My friend and co-worker, Amy Maxfield, designed this beautiful quilt after the LDS Hymn, "They the Builders of the Nation” (Hymn #36).
She asked me to turn it into a pattern. So I wrote it out and created the diagrams, and put it into a 46 page pattern. She then asked me to make it available on Craftsy and Etsy as a pdf download. It's going on TODAY! Just in time for The Fourth of July and Pioneer Day!
And here are some close-ups of the quilt:
There are 20 different blocks, plus the borders and border applique. Here's Amy's introduction to the pattern:
"I have always loved and marveled at Pioneer stories and histories. I've wondered if I could have been a pioneer who never complained and survived the ordeal with an abiding love of God and faith to move forward. Pioneer Day, celebrated on July 24th in Utah, has long been a favorite holiday. As a young girl, I would go to my Swedish Grandmother's house in downtown Salt Lake City, Utah and walk to the parade route on Main Street near Liberty Park. Every year I'd sit on a quilt laid out near the street. I was there with my cousins, aunts, and uncles eating popsicles and cheering for the marching bands, the floats, and the horses. I see it clearly in my mind and what a happy memory it is. Still, I long to go to the parade every year to celebrate Pioneer Day!
This quilt is designed after the LDS Hymn "They the Builders of the Nation” (Hymn #36). Many years ago I drafted an idea for a quilt to go along with the words of this hymn. Two years ago I decided it was time to make it come to life. I appreciate Annette Rose, a co-worker, who is very talented at computer generated pattern making and also for Joye Hansen who willingly took the time to test the pattern. Cover photo taken by Leisa Firth, with my appreciation.
Each block represents some part of pioneer life: log cabins, farmer’s daughter, school house, wagon wheels, bow ties representing pioneer men, and churn-dash for the women. The flower pot represents the "desert blossoming as a rose" as stated by Brigham Young, the first governor of the state of Utah and second Prophet of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. The honey bee block represents Utah, "The Beehive State.” The flower in the border is symbolic of the many graves along the trail. I intended for some petals to have fallen to the ground representing loss of life, but if you repeat the common phrase “he loves me; he loves me not” as you count the petals, you will notice that it ends with "he loves me!" To me that represents the knowledge that God loves us and watches over us. That is my experience and continues to be my abiding faith!"
