Little Chapel in the Field Reveal

We've done it . .The Little Chapel in the Field exterior is finished. . .Would you like to venture a guess of the final cost of this up-grade? . .$136.25. . .Had John and I not done the work ourselves, of course it would have been more. . .But, we enjoy a challenge. . .We had to take it slowly. . .and could only work when we had a spare hour or two. . .We also spent time searching the barns for make-do items we could incorporate. . .'It was a labor of love.'

I've had the idea for a while. . .since the year we purchased the up-right piano from a local country church. . .Crossroads Baptist Church was razed several years ago. . . The Blaylocks got in touch with us before the church was torn down. . . They ended up giving us so much more, including pews, a podium, songbooks and Bibles. . .I thought we might build a chapel for ourselves one day. . .Like we need more buildings . .(I think at last count we had twelve.)

Chapels or churches among the tenant houses and in local small communities are historically a big part of our Delta history. . .Country churches dotted the back roads. . .where almost every little settlement had it's own. . .Many were used for grades 1-8 schools in the early 20th century also. . .

So after a tornado damaged the roof and porch of our smallest example of a tenant house, I saw an opportunity to turn it into our own unique little chapel. . .As they say, 'The rest is history'. . .(pun intended).

The building we started with sure didn't look like much. . .just a small, grayed outbuilding. . .damaged by the winds and tornado. . .

Obviously. . .something needed to be done. . .We rolled up our sleeves and got to work. . .Nothing sketched out. . .We made it up as we went. . .The only rule was: We had to use as many repurposed supplies as we could. . .only purchasing items if we had absolutely nothing else.

 Our first task was to remove the porch. . .saving the decking that was usable. . .
Instead of side steps, we decided to place steps at the front.

We needed posts next. . .After combing the barn stalls with no luck, I remembered that I had seen the 1950s metal posts from my Grandmother's home in the loft of the big barn. . .Did I wait for a younger person to come along and climb up there? . . Of course not. .  .I've climbed all over that barn in my lifetime. . .I wasn't about to stop now. . .Sure enough, after upsetting Sissy and Fred (our barn owls) and digging through decades of junk, I spotted them. . .Perfect. . .

We did purchase the side railings. . .but the hand rails were recycled off the previous deck. . .They were given to us several years ago. . .

We decided to add the steeple before the porch roof. . .Can you guess what it is? . .A garden trellis. . .

It was black iron, so John simply painted it white. . .He made the aluminum cross from an old pair of crutches. . .We decided to leave the steeple open because we often have very strong winds and find ourselves in constant repair mode of our other buildings. . .This way the winds can blow right on through. . .

The building was spray painted white to look as if it were a little weather worn. . . the metal posts and rails were hand-painted with enamel. . .

First coat of paint. . .

Replacing the skirting with vintage corrugated tin. . .salvaged from other buildings over the years. . .was probably the hardest task of all. . .It wasn't the tin itself but the ground of 'concrete' (gumbo). . .If you live in this area, you know what gumbo is. . .and how it turns to 'concrete' in the Summer heat. . .Poor John had to get the pick axe out. . .for two days. . .

Once the skirting was in place, it was time to frame in the roof. . .and add new corrugated tin. . .leftover from re-roofing one of the shotgun houses earlier in the Spring. . .

We wanted a larger bell. . .and will be on the look-out for one. . .
but for now, the smaller bell will do. . .

To make the porch look more complete, we filled in the peak with more tin. . .

Our little chapel was done. . .We thought. . .but it was looking a little plain and lacking. . .We didn't want real windows for maintenance reasons. . .This had to be simple. . .

I was inspired by the country church birdhouse that John made for us a few years ago. . .Why not copy that idea on a much larger scale?. . .Had no idea what to use that wouldn't be costly. . .We searched the farm. . .without luck. . .One day while on a run to Lowes, I spotted fencing marked down to 98c per board. . .I guess you know we loaded them up. . .

