The Forgotten Quilts of World Wars

 

Redwork coverlet, circa 1920

Many years ago, Linda and I attended a quilt exhibit outside of Lancaster.  Curated by Barb Garrett, it was one of the best and most memorable quilt exhibits we had attended.  I took loads of photos, put them in a scrap book and gifted it to Barb years later.

The most memorable quilt at that exhibit was one that was made for refugees during one of the World Wars (I think World War 1 but I'm not certain).  It still had the label on it that indicated it was a quilt sent out.  What was amazing about it is that it returned home.  I believe the European recipient immigrated to the U.S. and that is how the quilt ended up in the exhibit.

Yesterday I wrote about quilts in support of Ukraine.  As far as I know--at this time--there is not a big U.S. charity collecting quilts; it is likely that there is a drive in Europe even as we speak.

Quilts are not simply functional, stitched into the simplest of quilts is our caring for the recipient.  During World War I and World War 2, American and Canadian and Australian quilters contributed to the war effort by not simply working in the factories and conserving resources--they sewed and sewed and sewed.  

World War 1 Red Cross Quilt Top

And when victory was finally declared, they continued to sew and provided aid to the millions of refugees that are always created by war.

World War 2 Victory Quilt

"The Danby Branch (of the Red Cross) has made 60 pairs of girls drawers and two refugee quilts  during the past two months," The Ithica Journal reported in 1919.

Another World War 1 Red Cross quilt top from my collection. The colors are skewed because it was so dark when I photographed it.

   

The Age, Melburne Australia, 1950

In Kington, Ontario, one group of women called the W. A. dedicated themselves to making a quilt a month for refugees during the war (The Kingston Whig Standard, 1940).  

And that brings me to something I think you might like.  It's a podcast called  "Canada's Forgotten Quilts" and it's a remarkable piece.  You can listen to it here.  It's one of the best podcasts I've heard and very well written.  Let me know if you enjoy it.  By the way, the podcasts for this website called "Haptic and Hue" feature textiles.  You may enjoy the other features as well.

Have a safe and happy day!

          Post Script:  Here's another addition suggested by Sue:  the book--Passing On the Comfort: The War, the Quilt, and the Women Who Made a Difference.  You can find it here.