Greenheron

Some traditional West Virginia hand quilters used the same method. Making quilts never died away in the mountains as it did in many other places.

Newly married in the 1970's and new in our small town, an old-time quilter invited me to her home to show me how she 'put in' ( the frame) a quilt. She didn't have a name for it but the backing was basted to the two bars of her traditional frame with one end rolled all the way and rag strips stretching the sides. She then laid on the batt and the top, pinning the area between the bars--the section to be quilted. The remaining batt and top were rolled loosly at the far side. She quilted within her reach, unpinned the side rags and rolled under the finished section; she repined the sides, smoothed on the next section of batt and top, pin basted and the next part was ready to quilt.

This was a revelation--my grandmothers (quilters by necessity) had stopped piecing and quilting before I was born and had passed on before I discovered quilts so their tutelage was lost. Another dear old mountain top quilter had given me her old home-made frames but since I had learned quilting from books and had very little space I quailed at "basting the sandwich". After Miss Dollie's cute I put in and finished my first hand quilted project.

Miss Dollie's quilts were beautifully hand quilted. After my lesson she gave me a tour to see some of her quilts, lovingly displayed in little wallpapered, eaved bedrooms.