By Julia M Brennan
American quilts are truly a local art form and very much alive.
In the little Western Slope Colorado town of Palisade (population 2,700) which is famous for its peaches, I found a quilt maker who has been creating rag rugs and quilts for the last 50+ years. Even now with limited vision and painful arthritis, Mrs. Doris Shehan, age 76, keeps busy re-purposing the fabrics and old clothing from her daughter’s household. During the non-peach season, there is lots of time for quilting, sewing, knitting. Many of the stalls at the local farmer’s markets show how industrious the women are.
This is Mrs. Doris’s most recent quilt. It took over 6 months to create—made entirely from her grandchildren’s jeans, of every size, shape, shade of blue, and some styled with rhinestone pockets and jazzy embroidery. Mrs. Doris reused all these cast-off jeans, cutting out the worn-torn knees, fannies, and cuffs, and patching them together in the most durable but tender quilt. I don’t know the grandchildren, nor remember them wearing each pair of jeans, but for Mrs. Doris, this quilt is like a scrapbook. She must have lovingly relived many moments of her grandkid’s lives, as she stitched together the stories of their young years told through their jeans.
A truly Americana folk art motif, Sunbonnet Sue and the sunflower are appliqued on both sides. A thick batting and soft polar fleece backing make this a super snuggly quilt. In fact, the jeans are so heavy, it is practically a ‘weighted’ blanket.
For now, this beautiful piece of quilt art has found a home in our 1910 Basque Sheepherders wagon; keeping us warm on the cool nights. Even on a hot 90 F day, nights can plunge 30 or 40 degrees. I’m certain the walls of the sheep wagon are talking with its new companion, happily at home on the range.
P.S. Denim was not the only thing in full bloom…
Glorious – Betty and I ate alot of peaches and got up to get to the Park to see sunrises with Ric every morning while we were in Estes Park…in
Ft Collins went downtown to see the young ones play gleefully in the fountains in Old Town near Little Bird bakery.
Love the raggedy edges in the quilt; the quilt is alive in many ways. Congrats on being the new owner
The authentic denim quilt was obviously a labor of love for Mrs Doris
What a fabulous piece. I reuse a lot of garments in my quilts, particularly my old maternity dresses which were so beautiful and full of memories.
Thank you for sharing this scrapbook of family history
Love this story and these photographs capturing a beautiful time of year in such a special place. I saw a denim quilt in Colorado in the early 1970s and started saving all my jeans. Unfortunately when clearing out my parents attic where they were stored prior to insulating someone decided to chuck them saying they had rotted. I started saving again.
I love this article and knowing of Mrs. Doris’s skill as a designer and quilter. She’s an inspiration.
I learned to sew in 4-H in the late 1950s, and my grandmother belonged to a quilters bee.
for 50 years. Thanks so much for these gorgeous photographs. I want a piece of that pie!!!
Oh, Julia, you really gave me a treat this morning. What gorgeous photos — and what lively folk art! I love the denim and the peaches and the mountains and the sheepherder’s ‘hut’. And you are just the one to ce= find and celebrate this folk art. Thank You! Love from Alice