A Birthday Party for My Quilt Friend Shirley, 91 Years Young

Our weekly 'sit and stitch' quilt group in Clawson was organized 16 years ago by several quilters who were told 'it will never work'. To prove the nay-sayers wrong, today 38 gals came out to wish one of our founders a happy 91st birthday!

Shirley Wiliams

Marilyn Brown (red shirt on left in photo below) organized the group to make Shirley Williams a signature quilt. Marilyn also put the quilt top together. She received enough blocks to make a double sided quilt! Barb Lusk, machine quilter extraordinaire, Set aside her Christmas rush jobs to get it quilted in record time.

 Many of us made blocks with Cardinals, Shirley's favorite bird. Each block is signed by the maker.

The flip side of the quilt includes a variety of blocks.

Esther Gadwa whipped up several of her fancy cakes, a cheesecake and a Lemon Curd cake, all made from scratch. She even makes ricotta cheese and lemon curd from scratch. We never lack for luscious deserts!

We had a lovely time.

Shirley has shared stories with me over the last two years. She had the most romantic story I have heard.

When she was a young woman she was engaged to be married. She was at a dance when she saw a handsome young man, returned from the service. She decided he was the man she was going to marry. She did not tell him she was engaged, broker off her engagement, and, well, married her guy!

He was a pilot and Shirley also earned a pilot license. They lived 'Up North' near Houghton Lake. She loved it there.

I love these quilters, and the quilt community.

1975 Signature Quilt Blocks

My friend Theresa Nielson shared signature quilt blocks found at an estate sale. The pattern is Barbara Brackman's 3252 with an unknown source.

I love a genealogical mystery and brought them home for Ancestry.com research.

The blocks are embroidered with names and various dates in 1975. I identified several family groupings: Wheatley and Dominguez. There were also blocks for President Gerald Ford and his wife Betty.

The first clues were blocks for "'my mom' Minnie E Wheatley" and "'my dad' Harry Wheatley". Also a block was signed "Love You Always Your Brother Shell."

Other Wheatley family blocks included Virginia A. Wheatley dated 2-8-75; Harry J. Wheatley dated Feb 8 1975; and Helyn E. Wheatley dated Feb 3 1975.

I started with the Federal Census from Wayne Co, MI.  Harry Wheatley was born in Canada in 1879, moved to Pennsylvania in 1889, then moved to Michigan. He was naturalized as a US Citizen in 1895. Harry J. married Minnie E. Howes who was born July 26, 1880 in Canada and died May 13, 1973 in Sterling Heights, MI. Their children included Florence E., born in 1908; Sheldon E, born March 29, 1910 and died May 12, 1990; Eleanor born in 1909; Virginia M. born April 5, 1912 and died May 7, 2002; and Francis born about 1926.

Sheldon married Margaret Newman in Detroit on Sept 28, 1932. He was a painter. Their children included Don Ernest born in 1944 and Edward who died in 2004.

Virginia Wheatley first married Allen Hutchenson. Then she married Harry D. "Hank" Gonzalez. They lived in Detroit, MI in 1975.

Allan Hutchenson 1934-1953

Virginia M Gonzalez and Harry B. Gonzalez

Florence E Wheatley married Martin Allor (b. 1907) in 1928. They had child David Martin and Mary Eleanor who died in 1930 under 2 years of age.

I found a Helyn Wheatley who was born Jan 8, 1921 and died March 25, 1992 in Reeder, Misaukee, MI. A Helyn E. Wheatley was born Sept. 1, 1975 in Lake City, MI.

The Dominguez family inlcuded Eleanor Dominguez who married Richard Wayne Strong; they divorced in 1974. Eleanor lived in Lorain, OH and in Florida. I wonder if she is Eleanor Wheatley?

Twins Vera L. and Vida D. Dominguez were born January 28, 1961 in Lorain, OH. Vida married Michael Paul Kivatisky and Vera married Bobby E Goode. Their parents may have been Joey Dominguez and Colleen Pass.

Josie Dominquez was perhaps Josephine born May 2, 1907 and died April 22, 1991.

Grace Dominguez was born Dec. 23, 1939 in Kentucky and died March 27, 2006 in Las Vegas, OH.

Eliz. Hutchinson, March 23, 1975, Good Luck & God Bless You
Jane M Adams 3-3-75 [illegible place name]
George [illegible] March 21 1975
Janet Hernandez 1037 Mt Capitol San Antonio TX March 11, 1975. I found a Michigan born Janet R. Hernandez living in San Antonio, born Oct. 1915 and died 1994.

Frances Margaret Maloy, Lorain OH 3-13-75
Corky & Helen Peace 6-22-75 Kentucky
Mary Perry March 8, 1975 Kanopolis, Kansas
God bless you, Joy Manogue? 1975
M P Allor 2-17-75- perhaps Martin Allor who married Florence Wheatley.

Lorine? - Eleanor
Jenny 6-12-75
Big Shooter Tom-1975
Eric Jason - 1 yr.

THE KING Cary
Andrea Lynn 4 yrs
Mrs Howes 6-20-75 Salt River. Likely related to Minnie E. Howes who married Harry Wheatley.
Gene from Novi- 6/30/75 (Novi is a city outside of Detroit)

ABCDEF 4XOs Andrea
Kay
Luck of the Irish! Pat 1975
Rico Morsicals? (Rick) 1975

Tracey 1975 11 yrs
Babe
I love you! Lori 1975
Pat Lassman

It is sad to know this quilt was never completed, its recipient never cuddled under all the love expressed in the signatures.

The 2015 Annual Quilt Walk in West Branch, MI: Art Quilts and Old Quilts

I returned to my brother's cabin outside of West Branch, MI so I could participate in the 31st annual Quilt Walk which raises money for Hospice of Helping Hands. The quilts are displayed throughout the downtown area and includes locally made, antique, traditional, and art quilts.

I enjoyed seeing quilts by Jan-Berg Rezmer last year. This year I got to meet her! Her quilt Blue Season was in the American Quilt Society show in Grand Rapids this past August.

Jan-Berg Rezmer with Blue Season

  

Jan told me she was a painter before she started quiltmaking. Her quilts include abstract as well as representation art.

 This quilt was very cool!

 Her felted wool quilt won recognition at this year's American Quilt Society show in Syracuse!

Jan belongs to a local quilt guild. She made this lovely Sunflower quilt as their raffle quilt.

 The simple pieced background sets off the golden flowers nicely.

Antique and vintage quilts were displayed in several areas. 

The West Branch Historical Society had several interesting quilts. The top of the  quilt below was found in the basement of the Rose City, MI Methodist Episcopal church in 1991 and finished.

The Historical Society is in an old house that is nicely being restored.

 There were several crazy quilts.

 And a functional quilt made of wool.

The building has a nice wide porch with a rocker and a quilt. I would like to spend my evenings there!

I got to bring home my own old quilt! I found it at a thrift store for $10.00!

The top is in acceptable shape with a few tears, wear along several edges, and shifting cotton batting. But overall the fabrics are in good shape. I am guessing it was a kit quilt since it is not scrappy but uses a limited number of fabrics. The yellow calico seems transitional since the other fabrics have definite Depression era colors and prints.

There is a large sale of books, magazines, patterns, fabrics and other paraphernalia--all donation and all for Hospice. I brought home some old magazines and books myself.