April 21 – 25, 1999
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:
- Mennonite and Amish Quilts — Barb Garrett shares detailed observations from the Mennonite quilt museum in Intercourse, PA, with members recommending books and offering to help locate copies.
- Bedding Terminology — A wide-ranging discussion of historical terms including tabby, counterpane, pillow sham, and undercoverings, with UK and US usage compared. (see the article on cotton and textile terms)
- Chenille History — A member’s acquisition of a red chenille coverlet prompts discussion of chenille technique, its origins in candlewicking, and its relationship to tufted bedspreads.
- Whisker Protectors — QuiltFixer asks about the history of embroidered strips sewn onto quilt tops to protect them from facial hair, debating whether a piece is a whisker protector or a shelf cover.
- The Counterpane Poem — JQuilt’s request for Robert Louis Stevenson’s counterpane poem from A Child’s Garden of Verses is answered, sparking childhood memories across the list.
- Fabric Dating Resources — Members recommend key reference works for dating fabrics, including Eileen Trestain’s color guide and Florence Montgomery’s Textiles in America. (see the article on dating quilts)
Date: Wed, 21 Apr 1999 05:22:29 +0000 | From: Shirley McElderry <tigersoup@>
I now have a wonderful book; it is a catalogue of the quilts in the Netherlands Open-Air Museum. A history of fabrics and quilting is followed by the most spectacular chintz and “Tree of Life” and other quilt pictures. The colors are fabulous. There are no patterns, and no “how-tos.” If you enjoy looking at early fabrics, in gorgeous colors, you will love this book. The name of the book is “Quilts The Dutch Tradition,” and the forward is written by dr. J.A.M.F. Vaessen. If you cannot find it at your local bookstore, contact Susan Miller at <millersus@> ISBN number is 90-70300-06-0. Printed in the Netherlands. A great addition to a quilt lover’s library.
Shirley Mc from Iowa
Date: Wed, 21 Apr 1999 09:54:51 EDT | From: Jilly31@
In a message dated 4/20/99 8:50:08 PM US Eastern Standard Time, QHL-Digest-request@ writes:
I have a beautiful vintage 1930’s Bow Tie quilt. The bow ties are in colorful calico on a white background…no border. It is my favorite quilt.
<<
I’m kind of picturing the design okay, but don’t recall if most vintage bow-tie quilts have borders. I thought some of you who come across this pattern frequently might know. Thanks for your input. Nancy
Date: Wed, 21 Apr 1999 08:05:24 -0700 | From: “Robins-Morris, Laura A” <lrobins@>
Thanks for all of the descriptions of tabby. (Short summary: plain weave, twill, mottled, silk moire, watery, etc.)
Can you stand another question?
So has anyone seen the term used before in the way it is used in the descriptions of the Riverside Museum online quilt display? Several of the quilts are described as “cotton tabby” and even “cotton tabby prints”. One quilt specifically mentions twill on the back, so I assume the writer was not using tabby to mean twill. The word tabby is used where I would expect to see the words calico or muslin (which themselves have varying definitions).
So I just wonder if the term is used accurately in describing those quilts. Or is is generally accepted to include any simple woven fabric? Thanks.
Laura in Seattle
Date: Wed, 21 Apr 1999 15:16:08 EDT | From: Xroadclown@
Hi, I’ve been a lurker for a while, but i love vintage quilts. I have a beautiful bow tie that was made by my grandmother. it has fabric that date civil war era. It does have a border. it is two rows of triangles, put together to make a row, they it goes around the quilt. it is stunning!
Date: Wed, 21 Apr 1999 19:02:50 -0400 | From: Barb Garrett <bgarrett@>
Hi Cinda and others – Sorry I didn’t respond immediately to your question about the Amish and Mennonite quilts at the museum in Intercourse, but I have been out of state since Thursday and just today read your note. My comments….
Cinda mentioned the change of landscape near Sauder’s fabrics. The farm fields are no longer there, the new road from the turnpike exit makes getting to Sauder’s easier and quicker, but my real sadness is for the Team Mennonite Church on the corner. It is a very old church with buggy sheds surrounding it on 3 sides — truly beautiful and worth the drive to Sauders to see.
