In September of 1975 the executive committee of the Alfred Historical Society met to plan the program for the coming year. As a Bicentennial project, it was decided that the society would sponsor the making of two quilts, one to be kept in the village of Alfred as a permanent memorial, the other to raise money in aid of the Terra Cotta fund. The original concept came from an article in Yankee magazine, March 1975, which described the Contoocook, N.H., village quilt. Made by women of the village, the quilt was composed of forty-two squares, each depicting a scene representative of Contoocook. The article aroused the interest of other communities and probably contributed to the renewed interest in the early American art of quilting, now being celebrated with Bicentennial quilts in so many places across the country.
June Brown was appointed coordinator of the Alfred quilt project. A subcommittee, composed of Dorothy Bouck, Margaret Klingensmith, Jean Lang (then president of the society), Lana Meissner, Nell Parry and Ruth Russell met at Mrs. Brown’s home to plan the details, in September 1975. Originally it was decided to make each quilt of thirty 13” squares, separated by 3” strips of colored cloth, and surrounded by an 8” border. An overall measurement of 109” x 93” would be the finished size. Nell Parry had already begun a similar project with a group of friends, and showed a partially completed square of the Seventh Day Baptist Church in Alfred. Mrs. Parry agreed to ask her group if they would be interested in joining in the society’s project, which they later did. Mrs. Meissner and Mrs. Russell offered to purchase two double size white percale sheets, to be cut into 13 ½” squares. The extra half inch was needed to allow for a ¼” seam allowance on all edges. These squares were planned as a backing for the individual designs in the quilts. Mrs. Klingensmith, Mrs. Brown and Mrs. Meissner met on two subsequent occasions at Herrick Library, Alfred University, where the sheets were spread out on a large table in the conference room, measured and cut into squares.
The project was presented to the Historical Society membership by Mrs. Brown at a general meeting in October. Charts had been prepared, showing the number and proportion of the squares in each quilt. A list of possible themes and designs, seventy-four in all, was distributed. Sign-up sheets were also made available, so that members could indicate their willingness to make a square, and the design they wished to make.
Several ground rules had to be established. Since sixty squares would be needed to complete the two quilts, it was decided that the project should be open to all interested members of the Alfred and Alfred Station communities. A target date of February 15th, 1976 was set for finishing the squares. By April 15th the tops would be sewn together, and quilting on frames would begin. One quilt would be finished by June 1st, the other by July 1st. No limitations were placed on fabrics or techniques to be used, though it was hoped that machine stitching on the squares could be kept to a minimum. Duplicate squares of the same theme were acceptable, since they could be divided between the two quilts. Mrs. Brown asked that each person include his or her initials or name on the square as an “artist’s signature.” It was announced that there would be jobs for non-sewers too. For example, the squares were to be photographed when completed, so that a pictorial record of the quilts could be preserved. An annotated description of each square would be needed, entailing some historical research. Dr. Warren Bouck undertook the coordination of these last two aspects of the project. Norma Higgins, Lana Meissner, Dana Beckhorn, Nell and Bill Parry offered their help in transferring designs from photographs or sketches to the sheet squares. Sue Turner volunteered financial assistance for photographing the squares, and Eleanor Gertz promised her services as a sewing consultant. Herrick Library was chosen as a convenient central location for keeping the scraps, squares and lists while the project got underway.
On November 5, 1975 the first of two special quilt meetings was called by the society at the Community House. Fabric scraps were exchanged, designs were discussed, and photographs of buildings were made available. One scrap of rust-colored tweed fabric (from Mrs. Brown’s livingroom chair upholstery) proved especially popular. It seemed to be just the thing for representing tile roofs. At the end of the evening it was being rationed out by Mrs. Lang, and finally appeared in many different forms on various squares.
