Aloha Quilt Block

      I found the pattern for this 10" Aloha quilt block in Judy Martin's Ultimate Book of Quilt Block Patterns.
     In these diary entries, my grandmother Hattie is 20 years old.  She has begun dating Frank (age 27) this summer and will later marry him.  Howard, Ted, and Anna are Hattie's younger siblings.  Lesta is a good high school friend from Emporia. 
     The Chautauqua Movement - traveling shows and local assemblies that flourished in the United States in the late 19th and early 20th centuries - provided popular education combined with entertainment in the form of lectures, concerts, and plays, and were modeled after activities at the Chautauqua Institution of western New York (Merriam-Webster On-Line Dictionary). 
    
Monday, September 4, 1916 -
"Frank is shipping tonight.  Papa sent some stock along, and he has called several times and was coming out once, but I couldn't find Papa so he didn't bother."

Tuesday, September 5, 1916 -
"If something doesn't happen to cheer me up pretty soon, I'll turn blue entirely.  Surely there is something brighter in store for me if only I have the faith to look for it.  But oh!  It's so discouraging!

"I ironed pretty steadily all morning except for about 15 minutes Mother and I took off to have a sandwich and cup of cocoa and chat in the den.  But I didn't do much this afternoon - read and wrote and crocheted and helped with supper.  I am back to my old job of helping Ted with his lessons - Geometry it is now.  Nothing very exciting.  I'll go to bed."

Wednesday, September 6, 1916 -
"It lacks but a few minutes of midnight, so I'll write just a scratch.  Frank and I have been to Lyndon to hear the Hawaiians.  They were splendid, and the Chautauqua tent was well filled.  There were six men and one girl, and each was a 'star.'  They played guitars by hand and with steel, flute, violin, piano, and other small stringed instruments, and then they sang some folk songs and some popular, catchy ones.  The girl, her mother and father (we supposed) were in the drug store with us afterward - rather, the drug store that we were in.

"Frank gave me a lovely box of Allegretti's tonight, which he brought from Kansas City.  I certainly enjoyed the ride as it is moonlight and still out now after being hot and very windy all day.  But the clutch isn't working very well, so I didn't drive the car any.

"I wrote a letter to Lesta today - oh, I just hate to tell the girls that I'm not going to school, but it seems some things are necessary, though unpleasant.

"Mother and Anna are planning on going to Emporia tomorrow, and Howard received a card from his friend Taylor that he will arrive for a visit tomorrow night.  We are not planning a party, however."

You might also enjoy reading my previous blog post:
http://www.starwoodquilter.blogspot.com/2012/04/jobs-tears-quilt-block.html