Subject of Square: Sleds and Sledges in a Barn

Quilter’s Name: Judy Bilodeau

Background on subject: Swirling flakes of a November snowstorm once signaled the beginning of sleighing season, bringing joy to people of all ages. People looked forward to a snowfall of several inches when travel by sleigh would be smooth and quick. Sleds came in different designs and various sizes to accommodate two to twenty people. The larger sleds were used to transport people to and from one town to another. Also, there were sledges that were used to haul heavy loads such as logs and ice blocks and farmers used them to bring in crops in from the fields for winter. They would store their sleds and sledges in barns when not in use.

Why you chose this subject: Sleds reminded me of my childhood and the fun friends and I had during those winters with heavy snow and school was cancelled. There were certain steep streets that were closed so we could slide down without worrying about cars.

Thoughts on your representation/design/color choices/etc.: The grays and whites depict the cold temperatures and the red sets off the dark colors of the sleds themselves.

What you hope this quilt will mean for the people who see it: I hope the people that see the quilt will enjoy reflecting on the history of Hampton and how far we have come to make Hampton a great place to live in today.