America Remembers

Quilters have a history of community and compassion.  From the earliest days, groups of women met in “quilting bees”.  They shared the workload, enjoyed the fellowship of other women and helped each other through times of trouble.

When tragedy struck the United States of America on September 11, 2001, many quilters turned to their craft to work through their anger, grief and sorrow for the families of 9-11 victims.

Some of the many 9-11 Memorial Quilts were featured in the April 2002 edition of Quilter’s Newsletter Magazine in their QNM Readers’ Quilt Show section.

One of the quilts shown was made by Ann Flaherty, a Textile, Fiber and Quilt Artist.  Ann’s quilt portrayed the Statue of Liberty and the burning skyline of New York City based on a photograph taken on 9-11.  It is titled “Liberty Endures”.

The quilting has pentagon shapes stitched amongst the buildings and behind Liberty’s flame.  Ann also began Operation Kid Comfort that creates comfort quilts and pillows for children of deployed service men and women.  Ann requests that you remember our service personnel today and everyday.

Another beautiful and detailed quilt shown in the QNM article was made by Natima Palaskas a New Zealander living in Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates at the time of 9-11.  Natima expressed her shock at seeing the events in America unfold and that, even though she wasn’t living in America, she felt that their loss was her loss and their safety was her safety.  She named her quilt “One for All and All for One” in keeping with her thought that quilters live in one world of sharing and helping each other.  Her quilt was machine quilted by Donna Ward of New Zealand.

Natima’s quilt is also featured in a beautiful book from C&T Publishing called “America From the Heart: Quilters Remember September 11, 2001” by Karey Bresenhan.  To preview many of the quilts included in this book and excerpts with the quilters’ thoughts and intentions when they designed their quilts, check out Amazon at http://tinyurl.com/3d4ax76  OR  see the eBook offered by Google at http://tinyurl.com/3chzvvr.

http://tinyurl.com/3d4ax76 

Some of the most famous quilts were a product of “America’s 9-11 Memorial Quilts  Project” initiated by Jeannie Ammermann.  Jeannie’s desire to memorialize the victims resulted in multiple quilts that drew volunteers from all over the USA.  Individual quilts honored the Port Authority Staff, the New York State Courts, the New York Fire Dept, the New York Police Dept, the Emergency Services Personnel, the Port Authority Police, the crew and passengers of United Flight 93, Pentagon Personnel and the crew and passengers of Flight 77.

The largest quilt, honoring all 9-11 Victims, was a team effort, lead by Connie Daniels, that included photos of every victim.  It is about 60 feet long and ten feet tall and was made in three sections.  Through its symbolism and photographs of victims, it depicts all events around the 9-11 attacks.

Center of the Victims' Quilt

To learn more about this project, go to http://www.911memorialquilts.com/.

Today we remember and mourn their losses with the families of the victims.  Today we will continue to rebuild and carry on the ideals of this country.  Today we will still have hope for our future and pray for peace throughout the world.  It’s what we do in this Country.

God Bless the USA