January 9 – 11, 2000
These restored messages come from the Quilt History List, an online forum where quilt historians, collectors, researchers, appraisers, and enthusiasts discussed antique quilts and related textiles. The archive dates from 1996 through approximately 2016 and is being restored gradually. Sign up in the form at the bottom of the page if you want to know when a new page is added. Original spelling, opinions, formatting, and inactive links may remain unchanged.
Primary topics of this QHL Digest:
- Tracking Down a Navy Signature Quilt — Karen shares a WWII-era U.S. Navy signature quilt find, and members point her toward military museums, the Pentagon, and a Navy retiree newsletter to research its makers.
- Fabric Prices, Marketing, and the Cost of the Hobby — A running debate over rising fabric and kit prices, celebrity-designer fabric lines, and whether quilting has grown more commercialized than in past decades.
- The History of Steam-Bent Wood and Embroidery Hoops — A tangent traces wood-steaming for embroidery/quilting hoops back to shipbuilding and coopering techniques known since the Middle Ages.
- A Vintage Featherweight Spotted on eBay — A member flags a Singer Featherweight sewing machine listing for fellow collectors, with no personal stake in the sale.
- Selling an Antique Silk Quilt Online — A longtime lurker describes an all-silk baby-block quilt she’s selling on eBay and asks the list for feedback.
- Reconnecting with a Former Designer on the List — A member asks for help reaching Susan Price Miller of Dusty Miller Designs, who may no longer be subscribed.
- Bucilla’s Lost Corporate History — A question about whether anyone has documented Bucilla’s history, after the company reportedly lost its own records in a move.
Date: [date unknown] | From: “S&L Herget”
Karen,
WOW, That is a FABULOUS find. I’m excited for you and I don’t even know
you. When you find more info on it you’ll have to be sure and share with
us. We’re a Marine Corps family at Camp Lejeune, NC, so I may not be able
help with too much, but my brand new BA is in History and Women’s Studies,
might. Sounds like you’re on the right track with the Fleet Reserve
Association. Come to think of it, I have a friend who has connections the
MC and Navy in Norfolk. We may be able to help.
Linda
—–Original Message—–
From: KareQuilt@ <KareQuilt@>
To: QHL@ <QHL@>
Date: Sunday, January 09, 2000 906 PM
Subject: QHL U.S. Navy Signature Quilt
>I went to the GIANT FLEA Market in Chantilly, VA, Saturday with my two
>favorite quilt buddies. (All that pent up energy from 12 months of almost
no
>spending on quilt-related objects almost broke the bank!) <G> I bought a
>signature quilt, two tops, and numerous books and museum catalogues! Center
>block of Sig. Quilt has an embroidered triangle surrounded by the words
>”Loyalty, Protection, Servicie” on the three sides. In the center of
>triangle Ladies Auxillary, Fleet Reserve Association, Unit No. 5,
Norfolk,
>VA, 1941-42. [This date would cover the period that includes the bombing of
>Pearl Harbor.] Outside the triangle at the top are the names Blanche L.
>Townsend, Pres. And Elsie Slaughter, V. P. On the bottom two sides outside
>the triangle are 28 signatures (some past and present officers it would
>appear), with an embroidered anchor and the initials USN superimposed just
>under the bottom point of the triangle. The quilt is 5 blocks by 7 (10
>1/2″). Sashing and borders are blue (horizontal) and gold (perpendicular).
>Each block has a circle embroidered in the center with a woman’s name in it
>and anywhere from 10-20 names embroidered like signature-spokes coming off
>that circle. There are 3 rather large dark stains at 3 intersections on the
>front and many more on the back and a couple of damage spots. The batting
has
>shifted slightly so that when you hold the quilt up to the light you can
see
>light in 2 places. But the names are all QUITE legible! Some blocks have a
>city and state under some of the signers names One block is obviously
>Indiana people with Indianapolis with 10 signatures, Gem, IN (3),
Greenfield,
>IN (3). Also Washington DC, and Long Beach, CA. The most unusal block has
the
>signature of “Mayor Fiorelle L Guardia of New York City” plus “My Johniee,
>Clayton H. De Wilt, Horace Burrough, Naval Hospitality N. Y, Johnny the
>Great, Ella Clark De Wilt, U.S. Naval Academy, U.S.S. McCawley, Wallingford
>De Wilt, and U.S.S. Mayrant. Don’t yet know if the name before or after an
>object (i.e. the academy or a ship) is suppose to be somehow connected.
