Quilters recognized by Georgia Quilt Project
"A quilt is a treasure which follows its creator everywhere"
DR. KATHLEEN THOMPSON Contributing Writer

Betty J. Collins, a resident of Turtletown, T.N., was one of three local quilters whose work was chosen to be exhibited in the Georgia Q uilt Project. She is a self-taught quilter who has made at least 75 quilts in her lifetime. For more photos see 3B.

It is said that a quilt is a treasure which follows its creator everywhere. Two local quilters have recently been recognized for the quality of their quilts and their expertise with a needle. Betty J. Collins and Blanche Marie Brawly Vandiver each recently had a quilt exhibited at the Atlanta History Center. Blanche's quilt was also chosen for inclusion in the newly released book "Georgia Quilts" published by the University of Georgia Press. Both the book and the exhibit curators chose quilts from the Georgia Quilt Project's archives of photos.

The Georgia Quilt Project was the most authoritative survey of quilts and quilt makers ever undertaken in the state. Beginning in 1990 and ending in 1993 the project ultimately documented more than 9,000 quilts. Volunteers conducted 76 Quilt History Days around the state, interviewing quilt owners and examining and photographing their quilts. One of the Quilt History Days was held in Blue Ridge. The 120 quilts included in the book and the quilts in the exhibit were chosen from the thousands documented by the Project.

The Atlanta History Center hosted a major quilt exhibit between September 2006 and March of 2007. Entitled "Designs of the Times: Twentieth-Century Georgia Quilts," the exhibit and quilts were seen by thousands of visitors. The quilters were honored at a gala reception.

The book "Georgia Quilts, Piecing Together a History," was edited by Anita Zaleski Weinraub. Blanche's fan quilt is in the chapter "There's Something About Feed Sacks." As women often did when quilting in the 1950's Blanche used feed sack fabric for the fan panels in the quilt. She allowed her daughters and future daughter in-laws to choose five quilts from her cupboard when they married. The quilt in the exhibit and book is owned by Lynn Vandiver. Blanche was born in 1911 in the Dial community. She currently resides in the Fanin Nursing Home.

The quilt in the exhibit created by Betty J. Collins is stunning in the complexity of the pattern and color scheme, a real standout at the Atlanta History Center's exhibit. Betty, who lives in Turtletown, Tennessee, teaches quilting classes for Tri- County Community College in Andrews, North Carolina. She has been creating fiber art since she was a little girl. "I have learned to do many crafts, embroidery, knitting, crocheting, making baskets and weaving, but quilting just gets to you." Betty learned to sew from her mother and by the eighth grade made all her clothing. She is a self-taught quilter who in the 1950s took up the art form. By the 1980s she opened a quilting/fabric shop in Copperhill and later McCaysville, Georgia. After the flood of 1990 she closed the shop and began teaching quilting for the college. Betty estimates that she has made at least 75 quilts. She has about 20 tops ready for quilting so she is likely to be quilting for a very long time. Given the pleasure she derives from quilting the task will be a pleasure.

A third local quilt was chosen for the unique age of the quilter. Now 25, Rebecca Thompson was seven when she made the quilt with the help of her mother and a local quilter. Rebecca drew pictures with fabric crayons on cloth squares. Hearts, flowers and ponies were her favorite subjects. Rebecca chose the fabric colors for the stripping and laid out the squares. The piecing and quilting was accomplished by a local quilter.