Obama quilt has Grand Strand connection

The Obama inaugural plans will include South Carolinians.
 
The Manning High school band will perform and some local quilters have sewn the Georgetown County family history of soon-to-be First Lady Michelle Obama.

The quilt depicts Michelle Obama’s now historic journey to the White House, it’s called, “From a Gullah Slave Cabin to the White House.“
   
It was hand-made by the members of a community quilting circle based in Georgetown.
   
Vermelle “Bunny” Smith Rodrigues, the leader of the CAAHO (Community for African-American History Observances) Quilters, said when the call went out to get this quilt made people came from miles away to help, most of who are over 70 years old and of different religions and ethnic groups.

Rodrigues said she’s just a salt water Geeche gal from near the water who loves the Grand Strand and is proud of her roots and sewing a quilt in honor of Michelle Obama’s Georgetown roots, was a project she just could not say no to.

“To do one for the first black person, First Lady in the White House, that was really difficult, so I had to do more research, call my daughter who’s in the newspaper business to help me to do more research, so I could get the story where it should be.” Rodrigues said.

The quilt displays the life of Michelle Obama’s family history with a series of 10 panels surrounded by the centerpiece of the quilt, Michelle Obama in a cap and gown.  “If Michelle can do it, you can do it, but anybody who think that they can’t get there, yes we can.“ Rodrigues said.

She says she used light colors on the quilt because America needs warm colors right now to brighten people’s lives.  “It seems as though it comes alive, I actually feel things and I could feel it in that first square that was about the slave cabin.“ Rodrigues said about the hand sewn quilt.

And while Rodrigues said the quilt only took about 10 days to complete, thanks to everyone’s help, it was the most difficult quilt she’s ever done, but also a crazy wonderful experience.

Rodrigues also said she hopes when people see the quilt and learn it came from the Grand Strand, it might prompt people to come and see what the area has to offer and know that the Grand Strand is going to be part of the White House in a positive way.

The quilt will be on display at the Historical Society of Washington D.C. as part of several entries in the “Quilts for Obama” exhibit that runs from Jan. 11-31.