Every Quilt Has a Story 2

The Pineapple Quilt by Terry Turnage

I want to tell you about a quilt my great-grandmother made for my mom, Rebecca Turnage.  My Great-Grandmother Frances Billingsley (1865-1944), born in Choctaw, MS, and moved to the “big” city of Winona, was a prolific quilter.  She was the mother of 12 children, 10 of which lived to adulthood.

Neither my grandmother nor my mother became quilters.  Somehow, she was able to make most of the grands one or two quilts.  My mother had a quilt and a quilt top.  The quilt this story is about is the pineapple quilt.  It was done in solid green and solid yellow. She used a solid poison pink for the back.   The quilting is amazing.  Each piece is outlined a quarter inch from the seam.  

When I was growing up, Mom was very protective of it and kept it in the closet with her fine linens.  I am sure she thought my brothers and I would spill something on it or tear it.   I would see it when we were getting special tablecloths out for various events.  I loved it the first time I remember seeing it and always thought it was so special.  After my mother died and my father remarried, we broke up his household, and I was given the quilts.  I bought a quilt rack to display the antique quilts and put it there.  I enjoy seeing it every time I am in that room.  The highlight was when Quiltfolk magazine came to Mississippi; it was photographed and put in the Mississippi edition.