters, and those assisting the tired and struggling travelers were subject to both prison sentences and heavy fines.  Consequently, the coded quilts were set outside to “air” on clotheslines, fences and windowsills, appearing totally innocent to the militant slave catchers patrolling the area
A typical quilt code follows, reading clockwise from the upper left block.

The Monkey Wrench turns the Wagon Wheel toward Canada.  With help from Jesus, the Carpenter, follow the Bear’s Paw trail through the woods.  Fill your Baskets with enough food and supplies to get you to the Crossroads where you are to dig (or build) a Long Cabin (probably to wait for spring weather).  Then follow the Flying Geese and Birds in the Air, stay on the Drunkard’s Path and take the Sailboat across the Great Lakes to the North Star above Canada

Sources:
Burns, Eleanor and Bouchard, Sue Underground Railroad Sampler, Quilt in a Day, Inc. 2003
Scheel, Eugene (Waterford, VA historian and mapmaker), 2006

THE BARNS OF LOUDOUN COUNTY 

 Pieced by Pricilla Godfrey of Philomont

“Members of the Waterford Quilters Guild participated in a block exchange for me in 2002.  They were given two different barn patterns and told to embellish their barns however they wanted.  I used a red fabric called "chicken skin" to join the blocks together. 

The quilt was machine-quilted by Wendy Pepper, a dress designer from Middleburg.  This quilt has been displayed at the Franklin Park Performing Arts Center in Round Hill, Virginia and the Loudoun Farm Museum in Sterling, VA.  This quilt was also part of Waterford's challenge this year "to create a quilt that commemorates Loudoun County”. 

BLUE RIDGE AND ROLLING HILLS

Hand and machine appliquéd by Stevii Graves of Leesburg

GINKGO AUTUMN

Linda Jacks of Purcellville

“For a year I collected Ginkgo leaves when visiting our daughter in New Jersey.  Then, In October, I made my usual weekly visit to the Purcellville library and saw hundreds of ginkgo leaves under my feat.  I needn’t have gone looking outside Loudoun!”

LOUDOUN COUNTY AS I SEE IT 

Created, machine pieced, embellished and quilted; and appliquéd by Sally Keefer of Lucketts

Contemporary and traditional quilt blocks are placed around a map of Loudoun County made into a crazy quilt. The County’s main roads are machine embroidered.

“The border of the quilt is made up of 16 pieced or appliquéd blocks.  Clockwise, beginning at the top left hand corner and from left to right around the edge of the quilt, the blocks are: Scissors, Maple Leaf, Dogwood, Country Roads, Country Farm, Country Farm, Hovering Hawks, Moon over the Mountain, Butterfly, Rail Fence, Nosegay, Rose, Flying Geese, Formal Garden, Practical Orchard, Blue Ridge Sunset, and Log Cabin.  (Note the cat in the window.  Every one of my fabric creations has a cat somewhere in the design.) 

These blocks and the small squares surrounding the Loudoun Map center, relate to what I think makes Loudoun County a special place!”

LOUDOUN HUNTS

Created, pieced and quilted by Beth Barlow Lucas, Purcellville VA

“When we were asked in the Waterford Quilters Guild to create a quilt to commemorate the founding of Loudoun County, my heart gravitated to the images of horses and hounds racing across our lovely vistas. An initial start with depiction of those events, honoring each hunt, became too complicated and I realized that in this case, simplicity was more powerful than complicated panoramas.

The grey horseshoe is a traditional visitor to my barn every six weeks. The brown background represents our heavily wooded countryside through which each hunt races. And each hunt has its own block. Apologizes to the fox hunting organization, but, Snickerville Hounds, which hunts in our North Fork neighborhood, had to be included.

Our hunts in Loudoun County have given us all, whether we are riders or chasers, an uncompromised thrill. They contribute to better property values and their members support much of the conservation effort here. I hope this quilt honors them all.”

LOUDOUN

Piecing and appliquéd by Eleanor Mantoni of Middleburg

 “The best way of demonstrating the county in a quilt was to show the shape of the county itself, filling in the major highways and the several towns.  The capital of the county being Leesburg, I felt the county seal was important.  Also Dulles Inter Airport is an important site in the county.  The 250th anniversary was also important.”

COLE’S BARN

Frank W. Naylor, Jr. of Purcellville

The quilt uses several mediums, including appliqué, painted fabric and line drawing.

“This art quilt was inspired by my own knowledge of the site and a beautiful watercolor of the Cole property by Loudoun artist Catherine Hillis.  The Cole family lived and farmed in the county for many years and the site is considered by many to be the natural entrance to Purcellville.”

I’M NOT CATHERINE HILLIS BUT I CAN QUILT

Machine appliqué wall hanging with embellishments by Sheila Ralph of Hamilton

“I have always wanted to do watercolor but find that quilting is my medium.  I am currently a student of Catherine Hillis trying out my watercolor wings.

Note: Catherine Hillis, who has painted on location and exhibited all over the world, is also known for her watercolors of historic scenes of Loudoun County.  Loudoun’s artists (and quilters) have had the privilege of participating in her classes and workshops.”

THE FARM HOUSE

 Mabel Baldridge Rollison of Leesburg

“This is the tenant house on Charles M. James’ dairy farm on old Route 287 near Purcellville, VA

J. D. Baldridge, his wife Catherine and seven children lived here from 1951 – 1968

Daddy rented the farm on 1/3’s.  He ran the dairy, milked about 45 cows twice daily; also raised corn, grain and hay on the 208 acres.

The farm was a lot of hard work.  We were all expected to do our share.  Our parents provided a good home for us and we all have a lot of fond memories of “The Farm”.”