Remembering Fannye

Fannye was an institution in our little corner of the quilting world. If the guild was doing something, she was there...from day one. A few years ago, we were all shocked when she suddenly passed away. We were in the midst of preparing to host the North Carolina Quilt Symposium and decided we would remember her with a special exhibit. Her daughter let us borrow many of her finished quilts and I created little plaques with quotes and "Fannye stories" from our guild members. Here's what I wrote as an introduction to the exhibit. (The theme of the NC Quilt Symposium that year was "Quilts = Art".)

The Legacy of Fannye Hall

It has been said that if you are a quilter in Forsyth County, Fannye Hall taught you.

She was a woman who quietly (and sometimes not so quietly) shared her talents with all willing to learn. If she saw a job that needed to be done...she took care of it. Her influence spans beyond the quilting community and beyond the piedmont.

Walk around Old Salem and you will see people in period costumes…

...Fannye designed and made most of them.

Go to a Winston-Salem Little Theatre performance…

...Fanny designed and made those costumes also.

Not to mention that without the perseverance of Fannye and Howard Hall...

...there may not be a Winston-Salem Little Theatre remaining in existence.

Untold numbers of women (and a few men) became Quilters…

...because Fannye was teaching at Forsyth Tech and South Fork and Walnut Cove and everywhere else.

Go to the NC Museum of History in Raleigh and ask to see the North Carolina Quilt Project database where there are over 10,000 quilts recorded, photographed and their stories preserved…

...because Fannye traveled the state, saving our quilt history.

There is a Forsyth Piecers and Quilters Guild…

...because Fannye was a founding member.

Hundreds of babies and Brenner and Forsyth neo-natal units had the comfort of a quilt…

… because Fannye made them.

On December 23, 2005, Fannye passed away unexpectedly. Those of us who learned from her, worked with her and worked for her feel her absence. For those that never got the chance to learn from her (and if you met her and you paid attention...you learned something), we are taking this opportunity to share a little of her influence. Everyone has a favorite “Fannye” story. Here are just a few.

We wish to thank her daughter, for sharing Fannye’s quilts with us.

Quilts = Art

Fannye, too, was a work of art.

Recently, her daughter gave several quilt tops to the guild and at tonight's guild meeting, they were auctioned off. Some of us went home with a wonderful treasure to remember a dear friend. I was lucky enough to bring this one home with me. Go to our guild's website to see more of her quilts and some of the "Fannye stories". Tonight was a little like getting to visit with Fannye for a few minutes but it was also a reminder of how much I miss her sitting in the back of the room keeping everyone in line.