Signature Quilt of 1926
The 1926 Lyn Signature Quilt
For some reason in the spring of 1926, the Lyn Women’s Institute undertook to make a signature quilt
to be sold that autumn at their annual bazaar. Funds generated by such an enterprise were used for a variety of community works, and perhaps a special need was felt to supplement improvements rendered to the Lyn Cemetery. In any event, each signature or inscription was sold for 25¢ and a half dozen quilters of the Institute coordinated by Mary Shipman to maintain a consistency of embroidery, accommodated the requests as received.
The quilt itself measuring 5’9” x 7’4”, was prepared from 10” square blocks of bleached cotton and backing of the same all enclosed by a simple band, hand sewn half inch hem. The batting is most likely cotton rather than wool because the quilt has withstood many washings without any puckering. The actual quilting, i.e. the tieing together of the face, batt and back of the quilt, was achieved by use of a simple windmill fan pattern inscribed in 13 horizontal rows including diagonal rows set at 45°. The outline of each fan as well as each inscription was embroidered on each quilt block before assembly of the whole. The outline of each fan was then quilted in white thread by hand. Although the quilt containing 504 inscriptions from 111 complete fans and 30 fan fragments along its borders, represents $126.00 income by subscription. From two inscriptions, it would appear that quilting occurred during May and June 1926. One corner inscription commemorates the “Brockville Old Boys Re-Union” of 1926, whereas another was contributed anonymously as “A Friend”.
Name Identification is on the following pages
The Inscriptions were listed in sequence as they appear on the quilt proceeding row by row and taking names in each fan in clockwise fashion. Any identifying details provided to the right of the inscription have been noted. (Families Magazine Vol.22 No 4. 1983 written by G.A.Neville)
