THE DRESDEN PLATE QUILT

     The Dresden Plate quilt pattern was popular in the 1920-30s.  But I am told that the pattern dates back to the Civil War.  I have had the quilt pieces for years.  Great Aunt Ella  Samantha Strahl had given them to my mother, and after years on her closet shelf, mother gave them to me.  I also had them stored away for a number of years.  Thanks to a church friend who does quilting, I was able to finally have the quilt finished.  Because the final work was completed (by machine) in 2010, it is not considered an antique.  However, I am going to label it an heirloom as the blocks themselves are very old and crafted by an ancestor.  

Great Aunt Ella was born April 11,1893, and lived most of her life on the family farm (North Clayton, Wisconsin)  first with her parents, and then her bachelor brother Wilbur.  She was the younger sister of my grandfather Aaron and the aunt to my father.   She lived in Soldiers Grove in her senior years then moved into the Morrow Nursing Home in Sparta, Wisconsin where she died March 9,1990 the age of 97.  There she took up oil painting, one of which was of the log cabin where my father, Everette Ray Strahl, was born.  I now have that painting.  

I do not know the exact age of the quilt blocks, but can guess that they are from 70-80 years old.  Women of her era spent the evening doing handwork by lamplight as most farms did not have electricity until REA (Rural Electrification Assoc.) came into being.  I can imagine her sitting in a rocking chair, quilt blocks and sewing needle in hand, and stitching the small pattern pieces patiently in place.  There were no computers, televisions, or mobile libraries, maybe a battery operated radio so after the day's labors, sitting, rocking, and sewing/embroidering/mending were the women's diversions of choice.   Cast off dresses, aprons, and feed sacks were the fabrics used.  Looking at the quilt, I can't help but remember my little dresses and aprons, hand sewn by my mother in print fabrics similar to the ones below.     

    

     When I was a child, girls wore print dresses with an apron and long stockings held up by a cotton garter belt.  I don't remember my shoes, but know they would have been sensible brown ones.  I had a dress for school and a dress for every day/play wear.  We didn't need very big closets back them.  It wasn't until I was 12 years old, that pant suits became popular.  When I was a teen-ager, jeans or Levies as they were called, became my favorite every day attire.  I still wear jeans .... yes, even at my age, jeans and a sweat shirt are my favorite apparel.  We were not allowed to wear jeans or pant suits to school, however.  Skirts, sweaters, bobby socks and saddle shoes were the school approved clothing/foot wear.  For special occasions, we did have a good dress.  I remember a wine colored crepe dress that my mother made for me for a Christmas program  My sister's dress was pale blue.  Both were hand stitched.  

January 1939 ... Fern is nine and I am six.