Roy Exum
The other day I wrote a story about my sister Ellen and her wonderful ability to make Christmas magical. Not only does she send terrific presents, she includes an explanation or a story about each gift that is priceless. As I described some of the items that arrived last week, I purposefully left one because it needs a day by itself. Ellen sent me a gorgeous quilt that is probably an antique yet in the way we “cure” a Lodge cast-iron skillet, the quilt has grown character down through the years. It has a good “hand,” you might say.
So as I spread it out on my bed, I realized this is indeed a special gift, the kind that you are honored to receive. As I read Ellen’s letter that accompanied it, I realized that her introduction had put me in the mood to adore my old yet new friend. I hope you get the same warmth as I share Ellen’s introduction of my feed-sack quilt.
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“Dear Roy,
“I picked up an old quilt like this several years ago at Saint Francis (my favorite local thrift store.) It was well loved. Thread bare and worn. ‘As is’ the tag read and it was already on sale. The cotton batting was so thin that it was very lightweight. Because it was sort of ‘ratty’ I wasn’t scared of hurting it; so I used it for everything.
“I used it to protect furniture when I moved it, to put in the back of the car for the dog, to cover up stuff in the car … to lay in the grass when we would go to the park for the day. No matter what happened, I knew I could always count on the patchwork quilt … it could withstand anything. I soon learned how indispensable it was. I especially loved how lightweight it was compared to my other quilts, my mover’s pads and my dog pads. I loved the different patches. At first it seemed that none of them really went together, but they seemed to look better in spite of it!
“I soon picked out my favorite pieces and would arrange them facing me, like friends. As the quilt moved around with me during my different chores and hobbies, it seemed like the quilt was getting used to these things … I figured the quilt likely had a long history, and it was keeping someone’s secrets.
“So I decided to give it a soak in my 20-Mule Borax to see if I could restore it, prolong its life a little so it could stay with me awhile. The stains all came out! It puffed up and was clean and happy. It’s now upgraded to sitting status, moving from the back seat of the truck onto my sofa, and it is my favorite quilt ever.
“I learned these quilts are a Midwestern staple. They call them “feed-sack quilts” because they were literally made of feed sacks back in the ‘20s and ‘30s. Those were lean times in our country. Dustbowls. Depressions. Flour, grain and heavy animal feeds came in sturdy cotton sacks. Some bags were plain white cotton, and others had pretty prints. Women would buy their flour and sugar in these bags and the animals' feed, too.
“They’d keep an eye out for patterns they wanted. If you’d set your sights on sewing a bedspread or a dress or drapes, it might be hard to get four or six bags with the same print, so the women would bicker and trade with each other to get the patterns they wanted. They’d make clothes for the family, curtains for the kitchen, an apron … and they would use the left-over scraps to make these quilts. Nothing went to waste back then.
The quilts’ designs ranged from basic to elaborate. Here are some of the great names: Crazy quilt (no pattern), Nine Patch, Postage Stamp, Tumbling Block, Pinwheel, Windmill, Shoefly, Snowball, Butter Fly, Bowtie, Jacob’s Ladder, Monkey Wrench, Lemoyne Star, Ohio Star, Eight-point Star, Grandmother’s Fan, Cathedral Window, Wedding Ring, Irish Chain, Dresden Plate, Geese on the Pond and Churn Dash.
“Some have embroidery on them, some are appliqued and some are even signed and dated. As I have looked over mine, I could almost hear the woman who made it telling me things … I would have loved to know what was going on in her life when she made this, and what she was thinking about while sewing for hours. What were her dreams and hopes – and if any of them came true. I have also wondered how her family let this heirloom slip away …
“So I started picking up these quilts whenever I saw them in our Midwestern travels. I started being a ‘Quilt Keeper” – albeit on a low budget -- and now I have about a dozen so I am giving you one … something from the Midwest to comfort and inspire you.
“The quilts are pretty beat up by the time I can afford them. I bring them home, soak them in my tub for several hours or overnight. I tell them to hang in there, that there is still work to do, and that they were not forgotten nor abandoned but are sorely needed!
“That is the sort of ‘prayer’ I say when I put my tattered thrift shop finds into my tub. I ask them to stay a little longer and – guess what – the ‘20 Mules’ lifts the stains! They start telling me their secrets … and I tell them some too … and soon they are white, fluffy, and ready for active duty.
“This is not a museum piece. Far from it! I hope it does not offend you that there are still some rips, stains and tears. The fabric is well-worn and the batting will start to leak out soon, if it hasn’t already. You can easily mend these things if it bothers you. Very easy to mend with any old scrap of fabric, a dish towel, and old tee shirt.
“On eBay, you can even get authentic feed-sack fabric scraps that will match (search for Feed-sack quilts, Feed-sack scraps). Or you can leave them be; enjoy their ‘patina.’
“There are quilt snobs out there who preach that you should never wash these. (Ugh, I met one at the laundromat who screeched at me through two wash cycles). They say you should only use them for display, store them in a cedar chest, call the local historical society, sign up for professional restorations, etc.
“Well, I say that’s a bunch of hooey! These quilts are dying to be used, dying to be part of your every-day life. Like an old dog, they are hoping somebody will notice them and take them along on the ride through life. Well, I did notice … and I got you one.
“I think you should use this as much as you can – for everything. Think of the tough, resourceful mind that made this quilt. It has lasted eighty years! Dream in the soft cotton. My hope is that you’ll grab this quilt and use it every day. Use it for your naps. Use it in the car; to cushion your groceries or wrap fragile things for transport. Use it to lay on when you fix the kitchen sink. Use it for a picnic, as a tablecloth, or use it to make a fort.
“My dogs truly love these quilts and gravitate towards them. Whenever I find one, I spread it out on the floor to survey damage. My dogs always plop on it just like it’s an old friend. ‘Welcome home,’ they say. I think dogs know there are decades’ worth of security and warmth and love imbued in these quilts and I hope you will too. That is one thing you can never wash out of these humble ‘Feed-sack’ quilts. This is pure magic … a Midwestern treasure.
“So let this quilt be your new ‘home base.’ Your moveable feast, something you can count on. I hope it inspires you to work hard at whatever dreams you have, and I hope it comforts you too. I wish you security, warmth, love and longevity. Gosh, I hope you like this!
“Merry Christmas, Ellen.”
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Like it? Are you kidding me? I adore my quilt because it has “substance” that I not only appreciate but envy. And as the New Year dawns, I am excited about spending time and doing things with my quilt. That, my friend, is what makes for ideal Christmas present, this – of course – after Ellen properly explained it. What a treat.
royexum@aol.com