QUILT INDEX RECORD

12-8-861

Who documented this quilt?

Michigan Quilt Project; Quilts and Health; Black Diaspora Quilt History Project

Where are the records for this quilt housed?

Michigan State University Museum

Michigan Quilt Project Number:

95.0018

Quilt's title:

Theron's Quilt

Quilt top made by:

Richardson-Pate, Julia

Quilted by:

Richardson-Pate, Julia

If you are the quilt owner, how did you acquire this quilt?

Made the quilt

Where the quilt was made, city:

Bloomfield Hills

Where the quilt was made, county:

Oakland

Where the quilt was made, state:

Michigan (MI)

Time period:

1976-1999

When was the quilt started?

April 1993

When was the quilt finished?

Sept. 1993

Details about why the quilt was made:

A tribute to my son who died 5/28/1989

Quiltmaker's gender:

Female

Quiltmaker's city:

Bloomfield Hills

Quiltmaker's county:

Oakland

Quiltmaker's state:

Michigan (MI)

Quiltmaker's maiden name:

Wimberley

Quiltmaker's birth date:

5/15/1943

Quiltmaker's ethnic background/tribal affiliation:

African American

Quiltmaker's educational background:

B.A. Wayne State University

Quiltmaker's occupation:

Artist

Quiltmaker's father's name:

Wimberley, Roy

Quiltmaker's father's ethnic/tribal background:

African American

Quiltmaker's mother's name:

Bearden, Wilma

Quiltmaker's mother's ethnic/tribal background:

African American

Quiltmaker's marriage date(s):

6/23/1988

Quiltmaker's spouse's/spouses' and /or partner's/partners' name(s):

Pate, Julian

Quiltmaker's spouse's/spouses' and/or partner's/partners' occupation:

Engineer

Number of children:

1

How many of the quiltmaker's children were girls?

1

How did the quiltmaker learn to quilt?

From Class

When did the quiltmaker learn to quilt?

Age 50 or over

Estimated number of quilts made by this quiltmaker:

1-5 quilts

Does/did the quiltmaker sell quilts?

no

Does/did the quiltmaker teach quilting?

no

This is a:

Finished quilt

How wide is the quilt?

62"

How long is the quilt?

53"

Shape of edge:

Straight

Overall color scheme:

Bright or primary colors

Quilt's condition:

Excellent/like new

What is inscribed on the quilt?

On the reverse side of the quilt is a fabric transfer of his obituary and a quote from his coach: "Theron Richardson touched us all who knew him-and we are grateful he passed our way."

Location of inscription:

on back

Number of quilt blocks:

Over 80 photo transfers

Size of quilt blocks:

varies

Arrangement of quilt blocks:

Straight

Spacing of quilt blocks:

Separated by plain sashing

Fiber types used to make the quilt top:

Cotton

Piecing techniques used to make the quilt top:

Machine Piecing

Embellishments used:

Other attachments

Describe embellishment materials or techniques:

Embellished with patches and medals.

Materials used to make the back:

Cotton

Number of pieces of fabric in the quilt back:

1

What kind of filling is used in the quilt?

Cotton

How are the layers held together?

Machine quilting

Describe the quilting designs used:

Outline/Ditch

Where did the maker find their pattern?

Original to maker

Exhibitions where this quilt was displayed:

1993 Flint, MI Intro and Book signing of "Creating Scrapbook Quilts," by Ami Simms

Contests entered:

Birmingham Area Senior Coordinating Council, 5th Annual Quilt Show, 1994, Merit Award

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

African American Quiltmaking in Michigan (1997) book, figure 107, page 70. Creating Scrapbook Quilts, page 33 and 43.

Publications (including web sites) where this quilt or maker was featured:

Interview with quilter

Ownership of this quilt is:

Private

Quilt owner's name:

Julia Richardson-Pate

Quilt owner's city:

Bloomfield Hills

Quilt owner's county:

Oakland

Quilt owner's state:

Michigan (MI)

How was this quilt acquired?

Made by owner

Describe anything about the history of the quilt that wasn't already recorded in a previous field:

From African American Quiltmaking in Michigan, page 66. When her son Theron unexpectedly died, professional fiber artist Julie Richardson-Pate of Bloomfield Hills used photograhic transfer and other fabric techniques to fashion a quilt that serves as a summary of his young life (figures 106 and 107). Incorporated into the textile are fabric copies of his driver's license and social security card, high school diploma, photos from his high school track and football days, and the family's last Christmas photograph. On the reverse side of the quilt is a fabric transfer of his obituary and a quote from his coach: "Theron Richardson touched us all who knew him-and we are grateful he passed our way." From Creating Scrapbook Quilts by Ami Simms As a little girl I watched my grandmother and her friends make quilts. They met once a week at their church quilting bee to work on their projects. As an adult I always felt that there was at least one quilt inside of me and at some point in my life I would attempt to make one. Of course I had no idea that my first quilt would be a scrapbook quilt, nor that it would be a tribute to my son, Theron. He died four years ago of a cerebral hemorrhage at the age of 20. Prospective parents have up to nine months to anticipate the birth of a child; nothing in our lives prepares us to deal with the death of a child. We expect that some time in our lives we will bury our parents, but never our children. A child's death is a pain so severe and prolonged you question if it will ever subside. Unlike surviving the pain of childbirth, there is no bundle of joy that will bring a smile to your face causing you to forget the pain. Death takes without giving. This quilt is a tribute to all of the good and wonderful things that Theron has contributed to my life so I may move forward, for life does go on. When Ami approached me about making a quilt using my son as a focus, I was flattered but reluctant at first. I wasn't sure I was ready to handle all the emotions that would be stirred up while working on this project, from laughter to tears. I also didn't know anything about making a quilt. Remember, I said I watched my grandmother. Ami warned me that making a quilt like this was like putting togethr a jigsaw puzzle and still having pieces that wouldn't fit when I was finished. In the end I not only found a home for all of the pieces (one or two went on the back), but I was able to convey the love and joy of having Theron participate in my life. Making Theron's quilt was a cathartic experience for me. As I picked up and touched a fabric transfer I found myself reliving the moment captured in the photo. The palm print they gave me at the hospital when he was born is in the quilt, so his sixth-grade report card, and a picture of his first trip to see Santa Claus. I stitched in a self-portrait he crayoned when he was just a little boy, a photo of him at the prom, and one of the two of us at his high school graduation. Our last Christmas together is in this quilt; so is a copy of the eulogy that was read at his funeral. As I started to actually quilt the fabric, the piece began to come alive. Quilted textures enlivened faces, gave movement to figures, and enhanced graphics. Images of Theron's life danced acrosst the quilt, accompanied by bold, bright colors. After the quilting I added lapel pins, emblems, medals, and patches that Theron collected and traded with other children around the world. He participated in the Children's International Summer Village, an organization that promotes and sponsors international travel for young children. When he was 11 he spent 30 days in Poland with children from eight other countries. He was 13 when he visited Denmark and stayed with a family for four weeks. I am delighted with Theron's quilt. Although his life was short, his memory will always be in my heart. Now, I can introduce him to others who never knew him through this quilt.

Details

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Access and copyright information:

Restricted

How did the quiltmaker participate in the creation of the quilt?

Made entire quilt

If the source helped design the quilt, describe their input:

Designed the pattern

Describe anything about the design of the quilt that wasn't already recorded in a previous field:

Scrapbook quilt, over 80 photo transfers used.

Who photographed this quilt?

Mary Whalen

Copyright holder:

Michigan State University Museum