Carolyn's Circle of Friends: "SIDE-BY-SIDE"

PRESIDENT JANET'S CIRCLE

For me, the word, “circle” is a reminder of the circles of friends that have been part of my life. I decided to make this quilt in honor of my nursing school graduation class.  We entered school in 1957 during the period when nursing education was an intense, year-round, 3-year hospital program designed to “weed out” those who couldn’t make it academically and emotionally.  During our education, the song, Side by Side was constantly on the radio.  It soon became our class theme song.

Those of us who finished our training developed a strong bond, not only because of the rigorous course requirements, but because we were thrust into adulthood by being assigned management responsibilities far beyond our training, age and life experiences.  Most of us were 18 or 19 when we entered; two of us, including me, were barely 17.  Twenty women entered our program; 10 graduated.  Since 1960, we have maintained close bonds through periodic reunions, and the sharing of many joys and struggles – marriages, divorces, childbirths, career changes, loss of spouses, illnesses and all of the celebrations and trials that make up life. Two of our members have died – including our class president, coincidentally, while I was working on this "Side by Side" quilt.

To construct my quilt, I randomly pieced together hand-dyed, batik, cotton and silk fabrics, along with a scattering of silk ribbons.  I chose to represent my classmates with circles from a Kaffe Fassett print to signify our constant changes and growth.  The irregular circles distinguish each nurse’s uniqueness – some leaders, others followers; some with outgoing personalities, others with quiet steadiness; some with unceasing energy, others with dependable creativity.  The bright colors in the quilt demonstrate the happiness we share when we are together. The quilt is zigzag machine stitched with orange Mettler poly sheen thread with the addition of occasional decorative threads.  The circles are satin-stitched with Aurifil thread.