Quilts provide the narrative at Chaffee's Old Fashioned Day

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CHAFFEE, Mo. -- About 25 people gathered Saturday at Chaffee's city hall quilt turning, where heirloom and modern quilts were peeled from a centrally located bed in the morning and afternoon. Just about every pattern was represented, including orange peel, Jack in the pulpit and boy's fancy.

"Old-Fashioned Days" was the occasion, and residents reinforced their sense of belonging to the "City With a Smile" by sharing their quilts and stories, attending the old-fashioned breakfast, trading with street vendors downtown or riding the fire barrels.

Ruth Schulte narrated the show, explaining that earlier quilts, some even from 1890, expressed women's political views before they could vote. Quilts communicated support of candidates, peace and temperance. The drunkard's path pattern (also called wandering foot) was used by women's temperance groups in the late 1800s.

Depression-era quilts, made of scraps and feedsacks, documented economic hardship. The colors and tradenames are key to dating them.

A quilt made by Florence Bolton was displayed by her daughter, Katy Hampton. "It won honorable mention at the 1933 Chicago World's Fair," she said.

Others quilts at the show had sentimental value and were given as wedding presents, baby gifts or just passed down from generation to generation.

Judy McGuire of Puxico, Mo., showed her doughnut rings quilt made as a wedding present by Wilma McGuire of Chaffee. The fabric was from dresses worn by members of the family.

An early quilt, made from the rocky road to Kansas pattern, were created as a result of westward migration.

Held up by two women, some quilts were flipped to display the intricate quilting that combines the pieced front, batting and underside. Others received comment for their applique and embroidery methods.

Ryan Dooley of Chaffee had several quilts in the show. He makes baby quilts for nieces and nephews, but pieces many of the full-sized ones. The ladies at the Chaffee Nutrition Center quilted one of the full-sized quilts he'd made after receiving a Christmas quilt from his grandmother, the late Lillian Dooley. A family quilt project followed by solo pieced tops were the result of her gift. "I consider it an art form," he said.

It's typical for a quilt to acquire a history because of the commitment it takes to complete one. Saturday's quilt "show and tell" included stories of blocks purchased at auctions, quilt tops started by one generation and completed by another and purchased tops quilted decades later upon discovery by family members.

Thelma Stone, American Quilt Society quilt appraiser and Chaffee resident, said, "My love for quilts was instilled by my mother, who always had a quilt in her hand." Unlike today, supplies amounted to not much more than a thimble, cardboard, needle and thread in those days.

Cheryl Tuschhoff of Jackson, with 29 quilts to show, shared a living history of her family of six sisters through the family's collection. One really old quilt, from the six sisters pattern, was understandably worn.

Washing quilts gently will cut down on wear. There are ways to preserve the fabric stitched, cut and pieced together with such care and love.

Stone, who became an appraiser in 1990, warned never to dry clean, hang or dry quilts by machine. Her advice on washing quilts included using a tablespoon of Orvus (used for washing cattle and horses) to one washer load. On a nice day lay a sheet on the ground, followed by the quilt face-down, and another sheet to dry.

cpagano@semissourian.com

335-6611, extension 133