Stitching Connections Through Time

For some, quilts provide not only warmth, but also a peak into another time when skills like quilting and knitting were necessities, not hobbies. When Bettye Roberts looks at a particularly old quilt -- its pattern, stitches and condition -- that is exactly what she sees: history. Much like reading a book, Roberts said she thinks of the previous owners, what their lives may have been like, what they had.

"Quilts take on a personality of their own," said Roberts, who has been quilting on and off for the past 40 years, and is a member of the Domestic Skills Group that volunteers at Dudley Farm Historic State Park in Newberry.

The group seeks to preserve crafts perfected by the Dudley family women, said Katherine Armstrong, another member of the group.

"[The Domestic Skills Group] accents all of the skills the ladies would have had to have before starting their own home," Armstrong said.

Members have varied skill levels and sometimes specialize in different crafts. They often teach each other. In the past, crafts have included quilting, basic chair caning, spinning and weaving, and making rag rugs and pine-needle baskets, she said.

For Armstrong, preserving the past traditions of the Dudleys means more than learning their skills. More importantly, the group, and the Dudleys, strive to serve as a resource for the local community.

They put their craft to good use and spend some of their time knitting hats for the homeless population, Armstrong said.

"The Dudleys were a very community-sensitive family," she said.

During meetings, the group puts on demonstrations, teaching and talking to visitors while telling stories about the Dudley Farm, Armstrong said.

"We try to teach anyone who is interested," she said.

No matter the skill level, the group is willing to teach people all the skills necessary for the various crafts.

"If you want to quilt, but cannot sew, we will start there," Armstrong said.

"The more people we can get to where they know [the skills], the more people they can help in turn," she said.

Roberts warns that it is not a formal classroom, and although they bring their own supplies, they do not necessarily use tools.

"I have learned a lot out there, but I come on a regular basis," she said.

For people who have older quilts or are experienced and stuck on a problem, Armstrong said the group can help repair the quilt, solve the issue and make the goal seem attainable.

"If they have something we can help them with, we try," she said.

No matter how much the group supports the community, they always remember to take care of each other, Armstrong said. Although it can be difficult sometimes to mesh different personalities into one group, they still help one another when necessary.

For instance, if one person in the group will have a surgical procedure that another has had, they are able to answer questions or console fears, she said. More importantly, they provide insights into each other's varying experiences.

"It is about being able to get a perspective on things you might not have had and seeing it through their eyes," Armstrong said.

Dudley Farm is a living history and an authentic example of pioneer Florida, said Sally Morrison, a park service specialist who has been at Dudley Farm for 20 years.

"It is the perfect backdrop setting for these old-time events," she said.

Dudley Farm's Domestic Skills Group will again host its "A Walk Through Time Quilt Exhibit," featuring quilts the Dudley women themselves made, as well as quilts created by the skills group.

On Oct. 3, the farm will overflow with quilts -- draped over polls, strung up on clotheslines, hung everywhere, Roberts said. Reds, greens, blues -- a myriad of colors will billow in the wind.

"Come and enjoy it. Talk. Look. Feast your eyes," Armstrong said. "Have a little vacation from the 20th century."

The Domestic Skills Group meets every Wednesday, except for the third Wednesday of the month, from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. at Dudley Farm. For more information, leave a message for Bettye Roberts at Dudley Farm, 352-472-1142. §

Mary Kypreos is a freelance writer and editor who travels as much as possible. She can be contacted via the editor.

IF YOU GO:
"A Walk Through Time Quilt Exhibit"
Oct. 3, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Dudley Farm Historic State Park
18730 W. Newberry Road, Newberry.
Park admission fee $5 per vehicle.
352-472-1142