MaCrae Putnam is preserving history, not with a commemorative plaque or statue but with fabric and thread. Putnam owns El Reno’s only quilt shop, Make It Sew, in downtown El Reno and has designed a 100th anniversary Route 66 quilt. Not only did she design it, but she also made kits people can purchase to make their own Route 66 anniversary quilt. 

The quilt is absolutely beautiful and features the outline of the state of Oklahoma with the Route 66 logo and the words 100 years. It also features the Round Barn in Arcadia, Pops, the Blue Whale at Catoosa, a roadrunner, Cadillac Ranch and other famous stops on Route 66. 

The quilt just made its way back to El Reno after being featured in the Garden of Quilts in Lehi, Utah. MaCrae, of course had to travel to Utah to see her Route 66 quilt on display. She had two other quilts in the show as well.

“It was very cool to see it in the Garden of Quilts. They had over 600 quilts and they hang them on wires and the wind is blowing, it’s just beautiful.

“They have 50 acres of quilts! It was lovely.”

In addition to the Route 66 quilt, Putnam also made a quilt wall hanging that has all kinds of Route 66 signs on it and an old-fashioned gas pump. She thought it would be perfect for the City of El Reno’s new Filling Station so she gifted it to them. 

Another one of MaCrae’s quilts was recently published in the national magazine called Quiltfolks. They did a special edition that only featured cat quilts. Her very own kitty cat, Monet, was the subject of one of her quilts and it made the magazine! Very exciting for MaCrae! 

If you’d like to see the Route 66 quilt in person, it’s on display at her store, Make it Sew, 107 S. Bickford Avenue in downtown El Reno. 

I got the nicest note from Pat Hornberger. She sent me a recipe her neighbor, John Ridge, made for her and her husband, Dub. She said it was really good! The recipe is John’s late wife, Laurie’s recipe so it’s special to him and the Hornbergers.

John, thank you for sharing it!

PEACH CRISP 
By Laurie and John Ridge

Filling: 

1/2 cup sugar

1/3 cup brown sugar

6 cups peaches

3 tablespoons granulated tapioca

1/2 teaspoon nutmeg

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1/8 teaspoon salt

2 teaspoons lemon juice

2 tablespoons butter

¼ teaspoon almond extract

Topping: 

1 cup brown sugar

1 cup flour

1/2 cup butter

1 cup oats

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon cinnamon

¼ teaspoon cardamom

To make the filling, combine sugars and peaches and let stand 1 hour.

Drain and keep juice.

Combine the tapioca, spices and salt with the juice and cook on stove top on low to medium heat until thick. Remove from heat and stir in lemon juice and almond extract.

Pour filling into 9x9 baking pan and top with 2 tablespoons butter.

To make the topping, mix topping ingredients together until butter is evenly distributed.

Add topping on top of filling and bake at 400 degrees covered for 30 minutes. Remove cover and bake for another 30 minutes or until topping is browned.

Serves 6 to 8

Sounds like this would be great right out of the oven with vanilla ice cream.