April 26 – 30, 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:
- Anabaptist Quilt Traditions — Barb Garrett and Xenia Cord provide detailed history of Mennonite and Amish quilting traditions, tracing roots from the 1520s Anabaptist movement through regional variations.
- Paducah Quilt Show — Members share news from the Paducah show and Judy Grow asks for reports and impressions from attendees.
- Scherenschnitte and Papercut Appliqué — A question about scheeren (paper-cutting) technique leads to discussion of its use in quilt appliqué, with references to Elly Sienkiewicz’s Baltimore Album books.
- Antique Shows and Textile Events — Members share information on the Brimfield and Sturbridge antique shows and vintage textile sales as venues for finding historical quilts and fabrics.
- Research Resources for Quilt Historians — A member’s frustration with limited library resources sparks tips on finding quilt history materials and discussion of quilt guilds as research networks.
- Hussif Sewing Kits — Joan Brown asks about the history of small portable sewing kits called hussifs or housewives, primarily made for men’s use in the 1800s.
Date: Mon, 26 Apr 1999 00:13:52 EDT | From: JQuilt@
Nothing recalls childhood memories for me like the poems from A Child’s Garden of Verses…I still think of the poem about…”Going to bed by day”..every time I set the clocks ahead for Daylight Saving Time…
Thanks everyone for sharing..
jean
Date: Mon, 26 Apr 1999 07:16:56 -0500 | From: Laura Hobby Syler <texas_quilt.co@>
Hi Barb & Gail, I agree, here in N. Texas they were/are called Shams….Bolsters is the term my GM used to refer to the items usually found at the end of the sofa. Laura At 09:29 PM 4/25/99 -0400, Barb Garrett wrote: 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.
Date: Mon, 26 Apr 1999 11:28:42 +0100 | From: “Sally Ward” <sward@
As ever, I have only to open my mouth to be proved wrong I said my gm was old-fashioned to use the word ‘counterpane’ and it is no longer in common use. Today I read an article in The Independent (broadsheet daily) on the the latest ridiculous Tom Cruise/Nicole Kidman publicity (Are we Doing It Right?)……
‘how many of us have not woken at 3 a.m. and lay fiddling with the ticking on the counterpane beside our sleeping spouses as we wonder if we’ve been Doing It All Wrong?’
Of course, what he (the writer) thinks he means by ‘the ticking on the counterpane’ is a whole other question!
Sally
Date: Mon, 26 Apr 1999 08:49:06 -0700 | From: Julie Silber <quiltcomplex@
Hi All, The references to Robert Louis Stevenson and the Counterpane Quilt Poem remind me that I have just received a notice for what sounds like a great book on the subject of kids book and quilts. I think it’s called “STITCH ME A STORY ” — it’s a Guide to kid’s books with quilting themes from the last century to the present assembled by Celia LoPinto in San Francisco.
It describes well over 100 books! Sounds great. I have the info here somewhere — no, I’m sure I can find it, I plan to order… e-mail for details.
Julie Silber
Date: Mon, 26 Apr 1999 12:48:06 -0400 | From: Barb Garrett <bgarrett@
Hi Laura and others – Here in Pennsylvania German land bolster refers to the very long pillow found at the top of a bed. It is twice as long as a regular pillow, often rather fat, and takes the place of 2 pillows on a typical double bed. In the 1800s PA German women made pieced and appliqued pillow cases and very long bolster covers (just lays on top) and bolster cases (put the bolster in) to match their quilts. This 1800s definition is all I have known about, but I will ask some of the older ladies I work with about their 20th century knowledge of bolsters.
Barb in southeastern PA <bgarrett@
Date: Mon, 26 Apr 1999 13:50:45 -0400 (EDT) | From: quiltsnbears@ (Roberta Geanangel)
Chenille is French for caterpillar and was developed from candlewicking. The tufts of chenille are placed in long continous lines rather than arranged on a ground at intervals. Originally chenille was created in silk. Today Chenille yarns are made in a Leno Weave (another story) of cotton,silk,wool or man made fiber that is cut lengthwise between warps which produces strips of pile.Chenille is classified as a cut pile textile today while candlewicking consists of French knots done by hand. Some of us still do candlewicking,even going so far as to use candlewicking as thread instead of Perle cotton.
