QUILT INDEX RECORD

9-6-2047

Who documented this quilt?

Louisiana Quilt Documentation Project; Quilts and Health

Where are the records for this quilt housed?

Louisiana Regional Folklife Program, Louisiana Tech University

Date data was collected:

8/22/2006

Interviewer:

Dr. Roach

Lousiana Quilt Documentation Project Number:

2448

Quilt's title:

Oprah Quilt

Quilt owner's city:

Minden

Quilt owner's state:

Louisiana (LA)

Quilt top made by:

Quilting Queens of Minden

Type of item:

Finished quilt

Sizes, overall width:

75

Sizes, overall length:

85

Size of quilt blocks:

9

Quilt type, applique:

Hand Applique

Describe the techniques used to make the quilt top:

Applique, Pieced

Pieced quilt type:

Block pattern

Arrangement of quilt blocks:

Straight

Setting:

Side by side

Binding:

Back turned to front; Hand sewn

Number of borders:

4

Describe the borders:

-Not Applied-

Top fabric, fiber:

Cotton

Top fabric, design:

Print; Solid/plain

Top fabric, colors:

Black; Gray; Lavender; Purple

Top fabric, color value:

Multicolor; Dark colors

Backing/lining fiber:

Cotton

Backing/lining, design:

Print

How are the layers held together?

Tied or tufted

Number of quilting stitches per inch, place 1:

5

Quilting, type of thread:

quilting

Quilting, color of thread:

purple

Quilting, design:

By the Piece

Batting:

Polyester

Condition:

Excellent/like new

Related items such as diaries, obituaries, wills, household inventories, or pictures of the quiltmaker:

The Oprah Quilt was pieced and hand quilted by the Quilting Queens at the Children's Center in Minden. The Quilting Queens grew out of volunteers who worked at the North West Louisiana Hurricane Relief Center in Minden. After the women worked for months distributing clothes, appliances, furniture, etc. for evacuees of the 2005 hurricanes, the Center closed. The women came together to sort what clothes were left at the Center and discovered they were all suffering from depression and missing each other. So someone got the idea of taking clothes that were left over that no one could use and to make quilts out of them to sell to raise money for evacuees. They made dozens of quilts, and decided they also wanted to make one for Oprah since she had done so much for the hurricane survivors: Chris Broussard says, "It is our gift to her to show our appreciation for her help during the hurricanes . . . . She was so good to give the rescuers a gift, so we want to give her one." They got area 3rd graders to help with the piecing of the quilt. They used varying shades of purple of clothing remants, because of Oprah's association with the Color Purple. Minden artist Larry Milford designed and executed the center portrait of Oprah. They shipped the quilt with other gifts to Oprah in late August 2006. Members of the Quilting Queens include Mary Howell, Chris Broussard, Virginia Watson, Ethel Parker, Treabie McDonald, Levada Mitchell, Lucy Youngblood, Mary Fuller, Dorothy Myers, Gloria Thompson, Maxine Berdine, Nancy Berry, Idelle Simms, Emily Schober, Diane Jenkins, Virgie Sullivan, Debra Casey, Helen Bradfield, Truzella Barker, Dianne Willis, Adell Oliver, Mildred Shepherd, Vestean Frazier, Charlotte Martin, and Glatis Smith.

Family/owner's date for quilt:

2006

Who estimated the quilt's date?

Date estimated by Susan Roach

Place made, country:

United States

Copyright holder:

Louisiana Regional Folklife Program