Interview with Fred Fuston, Karla Poggen, November 2, 2000

Interview Summary

Fred Fuston and Karla Poggen each contribute to this interview. Raymond Fuston was the father of Fred Fuston, and the grandfather of Karla Poggen. Raymond Fuston created an appliqued quilt top in 1933-1948, while he was on duty at the Paris, Texas firehouse. It is red and white - standard firefighter colors - and features international symbols of firefighting. Raymond Fuston made two other quilts while the family lived at the fire station. They are scrap patchwork quilts and include some fabric from feed sacks and flour sacks. The family intends to donate the firefighters' quilt along with a fire truck (built by Raymond) to a local museum. Raymond Fuston's fireman's quilt top was stored in a cedar chest from 1945 to 1990. Significantly stained, it was cleaned and restored to its original white. The family had it professionally quilted in 1993.

A lifelong sewer, Karla Poggen started quilting in 1996 after seeing some nontraditional quilts in a shop. Poggen learned to quilt mostly from books. She likes watercolor and kaleidoscope quilts. Most of her quilts are wall hangings. She feels great quilters are anyone who is passionate about quilting. Quilting is Poggen's expressive outlet. She sees quilts emerging as a recognized art form today.

Interview Keyword

Quilt purpose - Commemorative Firefighting Machine quilting Quilt conservation Machine applique Quilt tops Paris (Tex.) Raymond Fuston Fred Fuston Karla Poggen Fathers Grandfathers Family Firefighters Quilt preservation Watercolor quilting Kaleidoscope quilts

Interview LC Subject

Quilts--United States--History--20th century. Quilts--United States Quilters Quilting. Quiltmakers Quiltmaking Quiltmaking process Quiltmaking purpose Quilts Families. Fire fighters.

Interview Rights

All rights to the Quilters' S.O.S. -- Save Our Stories (QSOS) oral history project, including but not restricted to legal title, copyrights and literary property rights, have been transferred from the Quilt Alliance to the University of Kentucky Libraries. Please contact the Louie B. Nunn Center for Oral History regarding rights pertaining to individual interviews.

Interview Usage

Interviews may only be reproduced with permission from Louie B. Nunn Center for Oral History, University of Kentucky Libraries.