If you aren’t familiar with this arrangement, think of a flattened capital U shape with carriage sheds running along all 3 sides of the U and a white single room, single story church in the center of the open space with the open part of the U facing the road. So while I am sad we have to deal with looking at the new huge building on our trips to Sauders (which by the way has itself changed the landscape by continually building more and larger parking lots which now accommodate busses), I am more sad to have lost the peaceful beauty of the old church in it’s old surroundings.
The Museum Exhibit — I went on Good Friday — before Show week because I don’t go anywhere quilty in Lancaster during Show week and was not surprised by what I saw because I saw what I expected to see because of where the quilts were from. Did that make sense? I thought the explanations were well done and informative and the quilts were representative of the areas. It was an educational exhibit.
I think when people say Amish quilts they first think of the beautifully graphic woolen quilts made in Lancaster County. Next they think of the cotton solids done in Ohio, Indiana and the midwest during the 20th century — block designs like baskets ocean waves and bowties — using black, navy and typical 30s solids. But the Mifflin County quilts are not as beautiful and therefore don’t get the publicity the others do. Undoubtedly there were many people who were surprised by the Amish examples in the exhibit.
Economically Mifflin County was not as affluent as Lancaster County and therefore a different quilting style developed. While Lancaster County families were well established on their productive farms and could afford the wools for clothing and quilting, those in Mifflin County were not as prosperous. They used a lot of brown in their quilts (from their clothing scraps) — a rather dull color not found at all in Lancaster quilts, and their quilts almost exclusively are variations of 4 and 9 patches – mostly 9 patches. The reason — they got a lot of their quilting fabric as cutaways from the clothing manufacturers in the area and the small pieces necessitated the bishops determining an acceptable quilting style that used small pieces — the 4 and 9 patches. Economic conditions not only determine the type of fabric used, but also can affect the workmanship — how well planned is the color layout, how extensive is the quilting, how good is the quilting, how long does it take to make the quilt, is the quilt for use or for show (Chust fer nice). Last year’s exhibit was a showing of one couple’s collection. They were from the midwest and most of the examples were midwestern, with some Lancaster County ones, and since they were collecting what appealed to them, they collected graphically beautiful quilts. Cinda’s quilts with drop-dead beauty. The quilts in this year’s exhibit were quilts that still in many cases belong to the makers’ families, and many were obviously used quilts, not show quilts. Cinda described this year’s Amish quilts as being interesting — a good word because they aren’t graphically striking, but are instead a little known part of the overall Amish quilt picture.
Southeastern PA Mennonite and other PA German quilts of the late 1800s have a unique look to them. Except for one river valley in North Carolina, they are found no where else, so I wasn’t expecting the Shenandoah Valley quilts to have a special “Mennonite” look to them. I realized on Monday how used to that special look of PA Mennonite quilts I am. I was telling some people in California about how they are so recognizable by the color combinations and workmanship. They finally stopped me and said they had no idea what I was talking about (keep in mind they weren’t quite sure what a Mennonite person was, let alone her quilting style), but when I talk to people in the east they more readily understand “the look” that Cinda and many of us associate with southeastern PA German quilts. My disappointment with the Mennonite part of the exhibit was that most of the quilts were utilitarian style, and I have come to expect more show quilts in exhibits. They are usually the ones in the best condition. There was one drop-dead Mennonite quilt, but the rest were just very nice quilts to look at — nothing spectacular. Definitely a sharp contrast to last year’s exhibit.
But having said all that, if you come to Lancaster County any time before October 31, you definitely should go to the Museum in Intercourse. I will be going back again before it closes.
Also — Cinda, you are going to have to come back to Lancaster County — the Heritage Center in downtown Lancaster opens an exhibit next week of decorative arts of the Pennsylvania Mennonites. It lasts until Christmas. I would expect at least one quilt “with that Mennonite look”. I have to go find the details — times, street address (I know where it is, but don’t know what the name of the street is), phone number, etc — so will post a separate announcement on the list. I will of course visit it and give a report <grin>.
I hope you can visit the 2 exhibits — I feel fortunate they are both local — am I spoiled? And I just had the Lancaster Show and Feedsack Conference within 1 hour of home. But I’ve never been to Paducah or Houston, so I will enjoy my local stuff and envy those who go to the others.