For the next few weeks work on the squares seemed to progress rather slowly, probably because of the rush of Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays. On January 14th, 1976, an article written by Dr. Bouck appeared in the Hornell Evening Tribune, describing the project and showing members of the quilt committee with the squares completed as of that date. There were only five. A flurry of activity ensued, in order to complete the remaining fifty-five squares by February 15th. The quilt committee vacillated between despair and jubilation during the last weeks before the deadline, while the completed squares were being collected at Herrick Library. Some of the promised squares faded away into the mists of time (or perhaps the winter snows of Alfred). It was not possible to predict until the very last moment exactly how many squares were going to be finished in time. In an excess of zeal Mrs. Brown cajoled a few too many quilters into making a final effort. The total count on Sunday, February 22nd was sixty-six squares.
The committee met at Herrick Library on that day to lay out the designs for the two quilts. Mrs. Brown brought swatches of cotton fabric, which she had purchased with funds donated by Mrs. Bouck. The colors chosen were a deep gold for the fund-raising quilt, and cranberry red for the Bicentennial Memorial quilt. From this point on, the quilts were usually referred to as “the gold quilt” and “the cranberry quilt.” Other materials were also gathered for the final quilting. Mrs. Brown sent for cotton batting, white quilting thread and short needles from a specialty house in Ohio. King-size white sheets were purchased for backings, one from a local store, the other, with the assistance of Pamela Scofield Cresswell, from New York City.
Final layout decisions were based on two principles. The first was to arrange the squares to make the most effective use of color and texture. The second was to achieve a balance of designs in each quilt. Prior to this meeting, there had been some debate within the society as to the best method of raising money with the gold quilt. After some discussion, the membership voted to hold a raffle, at one dollar a ticket, with the drawing to be held on June 13th, in conjunction with the annual antique show and sale. Mr. Robert Keough of the Village Printery, Museum and Craft Center of Alfred, offered to print the tickets free of charge. The type was hand-set in the style of the 1860’s. Some members felt that it would not be appropriate to include squares of local churches in the gold quilt, and so these squares were included only in the cranberry quilt. The number of squares for the gold quilt remained at the originally planned number of thirty, while the cranberry quilt was increased to thirty-five.
Before any work could proceed, the squares had to be photographed. This project was undertaken by Dr. Bouck, with the assistance of Mr. Richard Wittie of the Instructional Resources Center, SUNY Agricultural and Technical College at Alfred. The slides taken by Mr. Wittie were excellent. A duplicate slide of each square was made, to present to the artist responsible for its creation. The complete set of slides was shown on the first of many occasions, at the Andover Maple Festival on April 3-4, 1976.
Beginning February 29th, a series of Sunday afternoon meetings was held at Mrs. Brown’s home in order to “set the quilts,” i.e. sew the tops together. Each square was pressed and measured against a 13” template provided by Mrs. Klingensmith. It was immediately apparent that the quarter-inch allowance needed for seaming was not realistic. Something had been lost in the translation of design into fabric. The difficulty was that some of the squares had shrunk or puckered after being embroidered and appliquéd. The template was reduced to twelve and a half inches, and this worked well. This change resulted in finished quilt sizes of 91” x 107 ½” for the gold quilt, and 91” x 120” for the cranberry quilt. The squares were marked in pencil ¼” from each edge as a seam guide. Strips of gold and cranberry fabric were cut according to a cutting guide planned by Mrs. Brown, and were also marked for a similar seam allowance.
Each square had been numbered and lettered following the original layout. The strips and squares were pinned, basted and hand-sewn together with matching thread. Care was taken to keep the whole structure in vertical and horizontal balance, so that the finished quilts would be symmetrical. The sewing of the tops was completed early in April by the following people: June Brown, Carol Ehrig, Ann Eisenhardt, Vera Hinkle, Margaret Klingensmith, Ellen Lichtman, Lana Meissner, Lilian Nevins, Peg Prisco, Angela Rossington, Sandra Scofield, Lois Smith, and Suzanne Wood. The two completed quilt tops were hung and exhibited at Hinkle Library for the April meeting of the Historical Society.