Can’t
>wait to do the research on this thing and write up an article!! I am so
>excited for this quilt touches 3 loves quilt documentation, women’s
history,
>and WWII (Pacific) Naval history. I fell in love with WWII naval history
as
>a result of living in the Philippines as a teenager less than 15 years
after
>the war ended. (We were not associated with the military in any way and not
>stationed near any bases). At this point I am assuming the quilt was made
in
>Virginia. It came out of an estate in either Richmond or the Norfolk area
>just this fall. The dealer is going to put me in touch with the estate
>person he dealt with, so I hope to track down the name of the last owner. I
>plan to contact the Fleet Reserve Association and see if they will put a
>short notice or blurb in their newsletter in hopes of locating someone who
>knows something about the quilt. If any of you are Navy people, any
>suggestions as to how to get the word out are welcome!
>
>Karen Alexander
>Vienna, VA
>
Date: Sun, 09 Jan 2000 211040 PST | From: “Marion Nielsen”
Hi All
I know there is a website for finding fabric. Could someone please let me
know the site?
Thank you so much.
Marion in Australia
Get Your Private, Free Email at http//www.hotmail.com
Date: Sun, 9 Jan 2000 210952 -0800 | From: “Christine Thresh”
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Baglady wrote about discussions “about shopping on the web and not paying
taxes.”
Judy replied, “If the seller is in the same state as you are, you should be
paying tax…”
Both ladies were talking about sales tax. I am required, as a seller in the
state of California, to collect sales tax on any sales I make to California
addresses. I send invoices to California buyers including sales tax, and
sometimes a buyer does not pay the tax. However, I have to pay the tax to
the Franchise Tax Board anyway. I can’t write it off just because the buyer
refused to pay it.
Recent discussions in the media have focused on the need for local sales
taxes to finance schools, roads, and public services in towns across the
U.S. Local governments are upset that out of state internet sales do not
pay sales
taxes. (Mail-order catalog sellers do not collect sales tax from out of
state buyers either unless they have an office or some facility in the
locality.)
I would be perfectly willing to collect sales tax on all my internet sales
for my quilt patterns. I would need a computer program to determine the tax
amount in each and every county in the U.S. The problem would arise when it
was time for me to SEND the tax money to each individual taxing agency. My
sales are in small amounts ($5 to $15) so I would have to write checks to
“Podunk, Ohio” in the amount of say, 29� and mail it to them in an envelope
with a 33� stamp. This would be quite a chore.
And, let’s also consider the question, “Where did the sale take place?” I
ship from Bethel Island, CA. Did the sale take place here or in Podunk where
the item was received?
Another further bit of information. Most states require the BUYER to list
items purchased out of state (without tax) and pay the local tax in their
home state. Many people do not realize this and most people do not do it.
It is a complicated issue.
Christine Thresh
http//www.winnowing.com/
Date: Mon, 10 Jan 2000 054346 -0500 | From: “Diane McGuire”
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Jenni in UK mentioned that the round hoop for embriodery or quilting might
have been contemporary with the discovery of steaming wood to make it bend.
I thought of a good place to investigate this idea mast hoops. Sails were
attached to wooden hoops that went around the mast. The mast hoops stayed
around the mast and for the most part the sails stayed on them and were
wrapped around the boom and covered when they were lowered and not in use.
Maybe no one thought to document embroidery hoops, but I bet there is good
research on the history of sailing.
Diane in Southeastern Massachusetts (not far from Moby Dick territory)
Date: Mon, 10 Jan 2000 094208 -0600 | From: Kathleen
Dear Karen,
What a find! You mentioned the signatures. The most unusal block has
the signature of “Mayor Fiorelle L Guardia of New York City” plus “My
Johniee, Clayton H. De Wilt, Horace Burrough, Naval Hospitality N. Y,
Johnny the
Great, Ella Clark De Wilt, U.S. Naval Academy, U.S.S. McCawley,
Wallingford De Wilt, and U.S.S. Mayrant. Don’t yet know if the name
before or after an object (i.e. the academy or a ship) is suppose to be
somehow connected.
Usually military signatures are name, rank, base or ship. Another
source for your searches would be the Military Historian at the Norfolk
Naval Base. I would call Public Relations and see if they can direct
you. I’m not sure all bases have historians, but I know some where my
husband served did. I hope this is helpful. Can you send a JPG
privately? I’d love to see the quilt.
