Remembering the Past, Building Our Future: Neighborhood Quilt Project

As some of you may know, Juni van Dyke (Arts Coordinator for the City of Gloucester) is the creative force behind "Gloucester: a Community of Neighborhoods Quilt." In May, she met with members of the Sargent House Museum community to discuss the design and sewing of a representation of the Sargent House for the Downtown Neighborhood quilt. The quilt will eventually include Middle and Main Street landmarks such as City Hall, Cape Ann Museum, Sawyer Free Library, the UU Church among others. It is truly a celebration of our community. You can see the fantastic quilt taking shape in the photo below.

Above: The Downtown Neighborhood quilt shows 2 vacant
white spaces where the Sargent House representation could go.

You can also see how wonderfully the Sargent House square is progressing in the next photo; who doesn't absolutely love the modillioned cornice, pediment and Ionic column capitals! Exquisite! 

Above: The Sargent House square is taking shape.  

Juni has asked that we simply baste pieces to the blue sky backing since she will attach to the quilt backing. A few details still remain to be designed and completed. For example, our SHM team will work to better-articulate the lawn and flowers with batting behind to make the slopes, and work up the iconic hollies and boxwoods that flank our stately entranceway.

We also need to figure out how to create details such as our magnificent catalpa tree on right side. Currently, there is talk of employing brown yarn for its distinctive "pods."

Our enormous catalpa tree providing an amazing show.
What a majestic tree! (Photo: June 27, 2013)

Other questions include: should we have a Sargent House sign anywhere? Should we embroider a Judith saying on the lawn slope like "Equal education and rights?" Perhaps even a portrait of Judith herself?

The goal is to complete the representation before the end of the summer. 

Any volunteers (on most Thursdays from 11A - 1P) will be welcome to sew a stitch in order to have their name listed as an artist for the SHM quilt block when it is displayed at the Cape Ann Museum.

Please contact SHM Board Member Jo-Ann Michalak with questions, suggestions, and certainly if you would like to participate.

Cannot wait to see the final product, telling our story to future generations in this timeless art form.

By Kimberlee Cloutier-Blazzard, Development Associate