Barb in southeastern PA <bgarrett@>
Date: Wed, 21 Apr 1999 17:26:11 -0600 | From: Sharon Harleman Tandy <harleman@>
Barb, What a nice write-up of the differences in Amish quilts and between Amish and Mennonite quilts! Anytime anyone wants to post this detailed kind of information, I’m for it (even when it is 2 pgs!) The only thing is, you *know* you’ve now got to perfectly describe “that Mennonite look” so that the rest of us will immediately spot one when we get the chance.
I have several books depicting Amish quilts but I don’t think I’ve ever read anything on the Mennonite quilts. Does anyone know of a book title to recommend?
Thanks, Barb, Sharon Harleman Tandy, Quilts & Answers, Boise, Idaho.
Date: Thu, 22 Apr 1999 10:43:30 +1000 | From: Lorraine Olsson <sven@>
Thank you so much for the wonderful “visit” to Amish/Mennonite country. Having never had the opportunity to visit the US, let alone Pennsylvania, I loved the personal tour.
I am fortunate though, to have in my collection, four Mennonite quilts from the 1870-80 period. They are all in perfect condition and are very colouful. I really understand the “look”. These are also the largest quilts in my collection, all of them measuring well over 90″ square. Is this the usual size for these beauties?
Once again thanks, Lorraine in Oz
Date: Thu, 22 Apr 1999 01:43:43 EDT | From: SadieRose@
To: QHL@
Sharon, I have a book titled “Mennonite Quilts and Pieces” by Judy Schroeder Tomlonson, pub. 1985 by Good Books, Intercourse, PA ISBN # 0-934672-27-X This is probably out of print, but may be available through libraries. 3 years ago I got to visit Lancaster Co. PA and saw an exhibit in the quilt museum above The General Store in Lancaster. The exhibit was of Mennonite quilts & there were also some wonderful support items, which had belonged to the Mennonite women who made the quilts. I ordered a book they were soon to publish, thinking it was going to be an exhibit “catalog” with photos of the quilts…it is a very nice book…but not at all what I was expecting. This was probably my own oversight, or assumption, as to what the book was really about. This book is titled “Mennonite Women of Lancaster County” by Joanne Hess Siegrest. There is one small chapter on quilting and needlearts, but for the most part, it is a women’s history book, filled with b&w photos of Mennonite women from the early 1900’s. Lots of information on family genealogies and what life was like for them.
Good Books would probably be a good source to check for any other titles related to Mennonite quilts. Hope this info is helpful….sure wish there was a book on that quilt exhibit….there were some wonderful quilts in it, plus that was the first time I saw the “Lancaster Blue” fabric (maybe typical there, but I am from Iowa and had never seen it before). Happy Stitching!!
Karan from rainy Iowa
Date: Thu, 22 Apr 1999 07:33:28 -0400 | From: Alan Kelchner <quiltfix@>
Well, I’m gonna do something this once, just ’cause there’s a quilt top I’d like to see go to a good home. It’s in a shop, $90 firm. Approx. 84×86, this is a pieced Morning Glory block, four flowers per block. White background, square set with white setting blocks. Blocks are 5-6″, controlled scrappy late-1930’s fabrics in darker colors, not light pastels. Flowers are buttonhole stitched in various colors. Half-blocks make a border. Very clean and nice looking. If you’re interested, email me and we can talk about getting it for you. Definitely a good deal (and I’m cheap – I just don’t collect 1930’s normally). Price is high for this area (but neat tops like this are unusual here too – lots of utility quilts from the depression). Like most quilts here, it’s been in the shop a longish time (6-8 months).
Alan
Date: Thu, 22 Apr 1999 06:44:29 -0500 | From: “Brian/Jen Schmidt” <brian_jen@>
>Sharon,
I have a book titled “Mennonite Quilts and Pieces” by Judy Schroeder
>Tomlonson, pub. 1985 by Good Books, Intercourse, PA ISBN # 0-934672-27-X This is probably out of print, but may be available through libraries
I happened to be browsing through eBay and saw this particular book up for auction.
Here is the URL for it:
http://cgi.ebay.com/aw-cgi/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item’646344
I believe the auction ends in three days.