Best of luck in your researching,
Kit French
Date: Mon, 10 Jan 2000 085323 -0800 | From: Kathy Tavares
I buy a lot of my fabric on sale or over the internet on sale. I remember
when making a quilt used to cost about $50.00. Another thing I am always
amazed at is the price of Block of the Month kits. A block costing $10-$14
a month is pretty pricely to make a quilt ($14 = $168 + batting and backing
and binding).
Kathy
Date: Mon, 10 Jan 2000 121404 EST | From: KareQuilt@
IMHO, marketing continues to vastly influence our dear hobby. I have had some
experience in marketing (but nothing to do with fabrics or quilting), so I
bring a definite “opinion” to what follows. The “marketing” of quilting (vs.
women simply drafting and swapping patterns among family or friends) began
with the distribution of patterns through the farm journals and newspaper
columns many decades ago and has simply mushroomed with prosperity and
technology. Going hand-in-hand with “the marketing factor” is, IMHO, the
“celebrity phenomena” in all aspects of our culture in this century. Whether
the “celebrity” is a sports figure, a movie star, a charismatic politician,
the ex-mistress of a politician, or a brand name (companies truly hit the
jackpot in marketing when they “convinced” the public to WEAR THEIR BRAND
names on shoes and clothing! And to think WE pay them for the privilege of
giving them free advertising! )
ALL such celebs are now being used to market products. Celebrity has also
affected our hobby, though (regretfully) our quilt celebrities do NOT get
paid what the celebrities in those other categories get paid. But name
recognition does have its ” price” enter steadily climbing fabric prices.
The fabric manufacturers have discovered a good thing. Quilters like
celebrity designed fabrics. That celeb may be an internationally recognizable
quilt teacher, a museum name, or a fabric manufactures name brand name. In
marketing, the PERCEPTION you create in the buyer’s mind about her/his
association (“relative status”) TO THE CELEB is what is important. Marketing
is, for the most part, all about psychology; i.e. making people “feel good”
(this will enhance your life); i.e. convincing them that they “need” your
product in order to have a higher since of self worth. A market driven
economy is always going to charge what the market will bear. Since there is a
lot of prosperity these days, we Quilters will pay $10-15 a yard for
‘designer” fabrics. IMHO, Quilting today is not about “necessity.” It is
about intangible pleasures. If the days of necessity should ever return
(heaven forbid), at least we will all have a great stash of fabrics from
which to make those necessary bedcovers to keep warm <G>. Meanwhile, yes,
less expensive, non-designer products (fabrics) are definitely available.
It’s our choice.
I suspect one might have a difficult time getting all of the factual data on
what actual manufacturing costs and mark-ups on fabrics are based. That kind
of information is usually pretty closely guarded. If you could make a
“quality for quality” test comparison of “celebrity” fabics vs
“non-celebrity” fabrics, you might get a general idea of how much having
“celebrity designers” causes the price to go up, but the fabric tested must
be the same quality so that you are comparing apples to apples. But that is
still a pretty simplistic view. Perception, perception, perception of value
so much drives pricing.
Karen Alexander
Northern VA
Date: Mon, 10 Jan 2000 182711 EST | From: @aol.com
Steaming wood has been known for centuries and was probably invented by
coopers (barrelmakers) or by shipwrights. Embroidery hoops were certainly
known in the Middle Ages. It also depends very much on the type of wood –
willow bends easily, while hardwoods take a lot more work.
Interesting topic….
Karen Evans
Date: Mon, 10 Jan 2000 183853 -0600 | From: Karen Bush
>
> I didn’t know if anyone would be interested, but, I’ve seen a lot of
> posts about you all looking for Feather weights, just found another one
> on ebay…No affliation, yadayada…kb (here’s the auction page)
> http//cgi.ebay.com/aw-cgi/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=233422923
>
Date: Mon, 10 Jan 2000 192529 -0600 | From: “Debra Reynen”
To: add my 2 cents to the discussion…
Although I find it really hard to buy fabric for $8 or $9 a yard, if I am
doing a really special quilt for someone (gift) then I generally buy the
fabric at my local quilt shop. Otherwise I usually make do with what I can
find at Hancock Fabrics or JoAnn’s. (I make a lot of baby quilts.) I use
whatever coupons or special sales are offered at these stores and that
helps.
