A Christmas Letter 1938

 

December 24, 1938

Dear Mother. . .I am writing to you this CHRISTMAS EVE with a HAPPY HEART. . .I don't know what comes over me each year at HOLIDAY time. . .There is something MAGICAL that settles over our farms. . .Even the animals seem to sense it. . .You know how much I LOVE Christmas. . .My own daughters talk among themselves that if they can't get what they want out of me at Christmas, there sure isn't any need to ask the rest of the year. . .I suppose they are right. . .I can't be a Scrooge at this time of the year. . .

 

 

Crops are a bit better this year. . .Cotton prices are rising slowly. . .Maybe this Great Depression is about over. . .Once again I'll be able to pay my TENANTS for their year of hard work. . .and I will be able to add a little extra at each one's door. . .. .I just yesterday received the last of the crates of ORANGES and GRAPEFRUIT from Florida. . .A few days ago, the shipment of RUSSELL STOVER CANDY arrived by rail. . .I think I'll have enough to give to FAMILY and FRIENDS. . .as well as the FARM WORKERS. . .And as usual, I made arrangements with L. M. (Moody Grocery) to deliver Christmas boxes to every FAMILY on the farms. . . .Let's see. . .I think I have close to fifty families now. . .I don't want any child to be without a CHRISTMAS WISH coming true. . .and I certainly don't want them to be hungry on that important day. . .I began gathering sizes and wishes from each family back in October so L. M. would have plenty of time to get the GIFTS together. . .I had to take a little out of my savings to do this. . .but it's worth it. . .Wish you could see the SMILES on the children's faces when the gifts arrive. . .

 

 

No matter how humbly our farm workers and tenants live. . .they do their best to CELEBRATE the birth of OUR SAVIOR. . .Sometimes it's very make-do. . .but it does speak of the JOY that is in their HEARTS for this season of HOPE. . .Families together in LOVE. . .I think that's the true SPIRIT OF CHRISTMAS anyway. . .don't you? . .There were many Christmases growing up that all we had was a good meal and something you handmade for us. . .We didn't feel poor. . .We felt RICH. . .A chicken and your wonderful dressing. . .cranberry sauce. . .greens. . .and corn. . .and beans. . .and you never forgot my favorite. . .Mince Meat Pie.  

 

Speaking of FAMILY, mine is doing well. . .Irene is 11 this Christmas. . .She is changing from a little girl to a very pretty young lady. . .I admit I spoil her, giving in to her wishes probably one too many times. . .Alice scolds me often about it. . .but she is SPECIAL. . .a God-send in our older ages. . .Mamie and Naoma spoil her as much as I. . .They are both teaching at Dell this year. . .They have been busy with Christmas programs at CHURCH and SCHOOL. . .I've noticed a lot of whispering and giggles going on, too. . .a sure sign of the SEASON. . .All three daughters will be CHRISTMAS CAROLING tonight while Alice and I finish the TREE. . .They'll come back a bit 'stuffed' after eating candy and cookies. . .and drinking hot chocolate. . .at just about every house in Dell.

Alice asks for very little this time of the year. . .except. . .that her family all be TOGETHER. . .You know what a good cook she is. . .She started baking and preparing for the big dinner right after Thanksgiving. . .Just this morning she shooed me out of the kitchen so she could make all ready for tomorrow. . .To Alice, as it was with you, feeding the family well is not a task she bears. . .it is her act of LOVE. . .Plenty of food and the Love that goes into it. . .She tries to make at least one of each girl's favorites. . .and of course she makes my favorite Mince Meat Pie from your recipe. . .LIFE IS GOOD. . .

 

 

 

 

 

All in all, it HAS been a good year. . .full of surprises. . .and a lot of hard work. . .but many BLESSINGS also. . .I hope this finds you well. . .I know you must be missing Papa but thankfully you have my brothers close-by and I'm sure you'll be celebrating the day with them. . .I'm sending you much LOVE from my family. . .and many BLESSINGS in the next year. . .I LOVE YOU. . .

YOUR SON . . .EARL

 

WHETHER CHRISTMAS PAST

CHRISTMAS PRESENT

OR

CHRISTMAS FUTURE. . .

 



 

 

 

Ten Feisty Women, One Brave Man and A Farm Style Photo Shoot at C A's Grocery

 

I'm so glad I can let you in on a SECRET. . .I've been bursting at the seams ever since October. . .when TEN GALS and ONE GUY from TEMPS PLUS in Blytheville, Arkansas. . .visited the farm for a FUN-FILLED photo shoot. . .Now that the ad has come out in several MAGAZINES. . .and I'm told on billboards in Blytheville and Osceola. . .I can break my silence. . .

 

 

 

 

 

These LADIES. . .and ONE GENT. . .put on their BOOTS AND JEANS. . .

donned those CLASSIC WHITE T's. . .

and got their FARM STYLE ON. . .

While the photographer went to work, I snapped several behind-the-scene shots. . .

 

 

 

 

 

And here they are in the

HOLIDAY EDITION OF DELTA CROSSROADS. . .

 

 

 

 

 

Check out the rest of DELTA CROSSROADS. . .a magazine that celebrates LIFE IN THE DELTA. . .  They are FREE at banks, museums, and public places all across Northeast Arkansas. . .or. . .view the entire HOLIDAY ISSUE at: Delta Crossroads Magazine

And please. . .

TOOT YOUR HORN 

if you see us on those BILLBOARDS. . .

 

LIFE IS GOOD. . .

 

 

 

BLESSINGS ABUNDANT

 

 

 

 

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/

 

 

 

 

 

Shining Up the '56 Chevy Bob Truck



Wow! I never thought a little shining up of the bob truck would make such a difference. . .

 

AFTER

 





BEFORE (Fall 2015)

 



BEFORE (2012)



The goal was to protect what's left of the truck paint from another winter of ice and snow. . .I never dreamed it would look so good with just a day of 'elbow grease'. . .

This truck is so special to us. . .It happens that it was bought new by my Dad for this very farm back in 1956. . .It was sold to the Dilldines in 1975 when Daddy retired. . .As a child, I rode with my Dad in this truck many times. . .A LONG story of how it ended up back home. . .If you'd like to read more about it. . . CLICK HERE 

Besides the obvious link to my Dad, there is another reason the truck means so much to us. . .We left the  'DILLDINE FARMS' name on the doors in memory of our friend Tommy Dilldine. . .whose family has farmed our land since 1975. . .I'll never forget how much care and support Tommy gave us when John and I moved here in 2005. . .I'd known Tommy all my life and it was sure special to have him take such an interest in us. . .Any time we needed anything, Tommy was there. . .We'll never forget his kindness. . .and honor him in this very small way. 

 

 

Now that the cab looks so good, the truck bed needs some attention, too, doesn't it?. . .Those thick cypress boards have lasted several decades but with each winter, they deteriorate more. . .Finding cypress to replace them may be a challenge. . .We'll 'worry' about that next year. . .since Winter is almost here and we have other projects more pressing. . .Maybe in the Spring? . .Of course we'll keep you posted. . .(grin)

LIFE IS GOOD