Historic American Quilt Tops
War Paint
Date: ca. 2001
Maker: Betty Nielsen
Fonda, Iowa
Owner: Betty Nielsen
WAR PAINT is one of five original Freedom Quilts made by Betty Nielsen to honor the victims of September 11. It was on exhibit when the World Trade Center Memorial Museum opened. For the War Paint Quilt Betty selected two photos for this quilt. The eagle and the flag symbolize the emotions of the nation on September 11 and the fireman represents the hopes and fears of the families. The quilt itself represents the men and women serving our country, both overseas and on the home front.
September 11 Quilts and the War on Terror:
The attacks of September 11 brought forth the support and generosity of an entire nation. Within hours after the crash of Flight 93, quilters began making survivor quilts. One month later, the United States sent troops to Afghanistan to search for members of the Taliban and diminish the power of Al Qaeda, the perpetrators of the attack. This military action was the beginning of the War on Terror.
Freedom Quilts:
Iowan Betty Nielsen, like many around the world, watched the events of September 11 in horror. Seeking a way to make sense of the attack she made five Freedom Quilts expressing her feelings for the United States. Then she felt God was calling her to give greater comfort. Betty and her husband, Dennis, founded Freedom Quilts to provide quilts and comfort to survivors of 9/11 victims. Betty’s friend Patty Archer helped sew the quilts. In just a few months they were joined by hundreds of quilters nationwide. As word of the project spread, support came from across the country, as people donated quilt blocks, quilts, and fabric. With the help of church leaders in New York and New Jersey, in December 2001, Betty delivered 1, 554 quilts to New York City, short of her goal of 2,500. In January she issued a new call for more quilts through her website, online newsletter, and victim’s advocacy groups. She returned to New York that summer with more quilts. In 2004, Betty extended her project to include the families of soldiers killed in Afghanistan and Iraq, and by October 2005 she had distributed 438 quilts to families, with the help of local schools and congress people. That same year Freedom Quilts also donated 239 quilts to Hurricane Katrina victims. Recognizing that 9/11 survivors still grieve, Freedom Quilts continues to bring quilted comfort to them.
For more information on Betty, visit her Facebook page.
WAR PAINT QUILT and Article taken from The Quilt, A History and Celebration of an American Art Form with Text By Elise Schebler Roberts.
Date: ca. 2001
Maker: Betty Nielsen
Fonda, Iowa
Owner: Betty Nielsen
WAR PAINT is one of five original Freedom Quilts made by Betty Nielsen to honor the victims of September 11. It was on exhibit when the World Trade Center Memorial Museum opened. For the War Paint Quilt Betty selected two photos for this quilt. The eagle and the flag symbolize the emotions of the nation on September 11 and the fireman represents the hopes and fears of the families. The quilt itself represents the men and women serving our country, both overseas and on the home front.
September 11 Quilts and the War on Terror:
The attacks of September 11 brought forth the support and generosity of an entire nation. Within hours after the crash of Flight 93, quilters began making survivor quilts. One month later, the United States sent troops to Afghanistan to search for members of the Taliban and diminish the power of Al Qaeda, the perpetrators of the attack. This military action was the beginning of the War on Terror.
Freedom Quilts:
Iowan Betty Nielsen, like many around the world, watched the events of September 11 in horror. Seeking a way to make sense of the attack she made five Freedom Quilts expressing her feelings for the United States. Then she felt God was calling her to give greater comfort. Betty and her husband, Dennis, founded Freedom Quilts to provide quilts and comfort to survivors of 9/11 victims. Betty’s friend Patty Archer helped sew the quilts. In just a few months they were joined by hundreds of quilters nationwide. As word of the project spread, support came from across the country, as people donated quilt blocks, quilts, and fabric. With the help of church leaders in New York and New Jersey, in December 2001, Betty delivered 1, 554 quilts to New York City, short of her goal of 2,500. In January she issued a new call for more quilts through her website, online newsletter, and victim’s advocacy groups. She returned to New York that summer with more quilts. In 2004, Betty extended her project to include the families of soldiers killed in Afghanistan and Iraq, and by October 2005 she had distributed 438 quilts to families, with the help of local schools and congress people. That same year Freedom Quilts also donated 239 quilts to Hurricane Katrina victims. Recognizing that 9/11 survivors still grieve, Freedom Quilts continues to bring quilted comfort to them.
For more information on Betty, visit her Facebook page.
WAR PAINT QUILT and Article taken from The Quilt, A History and Celebration of an American Art Form with Text By Elise Schebler Roberts.
