| JULY 19, 2013 -- Here we go again- taking a little departure with the “Do You Remember” column! This time we are not asking you to remember a person- but to recall a thing! When our country celebrated its bicentennial the Connecticut State Grange was ready to play its part.
State Master at the time was Frank Prelli of Victory Grange No. 189 and Mountain County Pomona. Frank’s wife, Gertrude “Peggy” Prelli was a lady of many talents and great ideas. (This couple is on the list to be honored via this column in the not too distant future). One of the things they arranged for our state celebration was the making of a quilt with a square submitted from each Subordinate Grange. It was requested that the design should be something emblematic of the town in which the Grange was located. This led to endless possibilities and created a lot of interest. Peg was an expert in all needlework skills so it became her special project. A few ladies were chosen to be a part of the undertaking. Vivian Shaw of Granby Grange and I were asked to represent Farmington Valley Pomona- and we were delighted!!
Throughout the weeks before the state celebration we drove to the Prelli home in Winsted each Wednesday to spend the day working on the “masterpiece.” It was great fun! Directions had been sent to each Grange, but it soon became apparent that a good part of the task was going to be to re-do some of the squares! There were a few that were too big- that was a problem. The “too small” were easy- just add a border! A few needed some embellishment to complete them and we didn’t have enough squares to make the whole thing. What to do??? Peg had a really magic touch and spent hours on the arrangements of the squares. She came up with the idea of making additional pieces showing the emblems of the degrees of our Order! She embroidered those herself! For many hours she was “tied” to her sewing machine as she put everything together- did the border- and the backing!!!
Each Grange had sent an account of what the square represented. Those were put in order to match the layout of the quilt and placed into an envelope to accompany the quilt wherever it went.
The quilt was introduced at the picnic held at People’s State Forest in Barkhamsted. The special guest was National Master John Scott and his wife, Dorothy. As a part of the afternoon program the quilt was unveiled for all to admire. Vivian Shaw and I had the honor and pleasure of standing on a picnic table holding the quilt as Peg gave the interesting story of each block and what it represented. It was a lesson in the history of each Grange and town as well as examples of the handwork of many Grangers.
During that year the quilt made the rounds for each event- and then went to stay in the Prelli home to be in good hands. Frank was often teased about how many times he snoozed under the quilt on a cold winter evening! He never said he did – but he never said he didn’t!
For a while the quilt stayed at the Central Office. A couple of years ago it went to be on display in the Connecticut Room of the New England Grange Building at the Big E. It was wonderful to see it again and to recall the memories it represents.
Now it is in safe keeping in the home of State Master Jody Cameron. Has anybody asked if Jody takes an occasional nap sung and warm under this very special comforter? Guess we will have to look into THAT!!
Do remember the Bicentennial Quilt. |