Finally, the day came to begin adding accessories. . .and flowers. . .I planted white lilies in the concrete planters. . .It will be next year before they bloom. . .I also added day lilies to a big planter in back. . .Pulled out the wrought iron chairs and table, stored from my childhood home. . .Mulch. . .A bench on the porch. . .Simple things. . .

By the way, those stones around the flower pots are chunks of concrete salvaged from an old fireplace torn down a few years ago. . .That's the nice thing about having a big farm with lots of barns and buildings. . .STORAGE galore. . .

By next year, when the flowers and shrubs begin to take hold, our Little Chapel in the Field should look as if it has been there for decades. . .Isn't it amazing? . .One of my friends has dubbed it 'adorable'. . .It's almost hard for us to believe the before and after photos. . .

Before

After

Our Little Chapel in the Field turned out much better than we ever expected. . .Next Summer we'll work on the interior. . .adding the items from Crossroads Church and a few other articles we have found along the way. . .For now, I'm content to enjoy the outside. . .

Early Sunday is my favorite time to sit on the porch and gaze out at the cotton fields. . .enjoying the cool of the morning and the many Blessings we have here at the farm. . .It's very quiet, except for Faith (our dove) cooing at me. . .and sometimes a mockingbird fusses a little. . .No traffic or distractions. . .No tractors or machinery. . .Cool. . .Quiet. . .Calm. . .On days like that, my thoughts inevitably will go back to an old church hymn from my youth. . .

There's a church in the valley by the wildwood,

No lovelier spot in the dale (Dell),

No place is so dear to my childhood.

As the little brown (white) church in the vale. . .

DELTA QUILT SERIES: Denim Britches Quilts

 

 

"I made all my quilts out of old shirts and dress tails and britches legs. . .whatever part of the pants wasn't wore out, like the pants legs, cause the knees mostly be wore out--we pick cotton on our knees." Loretta Petty, Architecture of the Quilt

 

 

As cooler weather arrives and thoughts of winter come to mind, I--like the Delta women before me--begin to think about keeping the family warm. . .Luckily, all I have to do is turn on the central heat and bring out a few blankets. . .Not so in the past. . .when making quilts for warmth was a necessity for winter survival.

At their very root, utility quilts are just that--objects made for warmth. . .not a lot of value is  placed on precise piecing and stitching. . .or buying new fabrics and pattern books. . .Often, these everyday quilts aren't all that pretty in a traditional sense . . .Yet, once a person realizes that they are in a category of their own. . .and recognizes  characteristics in common. . .the Southern utility quilts take on a certain charm. . These are not the quilts of  affluence. . .They were first and foremost a necessity when the cold winds of Southern winters blew through the tenant houses that were built with poor construction and little insulation. . .Yet, looking beyond the need for warm covers, there is something appealing about these practical everyday quilts. . ...'Make the pieces fit' but in a pleasing manner. . .and use the technique called improvisation to do it. . . 

 

 africanamericanquilts.net

 Example of COTTON WORK PANTS QUILT from GEORGIA 1940s

 



 

 

As I began to research local Delta quilts in the light of those in other Southern states, I found that I had to remind myself to see these quilts in a much different perspective--to see them for what they are. . .to see the beauty of them as a connection to the life of sharecroppers and tenants. . .These quilts tell a story, if we will only look closer.

 

Finding quality examples of Southern utility quilts is not easy. . .simply because most were in use everyday and were not considered to be collectable. . .Over the years, most of the quilts have disappeared. . .The discovery of these three britches quilts was exciting. . .Even though they are in disrepair, they are good examples  of similar ones found on the plantations and farms in Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi and Louisiana. . .

 

Britches or britchy quilts are sometimes called work-clothes quilts. . .They are probably my favorite. . .but the hardest to find thus far. . .Although I don't know the specific stories behind them, I'm certain that the old shirts and denim have seen their share of picking cotton and farm work. . .They have been aged through many washings and much wear and tear. . .