Roberta
Date: Mon, 26 Apr 1999 16:50:54 PDT | From: “Ann-Louise Beaumont” <albeaumont@
By coincidence, today a friend of mine was showing me some things she brought back from her family’s home in West Virginia and asked me what I would call her white woven bedspread, because her mother called it a counterpane. Also the antique stores in that area of West Virginia were selling some and called them counterpanes also. There was a central oval , polka dots in the border and other things I don’t recall at the moment woven into the design. I come from southern Ontario and would have called it a bedspread, not knowing any technical words for it, but I too have one from my family. Best wishes, Ann-Louise
Date: Mon, 26 Apr 1999 21:55:41 -0500 | From: “Kirk Collection” <kirkcoll3@>>
Just a fast note to let everyone know I made it home safely from Paducah.
Stopped in St. Louis and called Joan Stevens for dinner — ended up spending the night in her great guest room surrounded by quilts. More on Paducah later. Saw Kris and John and many more members of the list.
Felt like a reunion.
Nancy Kirk
www.kirkcollection.com
Date: Mon, 26 Apr 1999 20:37:07 -0700 | From: “Catherine Kypta” <vger@>
Hello all, thought I would ask you folks if you know of someone (there’s probably someone on this list!) who does hand quilting for other folks, preferrably located in Southerin California, Huntington Beach or those parts, or if you don’t, does anyone know the name of the local quilt guild.
Is there a big list somewhere, by state of quilt quilds? I appreciate all your help, you can e-mail privately! Thanks in advance!
Date: Tue, 27 Apr 1999 19:37:27 -0700 | From: Marilyn Maddalena <marilyn@>
To: QHL@
How I loved your phrase, “people with a reverence for a gentle tradition….” That was a “warm fuzzy” for me. Isn’t that really, in a nutshell, what makes quilters so marvelous? I’ve worked with lots of different groups of people and have never worked with a group as wonderful as quilters. They truly are the “salt of the earth.” MM Marilyn Maddalena “Sew Special”
Quilt Appraiser — Quilt Judge “Potatoes to Patchwork” — a trunk show on antique quilts Publications Chair, NQA, <italic>The Quilting Quarterly </italic>Secretary, CHQP
Date: Mon, 26 Apr 1999 22:34:39 -0500 | From: Laura Hobby Syler <texas_quilt.co@>
Hope this thread isn’t long gone, just catching up on my Email while gone to Paducah. I have 2 Bow Tie quilts and both have borders. One is from Circa 1900 and the other is Circa 1930……I think it is one of those things about how many blocks do I have made and will it fit the bed kinda things…of course the beds at the turn of the Century (the old one<G>) were larger than those in the 20’s & 30’s. Back to clearing off more of the 150 messages that came while I was gone…..I gotta remember to unsub to the list when I travel!!! Laura In now calm but steamy N. Texas At 09:54 AM 4/21/99 EDT, Jilly31@ wrote:
>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: Mon, 26 Apr 1999 22:24:55 EDT | From: JQuilt@
Cinda in Easton gave me a wonderful idea…she owns an copy of RLS’s A Child’s Garden of Verses…and she made me realize that’s just what I need…..I’m going to buy an edition of the Child’s Garden of Verses and keep it next to my bed….besides being filled with beautiful little poems….it will be an oasis in this world that is getting beyond any reasonable comprehension, for me…
I think one of the things that keeps me sane and sensitive… is QHL…listening to people with a reverence for a gentle tradition….
Jean jquilt@
Date: Mon, 26 Apr 1999 23:55:31 -0400 | From: “Judy Grow” <Judygrow@>
Things were pretty quiet here on QHL, while some of you caroused in Kentucky!
Now that you are back, and I can see a bit more life in the list, how about some comments on the quilt show from those of you who went?