Something else that I do is go to alot of garage sales and estate sales on
the weekends. (I work full time during the week.) I try to read between
the lines of the ads to guess whether or not they may have fabric.
Sometimes I may go for weeks without finding any sales with fabric, and then
other weeks I find several sales on one weekend with fabric. Estate sales
are especially good for this. Often I find that if fabric is designated to
either the basement, attic or garage at the sale. It may take me a few
minutes to go thru the unorganized boxes, but I am usually rewarded with
some nice pieces of cotton. Sometimes I even get lucky and find good
clothing or home decorator fabrics. Usually fabric is very cheap at
garage or estate sales ($1 a yard or less).
I also take at least a quick review of the clothes that are for sale.
Occasionally I have bought cotton clothing (for less than $1) for the sole
purpose of cutting it up to use in quilts.
Date: Mon, 10 Jan 2000 203641 -0600 | From: Terri Ellis
CC QHL@
Subject: Re QHL “Uncoverings“
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Hi Carole,
An interesting note about your message to QHL – the date on it came
out as 1/8/80! Must be a Y2K glitch of some sort. Terri Ellis
Date: Fri, 04 Jan 1980 215912 -0500 | From: Alan Kelchner
You know, I HATE quilt-shop shopping. There. I’ve said it. I don’t
like going to quilt shops. Give me Joann’s, the local high-end fashion
fabric store, and Wal-Mart. I shop hard and with a goal – as much
“stuff” for the smallest amount. I do this with everything I buy. But I
have a huge problem with the quilting industry as a whole. It is
typical in any hobbyist’s field to find that those people making the
stuff are doing it for one reason – to earn the bucks. And as a whole,
we are really good at following the rules. You must use cotton
thread/fabric. You must be the best (can’t let the Jones’ get
ahead!). You must spend. And spend lots. Thus the industry gets
richer. Frankly, the quilting catalogs appall me when I see 4-5 fat
quarters going for as much as $20.
I agree with Roberta. If the hobbyist wants to participate, she/he will
find a way. I don’t buy Hoffmans or Mumms or any other such by choice.
Mainly because I am an art quilter, and the pretty stuff doesn’t make it
in my work. But I really don’t want to use what everyone else is
using. I saw a friends quilt this weekend. Very pretty, but also blah
(and she knew it, she doesn’t like it much – a shop kit). I guess I
don’t like everything coordinated and wonderful. I much prefer a
melange.
I watch fabric prices rise and you know what? I see no slowing down of
the purchase of said fabric. People go nuts.
My main reason to enter quilt shops is to shmooze. I have friends
there, and I also have to keep in contact with the nice ladies who hand
out my number for restorations.
Am I an ol’ curmudgeon? You bet! <g>
But I really don’t see fabric pricing itself out of the market.
Alan
Date: Mon, 10 Jan 2000 201857 -0800 | From: Audrey Waite
Dear Karen
What a find! Since you are in Virginia, I would start with the nearby
Pentagon. Most services have museums and the head honcho of all of them
would be at the Pentagon.
I found an Army quilt when I was living in Virginia and called the
Pentagon because I wanted to donate it to one of the Army’s museums.
They came to the house and picked it up.
Be sure and keep us posted on what you find out.
Audrey Waite in sunny Sedona, AZ
Date: Mon, 10 Jan 2000 230937 EST | From: Feathrwate@
My husband retired from the Navy and receives a newsletter entitled “Shift
Colors.” He says they’re on the web. Maybe they would insert a piece about
the quilt you found, and you could learn a little more should someone see it.
Linda
Date: Mon, 10 Jan 2000 233147 -0500 | From: “John Cawley”
I would like to get in touch with Susan Price Miller (Dusty Miller Designs).
I’m not sure if she’s still on this list. Can somebody help? Thanks.
Cinda on the Eastern Shore
Date: Tue, 11 Jan 2000 012538 EST | From: EllynLK@
… of the People’s Choice Awards. As I am currently “between awards shows”
(I have a few days off before being banished to the basement of the Shrine
Auditorium in Los Angeles for next Monday’s American Music Awards), I had
time to scan my doohickey thingie that I got for Christmas from my friend.
The best guesses from my prevous text-only description was a thing for
weaving rag rugs. I think it’s just too darn big for that, 18 inches long.
Anyway, if you have time and are familiar with textile-y tools of the past,
check out my doohickey at http//members.aol.com/ellynlk/doohickey.htm
I love it, WHATEVER it is!!!!
