By: Dr. Phil Aaron
It would stand to reason that anyone who could grow orchids could also make quilts. Both require lots of
attention and long hours of tender loving care to produce a strikingly beautiful
product. When a woman makes a quilt or grows odhids for that matter, it is
something they can pick up or put down, and go back after they start dinner or
weed the garden or…Bessie Bledsoe of the Fiarplay community is a master quilter, having over 60 years experience quilting. All her quilts are entirely hand made the only sewing machine being her ten busy fingers.
She loves complicated patterns and beautiful colors. From nine-patch, fans, bow ties and drunkards path; she uses bright colors and sews beautiful borders. She selects patterns from her quilt books and receives material mostly from her children. Her daughter Willa and husband Creed Lacy are close neighbors while daughters Ernestine Neatherton and Paulette Turner, also quilt. Willa pieces quilts but does not quilt them.
Bessie learned to quilt from her mother, Susie Hale Turner. When she is not quilting, Bessie spends time with her orchids. Her grandson, Kevin Turner, gave Bessie her first orchid a couple of years ago along with a book telling her how to care for them. Family members dontated other orchids and she bought a damaged one, nursing it back to health. According to Bessie, orchids require a lot of care. “I talk to my orchids, water them, “mist” them daily, give them regular feedings and follow a schedule like one does for an infant. I keep them in my kitchen where the temperature stays warm. At the appropriate time they are repotted and cuttings are grown.”
When asked which hobby she preferred Bessie was evasive. She truly loves to quilt; and she loves to grow orchids. Since her husband Kenneth died in 1987-years ago-Bessie has had more time for quilts and orchids.
“I’m
so lucky to have such wonderful hobbies-they are an important part of my life.
My family and friends support my working with quilts and orchids. They are proud
of my success. They know how much time it takes to quilt and to raise my
orchids.”If one drives by Bessie’s house in the summer she can usually be found in her swing piecing quilts after her house work is done. Most quilting is then done in the winter. Her labor of love-intricate hand made quilting-produces at least one quilt per year.
To Bessie Bledsoe orchid growing and quilting have several similarities; both require patience, long hours of work and appreciation of things beautiful.