| Christian Cross Signature
Quilt
The Wixom Free Will Baptist Church Ladies Aid Society
Wixom, Oakland County, Michigan
1897
68" x 82"
Cotton
MSU Museum Accession 2007:108.1
Gift of David Sibley
Photo by Pearl Yee Wong, all rights reserved by the
MSU Museum
The Christian Cross Signature Quilt is an example of the longstanding
tradition of using quilts to raise money for a cause. This quilt
was made by the Wixom Free Will Baptist Church Ladies Aid Society
in 1897 to raise funds for their church. Each of the individuals
whose names appear on the quilt paid ten cents to support this fundraising
project.
Gertrude Sibley, the quilt’s first owner, mentioned the quilt
in a 1938 commemorative address given in celebration of the 100th
anniversary of the church.
| |
I do not know when the Ladies Aid was officially
launched, but do remember Mrs. Mary Calhoun as being a very
active and efficient Pres. in 1880 and 1890. The carpets,
the paintings, a share of the pastors’ salaries were
all helped by the Ladies Aid. How was the money earned? By
lawn ice cream socials, when ice cream was not sold in cones
on every corner, by winter socials, when the auto did not
take the young people to town twenty or thirty miles to a
picture show, by Harvest festivals where folks were thankful
for farm produce, by piecing album quilts where it cost tens
cents to have your name put on. I have one made by the Aid
in 1897. - Gertrude Sibley
July 2, 1938 |
By Mary Worrall, 2007
|