Lauri Klobas
In a part of Southern California that has received no measurable rainfall
since November 8th….
Date: Tue, 11 Jan 2000 095111 +0200 | From: Ady Hirsch
Hi, everyone
Living in Israel, as I do, I have to rely totally on mail order catalogs
(we have no textile industry or quilt stores to speak of), and in this
respect I must say the Web is a life-saver. At least this way we can
compare prices, do market research and pay a little less. I admit I’m
addicted to 19th repro fabrics, for the simple reason I try to reproduce
antique quilts as faithfully as I can. The differences in prices, however,
can be enormous – the same fabric, costing $8-9/yd at one place, can be
found for $5/yd at another on-line store. A quilter I know who used to work
in a California quilt store said the markup was 100% – what we’re paying $9
for was a mere $4.5. I do understand that a store has expenses, rent, staff
etc. – but in France, for instance, shops are closing because people can’t
afford to pay the prices. I fear that in a few years there’ll be a
backlash, because if beginning quilters cannot afford fabrics, in a few
years there’ll be less of us, with no new quilters joining the ranks.
Personally I check various sites again and again, do my best to buy on
sales, keep telling my husband that quiltig is a harmless, inexpensive
hobby and keep my stash well hidden -)
Happy quilting
Ady in Israel
Date: Tue, 11 Jan 2000 082500 EST | From: Qltldy10@
Uh oh, here comes Beth in Maine with a lecture again…
Look around- it’s not just costs of making quilt fabric, or marketing
to quilters who are dumb enough to fall for marketing ploys. Goin to the
movies for a family of four costs over $100.00. Try skiing this year (if you
can find snow). Lift ticket for a day is over $40.00. How about books??
They’ve crept over the $24.95 point and are at the 35 and 39 dollar range.
It’s not just free time/hobbies kinds of things. Compare your phone bill or
electric bill to 5 years ago. Prices of everything are up, and yes, America
has always bought in to the “if there’s good, there’s better, and since I
want to be seen as in the upperest class, I’ll by the best, regardless of
cost” mentality. That’s American culture, folks! It’s not inflation, since
the money people have is rising with the costs of goods. Look around- there’s
a ton of money out there being spent. Remember, the United States consumes
approximately 50% of the world’s consumables- startling?
There’s a profit to be made, and fabric makers are going to charge
whatever the consumer will pay. Doesn’t have much to do with how much it
costs to make it…. Won’t stop until there either isn’t money to buy it
with, or folks just stop buying (and that isn’t going to stop soon).
Beth in Maine
Date: Tue, 11 Jan 2000 092250 -0400 | From: edwa@
Has anyone attempted to capture whatever history there may still be about
Bucilla quilts. I understand from the current owners of the company that
all history of the company has been lost, probably before the company moved
from NJ to Hazelton Pa about 8 years ago. Glen Nicholson and his partner
Bob Davis bought the company about 8 yrs ago and moved to Hazelton. I
believe the company is now owned by Plain, but still produces needlework
products. They may be a source for information about printing techniques
because they do the cross stitch quilt kits. Even tho the records may not
be available, there may still be people around who has the memory.
Holice Turnbow
Designer, Teacher, Quilt Judge
http//www.quiltingstencils.com
Date: Tue, 11 Jan 2000 103341 -0500 | From: “Nancy Roberts”
The posts and opinions on fabric prices have made enjoyable reading and
I particularly liked Karen Alexander’s comments. My thought is that
“everything is relative.” The days of standard $3/yard fabric were also
days when family incomes were lower. When considering fabric prices that
have tripled (or more) from that standard, consider also where incomes
are in relation to the cost. I think of our current family vehicle as an
example. It cost more than we paid for our family home. However, we
bought the home 30+ years ago when the purchase price was a stretch
given our income at that time. I think the good news for quilters now is
that there is a range of price and quality available in the fabrics they
choose. Some buyers place quality and variety of choices as top
priorities in their selections while others make purchases determined by
cost. Fabric manufacturers pay lots more attention to the needs and
wants of quilters today. Quiltmaking has become an “industry” and there
are both benefits and drawbacks to this. Another 2-cents worth from
Nancy
Date: Tue, 11 Jan 2000 131756 EST | From: KareQuilt@
I would like to clarify something about “celebrity fabrics.” I did not mean
to imply that the celebrity’s actual $ contracts are causing the mark up in
prices. IMHO (and marketing experiencing), quilt celebs probably get a VERY
very slim piece of the action – of that higher cost of celeb fabrics vs the
non-celeb fabrics. So who is getting that money? Again, what is the mark-up?
