Childhood Memories Of A Favorite Quilt: Around The Frame
As the days get longer and the sun dries out the wet earth, soon it will be time for cattle drives to begin. Recently, due to the popularity of the TV show Yellowstone, cowboys and ranching are back in popularity. Many of us recall how popular westerns were back in the 1940s – 1960s. TV shows like The Rifleman, The Virginian, The Real McCoys, Bonanza were popular and movies featuring John Wayne, Jimmy Stewart, George “Gabby Hayes, Alan Ladd, Audie Murphy, and Gary Cooper engaged old and young alike at the movie theaters.
Along with the TV shows and movies, decorating boy’s bedrooms in western themes also became popular. Fabrics featuring Native Americans on their horses circling the wagons were used for curtains, pillowcases, and bedspreads/quilts. Bedside lamps with a rearing horse and western theme lamp shades, wall décor on thick cardboard of a freckled young cowboy singing his heart out while he strums his guitar, wastepaper baskets, clocks etc. all added up to a young cowpoke’s dream bedroom.
Recently Carol Anzalone visited Born Again Quilts with a western theme quilt her mother, Aletha Schramm made from a purchased quilt top in the early 1950s. Aletha did the embroidery and applique work on the top and then set it aside. In 1975 when Carol and her husband Joseph were expecting, she had the ladies of the St. Alphonsus Church’s sewing guild in Chicago, where she was a member, sandwich, quilt, and bind it. Carol fondly recalls her mom as a lifelong embroiderer. She embroidered her family’s pillowcases and bed sheet edges and all their dinner table linens. She also embroidered countless doilies which she shared with family and gifted to others. Carol doesn’t recall her mother ever quilting so it was not surprising that she turned to her church guild to complete it.
Carol and Joseph welcomed their son Christopher on July 8, 1975. On July 8, 1979, on his fourth birthday, he was presented the quilt by his Grandmother Schramm. Needless to say, it was a little boy’s delight. He would often talk about the cowboy and cowgirl and how they lived on the ranch. At the time Christopher became a tweener, the décor of his bedroom was updated, and the quilt was washed and put away.
In 2001 Carol and Joseph downsized and put their children’s keepsakes into storage. After some time in college, Christopher joined the United States Marine Corp and retired after serving his country for 20 years. In 2019 Christopher visited his parents and he was encouraged to go through his boxes. After going through them, one of the items he decided not to keep was his Round Up quilt. Carol retrieved his beloved quilt and decided to approach me to find it a new home where another child would cherish it. When Christopher heard of his mother’s plan, his comment was that no one would want it and best to trash it. So now this quilt with its ranch sign, Native American children with their tipi and drum, cowboy and cowgirl on their horses, dog, steer, cacti, etc. is at Born Again Quilts. If anyone is interested in giving it a new home, you may come by on a Saturday (Except Saturday 3/15 as I will be presenting at National Quilting Day in Kendallville) or make an appointment to view it. If a new buckaroo isn’t found by April 12, it will be listed on Etsy.
Christopher enjoyed his boyhood making up stories based on his quilt, who will be the next cowpoke to do the same?
Lois Levihn is the owner of Born Again Quilts located at 4005 South Wayne Ave, Fort Wayne. If you have a textile story to share, contact her at 260-515-9446.
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