QSOS Interview with Dorothy Weeks

Eleanor Wilkinson (EW); This is Eleanor Wilkinson. This interview is being conducted for South Central Michigan QSOS, a project of the Alliance for American Quilts. Today I am interviewing Dorothy Weeks at the Marshall Activity Center in Marshall, Michigan at the annual guild show for the Cal-Co Quilters Guild. Today is Sept. 10, 2011 and the time is 12:22 p.m. So lets talk about the quilt that you brought to the interview today. Does it have any special meaning for you?

Dorothy Weeks (DW); Nothing more than the fact that I love the Civil War reproduction stuff.

EW; And Ive forgotten the name of it.

DW; Civil War Christmas, or Civil War Christmas Star, either way.

EW; Why did you choose this one rather than another one?

DW; Because I hadnt done this one before.

EW; So it was a new pattern for you?

DW; It was.

EW; What do you think someone viewing this quilt might think about you?

DW; Theyd probably think I was boring because of the dull colors.

EW; But those are Civil War colors.

DW; Yes.

EW; How will you use this quilt?

DW; Itll probably go upstairs and go in a pile.

EW; Do you have any long range plans for it?

DW; No.

EW; Lets talk about your interest in quilt-making. What age were you when you started quilt-making?

DW; Ive been doing it for forty years so I was in my late thirties.

EW; From whom did you learn to quilt?

DW; I taught myself, totally.

EW; How many hours a week do you suppose you quilt?

DW; Probably ten, now.

EW; What was your first quilt memory?

DW; [laughs.] My first quilt memory, I started quilting because I wanted a Christmas gift for my brother and his wife. Her favorite color was purple which I hate, and I still own this purple Lone Star Quilt because after three years I got it done and I wouldnt give it to her because she wasnt worth it.

EW; [both laugh.] Good you found out before you gave it to her. And do you remember seeing quilts as a child? No quilts in your?

DW; No, they were not a part of my life.

EW; Are there any other quilt-makers in your family?

DW; No.

EW; But you have lots of quilt-makers who are friends.

DW; Yes. Well let me clarify that. My grandmother, I know she made two quilts, but I wouldnt call her a real quilt-maker.

EW; How does your current quilt-making impact your family?

DW; Probably my husband wishes I would nail the door shut so I would be out 00:03:00where he is. [laughs.]

EW; Have you ever used quilts to get through a difficult time?

DW; Maybe just to keep my mind off things. But, thats about it.

EW; So when youre working on the quilt your mind is occupied with the quilt?

DW; Right.

EW; Have there been any amusing experiences with your quilt-making?

DW; Oh, none that jumps out right now, other than the very first one where I wouldnt give it away because she wasnt worth it. [both laugh.]

EW; What do you find thats especially pleasing about quilt-making?

DW; Its very relaxing. Its frustrating but relaxing.

EW; At the same time?

DW; Yes. It can be frustrating.

EW; Are there any aspects of quilt-making that you dont enjoy?

DW; You know, it used to be that piecing was my favorite part of it and now its getting to the point thats really kind of my least. Id rather appliqu.

EW; So appliqu is your preferred technique now?

DW; My preferred technique.

EW; What art or quilt groups do you belong to?

DW; The only one I actively belong to now is a small one in Athens. [Michigan.] Its just local people that dont belong to the guild, that dont actively show or do anything like that.

EW; Just a small, neighbors?

DW; Neighbors, yes.

EW; Are you a member of the Cal-Co Quilters Guild?

DW; Yes. Actually, almost a founding member, I was at the first meeting. I was not asked to be part of the planning but I was at the first meeting and have been a member since.

EW; [long announcement on p.a.] Have advances in technology influenced your work?

DW; I really dont think so because I used to do very intricate piecing and stuff and now Im going more and more primitive and more simple all the time.

EW; And youre using the rotary cutter now?

DW; Rotary cutter, sewing machine.

EW; Is that how you started out, with the rotary cutter?

DW; No. [laughs.] In face, when I started I couldnt see how you could do that. The very first one I machine pieced, I drew it all out with templates, the whole thing, and sewed along those lines the same as I would have done by hand. Then finally I decided to jump off and try the whole rotary cutting thing.

EW; And it goes faster now?

DW; It goes faster but for me its not as accurate. I probably am just not as accurate a machine sewer as I could be if I tried.

EW; Well, you know that old quarter-inch thing can be skoshed one way or the other.

DW; Yes. And a thread or two makes a big difference.

EW; Its surprising, isnt it. And you have to account for a fold?

DW; Uh huh.

EW; What are your favorite techniques? I think youve already answered that but go ahead.

DW; Yes, the appliqu.

EW; And you have favorite materials?

DW; I havent done anything in homespuns in a while but those are just wonderful to appliqu with. But theyre very country look.

EW; Have you ever used feedsacks?

DW; I had the chance and I had original feedsacks for some time, but I dont appreciate that particular style of fabrics, so I gave them away.

EW; Okay. Describe your studio or the place where you create.

DW; Oh, what a mess. [laughs.] Its organized. Right now Ive had to change everything around twice this summer, so its really disorganized. I cant find anything. In fact I have a block of the month that I have to finish for Quilt n Go and I cant find it.

EW; Do you have all youre equipment there in one place?

DW; Not right now, no. Its in two places.

EW; You would use the sewing machine, a cutting board, ironing board. Anything else of note?

DW; Nothing of note, no.

EW; Do you use a design wall?

DW; No, I dont have the space for one.

EW; Since you dont have one, how do you arrange your blocks so you know what youre doing when you put them together?