I’ve been enjoying the lessons on Mennonite quilts, especially since my husband’s family is South-Central Kansas Mennonite. I don’t believe he has had any quilters in his family, though, so I probably won’t be able to see actual examples of the Midwestern “Mennonite look”. And, like Lorraine, I probably won’t be traveling to Pennsylvania anytime soon. So, keep it up with the descriptions and explanations; it is greatly appreciated.
Jennifer
Date: Thu, 22 Apr 1999 09:39:07 -0400 | From: nancy roberts <robertsn@>
I just took a soapmaking class and it was really fun & interesting. We made old-fashioned laundry soap the first week and will make fancier, scented soaps next along with vegetarian ones.We also got to use fun words like “tallow,” “rendering” and “saponification.” You hardly ever get to say them in conversations, you know! I’m wondering about using homemade soap for washing quilts. Contrary to my previous understanding, these soaps are nearly neutral pH and are very mild. This is because they contain glycerin formed from the reaction of lye water and fat. When properly made, there will be no caustic lye left in the soap (and of course we all made ours properly!), hence the neutral or nearly neutral pH. The lye gets used up in the chemical reaction. We learned how to make “goopy” soap from the bars (which are now curing for three weeks). The instructor’s goopy soap looked a lot like Orvus Paste and she uses it for laundry. She reported that it did a fine job on some previously soiled vintage linens. Any chemists out there that can tell me if what I made is the same as, as good as or better than Orvus Paste?
Thanks. Nancy
Date: Thu, 22 Apr 1999 09:57:16 -0700 | From: pastcrafts@
Florence Montgomery’s Textiles in America, 1650 -1870 gives an extensive definition of Tabby. Pg. 355&356.
“A plain silk, slightly heavier than lustring, and stronger and thicker than taffeta. A cloth woven in a plain weave. Many were given a watered or waved finish.”
It goes on to list 18th century dictionary entries where it describes how the woven goods are passed under a calender, (a roller of copper or iron) which can be engraved with various designs. Some of the designs were floral. This technique could have been used to emboss the fabric. She goes on to say that Samuel Pepys commented in his diary (c.1750)”My wife extraordinary fine today in her Flower tabby suit…” However the flowers were not inked in different colors. The fabric seems to have always been a solid color. Tabbies could be ornamented by brocading, but no referrence to other than a monochrome.
In the 19th century it was basically what we call Moire today. But remember, one of the results of all the developement of artificial fibers has resulted in far fewer weaves than they had even 90 years ago.
Newbie in Alexandria where Pres. Clinton is speaking to our local,huge, high school as a result of the awfulnes in Colorado,and then shutting down DC with NATO! I can’t even get out to the fabric store!
Date: Thu, 22 Apr 1999 12:35:01 -0400 | From: “jawhite@” <jawhite@>
Dear Sharon. There is great book on Mennonite quilts called, “Mennonite Quilts and Pieces” by Judy Schroeder Tomlonson. It was published by Good Books of Intercourse, PA. Judy was born and raised in a Mennonite community in Kansas and her husband is a minister. This book has lots of wonderful quilt pictures and tells about the Mennonite people. Since the book was published in 1985, I don’t know if it’s still available, but you might write to the publisher to find out.
Judy White
Date: Thu, 22 Apr 1999 13:33:15 -0400 | From: “John Cawley” <cawley@>
I think Barb Garrett is a jewel. The information she shares with us is accurate, organized and interesting. We are really lucky to have her on the list. I urge anybody interested in the Mennonite book to try Good Books, The Peoples Place and the Old Country Store, all in Intercourse, PA and all somehow connected. They seem to have copies of most of their publications available.
Cinda in Easton
Date: Thu, 22 Apr 1999 13:18:48 -0600 | From: Jocelyn <jocelynm@>
Ok, I stand corrected about moggy cats! <G>
The ‘tabby’ taffeta would also correlate to tabby cats, since a ‘classic’ tabby cat strongly resembles watered taffeta.
Jocelyn
Jocelynm@
Date: Thu, 22 Apr 1999 14:30:10 EDT | From: QuiltFixer@
Will any of those of you who are lucky enough to have a set of Undercoverings help me find which have article(s) on Redwork. Called the office only to find that they are at least a year away of indexing them. Really appreciate it so that I know which volume to buy. Toni B.
