Goldie Richmond Quilt Found

I attended the Tucson Quilt Guild Tuesday night, which I always enjoy immensely.  Our speaker was Jane Sasseman, and her talk was so interesting.  There were a few items of show & tell, and the regular business.  Our guild does a lot of work for charities and there is always something going on.  But what thrilled me to no end was when Nancy Landon of Cactus Quilt Shop (I've featured Cactus Q S on here a couple of times...it's my favorite shop!) came forward and told about an amazing purchase for the Arizona History Museum.  Our Guild donated half the cost of this historic quilt, found after years of searching, and the Museum is raising the other half.  But the owner was moving to South America so they had to move fast and Nancy and another shop owner went in together to pay the other half so the quilt could be acquired immediately.  The Museum will reimburse them.

This is one of 6 "porthole"quilts, as Goldie called them, made by Goldie Richmond who documented Tohono O'odham life.  She and her husband tried prospecting but during the Depression decided to buy a Trading Post on the Reservation where they sold goods to Tohono O'Odham who came to love them.  After her husband died, Goldie continued to run the Trading Post.  She made and sold quilts for sale to supplement her income.  She was 6'4" tall, and learned the Tohono O'Odham language.  She died in 1971.  This quilt was one of two that were "missing" and has recently been re-discovered.  It will be displayed at the Arizona History Museum but for the time being will be on display at Cactus Quilt Shop.  I plan to go see it up close and get more photos!

Behind the quilt you can see some of Jane Sasseman's wonderful fabric designs.

This is Goldie standing in front of one of her quilts.

Goldie's Trading Post

A different Goldie "porthole" quilt.

She also made Baltimore Album Quilts and this is one of hers.

A book written about Goldie's life, by Carolyn O'Bagy Davis.