Historic
Quilts Great Legacies for Red Cross
Written by Mason Booth, Staff Writer, RedCross.org
March
14, 2003 —
Although National Quilting Day is on March 15, the
Sierra Nevada Chapter of the American Red Cross doesn’t
need a specified date to remember the support of the
nation’s quilting community. In fact, the only thing
the Red Cross staff and volunteers need to do is walk
through the chapter’s front hall to be reminded of
it.
The 1918 Signature Quilt, on display at the
American Red Cross national headquarters, holds
more than 900 autographs, including those of
prominent individuals such as Theodore Roosevelt.
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There
hangs the “Remembrance Quilt”, crafted by the first
and sixth grade classes at Roy Gomm Elementary School
and donated to the Reno, Nev., chapter just months
after the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001. The
quilt consists of handcrafted blocks, adorned with
images of patriotism and volunteerism and pieced together
in the formation of a flag.
”The school
wanted a way to thank us for our efforts in the wake
of the attacks,” said Larry Clausen, manager of community
education for the Sierra Nevada Chapter. “Carrying
on in the Red Cross tradition, they immortalized their
support for the organization in the form of a quilt.”
For more
than a century, quilters have responded to the call
for help when the country is in crisis. Whether to
provide warmth on cold nights or to express gratitude
and raise funds for the organization’s services, their
creations are legacies for the Red Cross.
One of
the largest catalysts for the involvement of the quilting
community came in the years between 1916 and 1920,
when women were motivated by a sense of patriotism
and an invitation from the media to participate in
the “Great War.” Popular women’s magazines provided
ideas and are credited for starting the 20th century’s
first quilt revival by urging “Make Quilts -- Save
the Blankets for Our Boys Over There.”
While
some women and men became Red Cross nurses or served
overseas at canteen and aid stations, most belonged
to the Red Cross at home and making quilts became
a popular way to get involved.
Signing
On To Help
While
thousands of quilts were made for home and overseas
use, a new type of quilt was crafted to raise funds.
Based on earlier prototypes, the Red Cross Signature
Quilt was born and hundreds were produced. Whether
for practical purposes or fundraising, the quilting
process provided a means of therapy and an outlet
for social activism for the women and men who worked
on them.
Most signature
quilts are made of multiple blocks containing red
crosses on a white background. The simplicity of color
and geometry of the symbol elicit a striking appearance
that is in keeping with the quilt medium. Numerous
variations are often found in the size of the crosses
and the imagery used, including blue and yellow stars
or blue and red borders. The interwoven blocks formed
the finished quilt, which was then auctioned or raffled
with the proceeds going to the Red Cross. Participants
would purchase squares on the quilt or auction to
sign their name on them.
More than 900 people, including Presidents,
First Ladies, astronauts and celebrities, such
as director Steven Spielberg, signed the 1998
quilt.
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Several
signature quilts survive in the American Red Cross
collection, two of which were created by the Santa
Monica Grammar School in Los Angeles and are displayed
at the American Red Cross National Headquarters in
Washington, D.C.
The first
quilt, made in 1918, was created for exhibition at
the Liberty Fair, one of many events across America
at the time that raised money for the war effort.
Symbolizing the “common threads” of caring, concern
and volunteerism, the quilt holds more than 900 signatures,
including those of prominent individuals such as President
and Mrs. Woodrow Wilson, Colonel Theodore Roosevelt,
Helen Keller, John Philip Sousa and Sarah Bernhardt.
In 1998,
the same school commemorated the quilt’s eightieth
anniversary by creating a new quilt. Students researched
humanitarians and philanthropists to sign the piece
and, like their predecessors, gathered at least 900
autographs. United States’ Presidents, their wives,
celebrities and astronauts added their signatures
next to those of average Americans.
The collection
also includes a quilt commemorating the American Red
Cross Centennial (1881-1981) and one made in 1999
dedicated to the new millennium. Other pieces include
a 1922 presentation quilt, a biomedical quilt and
a Holocaust memorial quilt.
Although
their counterparts may receive more notoriety, each
quilt crafted since the organization's creation is
not just a piece of history, but an inspiration for
the future as well.
“Each
time I see the ‘Remembrance Quilt’ I smile,” said
Clausen. “The fact that children produced such an
extraordinary piece reminds me of the community we
are dedicated to serve, and it strengthens my resolve
to assist them the best way we can.”
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