Down in the South

I admit I’ve never been one for the south. Born and raised in New York, I am a definite city girl at heart. Concrete jungles seem to suite me more than country sides ever will, and I can’t say that it’ll ever be any different. But I gained a new perspective last summer when I finally stepped out of my urban bubble to take a trip further south.

In August of 2009, I took a trip to Virginia with a few classmates and teachers from my school to help with a project for Habitat for Humanity. Habitat for Humanity is an organization that helps people who can’t afford to pay for a home by building a brand new house for them or by refurnishing old apartments, providing them with a place to stay and an incredibly low mortgage.

We knew that we would be working on a house, but we really didn’t know what to expect. After passing a few cornfields and maybe a cemetery or two, we pulled up to a small construction site. At this point, we couldn't even tell that the structure there was supposed to be a house. Instead it appeared to be a bunch of boards nailed together and standing up in the heat of the Virginia sun. But little did we know that over the course of the next week, we would successfully add a roof, a deck, and a shed to this work in progress. It was amazing, and just finding out what a bit of teamwork could accomplish in such a short amount of time astounded me.

This trip changed my view of the world not only because I found out just what teenagers could accomplish with a bit of direction, but it also helped me to see that people in need are everywhere. The underprivileged aren't just in developing countries. They are here in Maryland and farther south in Virginia, as well. And there are a lot of ways to help them. One day when we were building, we had the chance to meet the woman who would be living in the home that we were working on. She was very excited, and didn't hesitate to show us which rooms she had planned to give her son and daughter who were also eagerly awaiting their new house.

And as I learned, a bit of southern hospitality goes a long way. One afternoon a few of the local people from the area where we were building threw a dinner for us. They were grateful for what we were doing, and they showed it by feeding us a traditionally home-cooked meal, complete with their own gelatin and whipped cream creation known as pretzel salad, and by giving a few speeches of gratitude. Their hospitality was heartwarming, and I haven’t forgotten it since.

All in all, this trip was a great chance for me to step outside of my comfort zone, and I will never forget the experience or the people I encountered.

WC: 499

Threads of Time

Quilt: a fabric covering made of patches and pieces of cut cloth, stitched back together, and designed in an image or pattern that relates to a story of the quilter. A simple process it seems, right? Well, there’s actually more to it than that. Quilting is a form of expression, a timeless practice that has been passed down for generations in so many places and different settings that it has manifested itself as the reason for many social gatherings around the country. Quilting circles have made the social scene, keeping people inspired to continue this craft which has been such an important part of the American culture. Different subcultures have also helped to make establish quilting as a diverse and versatile art style through their contributions to the art for reasons, which were often humanitarian. For centuries, quilting in the United States has brought people together in solidarity, helping to bring together social groups and solidifying subcultures.

WC: 153

There have been many different backdrops for the art of quilting in the United States. A variety of cultures and social scenes have utilized this art form for more than just aesthetic reasons. Quilting actually has a history of being a very pragmatic art form. Groups that exemplify this through their efforts and past creations are African Americans and women in America from the early 19^th century. From the times of slavery, blacks have been quilting for both recreational and communication purposes. This time together provided blacks in slavery with both a social outlet and the ability to communicate without words, allowing them to share both escape codes and stories. Also, women in the past have used quilting as a form of expression and humanitarian service.

This project touches on important parts of American culture that may seem dried up to some and nothing but a hobby for the elderly by others. But in our modern American society, quilting is still an important aspect of our culture. It exemplifies the creativity and strength of people from the past to the present, and is represented by the stories that their quilts can tell us.

WC: 213

Sources:

Internet

Driessen, Kris. “Putting it in Perspective: The Significance of Underground Railroad Quilts”. Quilt History.com. 26 Oct. 2010. Web.

<http://www.quilthistory.com/ugrrquilts.htm>

“Women’s Community Quilts”. Clio Visualizing History. 26 Oct. 2010. Web. <http://www.cliohistory.org/visualizingamerica/quilts/womenscommunityquilts/>

Primary Sources

James, Michael. Face to face. January 4-5. 2003. <http://www.aaa.si.edu/collections/oralhistories/transcripts/james03.htm>

Mazloomi, Carolyn. Face to face. September 17-30. 2004. <http://www.aaa.si.edu/collections/oralhistories/transcripts/mazloo02.htm>

Newspaper

Green, Penelope. “Alternative Craft – Quilting with a Hard Edge”. NY Times. 11 Aug. 2010. <http://www.nytimes.com/2010/08/12/garden/12qna.html?scp=1&sq=quilting&st=cse>

Scholarly Article

“Redwork: A textile Tradition in America”. 26 Oct. 2010. <http://www.quiltindex.org/redwork.php>

Media

“The African American Quilt Making Tradition”. Youtube.com. 15 dec. 2009. Web. 26 Oct. 2010.

<http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ehTSQdwbeyg>

Book

Marler, Ruth. The Art of the Quilt. China: PRC Publishing. 2001. Print.

Readings

The Folklore Process:

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Objects of Memory

<http://blackboard.umbc.edu/webapps/portal/frameset.jsp?tab_group=courses&url=%2Fwebapps%2Fblackboard%2Fexecute%2Fcontent%2Ffile%3Fcmd%3Dview%26content_id%3D_1282626_1%26course_id%3D_55001_1%26framesetWrapped%3Dtrue>

Tradition, Genuine or Spurious

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