The Cahokia Mounds, still standing outside Collinsville, was the center of a thriving Mississippian-culture city, reaching its peak around 1100 CE. The Illiniwek Confederacy — a group of Algonquian-speaking tribes including the Peoria, Kaskaskia, and Cahokia — called this rich land home for generations before European contact.
French explorers Jacques Marquette and Louis Jolliet arrived via the Mississippi River in 1673, and René-Robert Cavelier de La Salle followed, establishing Fort Saint Louis in 1682 and claiming the entire region for France. Britain took control after the French and Indian War, and the United States took it from them following the Revolutionary War. Illinois became the 21st state in 1818, and its position at the crossroads of the continent made it a natural hub for the trade and migration.
Abraham Lincoln practiced law in Springfield, served in the state legislature as a Whig, and was so influential, the town of Lincoln was named for him eight years before he became the 16th president. He spent most of his adult years in Illinois and launched his candidacy as a Republican (at the time the liberal party) from there.
Chicago rebuilt itself from the ashes of the Great Fire of 1871 into one of the world’s great cities, becoming a center of architecture, labor organizing, and culture. The 1893 World’s Columbian Exposition put Chicago on the world stage and inspired a generation of architects and city planners.
The 20th century brought the Great Migration north, as hundreds of thousands of Black Southerners came to Chicago seeking work and a better life. The influx gave birth to the Chicago Blues, which went on to influence The Rolling Stones, Chuck Berry, Eric Clapton and many more musicians.
I’ve had the pleasure of visiting Illinois more than once, and each trip has added lovely memories on top of the last. On a visit with my son, we stood beneath Cloud Gate — what most of us call “the Bean” — in Millennium Park. It’s fascinating watching reflections move, shift and distort as you walking around and under it.
On another trip, Hawke and I visited the nearby Art Institute of Chicago, where I stood in front of Grant Wood’s American Gothic in person for the first time. It’s smaller than I’d expected, but seeing it in person, it was as powerful as I could have hoped. The painting holds a special place in my heart and it’s just one of many, many paintings I’d only seen in books.
On our walk through the city, we came across Daley Plaza and I recognized it immediately as the setting for one of my favorite movies–The Lake House. I hadn’t remembered that it was filmed in Chicago but that Picasso sculpture is pretty hard to forget.
I still want to go back to do the architecture tour that you do on the river and explore more museums. Oh and get more Garrett’s popcorn.
Quilt Block
The Log Cabin block is one of the most recognizable quilt patterns and it felt just right for Illinois. Traditionally, the center square is red to represent the hearth at the heart of the home, and the strips of light and dark fabrics radiating outward tell a story of warmth and shadow, inside and out. I found this great image of Lincoln on an old Alexander Henry fabric and knew it had to be the center for this one, instead of red.
There are several ways of putting together log cabins, but I shared my favorite method for making sure I’ve got a nice square without distortion.
Quilt Shops
Linda Z’s in Arlington Heights has played host to me several times and I love this store. It’s the only one I know with an elevator and has one of the best classroom setups. On our LQS tour, we stopped here and talked with Cheryl Whited about smocking with Cuddle for the Live.
O’Sew Personal Sewing Center in Collinsville has a sister location just across the Mississippi River, in O’Fallon, Missouri. Either store will serve you well with a wonderful range of fabrics, notions and machines.
Quilters Quest in Downers Grove has quite the selection with more than 5000 bolts of fabric and is a BERNINA and Janome dealer. You’ll find varied classes for quilting, sewing and machine mastery.
The Fabric Cobbler in Forsyth is a small shop, packed to the gills with fabric, fabric, and more fabric. I taught for them, years ago, at the church down the street.
I can’t wait to see your Illinois Log Cabin blocks! If you live in or have visited Illinois, leave a comment below — I’d love to hear more about it!
