MVQG

The Sally F. Kerr Memorial Retreat Fund

Bill Kerr was pleased that Sally’s “spot” at the 2007 retreat was used and enjoyed and would like to continue this generous gift in Sally’s memory. I received the letter below from him about Sally and her journey in quilting. It’s a “window” to see how personal, and how much thought and love goes into the quilts we make for the people we care for. It involves more than fabric and sewing; quilts come from the heart. Bill certainly understood Sally’s passion for quilting and the pleasure she enjoyed creating her quilts!

Bill has made a generous donation to establish a fund so that a “quilter that otherwise would not be able to go to retreat” would be able to be there. I think as quilters, we tend to be generous and kind and those who wish could donate to this fund to keep it going strong into the future. A committee is being formed to develop some guidelines and these funds will be dedicated to “a quilter in need” having the opportunity to attend retreat in Sally’s memory per her husband, Bill’s request. Thank you Bill for such a touching tribute to your wife!

Sally's Quilts and Retreat 4 March 2007

W. R. Kerr

Sally’s first quilt was a crib quilt made for our eldest granddaughter, Abbie, born in 1988. It had a teddy bear holding balloons on it. She made a similar quilt in different colors for Abbie's cousin, Sarah, born six weeks later. By the time Sarah's sister, Sydney, was born in 1992 a more skilled Gramma made an elaborate Carousel Horse quilt.

Sally had two nieces: Megan, the eldest and a rebel, called when she was in graduate school in Arizona to say she had gotten married over the weekend. Bridget, the proper one, planned her marriage months in advance and made sure Aunt Sally knew the date almost as soon as she did. Bridget's marriage quilt was finished in time for the wedding. At that wedding, Megan wondered why she hadn't gotten a marriage quilt and Bridget explained the need to plan ahead. Aunt Sally started immediately on a quilt for Megan.

Megan's son and two daughters got baby quilts. Bridget's first son got one as well. When Bridget's second son was born in January of 2007 Sally apologized for not being able to make a quilt because of the neuropathy in her hands, but said there was one that had belonged to Sally's brother, the baby's grandfather, that she would send. One of my current tasks is to find, identify and send that quilt.

During the awful days of chemotherapy in 1993, Sally worked on what she called her "Sanity Quilt". This was finished and given to our daughter, Jenny. Most of the quilts were given away. I regret that I don't have a complete list and must work with the family to make one.

For Abbie's high school graduation Sally made "Abbie's Music Quilt" embroidered with all the instruments Abbie played and with the notes of two of their favorite pieces. Since Abbie and Sally were the only two in the family who read music, this was their secret code. This quilt won an "Honorable Mention" in the 2006 Miami Valley Quilt show. Sally loved all three of her granddaughters but she and Abbie had a special relationship, one that I envied: each thought the other was the neatest or coolest, depending on which generation you came from, person she knew.

Sally learned to sew, but not to quilt from her mother, Marion Bassett Fuller, who learned from her mother, Mabel Thurston Bassett. Both of these ladies must have been involved in quilting at one time because Sally inherited a number of quilt pieces. There was a "Sunbonnet Sue" quilt and a quilt of 1930's squares made with pieces from Sally's mother. Sarah's graduation quilt was made of "Dresden Plates" from Grandma Bassett. There was another quilt in the 2006 Quilt show made from "Dresden Plates" from that quilter's grandmother. I suggested to Sally that, since Sarah's quilt won a prize and the other hadn't, she had done a better job. "No', said Sally, "my grandmother chose better colors than her grandmother."

Sally's last quilt was a graduation quilt for Sydney, the youngest granddaughter. The top, a rearing horse in silhouette backed by colors I've seen in the sunrise, was finished. Sydney is deeply into horses, perhaps brought on by the Carousel Horse quilt which Sydney always insisted was simply her "horse quilt." Sally was troubled by the quilt back because she was faced with the usual quilter's dilemma of not having enough of the fabric she favored. She planned to take it to retreat this year and get some advice on piecing it and help pinning it. I kept telling her Sydney wouldn't graduate till 2010 and that she had lots of time. She knew better. Sally's friend, Kathy Bean took the quilt to retreat and she and some of Sally's other friends sorted it out; Kathy has agreed to finish the quilt.

As nearly as I can determine, Sally first went to retreat in 1995. She looked forward to retreat every year and it was always the first thing entered on each year's new kitchen calendar. We planned to go to Hawaii when she was able - we didn't make it. I pointed out once that February was probably the best time to leave Ohio for a tropical climate. Sally said that would be fine as long as it didn't conflict with retreat.

I must admit that when I suggested the guild find someone to take Sally's place my conscious motive was not to be bothered with another detail. But it seems likely that the offer was a manifestation of some of the subliminal training I underwent during the fifty nine years we were together, more than fifty three of marriage. Sally would have been immensely pleased that she was responsible for a "special quilter in need" being able to attend retreat. I would like to see the practice continued and would like to contribute enough to a fund to support it for at least ten years. It would be nice if the fund could be named for Sally F. Kerr. It was, after all, her idea.