Wednesday, April 03, 2013

Votes For Women Wednesday

This week has seen some progress on my Votes for Women blocks. I have completed 3 more blocks but for some unknown reason, I skipped block #23!? Strange!! I'll go back and sew that one, but until then, you can see my most recently made blocks.


Here is Block #22 Jack's Delight. I am delighted with how my variation of this block turned out!
It was very interesting to read about the female archetypes and the use of "humour" in maintaining the status quo.



This is block #24 called True Blue. Of course I had to use some blue fabric and like how this block turned out.
What is a "true blue"?
Barbara Brackman said:
The term blue-stocking was an insult, although many women wrote they were proud to be blue. The word implied a woman who read, who wrote (for publication, horrors!), who discussed ideas, literature, philosophy and history, who valued conversation over cardplaying.  The subtleties of the insult changed with the generations but the negatives were that a blue was unfeminine, unattractive, slovenly, pretentious and a freak of nature. 
I am proud to admit that I am part of the ranks of the "True Blue" women - freak of nature that I am! LOL
I also finished block #25 called the Carrie Nation block...so pretty with the red fabrics. What an interesting woman Carrie Nation was! Reading about her reminded me of my Aunt Lottie (short for Charlotte)  because both Carrie Nation and my Aunt Lottie were about 6 feet tall, which was considered to be very unusual back in the early 1900's. 

My Aunt Lottie towered over most people. In this photo you can see how much taller she was than her sister and her parents. I wonder how she found clothing and shoes to fit her back then? 

Aunt Lottie was my favorite aunt as a young child (actually she was my Mother's aunt and my "Great Aunt"). She taught me to walk tall, stand up straight, and to be gentle and kind. She also was my only crafty relative and she spent many hours teaching me how to knit. She knit mittens, slippers and sweaters for the needy, and although she didn't have much herself, she was always making something to donate to missions. Aunt Lottie died in the mid 1970's and I still miss her.

8 comments:

The Cozy Quilter said...

I love how your story of your great aunt meshes so nicely with the story of your block.

Deanna W said...

Aunt Lottie looks like a very elegant lady. How great that you have such fond memories of her and her helping to teach you things.

Janet O. said...

Each of your blocks is carefully crafted--they look great! This will be a wonderful quilt in the warm repro fabrics.
Aunt Lottie sounds like a rare woman in more than just her height. How lucky to have had her influence and love in your life.

Mary said...

I just watched a bunch of the episodes of "Call the Midwife". There is a tall Midwife on there. It was so funny to watch her on the bike and she had to re-make her uniforms on an old 1950's Singer. I loved seeing that on PBS. Glad you are having fun with your Votes for Women blocks. I'm looking for some of Jo Morton's Blue Variety fabrics to use in my Jo Quilt. Might have to buy online, EEEKKK.

Sheila said...

Lovely blocks and I enjoyed the history too , your aunt was very tall and I also wonder how she found clothing but being crafty she may have made her own.

Deb A said...

Such pretty blocks! Boy was your Aunt tall. I do wonder how she found clothes to fit. She just towered over the rest of her family.

Kate said...

Very pretty blocks. Fun family photos.

Elizabeth E. said...

What fun to read! Thanks for sharing! I would guess that your aunt needed to be crafty - she found clothes to fit because she most likely made them!