The Women of Courage quilt was exquisitely pieced by Kathleen Bertoncelj and quilted by Linda Dunlap. These talented and generous women donated this quilt to Family Promise of Albany County to be raffled off over the course of the next seven months. We will display it at various locations around Laramie. Tickets may be purchased online here or at the current display location, which is First Interstate Bank in downtown Laramie until March 23. The drawing will be held during National Family Promise week, October 21-28.
The Quilt Design
This quilt design was presented by Windham Fabrics as a “Block of the Month” quilt. The Women of Courage quilt celebrates 15 notable women by dedicating different patterns to each one.
The women honored (in order of “month”) are:
- Nancy Wake, member of the French Resistance in WW2
- Sojourner Truth, freed slave and campaigner for women’s rights
- Christa McAuliffe, astronaut and teacher
- Bessie Coleman, first African-American female pilot
- Maud Finch, ambulance driver during WW1
- Susan B. Anthony, advocate for women’s suffrage
- Helen Keller, advocate for the disabled and women’s suffrage
- Mary Edward Walker, first woman to be awarded the Medal of Honor
- Sacagawea, explorer who accompanied Lewis and Clark on their expedition
- Mary Roberts Wilson, first woman to be awarded the Silver Star
- Mother Theresa, advocate for the poor
- Amelia Earhart, woman pilot
- Rosa Parks, civil rights advocate
- Madelaine de Vercheres, Canadian girl who held off the Iroquois and saved a fort of women and children
- Corrie Ten Boom, Dutch woman who aided the Jews during WW2
Quilt Creators
Linda Dunlap has been a long arm machine quilter for over 30 years and specializes in custom quilting. She continues her education by participating in annual workshops and classes as well as exploring quilting on other media, such as leather. Linda is also a machine embroidery enthusiast.
Kathleen Bertoncelj credits 4-H for getting her started on sewing with an apron in the mid-50s. She began quilting by hand and with templates before the rotary cutter revolution. She taught quilt classes for 40 years and currently teaches for special groups and retreats. Her focus now is working on quilts for Laramie’s Hospice House and Albany County Public Health’s “Welcome Home” program.