Week 36 - Sunbonnet Sue

Oh that Sunbonnet Sue! It seems you either love her or you hate her!!

Our block pattern this week was very similar to the one in this quilt, made for Norris' mother by her grandmother, when she was a baby -

This is definitely a 1930's era quilt with the bright pink and 21 Sues!  I had the quilt for a time because it had been put away, suffering from too much love and use.  

One thing these Sues have that most do not is the detail of embroidered hands, and a bow on the back of the bonnet in black floss. The floss was also used for the applique, and unfortunately, it did was not up for that job long term.  Several years ago, I repaired the binding, applique, and quilting on these Sunbonnet Babies and, after a good vacuuming for dust and a soak in an special quilt-restoring bath, they all look good as new.

Barbara Brackman explained why she chose this block, "Is she a baby or a faceless woman? The ubiquitous doll can remind us of all the girls who've rebelled against becoming 'an entirely ornamental young lady.'"

So I decided to make my Sue the faceless woman, and chose an older looking, hard-working Sue for Dana's quilt.

I put the block on point so she will stand upright in the quilt.  Her arm and parts of the watering can don't stand out very well in the photo, which is just a little washed out. If it's not just the lighting, they'll get help from my quilting.  When I've looked at this in other light, I may also decide to outline the arm and watering can in darker thread, much as the black thread was used to decorate the 1930's Sues.