by Helen Kitchen Branson
(Reprinted from “Quilt World,” March 2000.)
Have you ever heard of a quilt meant to be experienced and appreciated by touch as well as sight? That is exactly the purpose of a 75-block quilt that was displayed for the first time at the national convention of the American Council of the Blind in 1998 when they met in Orlando.
The blocks represent nearly every state in the union, as well as several special-interest affiliate organizations, including the American Blind Lawyers Association, Guide Dog Users, Inc., and others.
The quilt was the original idea of Brenda Trevino of Nashville, Tenn. The quilt represents all the components of the different affiliates in the American Council of the Blind. Trevino envisioned it as a fund-raiser involving the various affiliates of the council. For instance, a raffle selling tickets for $1 each is held at each annual convention, and the winning affiliate wins the quilt for one year.
For 1998, the winner was the Missouri affiliate. They won the right to display the quilt at special events, schools and fairs, and in their affiliate offices until the next convention. Then the quilt would be raffled off again, moving from affiliate to affiliate. The purpose of these public displays is to raise the public’s awareness and understanding of the abilities of blind people and causes around the country.
Each block in the quilt has a different design. Some of the patterns were created by blind or visually impaired individuals. The actual sewing was usually done by sighted assistants. About half of the designs were conceived and made by Tennie Dietsch, who lives in Kentucky, but is a member of the Tennessee Council of the Blind. She also pieced the quilt together.
In a taped interview, Dietsch recalls that she at first tried to discourage Trevino’s idea of a quilt for display. However, Dietsch eventually agreed to supervise the mailing of requests to the 75 affiliates to determine whether they would be interested in submitting a block if the muslin was supplied. The Nashville chapter was pleased to find that most of the affiliates were interested, and provided representative blocks or suggested designs for blocks.
Packets of high-grade unbleached muslin were distributed to the affiliates to keep the blocks uniform. The designs representing each group were appliqued, painted or embroidered on the muslin. Muslin was chosen over a white background because white would show the wear and dirt from the constant touching. From time to time, the surface may have to be cleaned.
Each block is separated from the others by rickrack, which can readily be felt by blind or visually impaired people. Another unusual feature is that words are embroidered, and the braille equivalent is also embroidered on some squares. The details in each muslin square are in bright reds, yellows, blues and greens.
Most affiliates used an identifying symbol or an outline of their state with their affiliate location marked. For instance, Nashville has a guitar; an affiliate with a guide dog symbol has fake fur attached; several squares represent people using white canes for mobility; others have a state flower, state seal or a dominant crop, such as potatoes for the state of Idaho and bee hives for Utah that can be seen and felt. In the center of the quilt is an embroidered copy of a song written by Dave and Brenda Trevino.
The blocks were assembled and sewn together by Dietsch. She is a former visually impaired person whose vision was restored with laser surgery. This enables her to understand the best means of completing the quilt so that it may be examined by touch and at the same time have a pleasing, colorful and attractive visual effect.
A Dacron batting was used. The border is navy prairie points on three sides, with one end having a casing for a slip rod. The quilt is approximately 60 inches by 72 inches and covers the top of a double bed. It is usually displayed on a table to facilitate examination by touch.
Tennie Dietsch is keeping a scrapbook that contains pictures of the quilt in each place it is displayed, any newspaper or magazine articles, and awards that the quilt wins. Eventually, the scrapbook will be on permanent display in ACB’s Washington, D.C. office, along with the quilt.
Captions
Ken Emmons, former Missouri Council president, shows the ACB quilt to state representative Bill Boucher.
Brenda and Dave Trevino introduce the ACB Song, embroidered in the middle of the ACB quilt, while on stage at the front of the ballroom. Dave cues the audio tape as he stands at the lectern while Paul Edwards listens to the song.