Liberty Square

“Our lives are like quilts, bits and pieces, joy and sorrows, stitched with love” (Anonymous)

The title of this blog has several meanings and references. One of them is the squares of fabric produced by the company Liberty of London, which are used to make quilts. Sewn together, the flowery patterns become a work of art, a mantle for kings in Early Egypt, a protection under a heavy armor during the Middle Age in Europe a source of warmth at night in the Great Plains of America… or a powerful memorial of stories of love, hope and remembrance…

In the United States, 1862, President Lincoln signs the Homestead Act which offers million of acres of land across the country for homesteading. It marks the beginning of the Westward Movement, one of the largest migrations of people in the history of the country. The pioneers spend months preparing for their trip West, organizing food, animals, tools and equipment… and sewing… Over the years, thousands of quilt patterns were created and sewn by the homesteaders: the Nine patch, to the Log Cabin, the Pinwheel or the Eight-Pointed Star, the Friendship Quilt, God’s Eye, the Wild Goose Chase, the Corn and Beans Basket, Sunbonnet Sue, the Double Wedding Ring… all reflecting the culture and the environment of the generations of women who stitched them.