I am sure it is nothing like jewelry which I have read is 200-400% or
cosmetics. (And we still buy them.)
The idea of Celeb Fabrics is an excellent marketing tool, and (in my
perception) probably doesn’t really add much to the actual manufacturing
cost. But the manufacturers get to use the celebs name in all their
marketing, and I bet they pay only pennies, so to speak, for the privilege
because the “audience of potential buyers” is actually relatively small.
(Athletes, in comparasion, rake in billions of dollars for everyone
“attached” to that industry because the audience is so much greater. Hence
they can pay them bigger bucks for the use of their names.)
I guess my point was really more from the perspective that once “commercial
businesses” got involved (vs women simply making do out of their own
creativeness), the “psychology of marketing” entered the hobby bigtime.
Through skillful marketing we are convinced that we MUST have all of these
items, be they fabric, gadgets, patterns, etc<g>, when in fact, quilts don’t
take a lot of money to make the old fashioned way our great grandmothers did
it. But times change, generation after generation. And yes all these new
gadgets can be great fun to collect! What is the name of the game in this
century? Consumerism? And since we humans like to collect and categorize
(check out any antique or flea market!) ….we have more and more stuff to
consume…and with which to play! And in the process some people make
money.Successfully marketing a phenomenal array of products to millions of
willing buyers is what has helped create this very prosperous era in which we
live. The modern quilting revival has entertained us; kept idle (HA!) hands
busy <G>; left a legacy to our culture as well as to our grandchildren and
great grandchildren; and made a few people some money along the way. Not a
bad record for a mere so-called “hobby,” wouldn’t you say?
Now down off my soapbox. thanks for listening.
Karen A.
Date: Tue, 11 Jan 2000 182942 EST | From: @aol.com
In a message dated 1/11/00 82611 AM Eastern Standard Time, Qltldy10@
writes
<< Goin to the movies for a family of four costs over $100.00. Try skiing
this year (if you can find snow). Lift ticket for a day is over $40.00. >>
Excuse me? Around here, the average movie ticket costs $8, with the local
mall prices for first runs going as low as $3 for the twilight show. And I
don’t know anyone who takes the kids out to a full service restaurant before
the movies – McDonald’s and a matinee are much more like it, or eating at
home first. Even going to a family style buffet would cost no more than
about $50 around here. And the local ski place charges $25 a day for a lift
ticket, with discounts for children and free rentals.
The only way I can see these prices as valid is if we’re talking a major
city, parents who can’t or won’t cook at home (or are too snobby for fast
food), and/or families that insist on going only to 5 black diamond ski
trails over peek weekends. Otherwise they seem greatly exaggerated.
Karen Evans
Date: Tue, 11 Jan 2000 183331 EST | From: @aol.com
One more thing about this post, BTW – my utility bills have gone down
thanks to electric deregulation, cheaper phone plans, and contacting my
friends via e-mail rather than the phone. Way down, as in around 50% on the
phone bill and about 20% on the electric. I realize that not every state has
electric deregulation, but it sure has made a difference on my budget….
Karen Evans
Easthampton, Massachusetts
Date: Tue, 11 Jan 2000 193511 EST | From: MsNearMint@
Hi everyone, I have been lurking for a while and enjoying the richness of
information I have gathered from everyones knowledge of quilts. I sell some
of the quilts I come across (its like cutting my arm off though). I have one
on Ebay now item #235698435. It is all silk done in a baby block pieced
pattern with feather stitching, in more than 50 different silks. Is there
someone out there that can tell me the approximate date of this. I seem to
remember reading that almost square quilts like this one were made before the
victorian era. I thank you in advance for any information. Pattyann from NJ
Date: Tue, 11 Jan 2000 192051 -0600 | From: Jocelyn
> and how we sell it for what the suggested price is. We were wondering
> how long the public is going to be able to afford to continue to
> purchase fabric to make quilts. When I started quilting over twenty
> years ago 3.00 a yard was a good price maybe it was even less. Now it
> is 8,9 even 10 dollars a yard.
Debbie,
Well, 20 years ago I was working for $3 an hour….<G>