Judy in Ringoes, NJ judygrow@
Date: Mon, 26 Apr 1999 20:15:14 -0400 | From: “Joan Brown” <jfbrown@>
Hello, I have not read this list for a long while. When I read the list before, I remember someone saying they took a seminar in VA. on making small sewing kits called “housewife” or “hussif” I am unsure of the spelling. These were evidentally primarily for men’s use in the middle and late 1800’s. I would like to learn more about these little kits and how to make them. Are there any specific books that would be helpful in the study of these little kits? Thanks, Joan jbsews Someone on this list mentioned taking a workshop on making a
>traditional sewing kit called “housewife” at a seminar in VA. Please contact me at jfbrown@ . I am renewing my interested in American history from 1820-1840 and would like to know more about these take along sewing kits. Thanks so much,
>Joan
Date: Tue, 27 Apr 1999 16:13:02 PDT | From: “Ann-Louise Beaumont” <albeaumont@>
Please accept my sincere apologies for sending back an entire QHL digest when I replied to the counterpane discussion. This was the Date: Wed, 28 Apr 1999 22:04:15 EDT
From: Xroadclown@
I have a friend that is a mennonite, and her quilts resemble those made by “english” the difference is that they don’t quilt to do it, they do it for reasons. Her mother made her 7 quilts for her wedding, and that was it. they use those quilts daily. She in turn in making quilts for her daughters, when they marry. (she has five, the oldest is 10) She does quilting for me, and charges .50 a yard. the work is outstanding!
Melanie in upstate NY. near Penn Yan,
Date: Wed, 28 Apr 1999 07:58:40 EDT | From: QuiltFixer@
To all my QHL friends, I am going to be in the Pacific Northwest for about a month, leaving Friday. I will be checking my e-mail as frequently as I can, but if you e-mail me, be patient. Going to guilds in Olympia, WA and Sequim, WA. Will also be at Grandma’s Attic Quilt Shop in Dallas, OR and at Quilt Market in Portland. Anyone going to be in the vicinity of these, let me know. Toni B.
QuiltFixer@
Date: Wed, 28 Apr 1999 08:48:36 EDT | From: Baglady111@
In a message dated 4/28/99 8:46:45 AM Eastern Daylight Time, Baglady111 writes:
<<
in reply to TONI being in Or..I also know she will be in Long Island, NY on the 18th of Oct..if your guild is looking for a program..GRAB HER..check out her web site…she will be here so you have a chance to have a fantastic REDWORK program and NO AIRFARE..I just checked on airfare from Pittsburgh, Pa to Portland, Or..$578.00 ooouiiiieeee!!! what a savings if you can invite her in…. >>
Date: Wed, 28 Apr 1999 06:58:24 -0700 | From: Diane Lockwood <dcl924@>
>I’m going to buy an edition of the Child’s Garden of Verses and keep it next to my bed….besides being filled with beautiful little poems….it will be an oasis in this world that is getting beyond any reasonable comprehension, for me…
Jean, That’s a wonderful idea. I was given the Child’s Garden of Verses when I was 7. I’ve always kept it. When we were clearing out my ILs’ home, we found my husband’s copy. Small world, indeed.
Diane Pollock Pines, Calif
Date: Wed, 28 Apr 1999 12:43:49 -0700 | From: Kathy Tavares <kmtavare@>
I hate to appear to be a real dummy, but is this the appropriate place to ask for a definition of the “Amish look” and the “Mennonite look”? I would like to know what to look for so I can distinguish these quilts.
Kathy Tavares
Date: Wed, 28 Apr 1999 17:19:46 +0400 | From: Xenia Cord <xecord@>
To Kathy and other QHLers – like other distinguishable groups, the Amish and Mennonites have their own quilt traditions. I am more confident about discussing Amish quilts, because I am friends with many of the Amish women in my area. Generally, Amish quilts are distinguished by plain colors, no prints, and often by the combination of colors informed by a different color sense than the “English.” Black, purple, and green, and brown together, for instance, might not be our choice, but this may be seen in an Amish quilt. Because the quilts are/were made from the same fabrics used and acceptable in clothing, dark colors with a lot of blue. gray, and black are common. However, men’s shirts and the dresses of younger girls are sometimes in pastels – light pink, lavender, light green, light blue. We tend to think of the best Amish quilts as being dark, but in fact Amish quilters turned to pastel quilts in the 1940s and after, a little later than we did. More recently, since Amish home sewing was done in double knits and blends for practical reasons, these fabrics are also found in their quilts. (If you are collecting, you need representation in these fabrics as well.) Color and design acceptability vary from community to community; we outside traditionally identify Amish quilts by the wool center diamond pattern with fiddlehead fern quilting in black, but in fact that has a clear and limited regional distribution. Midwestern quilts usually show repeated blocks, with single, double, and triple borders, outline quilting, and multiple-braid borders. Some communities will not allow the use of red. Despite some “official” pronouncements to the contrary, Amish women DO make embroidered quilts, especially when making quilts for someone leaving the home community to live elsewhere with a spouse. These are often album types, with names and even addresses embroidered, and religious messages.
