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Do you remember where you were and what you were doing on Sept. 11, 2001? Of course you do.
In Marshalltown, Miller Middle School 8th graders had just begun the fall semester. One of the required 8th grade courses introduced students to life skills such as cooking and sewing. For the sewing unit each student brought a quarter yard of three different cotton printed fabrics to create a log cabin patterned pillow top. It is not surprising that many students opted for patriotic colors and patterns as they purchased the chosen fabrics. This was undoubtedly in response to the horrific events of Sept. 11.
With a protective glove and a very sharp rotary cutter students practiced safely cutting 3-inch strips of fabric. That skill accomplished they then moved on to learning how to operate a Singer sewing machine and how to sew a straight seam to connect the fabric strips in the log cabin pattern. There were mistakes and a few minor injuries along the way but everyone eventually succeeded and submitted a finished square pillow stuffed with polyester fiber fill for grading.
During that 2001-02 school year a succession of 8th graders created these pillows. There were always lots of scraps left over. Students who finished their pillow early were encouraged to use some of the leftover scraps for further practice. By the end of the school year there were six or seven odd-sized mini quilts piled in a corner of the FCS classroom. Rather than throw them away I took them home with the thought of stitching them together to make a lap quilt which might be donated somewhere.
I got busy and forgot about the bag of scraps. Years later I found the bag in a corner of a closet and decided to follow through on the original thought and stitched the several pieces together. Not being a quilter I found a woman who owned a long-arm quilting machine who agreed to finish the quilt with a lining and backing. The quilt has been in a closet since then.
I now think of this quilt as The Miller Middle School 9/11 Quilt. While not perfect in its construction, it holds both memory and meaning for me. It is both historical artifact and art.
The log cabin quilt pattern reminds us of the need for shelter and comfort as ancestors worked together to build new lives in the wilderness. Quilts are meant to comfort. Working together quietly to make parts become whole was comforting to both students and teachers that particular school year.
I often wonder if those quilted pillows still exist in closets around Marshalltown. I wonder if they still hold memory and meaning for those 2001-02 8th graders -- who might now be parents of 8th graders themselves. I wonder too if today's Miller students would find meaning in the quilt. Perhaps it belongs at Miller. -- Madelyn Mayberry