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Nevilyn

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QUILT INDEX RECORD

12-8-5903

Who documented this quilt?

Michigan Quilt Project; Michigan State University Museum Collection; Quilts and Health

Where are the records for this quilt housed?

Michigan State University Museum

Michigan Quilt Project Number:

11.0027

If this quilt is owned by a museum, enter the accession number:

2011:141.1

Object label:

Nevilyn
Linda J. Huff
Algonquin, Illinois
2008
Collection of Michigan State University Museum acc.#2011:141.1

Essay:

This quilt celebrates the maker’s grandmother, Nevilyn, who was born in 1915 and was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s in 1999.

Artist statement:
Nevilyn was born June 14, 1915, and she is my grandmother. She learned to sew because as a child she had rheumatic fever and was never allowed to do anything strenuous. In January of 1936 she married Jerry and they started their family. Mostly they worked and lived their lives, struggling through the tough times and rejoicing in the good times.

When it was time to retire, Grandpa hooked up a travel trailer to his truck and told Grandma they were going to visit all the places they had always wanted to see. If they did those things now, he insisted, when they got too old to travel at least they would have the memories of all that they had seen and done.

In 1999 Grandpa died. Then Grandma was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s. The woman sits in the nursing home today has no memories of friends or family or the special things that she and her husband did especially for this time in her life. Nevilyn was once lively and vibrant. In the end only a ghost of her former self remains.

There are 868 small squares in the border. They speak of so many things in my grandmother’s life: the fabric that she worked with to make clothes and quilts, her attention to small details, her desire that things be done the “right” way, and her love of color. They also symbolize all of her memories, funny stories, sad times, the trips she took, and all the things she has done. All the little pieces of her life are now lost to her forever.
1

1Sims, Ami. Alzheimer’s: Forgetting Piece By Piece. Mallory Press, 2007.

Quilt's title:

Nevilyn

Quilt top made by:

Huff, Linda J.

Quilted by:

Huff, Linda J.

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

Purchased the quilt

Where the quilt was made, city:

Algonquin

Where the quilt was made, state:

Illinois (IL)

Where the quilt was made, country:

United States

Time period:

2000-2025

When was the quilt finished?

2008

Why was the quilt made?

Commemorative; Fundraising

Quilt is presently used as:

Museum collection

Quiltmaker's city:

Algonquin

Quiltmaker's state:

Illinois (IL)

Other notes on how the quiltmaker learned, and how and why they quilt:

Linda has had her hands in fabric all other life. She began constructing doll clothes and progressed through cross-stitch, crochet, garment construction, crewel embroidery, counted cross-stitch, and most recently, art quilts. Linda attempts to incorporate her diverse knowledge of sewing techniques in her work.

This is a:

Finished quilt

How wide is the quilt?

35"

How long is the quilt?

41"

Shape of edge:

Straight

Shape of corners:

Straight

What color is the quilt?

Black; Blue; Green; Orange; Pink; Purple; Red; Yellow

Quilt's condition:

Excellent/like new

Type of inscription:

Signature; Message

What is inscribed on the quilt?

Linda J. Huff “Nevilyn” 1167 Sawmill Lane Algonquin, IL 60102 Linda@madco.com 847-845-9442 “Alzheimer’s Forgetting Piece By Piece” Alzheimer’s Art Quilt Initiative “Alzheimer’s Forgetting Piece By Piece” #14 If found call 1-800-278-4824 or 1-810-348-2772 immediately.

Method used to make the inscription:

Attached label

Location of inscription:

on back

Describe the quilt's layout:

Block pattern

Number of quilt blocks:

25

Size of quilt blocks:

7" x 9"

Arrangement of quilt blocks:

Straight

Spacing of quilt blocks:

Side by side

Fiber types used to make the quilt top:

Cotton

Piecing techniques used to make the quilt top:

Machine Piecing

Embellishment techniques used to make the quilt top:

Photography/ photo transfer

Materials used to make the back:

Cotton

Number of pieces of fabric in the quilt back:

1

Materials used in the quilt binding:

Cotton

How is the binding made?

Straight grain; Front turned to back

What kind of filling is used in the quilt?

Cotton

How are the layers held together?

Machine quilting

Quilting designs used, overall motifs:

Meander/free motion

Features or notes about the quilt's appearance, materials, or construction:

Artist statement: Nevilyn was born June 14, 1915, and she is my grandmother. She learned to sew because as a child she had rheumatic fever and was never allowed to do anything strenuous. In January of 1936 she married Jerry and they started their family. Mostly they worked and lived their lives, struggling through the tough times and rejoicing in the good times. When it was time to retire, Grandpa hooked up a travel trailer to his truck and told Grandma they were going to visit all the places they had always wanted to see. If they did those things now, he insisted, when they got too old to travel at least they would have the memories of all that they had seen and done. In 1999 Grandpa died. Then Grandma was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s. The woman sits in the nursing home today has no memories of friends or family or the special things that she and her husband did especially for this time in her life. Nevilyn was once lively and vibrant. In the end only a ghost of her former self remains. There are 868 small squares in the border. They speak of so many things in my grandmother’s life: the fabric that she worked with to make clothes and quilts, her attention to small details, her desire that things be done the “right” way, and her love of color. They also symbolize all of her memories, funny stories, sad times, the trips she took, and all the things she has done. All the little pieces of her life are now lost to her forever.

Where did the maker find their pattern?

Original to maker

Exhibitions where this quilt was displayed:

This quilt was part of the special exhibit, “Alzheimer’s: Forgetting Piece by Piece.” The exhibit debuted at the American Quilter’s Society Quilt Exposition in Nashville, TN in August, 2006. It traveled to quilt shows all over the country through July 2009.

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

Alzheimer’s Forgetting Piece By Piece, Ami Simms curator, book. Mallery Press, 2007, page 32-33.

Source of the information on this quilt:

Museum employee

Ownership of this quilt is:

Public- Michigan State University Museum

Quilt owner's name:

Michigan State University Museum

Quilt owner's city:

East Lansing

Quilt owner's county:

Ingham

Quilt owner's state:

Michigan (MI)

Quilt owner's country:

United States

How was this quilt acquired?

Purchase

Tell the story of how the quilt was obtained:

The Alzheimer’s Art Quilt Initiative, a non-profit raising money for Alzheimer’s research. Started and administered by Ami Simms, Flint, MI.

Access and copyright information:

Restricted

The quilt was made to be used for:

Artwork/wall hanging

Who photographed this quilt?

Pearl Yee Wong

Copyright holder:

MSU Board of Trustees

Cite this Quilt

Huff, Linda J. Nevilyn. 2008. From Michigan State University Museum, Michigan Quilt Project; Michigan State University Museum Collection; Quilts and Health. Published in The Quilt Index, https://quiltindex.org/view/?type=fullrec&kid=12-8-5903. Accessed: 03/29/24

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