The next step was to find a suitable place where two large quilting frames could be set up so that quilting bees could begin. Mrs. Parry was able to arrange for the use of an upstairs room in the Parish House, through the kindness of the ladies of the Alfred Seventh Day Baptist Church. On April 11th, the first meeting took place. The gold quilt was spread out on large tables, so that the quilting design could be marked on it. A simple design of vertical and horizontal lines, outlining each block and forming square interstices at the juncture was marked in pencil and chalk on the main part of each quilt top. Original designs had been prepared by Mrs. Brown for the eight-inch border. “Picket Fence,” a simple repeat of vertical lines ending in points was chosen for the gold quilt. A design of horizontal lines, overlaid with adjoining diamonds was used for the cranberry quilt. This was named “King Alfred’s Jewel.” Templates provided by Mrs. Brown were used as aids in marking the designs.
On the following Sunday the marked tops were laid out again, face down, and the cotton batting was spread evenly over them. This was basted in place, and finally the sheet backings were basted over the whole. The quilting frame rods were laid in place at each end and were attached with strong thread to the quilts, prior to rolling and placing on the frames. June Brown, Mary Lou Cartledge, Ann Eisenhardt, Margaret Klingensmith, Ellen Lichtman, Lana Meissner and Nell Parry helped with these somewhat tedious steps in preparing the quilts for the frames.
Quilting began on the gold quilt on Thursday, April 14th, under the direction of Mrs. Parry. Mrs. Parry provided her own quilting frame, designed and made by a local craftsman, Andrew Brady. The cranberry quilt was placed on Mrs. Klingensmith’s frame the following Sunday. This frame is an antique, belonging to Dr. Klingensmith’s family. Dated about 1860, it came originally from Ohio. Mark Klingensmith helped his mother to refurbish it especially for the Alfred project.
Throughout April, May and early June quilting bees were held at the Parish House every Tuesday, Thursday and Sunday, under the direction of Mrs. Klingensmith, Mrs. Parry, and Mrs. Brown. Members of the community enjoyed these sociable gatherings. Expert quilting was not expected, in fact most quilters were beginners. All were welcome to take part in this Bicentennial project. The following women contributed their stitches (and conversation) to the quilting: Rose Becker, June Brown, Marianne Cameron, Edna Carter, Mary Lou Cartledge, Ann Eisenhardt, Eleanor Gertz, Susan Greene, Gay Harder, Catherine Jacox, Margaret Kenyon, Margaret Klingensmith, Jean Lang, Mary Lang, Ellen Lichtman, Louise MacIntosh, Lana Meissner, Lilian Nevins, Helen Ogden, Nell Parry, Peg Prisco, Carol Reed, Doris Rice, Angela Rossington, Ruth Russell, Leah Saunders, Sandra Scofield, Lois Smith, and Helen Thomas.
Others helped in different ways. Donations were given by the society membership to help defray the cost of quilting materials. Ruth Russell and Eva Ford deserve special mention for their share in this. Gifts in kind were given by Dr. and Mrs. Bouck, June Brown, Margaret Klingensmith, Lana Meissner, Ruth Russell, Sue Turner, and Suzanne Wood.
The gold quilt came off the frame on Sunday, May 23rd, nine days before the deadline for completion. Eleanor Gertz sewed the binding around the edge. This was not a separate piece of fabric, but was formed in the traditional manner by bringing the white sheet backing ½” over the top and blind-stitching in place. The corners were mitered, and as a finishing touch the words “Alfred, New York, 1976” were embroidered on the bottom right-hand corner of the backing by Mrs. Brown. The quilt was insured for 5,000 dollars for a limited time period. It was first exhibited publicly at the Alfred Station Bicentennial Celebration Weekend, May 29th and 30th, 1976. It was also exhibited at a benefit tea in Hornell on June 2nd.
The gold quilt realized a final sum of $1,000 for the Terra Cotta Fund and was won by Keramos at the drawing held on June 13th. The cranberry quilt was completed on June 23rd, 1976, and was first exhibited on July 4th, 1976 at the Parish House. Historical annotations of the squares follow in parts II and III of the monograph.
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