Skein Lane – IN THE LOOP

Sunnyside, Springfield, Smelker, Oriska, Solid Center, Union, Blakeman, First Central, Ashview, Tuttle, Ketcher, Boden, Green Knoll, Hansen, Midway, Grandview, Nuttbrook, Hansen…..are some of the Stratton rural country schools (Colorado) that appear on my Stratton schools quilt.

It’s probably been seven or eight years ago that my cousin Delmar’s wife Avril commissioned a Stratton schools quilt to be made for Del’s birthday. The chosen quilt maker, Benay, of Stratton is the daughter-in-law of my life-long friend Chris and Denny…..Benay has been making quilts for the Stratton annual homecoming raffles for years. Well….I had been dreaming of having a quilt like Del’s for a long while. So, last year Avril and Benay picked out fabric for me at Benay’s fabric sale. While I gave them an idea of colors, I did not know what had been chosen until last weekend when I was in my hometown for a “big” high school class reunion. I couldn’t be more pleased with the color and fabric choices along with the photo choices of the old and “new” schools. The name of each school has been machine embroidered onto the quilt. One photo includes my dad, his brothers and cousins standing on the steps of their country school Sunnyside in the early 1930’s. Another photo is that of Tuttle school….my grandma Alta and her sister Ruth attended that school. Our school mascot was and still is the Eagle…..thus, the Eagle in the middle of the quilt.

I rolled this quilt up like a sleeping bag so that I could carry it home on the plane last Sunday. Now….where will it “live”? My friend Mary suggested I would have to build another room on my house….but I think I can settle for rearranging furniture for this new treasure.

I am pointing to the picture of my dad, his brothers and their cousins!

The Stratton Schools Quilt

Stratton Schools Quilt

Dad, his brothers and their cousins attended Sunnyside school in the early 1930’s.

Grandma Alta and Aunt Ruth attended Tuttle School

I attended Jr High and my first few months of High School here. My dad graduated from this school in 1941.

The bell from our old high school now “lives” in the park.