DW; Thats one thing nice about primitive quilting. You dont have to. Whatever happens, happens.

EW; I hadnt thought of that. Tell me how you balance your time.

DW; When Im not cooking, Im sewing. I guess. I love to cook and sew, and garden. Im outside a lot in the summer time. Now, because its cooled off a little bit Im able to be in and sewing room a little more, too. I love that.

EW; So you dont have any particular demands, you can schedule your own

DW; I can do my own.

EW; Lets talk a little about esthetics, design aspects of quilt-making. What do you think makes a great quilt?

DW; Original designs do a lot. Unfortunately Im very set in my ways because there are colors I like and will use and some colors I dont use at all. Purple. Pink Im a little light on. But Ive learned to use greens which I 00:09:00didnt used to use. Of course with appliqu green is just a basic.

EW; Thats right. So when you think of a great quilt then, the primary thing is original design?

DW; Yes. I like original design. I dont do a lot of it, but I like it.

EW; What do you think makes a quilt artistically powerful?

DW; Color.

EW; What do you think makes a quilt appropriate for a museum or a special collection?

DW; Wow, that one I cant answer.

EW; Well, then, what makes a great quilt-maker?

DW; [laughs.] I think a warped mind. [laughs.] Some of the things we do, you wonder why we do.

EW; Somebody who thinks out of the box?

DW; Yeah.

EW; That box.

DW; That box.

EW; Whose works are you drawn to?

DW; Whose works am I drawn to? Right now Kim Diehl. And Im one of those weird people. Ive always liked Lynette Jenson.

EW; And why do those people particularly appeal to you?

DW; Kim Diehl because of the just wonderful strong country, primitive look. She does a lot of fun things, yeah. And she does things out of the box. Lynette Jensen, everything is just so easy to follow with her. She is such an excellent author. The directions are just absolutely perfect. There are no questions.

EW; What artists have influenced you?

DW Im not into art at all, you know, Grandma Moses, Will Moses, that kind of primitive stuff. Somebody nobodys ever heard of, but because I do a little bit of craft painting, Sliney is his last name. I cant think of his first name right now and that is S-l-i-n-e-y. He does wonderful, whimsical stuff.

EW; How do you feel about machine quilting versus hand quilting?

DW; Again, I used to be such a traditional quilter that I thought you were just desecrating a quilt to machine quilt it and now I think how stupid was that? Machine quilting is beautiful.

EW; Do you do machine quilting now?

DW; I only do straight-line, walking foot. I do not know how to do free motion. 00:12:00I do know how to do it, but I have never taken the time to learn to do it.

EW; It takes that practice.

DW; It takes practice. So on small pieces I do a lot of straight, and everybody looks at you like youre nuts when you say straight-line and theyre looking at an arc. Well, thats still straight-line. Its not free motion.

EW; Why is quilt-making important to your life?

DW; It occupies my mind. I cant think of any other reason. What else would you do? If Im not needling Im asleep.

EW; All right. And in what way do your quilts reflect your community?

DW; Probably not at all. I cant think of a way they do.

EW; What do you think about the importance of quilts in American life?

DW; Well, historically I think they are wonderful. They are terribly underappreciated now. They were underappreciated when they were done a hundred and fifty years ago. They were a way to keep warm, too.

EW; In what ways do you think that quilts have special meanings for womens history in America?

DW; Just the fact that they find time to do some of these things under the most adverse conditions. One of the first books that I read about quilters, not about quilting, but about quilters, was som ebody who was on the Oregon Trail, or one of the trails, and she actually in her little purse, not a purse but a reticule, she had her pieces and her needle and she was walking across this 00:14:00country, piecing. And I just cant tell you what an impact that had on me, that that was so important to them. And they did it without lighting. And look what we have now.

EW; Well, talk about technology; lighting is something that we take for granted now.

DW; For granted, yes.

EW; How do you think quilts can be used?

DW; Well, of course, as gifts, as a remembrance. I hope some people remember me from some o f the quilts I have made. And, of course, to keep you warm.

EW; That, too. How do you think quilts can be preserved for the future?

DW; You know, I really hope mine arent. I hope theyre used. A hundred 00:15:00years from now I hear all these people say, Well Im only going to buy the best quality fabric. I want it to last a hundred years. I dont. I want people to use it.

EW; And to love sleeping under it. What has happened to the quilts that youve made? Or those of family and friends?

DW; A lot of them have gone to family, but a lot of them are just piled upstairs on a bed. And in boxes.

EW; Youve been prolific.

DW; Over the years. I used to be a lot more prolific than I am now.

EW; What do you think is the biggest challenge confronting quilters today?

DW; I really think its the cost of materials. Wow, is it getting expensive. I do work part time in a quilt shop and I know every time it comes in, it goes up. 00:16:00And then a couple of years ago she was quoting the fact that the shipping was thirty-some cents per yard, just for shipping. Now shipping has gone up since then so that doesnt even impact the cost of materials which have gone up enormously. I really think the cost is going to be a big factor.

EW; We have sped through this interview quite quickly. Is there anything that I havent asked you that you would like to talk about?

DW; Not that I can think about.

EW; You havent any pet peeves or anything that you would like to?

DW; Like I say, I get so opinionated about what I like and dislike about quilts. You and I were talking this morning with Rita and you were going on and on about the quilt and its one of the least favorite ones that shes done of mine because its so pastel and so blah. Thats all.

EW; I want you to know that I really appreciate your taking the time to do this interview. This has been a fun interview.

DW; Thank you.

EW; Thank you very much. [the time is 12:39 p.m.]