I'm loving the comments on my Great Granny Hawthorne. You've hit the nail on the head with Elzady's personality. She was a scary woman. A little ball of fire, they say. She died in 1957, in her nineties. Back story is essential. At the age of 14, she ran away from the Arkansas homestead where her Welsh parents eked out a living. My great grandfather was the one who swung her up on the rump of his galloping horse and whisked her across the Texas line so they could be married. See, he was 54, a lawyer, Civil War veteran (losing side), a widower with grown sons and NOT the man Elzady's parents wanted to see her with. They apparently were happy (had lots of money for those days) and had four children. Then Charles Hawthorne died when my Granny (Sadie Lillie Hawthorne Weathers) was eight-years-old. Life from there on was one hardship after another.
Quilting was what women did in that family. My Granny and my aunts all had quilt frames above their beds or kitchen tables if there was room. The frames were pulled to the ceiling with little ropes and pulleys when not in use. There was always a quilt on the frame.
Doc, no offense taken by your question about applique to cover uneven corners. That was my first thought when I saw the photo. It made me laugh and wonder if I inherited the tendency to cover mistakes with appliques. The fabric had to be from useful items that wore out someplace and left good fabric behind. Nobody back then would have ever thought of cutting up perfectly good fabric for quilting.
Lots more I could add, but I'll stop boring you now. My family history (more like Her-story really -- the women ran the roost) is colorful to say the least. My Granny (Elzady's daughter) died in 1989 at 102. She was a fine woman who is largely responsible for the kind of woman I am today. I loved her very much, think of her all the time, miss her madly.
Sunny