Independence!

I made Independence! with my ancestors in mind.  It's #6 on my 2017 list and was finished just in time for the 4th!

The quilt is a Jan Patek design called Flags of the American Revolution and Lori at Humble Quilts offered it as a quiltalong in 2014. I'm so glad she did!

Barbie machine basted it for me and that is something I would highly recommend for a large quilt. I started quilting it on March 3rd and set a goal to finish the end of May--oh well, how about June?

I quilted parallel rows 1-1/2" apart in nearly every flag using pearl cotton thread.

My stitches varied from small to medium.

I quilted around each star and then added a row of navy stitching around the edge. 

  Simple quilting in the star and crescent blocks.

The design in the navy print had a perfect grid for quilting diagonal lines.

On the back I used four different 1-yd pieces of fabric and added a central focus.

A detail of Lady Liberty and some quilting.

More quilting seen from the back.

This is as close as I could get to doing a big stitch but it looks more like a basting stitch! I still need to work on perfecting that technique but I wanted to give it a try in the outer border. It's just a different look and so different from the heavily-quilted traditional quilting that I would normally do. 

The label:

In memory of my ancestors 

who helped shape our 

nation during the 

Revolutionary War

Elnathan Appleby, Westchester Co., NY

William Davis, Ulster Co., NY

Jonathan Fisk, Wenham, MA

John Kittle, Ulster Co., NY 

Aaron Martin, Windham, CT

Benjamin McCord, Westchester, NY

William Wood, Ulster Co., NY

Most were for independence, one was against, and two remained loyal to the king! 

Probably more than you want to know :)

William Davis is my direct 4th gr-grandfather and signed the Articles of Association in Rochester, Ulster, NY. In 1776 his name appears on the muster rolls of Capt. James Milliken’s State Troops / Militia of Ulster County (NY).  He was 20 years old, b. NJ, 5’10”, with a fair complexion, sandy hair and brown eyes. 

John Kittle is my 5th gr-grandfather and William Davis's father-in-law. He was bp. 16 Mar 1729, Hurley, Ulster, NY. He signed the Articles of Association, was a PVT in John Cantine’s 2^nd Reg’t Ulster Co., NY, and was killed by Indians Aug. 1, 1781, Wawarsing, Ulster, NY. Read about him here.

William Wood was b. 17 Jul 1740, Kingston, Ulster, NY, and refused to sign the Articles of Association. "....We the committee of the Township of Marbletown in the County of Ulster, do hereby Certify that the above List or Roll contains all the Persons Names who have Signed the General Association within the Township of Marbletown and also William Wood on the back hereof who refuses Signing the same.......  5 Jun 1775, Levi Pawling, Chairman." More about Wm. Wood here.

Jonathan Fisk was b. 1 May 1751 in Wenham, MA and d. 1825 in VT. He is listed in the DAR Patriot Index with a rank of Corporal. Additional info here.

Aaron Martin was b. 29 Jul 1742, Windham, CT, d. 12 Mar 1819, Williamstown, VT.  Read about him here and follow my line beginning with Aaron then his daughter Hannah Martin Fisk to her daughter Eunice Fisk Davis to her son Horace E. Davis to his son Ralph Butler Davis to his son Franklin Ralph Davis (my dad) :) 

Elnathan Appleby served in the Westchester County Militia 1^st Reg’t under Col. Joseph Drake. He protested against the Whigs at White Plains, NY in 1775 and pledged "loyalty to the king." He is my 6th gr-grandfather on my mother's side. 

Benjamin McCord was b. 4 Jul 1742 in Scarsdale, Westchester Co., NY and died in 1807.  He was a captain in the British irregular service and the Battle of White Plains was fought on his farm.  He is my 5th gr-grandfather on my mother's side.  

Thanks for reading all of this--if you did!

Hope you have a great 4th!



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Copyright 2017, Barbara Schaffer