QuiltFixer@
Date: Thu, 22 Apr 1999 17:39:04 -0500 | From: “Karen S. Bush” <Birdsong@>
well, I’m STILL on the ‘limbo’ trail of puter world. I still haven’t got this computer running right and have been without e-mail for 9 days, then finally got at least Outlook Express to work. I just haven’t got the hang of it yet.
Thought I’d drop in and say ‘hi’ while it’s working and sorry I haven’t been participating lately. HOPEFULLY, dh will download a Netscape browser that works, and I’ll be back on track. Hope everyone is doing ok. I’m busy making small ‘comfort’ quilts for Littleton. My neice and nephew live there, BUT, they didn’t go to that school. I didn’t find THAT out until about an hour into the newscast. It was QUITE a day, I can tell ya. Well, I’ll be back sometime. I can at least get e-mails now! Whew! 😮 kb Karen Bush “Quilt As Desired” http://www.idahoquilt.com “THE” Text on Hand quilting
Date: Thu, 22 Apr 1999 19:10:35 -0400 | From: Lonnie Foley <redloon@>
Apparently the Book: Mennonite Quilts & Pieces has been updated as I found this on the net and with a publishing date as of June of 1999.
Author: Tomlonson, Judy S.
Publishing Date: 06/1998 | Publisher: Good Books Binding: Trade Paper | ISBN: 093467227X US$ 19.95 US$ 19.95 Lonnie Foley
Date: Thu, 22 Apr 1999 20:46:55 -0400 | From: Barb Garrett <bgarrett@>
I can’t get out to Intercourse until at least the middle of next week, but if I can I will visit the store at the Quilt Museum and see if I can get information about ordering the book. I also don’t mind picking up books and sending them to people. They sometimes have “damaged” books at 35% off, and many times the damage is less than what happens to a book after 2 or 3 good reads. When I was at the exhibit on Good Friday they told me a book was coming out sometime in June which included the exhibit quilts. Nobody knew anything then, but maybe by now they do. Will try to learn information about ordering that book also. Another very good book specifically about PA German quilts — with many wonderful pictures of the local quilts — is Lest I Be Forgotten by Nancy and Donald Roan. It is a result of the Goshenhoppen Quilt Documentation — a geographic area northeast of Lancaster County. PA German quilts refers to quilts made by Mennonite, Brethren, Lutheran and Reformed women. Kris carries this book — I know because I introduced her to it — and yes my name is in it but only because I helped with the documentation and exhibit. All proceeds benefit Goshenhoppen Historians, of which I am a member, so I guess that’s my disclaimer. Barb in Southeastern PA
Date: Thu, 22 Apr 1999 21:58:11 -0400 | From: paul hahn <phahn@> To: “QHL@” <QHL@>
Thank you Barb for such wonderful info on Lancaster. And people at work wonder whatever I could possibly gain or enjoy from my special “on-line” friends I spend time with each evening, at home, on the computer. I know your explanation of the quilt related joys of the Lancaster area were enjoyed by many. Lancaster is but 2 hours from my home, but my family has kept a trailer in one of the Lanc. Co. campgrounds for the past 20 years, and we spend as much time there April through Oct as we possibly can. The Heritage Center Museum of Lancaster County, 13 W. King Street, Penn Square, Lancaster, PA 17603, (717)-299-6440 is one of the BEST of the historical centers/museums I have ever visited. Their gift shop is incredible. Their special exhibits are exceptional. They usually publish a terrific book or catalogue with each exhibit. Visist it if you can.
