Hanging
This is a picture of the finished quilt hanging on the wall of the library.
Library
This large block is the centerpiece of the quilt and was done by the librarian who provided the original inspiration for the whole quilt project as well as organizing the huge undertaking and seeing it through to completion.
While discussing the large space (then empty) over the door to the meeting room, she suddenly had a brainstorm and suggested that it would be the perfect place to display a community quilt. She designed the layout, picked the color scheme, and arranged for interested people to choose different blocks. Soon, the only one left was the central, extra-large square with the Library on it, so she did it (by default, she says), but really because she was the only one brave enough to take on such a daunting task.
She used her pleater to make the pleated fabric for the clapboards of the building, and novelty fabric for the brick walk and bushes. She likes her blocks to look as much like a photograph as possible, and indeed it does.
The color scheme was planned by choosing a number of neutral fabrics, and asking the quilters to include at least a piece of at least one of them in each block. This is how the quilt feels unified despite such great variation in subject and technique.
Blake House
The Fitzwilliam Historical Society, makes its home in the Blake House, so it seemed important to make a block reflecting that part of the Town's heritage. This block shows the Blake House's "old" kitchen. The quilter says she had a very difficult time getting it just right, and indeed she took it apart and redid it four times to get it so that it looked the way she wanted it to.
Book Group
The quilter says that the Library means a lot to her, and the Book Group in particular is one of her favorite things, so she wanted to remember it in this block. Each person in the block is a particular individual and long-term member of the group. Fitzwilliam residents will certainly be able to recognize their neighbors!
Town Common
As a little girl the quilter's parents would drive the children through Fitzwilliam to see how beautiful the town and the common were. It was because of this that she and her husband settled in Fitzwilliam. The block was fun to make and brought back many memories for her.
Damon Farm
The quilter wanted to do a block showing the Damon Mill and Farm to ensure that the State Line area of Fitzwilliam was remembered. Her great-grandfather, who established both businesses, was one of the original settlers of the town, and the farm and mill have long been town institutions, as well as having an important place in her earliest memories. It was made out of fabrics that she had on hand, and designed and assembled from memory.
Depot
The quilter chose a theme for her block that brought back memories for her, as she used to frequently ride the train from Boston to Fitzwilliam to spend weekends here while she was dating future husband. She notes that while passenger service stopped in 1958, the trains were an important part of Fitzwilliam's history from their beginnings here in the mid 19th century. They made the town successful in many ways, not least being the summer visitors they brought to the town from Boston to fill Fitzwilliam's inns and hotels.
She remembers standing by this station to watch the last freight cars pass by. With special permission, the Budweiser Company in Merrimack was able to transport their large stainless steel tanks on open flat cars. The tanks just barely cleared the buildings, a sight she will never forget.
She took three months on and off to finish her square and enjoyed doing it as she likes handwork.
Gap Mountain
The quilter grew up climbing Gap Mountain and has always found solitude and tranquility there. She climbed the mountain first with all of her nephews and nieces and then with her own children. The French knots on the top of the mountain represent each of the members of her family with whom she has shared this deeply meaningful experience.
Gretchen's Farm
The Farm has been a much-loved landmark of the town. The quilter has memorialized Isabelle, the llama often seen on walks around the common, as well as a sheep, of which the farm boasted many. The fabrics are bits that were on hand, and echo the architectural features of the place very well.
Fitwilliam Inn
One of the quilters volunteered to make a second block for the quilt and was asked to choose between the Fitzwilliam Inn and Emerson School. She chose the Inn because of its historical presence in the community. The block was fun and she enjoyed working on the details of the Inn. There was a real challenge in completing all of the little details, but in the end she was pleased with the block.
Knitting Group
The quilter chose to remember the Library Knitting Group in her block, because that is one of her favorite associations with the Library. She wanted to make sure that all ages of knitters were represented. The picture on the wall is made of a small sampler made in an embroidery class. She enjoyed finding a use for it! There are a number of needlework techniques represented, including knitting, patchwork, stumpwork and embroidery of many different kinds.
Laurel Lake
This block block shows a scene the quilter sees every day. When she first heard about the quilt project, she wanted to make sure that the lake view was a part of the project. She made sure to include all the things that are part of the experience at Laurel Lake – the sentinel pine tree, loons, turtles, the iris, the big rocks, the laurel bushes around the lake, the ripples on the water and the constant wind and movement. She used a number of different techniques, including using buttons for the loons and turtles, silk ribbon embroidery for the laurel and iris, and novelty fabric for the geese.
Patch Cottage
A block featuring the Patch Cottage was included because it is such a wonderful historical place. The quilter felt that it embodies all of the things people come to Fitzwilliam to see.
Red Bird
The quilter volunteered to make a second block so that this project could finally get finished. She decided to make a block showing how reading (books from the Library, of course!) makes her feel. The cozy atmosphere is one many of us can identify with when we sit down with our favorite books.
Marking
Marking the quilt border and panels before I mounted it on my longarm machine.
Finished!
The completed quilt lying on the floor in my studio.
Sentinel
This is the newspaper article about the quilt that appeared in the Keene Sentinel.