Brookline 300: A Quilt Celebrating our Community
Sponsored by the Brookline Senior Center, 2005
Pictures

This 3-part (triptych) quilt based on the map of Brookline, is composed of 31 blocks. Each represents a unique place or space in Brookline, chosen, designed, and depicted by one of the quilters. The quilt was inspired in February, 2004, when Jean Stringham, quilter and volunteer curator at the Senior Center, approached Ruthann Dobek, director of the Senior Center, and quilting instructor Miriam K. Sokoloff, with the idea of creating a lasting work of art to commemorate the town’s 300th anniversary.

After a number of meetings with a larger committee, the design of the quilt was coordinated by Ruthann, Jean and Miriam, along with quilter Anne Berman. They selected the locations to be depicted, chose background fabrics and prepared packets for distribution to quilters. Orientation meetings were held in March, 2005, and quilters were asked to complete their blocks by May.

During the summer, other volunteers, including the Brookline Bees (the quilting group at the Senior Center) sewed the pieces together, quilted them, and embellished the final quilt. All together, the quilt was the work of over fifty volunteers.


The Brookline 300 Commemorative Quilt will be displayed at the Senior Center from November 1 to December 31, 2005; it will be at the Park School’s Isabella Stuart Gardner Gallery on Sunday, November 13, from 11:00-6:00 as part of the Town-wide Brookline 300 event. During 2006, the quilt will be displayed at various public venues in Brookline before returning to its permanent home, the Senior Center. For further information, contact Ruthann Dobek at 617-730-2756 or Ruthann_Dobek@town.brookline.ma.us