Sadly, what Barb says is true about the rural landscape of Lanc. changing. But it isn’t necessarily the Amish or Mennonite farmers who are causing the change. Often, us outsiders, who want a piece of the beauty or serenity, come in to enjoy it and decide to move in , but then with the increased population base come more stores, places to work, more highways, housing developments, etc. The small family farmers are not able to sustain their families on their small farms which are divided up with each generation as they pass portions to their sons. Tourist attractions with neon signs for the busloads of visitors often buy up farmland, which is why the tourists came in the first place. Even Lanc., with its derth of Mom and Pop businesses is losing the war against Wal-mart as another is being constructed as we speak. I better get off my soapbox….other books with wonderful resources for Pennsylvania and/or PA German quilts include the Oral Traditions series by Jeanett Lansansky (Pieced by Mother, On the Cutting Edge, In the Heart of Pennsylvania and Bits and Pieces) and also Lest I Shall be Forgotten by Nancy and Donald Roan, on the Goschenhoppen folk region of Southeastern Pa. “A Quiet Spirit” is a wonderful book on a collection of Amish quilts with a very scholarly, insightful text, by Trish Herr, Jonathan Holstein and Donald Kraybill, that I refer to often.
Good night, Nancy Hahn, Bowie Maryland
Date: Fri, 23 Apr 1999 07:01:58 EDT | From: QuiltFixer@
In a message dated 4/23/99 12:56:43 AM Pacific Daylight Time, lwoodard@ writes:
<< You’ve probably had thirty responses by now but just in case: >> Thanks for taking the time to send me this information, it is very valuable to me and you saved me a great deal of time! When I called AQSG office, I was told that an index of the articles (any articles) was a year away. I can now go forward and order these volumes. You are the only person who had the exact information, but many people came forward to tell me how I could get it. As usual, our members are just wonderful and so helpful. I really am enjoying my research, my program, and my class of Redwork. Thank you again and I hope someday to be a help to you.
Toni Baumgard
QuiltFixer@
RedworkLdy@
Date: Fri, 23 Apr 1999 10:16:52 +0200 | From: jean.baumgarten@
Hi ,I have been lurking on this list for a long time now and love it !!!!! I live near Paris , and I have been quilting for 20yrs . This soap sounds a lot like what we ,here in France, call savon de Marseilles . We used to use it a lot ,a little less now but it can still be found everywhere in shops .It is very good for stains .You wet the soap a little, rub it on the stain and put the fabric item in the laundry with all the rest and you generally get the stain off .Lots of people buy the more refinned one to wash themselves too .There is still one big factory in Marseilles that makes it .My sister in law lives there and sends me some perfumed with almond extract very typical of the area too . Happy Quilting, Daniele in Paris
Date: Fri, 23 Apr 1999 20:30:59 EDT | From: QuiltFixer@
What can anyone tell me about the history of the “whisker protectors” sewn on to the top edge of quilts to protect them? I have an embroidered Blue work that dates to around the last of the 1800s and when it was given to me, I was told it was a “whisker protector.” Recently someone in the audience came up to me after my program and said she did not believe that it was, but rather a long shelf cover. I have seen patterns of these protectors advertised in catalogs around the 1920s but they are somewhat different in that they attach to the sheet and fold around the top of the quilt. Also a lady brought some “protectors” that were in her family and showed them to me. They were pieces that tacked onto the quilt and were done in colored cotton thread, probably around the late 1920s. Any one have any info on these interesting quilt related things? Toni B.
QuiltFixer@
RedworkLdy@
Date: Fri, 23 Apr 1999 20:14:41 -0700 | From: “Catherine Kypta” <vger@> To: <QHL@>
charset=”iso-8859-1″
Hello Toni (who is now our neighbor in California), I have 4 quilts with whisker cloths attached to the quilts, two are plain muslin, and they are hand sewn to the tops of the quilts, then when you got in bed you folded them down so that you’re hands and whiskery faces rested on the cloth and not the quilt, then periodically they were removed and washed. There are two depression era quilts with embroidered cloths, only about 18 inches wide on them, but the older quilts, 1880’s have really deep ones, about 36″ deep. As far as a separate unattached piece with embroidery, it could be a pillow cover. I have several of these as well that were used with coverlets, usually matching and used in the summer months. After you made the bed, you just laid the pillow cover across the pillows. I also have a crocheted double coverlet which has a separate pillow cover like this. That’s about it on the whisker cloths for me!
Catherine in Sacramento
Date: Sat, 24 Apr 1999 06:34:17 EDT | From: Baglady111@
In a message dated 4/23/99 12:00:10 PM Eastern Daylight Time, Raandmt writes:
<<
Hi, I just found several pieces of what I was told was 1940 fabric. I would be interested in selling some of them. Where would I get more info and how do I find out if they are from that period? They were my 90 year old grandmothers. They are 3 different prints about 1.5 yards long each and 30 to 32 in wide. I have several of them.
