Heritage Quilters dedicate raffle quilt to volunteer

The McHenry County Historical Society's Heritage Quilters announced that this year's hand-stitched raffle quilt is dedicated to Alan Bird of Union.

"Our friendship quilt is dedicated to Alan Bird, who has volunteered countless hours to the McHenry County Historical Society museum, doing whatever it needs," group spokeswoman Jan Knight said. "He has become an avid supporter of the Heritage Quilters, since one of his wife (Arlen's) favorite activities is quilting with us.

"So, while he has never taken needle and thread to a quilt, he is indispensable to the workings of our Heritage Quilters."

"Threads of Friendship," features a nine-patch, Friendship Star pattern set in a ribbon variation. It features 64 blocks in cream and Turkey red. It is very old pattern, dating back to the 1700s.

Bird is the third man to be recognized in such fashion by the Heritage Quilters. The others are Don Perkins in 2006 and Bill Dysart in 2011. As is the group's custom, a short dedication is written on a square sewn onto a back corner.

Knight explained that white conveys innocence, red stands for strength and victory, romance and festive Christmas. The "Turkey red" was popular from about 1830 to 1930, due in part because it did not fade.

Other quilt dedicatees, excluding 1991, are: Leta Clark (1990); land and wildlife in our Prairie State (1992); one-room schoolhouses (1993); Alice Clark (1994); citizens of McHenry County (1995); Muriel Johnstone (1996); Ruth Wirtel (1997); Clara Vogel (1998); Hanna Ames (1999); Dori Buck (2000); children of the 21st century (2001); Grace Moline (2002); Nancy Fike (2003); Arlen Bird (2004); Norma Anderson (2005); Beverly Fletcher (2007); Carol Sek (2008); Jean McCaffrey (2009); Jan Knight (2010); Sue Stanek (2012); charter members of the McHenry County Historical Society, 50th anniversary (2013); Sandy Schweitzer (2014); Carol Stone (2015); and Holly Scott (2016).

Knight said the continued popularity of the 2009 effort, "Garnets for Mrs. Lincoln," signaled a return to red and white was in order. Tickets are available online at GotHistory.org or the museum, which opened for the season May 5.

"May this quilt bring joy and blessings to the home it graces," Knight said.

Join the Heritage Quilters Wednesday morning throughout the year at the museum, 6422 Main St. in Union. Quilters of all levels are welcome. For information, call (815) 923-2267.