The Story Quilt Project is coming to town. Created by Montana quilter and storyteller, Jewell Wolk of Cut Bank, MT, her extraordinary story quilts will be featured at the Fort Benton Library, 1518 Main St., on October 22. For quilt lovers, historians, parents, and children alike, these quilts offer creativity, inspiration, and a love of family and history. Thanks to the generosity of the Fort Benton Library, and the GFWC Fort Benton, this two-quilt program is free to the public.
Jean Wolk-Wakely, from Minnesota, is our guest storyteller and author for the Story Quilt Project. Her mother started the project as part of the Storytelling Roundup in Cut Bank from 1991-2011. When Jewell passed, daughter Jean received her quilts and has created booklets of the stories of each quilt. The booklets will be for sale at the event.
Fun facts, history, and amazing family survival stories are all true from Jewell’s research and incredible memory from growing up on ‘the ranch’ in the Sweet Grass Hills north of Cut Bank.
Iron Trails West quilt appeals to the railroad enthusiast and children alike. Thanks to the Great Northern Railroad Museum in Great Falls, MT, many of these stories have been authenticated – that is not to say that the stories offered by retired brakemen, engineers, and firemen were somehow exaggerated…! But it’s good to authenticate what you are about to ‘stitch’. James J. Hill, the Empire Builder, named many of the towns along the HiLine from cities he found on his giant globe that stood in his “modest family mansion” in St. Paul, MN. These are the ‘inside stories’ not readily found in school history books.
Women of War quilt is a retelling of stories by women survivors who found themselves living in and around Montana after WWII, many of whom were Jewell’s neighbors in Cut Bank. In order to understand these Japanese or German brides, Jewell invited them into her home and they shared their war stories of their beloved homes they had to leave behind. This is a very touching quilt that reminds us that we should never forget our fellow neighbors from around the world. We all share the same, yet different, struggles of deportation and immigration.
Jewell Wolk’s memory of her lifetime in her beloved Montana, designed and hand-crafted these amazing story quilts. This is not about designer fabrics or judged hand stitching. Each of her 11 quilts was made in a short time span of 20 years and each has a special theme. Most themes are of women and women’s issues. But there is more. She was also asked to create the head banner for the Montana Centennial Quilt by Mary Hurley of Stevensville, MT 1988. The banner for this prize-winning quilt depicted the Women Who Made Montana. Jewell’s quilts were also featured in Simon and Schuster’s First Prize Quilts by Dimentra Makris (1984) four-page center fold photos and stories. Several quilts were also featured in Quilter’s Newsletter Magazine.
If You Come:
Tuesday, October 22, 2024, at the Fort Benton Library at 1518 Main St. These two quilts will be featured from 1 – 4. Contact Emily Wicks at (406) 622-5222 to save a seat. There is a short break between each quilt story. Come for one. Come for both. All quilts are family-friendly, quilter-inspired, true Montana stories. To preorder booklets go to www.storyquiltproject.com and place your order to be delivered at the event.
Author: Staff
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