Thanks Mary >>
I received this inquiry and want to refer her to LAURA HOBBY SYLER..but lost my address book in a crash..still rebuilding..can someone post her email address or Laura (#1) contact me? And thanx for the opportunity to be able to post this. Jane
Date: Sat, 24 Apr 1999 21:36:55 EDT | From: QuiltFixer@
Here is a new item I just acquired that might be of interest to the list. A beautiful coverlet done on muslin with red chenille. Done in an old Pa Dutch or colonial pattern. A separate sham. Very wide, I think made to go over a large bolster. This is a very nice piece, but I am having trouble dating it. It has some machine sewing down the sides of hem. Any one know any thing about chennile work? This may have been washed once, but appears to be unused. Maybe intended to quilt it and never done. Toni B. QuiltFixer@ RedworkLdy@
Date: Sat, 24 Apr 1999 22:55:10 EDT | From: Pennstudd@
To: QHL@
Hi all, Just was given a world war 2 era acetate quilt from my grandmother. It measures 78×78 and was made by here sister in law. The batting is thin and looks to be a flannel sheet. But the top and backing are off acetate. It is a dresdan plate with royal blue centers and alternating gold and orange appliqued on a white piece of acetate. She said that during the war, my Aunt Irene made quilts out of whatever material could be found and this had been in a rag bin at her job at a local defense plant so she liberated them. The quilt has been put away since that time and never saw a bed. I am tempted to either wash it or dry clean it any suggestions? Also has anyone used a frame designed by John Flynn? If so how did they work thinking about buying one Thanks Bill
Date: Sat, 24 Apr 1999 22:15:57 -0500 | From: Gail Hurn <hghurn@
Were the pillow covers ever called counterpanes? Somewhere I have gotten the idea that the separate piece that laid horizontally across the pillows was called a counterpane at one time. Does anyone else have information on this? Thanks. Gail, usually in San Antonio, TX, but now enjoying the Paducah quilt show –
Date: Sun, 25 Apr 1999 00:15:50 -0400 | From: “Judy Grow” <Judygrow@
Jane, If you buy Eileen Trestain’s wonderful book, “Dating Fabrics, a Color Guide 1800 – 1960″ you’ll never have to ask for anyone else’s help to date a fabric for you again.
Indeed, I have 2 copies. One I keep at home, the other I keep in the car.
Hickory Hill sells them.
Judy in Ringoes, NJ judygrow@ Laura Hobby Syler
Texasquilt.co@ Hi, I just found several pieces of what I was told was 1940 fabric. I would be interested in selling some of them. Where would I get more info and how do I find out if they are from that period? They were my 90 year old grandmothers. They are 3 different prints about 1.5 yards long each and 30 to 32 in wide. I have several of them. Thanks Mary I received this inquiry and want to refer her to LAURA HOBBY SYLER..but lost my address book in a crash..still rebuilding..can someone post her email address or Laura (#1) contact me? And thanx for the opportunity to be able to post this. Jane
Date: Sun, 25 Apr 1999 10:04:53 +0100 | From: “Sally Ward” <sward@
Here in the UK my rather snobbish paternal grandmother (born before the turn of the century) used the already out of date word counterpane meaning something which covered the whole bed, probably a single layer of cloth, but could mean a thin quilt, an eiderdown (comforter in the US), sheer lace cover…anything really which covered the ‘business’ part of the bed, sheets, blankets etc. and ‘prettied them up’ So I looked in my Oxford English Dictionary and found Counterpane ‘outer covering of bed, coverlet,quilt (in obsolete sense a ‘cloth’) from old French ‘contrepointe’ and/or latin ‘culcita puncta’ – quilted mattress’. It also refer to ‘pane’ being an obsolete word for cloth – certainly there is an old french word panne meaning a soft, long- napped cloth and now associated with panne velvet. So I looked up ‘contre-point’ in my 1922 French Larousse Dictionary and found (with my shaky translation) that it could mean either ‘to prick’ or ‘ to quilt’ a fabric or material on both sides (?) I wonder if that means a quilted piece, or something like chenille which was cut in some way. Contre-point also seems to be a description of either part of a blade or a movement in classical fencing, so I suppose the cutting connection is there again.