 

'Tenant farmers in the South wore a muted palette of browns, grays, and blues. . .Old denim pants and overalls, field-worn and sun blocked, create a rich spectrum of dusty blues. . .wear-tears, stain, patches, mendings and faded seams provide further nuances. These characteristics are an integral part of the work-clothes aesthetic. . ." Architecture of the Quilt

 

It so happens that two of our vintage britches quilts are similar in construction. . .Of course, any quilt that utilizes denim or any other work pant qualifies. . .I chose these first quilts because they are constructed in the simplest of ways. . .It is the METHOD of piecing that is the key to understanding them. . .

  

 

 

 

The first two examples are sometimes called the 'Lazy Girl'. . .I'm sure you can see why. . .Strips of any good fabric from cast-off work clothes are sewn in vertical rows. . .every inch of that fabric is incorporated. . .including the removed pocket areas where there is less fading. . .The 'batting' in this particular quilt is old work shirts. . .worn and torn. . .laid flat . . .between the top and the backing. . .hand-in-hand with the characteristics of other Southern rural utility quilts: 

• Strips in vertical rows
• Every part of the clothing is utilized, including the underneath side of the removed pocket
• Batting of old work shirts
• Not enough denim to finish the quilt, so a patch of khaki is added
• Backing from flour sacks
• Binding folded over from the back and stitched
• Use of large utility stitches to hold the three layers together

 

 

 

 

 

 

Here's another example of the 'Lazy Girl' style. . .pieced with the same method yet looking different due to the fabrics at hand. . .

• Vertical strips
• Covering another quilt underneath that was too worn to use, making this quilt thick and heavy
• Backing from printed feed sacks in a random fashion
• Tacked to hold the layers together
• Bound by folding the backing to the front and stitching

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Our third britches quilt is a type of medallion pattern at it's simplest form. . .The center is constructed first. . .usually dictated by the largest piece of salvaged fabric the maker has. . .Then strips are added around it until the desired size is achieved. . .fairly traditional. . .but without using a planned and precise pattern. . .It is another 'make-do' creation. . .

• Use of work clothes
• Flour sack backing
• Very thin with only a little fabric as batting
• Patching of holes in order to make larger pieces of fabric (Love the heart shapes)
• No matching of fabric patterns in the strips
• Binding by folding the front to the back and stitching
• Utility quilting stitches in the Baptist fan style
• Use of unconventional black thread for quilting, possibly the only color that was on-hand

 

 



 

This quilt would be very easy to copy the method of piecing. . .It would come together fairly quickly. . .I was so excited when I found this one that I could barely contain my enthusiasm while negotiating a price with the owner. . .He saw it as a 'rag'. . .so there wasn't a lot of convincing to do. . .'One man's trash is another wo-man's treasure'. . .(grin)

 

 

 

The britches quilts may look like rags to some. . .and of little value to others. . .but when you look below the surface, you begin to see their connection to farm history. . .Make-do. . .Creative. . .The Remnants of Hard work and Survival. . .Priceless to this Farmer's Daughter.

In future posts, I'll share more techniques of construction and reveal a few of the signs and symbols often incorporated into Delta quilts. . .I have many more to show you. . .We've only begun our journey.

 

 





 

 

 

REFERENCES:

 

GEES BEND: ARCHITECTURE OF THE QUILT, by Paul Arnett, William Arnett, Bernard Herman, Maggi Gordon, Diane Mott, Dilys Blum, Lauren Whitley, Amei Wallach, Joanne Cubbs, Tinwood Books, 2006                                                                       

 

SOUTHERN AMERICAN QUILTS--A LECTURE BY TEDDY PRUITT, http://bqsg.quiltersguild.org.uk/blog/southern-american-quilts-lecture-by-teddy-pruett

 

AFRICAN AMERICAN QUILTS, http://www.africanamericanquilts.net/