SUNBONNET SUE SUNDAY #3

Mother found out about the Sunbonnet Sue Family Reunion. In 1989,Dorothymae and Harold Groves of Groves Publishing Company of Kansas City, Mo., sponsored a block contest of the same name. Entries for this contest poured in from al over the US--over 500 of them. A permanent taveling display of all the entries was mounted and in addition, the collection was compiled in a series of four books titled Sunbonnet Family Reunion Albums I-IV. Because of the popularity of that series, a special reunion issue of the favorite patterns evolved (see above).

These are the pages depicting the entries included in this special edition booklet. The second edition was published in 1993 by The House of White Birches, Sandra L. Hatch, Editor.

Best from Album 1

Best from Album 2.

The Best from Album 3

Best from Album 4.

This is the book that Mother used for her Sunbonnet Calender Quilt. I remember when mother was making this quilt. She told me that she couldn't wait to get up the morning so that she could work on it again. She thoroughly enjoyed the process. I have to admit that sometimes I don't enjoy the process of my quiltmaking. I love the end result, most of the time, but I get bogged down in the process. I think that probably I am like her, in that, I hate making the same thing over and over. I love the newness of each block being different. I love the embellishment and being able to be free to change it as I see fit. I realize now that she and I are alike in some ways. After being in the hospital with her for 3 days this week, I am hoping I am NOT like her in some ways. But if I am, I am hoping that 1. my boys put me away 2. I die before I get that way. This may sound harsh, but I have to say that quality of life is more inportant to me than quantity.

Before I abandon this post I will show you a Sunbonnet Lady that mother embroidered in her early teens. That would have been in the late 1930s. Yes, I know, this one has a face. The very first drawings of who we call Sunbonnet Sue had faces. The appearances of the figures with large bonnets WITH FACES first appeared on Crazy Quilts in Europe. This may be a descendant of the very first ones. Bonnets are a symbol of a time we all dream of--would love to have lived then--wear hoop skirts and pantolets. We would pinch our cheeks for a blush color and cinch our waists with a corset. Our feet would be wearing high top shoes and be very tiny. We would carry a handkerchief with embroidery and flutter our eyelashes. I am there, aren't you? Sorry--I didn't mean to get all "back in the boonies" on ya. That is where I go before I know it.

Be back with more bonnet babies and girls next Sunday--Sunbonnet Sunday. See ya then-----