(What a lovely way to spend Sunday morning, head in dictionaries. Much better than doing the ironing)
Sally
Date: Sun, 25 Apr 1999 07:42:42 EDT | From: JQuilt@
The word counterpane brought back a wonderful childhood memory of a poem out of Robert Louis Stevenson’s book a Child’s Garden of Verses….all I remember is that it was about a little boy in bed playing with toy soldiers on his counterpane…
does anyone have a copy of that poem?
jean jquilt@
Date: Sun, 25 Apr 1999 08:26:05 EDT | From: QuiltFixer@
Dear Jean, was catching up on my long overdue reading of my E-mail and found that your reference to The Rose Wilder Lane book was just the thing for me to learn more about Chenille. Fortunately, I recently added the book to my reference library, but had not thought to look there for the information. Sometimes I have a hard time getting from point a to point b. 🙂 In any event it has a good description on how to do chenille (also known as Candlewicking) and while it did not tell exactly what the age of my coverlet is, is narrowed it down. Most likely, it was done in early 1900s.
Thanks for your contribution to all of our ongoing education and research. Toni B.
QuiltFixer@
RedworkLdy@
Date: Sun, 25 Apr 1999 08:37:55 EDT | From: Kittencat3@
Aline, please send me your mailing address again. My mail files went down.
🙁 Thanks in advance – Lisa Evans
Date: Sun, 25 Apr 1999 11:52:43 EDT | From: SadieRose@
Here is the poem that Jean was requesting:
When I was sick and lay a-bed, I had two pillows at my head, And all my toys beside me lay To keep me happy all the day.
And sometimes for an hour or so I watched my leaden soldiers go, With different uniforms and drills, Among the bed-clothes, through the hills.
And sometimes send my ships in fleets All up and down among the sheets;
Or brought my trees and houses out, And planted cities all about.
I was the giant great and still That sets upon the pillow-hill And sees before him, dale and plain, The pleasant land of counterpane.
Robert Louis Stevenson I have a Mary Engelbreit greeting card (dated 1982) of two little boys, in bed propped up against the pillows, with the older boy holding a Fairy Tales book, and a charming crazy patched quilt spread out in front of them. This is the perfect illustration (IMHO) for RLS’s poem! During the 1980’s, our local historical museum sponsored an annual quilt show called “Counterpane Crafts”…I was on the board for most of the shows. That was before they tore down some of the buildings we used, and also before we had a local quilt guild. Brings back some fond memories!!
Karan from sunny Iowa
Date: Sun, 25 Apr 1999 21:29:30 -0400 | From: Barb Garrett <bgarrett@
Gail asked about the name for the separate piece of fabric laid horizontally across the pillows. We call it a pillow sham or a bolster cover in southeastern PA.
Barb in southeastern PA <bgarrett@
Date: Sun, 25 Apr 1999 19:35:41 -0700 | From: Marilyn Maddalena <marilyn@
I guess I’ve missed something here. I thought chenille was the roughed-up part of a bedspread or robe — now some quilters and wearable artists are making their own chenille and it’s lovely! — and candlewicking was dots, rather like French knots, in a pattern. I am certainly no expert on these, but I remember having a pink and white chenille bedspread that also had dots as part of the pattern. I just didn’t realize chenille and candlewicking were the same. I guess I need to buy another book and learn more about these. Thanks for the info. Marilyn in Sacramento Marilyn Maddalena
Date: Sun, 25 Apr 1999 20:09:20 -0400 | From: “Joan Brown” <jfbrown@
Hi Bill, I have a John Flynn Frame. I have had it for a while now and have not tried it. I made the railings and have it ready, I just have not had anything to quilt on it. I did see several demonstrations since I bought it, and in Lancaster I got to talk to John about the design some. I also saw him demonstrate some free motion designs that were like leaves, hearts, etc. So you can do more than just stipple. With lots of practice, of course, LOL. I am busily fininshing a piece that will be perfect quilted on that frame and am anxious to use it now.
Joan
