I'm glad that the photo that Mary sent of herself is of her standing in front of one of her rooster wall hangings. She exhibited this quilt in our exhibit at the Virginia Quilt Museum and I remember making my first connection with Mary as a result of the rooster quilts.
If you live in Hanover (or the area), how many generations of your family have lived here and how did they come to settle here? If you moved here, where are you from and what brought you here?
I was raised on a farm at Natural Bridge. I attended Radford College,
majored in Home Economics and taught for several years in southwest Virginia. I
then went to Va Tech and got certified to teach Technology Education
(previously known as Industrial Arts). I moved to Henrico County in 1981 and
taught Technology Education and Home Economics for 25 years at Brookland Middle
School. I am now retired and am loving it. I have time to do all those things I
didn’t have time for while I was working. My husband is also a retired Henrico
County teacher.
We moved to Hanover County in the summer of 1997 when our son
was in between elementary and middle school. We wanted to get out of the
suburbs and into the country. This was a good move for us. I got a place to
garden, my husband a place to work on his motorcycles and our son had lots of
room to play outside and learn about nature.
Mary's challenge quilt
My parents were teachers as well as four of my older
siblings. In my youth educated woman had a limited choice of vocation, nurse,
secretary, or teacher. I didn’t like to be around sick people, I couldn’t type,
so teaching was a necessary choice. I like to share what I know with others and
there is no better feeling one gets when one sees the light of understanding on
children’s or adults’ faces.
What are your favorite things to do
in the area?
I like to visit the
gardens and parks in the area, Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden, Maymont Park, the
small parks and gardens maintained by the local communities and private
gardens. I look forward to the Richmond Folk Festival each October.
Diamond Log Cabin
I like to “stitch and
stew” and I find time to dig in the dirt and create saw dust but most of all I
like to admire my projects when they are finished so I can begin on a new one.
Chenille Diamond
I would like to maintain a joyful sense of humor, good
health and lots of friends.
A clean and well ordered house is a wasted life.
This is one of my first quilts. I completed it in 2001. It’s made from scraps from my mother, my
sisters, and me. I look at the pieces and can remember a garment made by my
mother for one of my nieces from that fabric.
Do you have a photo of it?
My least favorite quilt is a baby quilt I made in a class I
took. The fabric was provided for us and when I saw the fabrics my thought was
“that is the ugliest fabric I have ever seen.” When the quilt was finished I
still didn’t like it. The colors just didn’t do it for me. The pattern, made in
other fabrics would be beautiful. I gave the quilt to someone who really loved
it and used it with her baby. I don’t have a picture of it.
Mary's denim and flannel quilt (Vicki's favorite!)
My favorite quilt changes. It is usually the quilt I have
just finished. I like all types of quilts and they keep you warm!
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