There are a number of good books on Amish quilts, and they probably should be read all together, with a grain of salt (read my words that way as well!). There are books on regional Amish variations as well as on the quilts and culture of the Amish as a whole.
Anyone want to speak on Mennonite quilts?
Xenia
Date: Wed, 28 Apr 1999 20:12:38 EDT | From: EllynLK@
I am my mother�s daughter. I hold on to things forever. �You never know,� I hear her saying, �when you might need something.� I am also a burgeoning fabricaholic.
These are really bad habits for a dweller of a small apartment. HOW SMALL, you ask? Well, a few years ago, a friend gave me a nice tea set for Christmas– two mugs, honey, tea bags and tea cakes. I was frantic, wondering WHERE I would put two mugs! We�re talking SMALL. 500 square feet would feel like a warehouse compared to this place! I�m starting on spring cleaning but it feels like a �purge� year… I want to feel uncluttered. It�s an impossibility but you can�t fault me for optimism! It�s also nice to know that it is entirely possible to make quilts in a place that�s likely smaller than Oprah�s closet. Anyway, I want to throw away some stuff I can�t bear to toss in the garbage because �you never know.� I have a bag sitting here for the first taker, maybe two pounds, of small assorted fabric scraps (nothing smaller than an inch), aborted blocks, and yardage. Mostly cotton but there is some cotton poly in there. There are some scraps from the �30�s, a 1930�s wedding ring piece, scraps from the �70�s but mostly new stuff, including Christmas fabric. There are a lot of cut diamonds I never used on a tumbling blocks quilt I made, white ground with navy blue dots a la dotted swiss. It�s stuff I keep on keeping because I can�t throw it away. It�s too good to dump. But why am I keeping it? It�s a sickness, it�s a sickness, it�s a sickness… 🙂 Why can�t I bear to throw out what I will never use??? WHY DO I HOLD ON TO THIS STUFF??????????? As you can see, I�m reaching out for help and aid in my desperate hours. I need every inch I can get around here. And if you throw it away, I won’t feel guilty and you won’t because you will have done me a favor!
If YOU would like to volunteer to adopt a bag of my shame and pain please e-me. First come, first serve and I will forever be grateful. The Good Fairy of Square Footage will also smile upon you and your (I hate you) SEWING ROOMS forever. <<gg>>
Lauri Klobas
Date: Wed, 28 Apr 1999 18:20:33 -0700 | From: “R & L Carroll” <Robert.J.Carroll@>
Hello!
A question for those of you who have studied Mennonite quilts.
I have a couple of books on Mennonite quilts. From the information in these books it doesn’t seem there is much difference in the quilts that they were making and what the rest of the world was making. All of the usual patterns are represented and the fabrics seem to be what everyone would be using at the time.
The only difference I have noticed is that they made certain styles of quilts later than the quilting world in general. Some about 20 years later.
Are there certain areas that had distinct styles that would be different from the general population? What were the differences?
Thanks, Laurette in So. California Catherine Kypta Sacramento
Date: Wed, 28 Apr 1999 22:22:45 -0400 | From: Barb Garrett <bgarrett@>
A bit of history for those not familiar with these groups — The Anabaptist movement began in the 1520s and the members were referred to as Brethren. Since they practiced believer baptism instead of infant baptism they were viewed with suspicion and were persecuted for their fundamentalist beliefs. In 1536 the Mennonites became an off-shoot, and in 1694 the Amish became an off-shoot of the Mennonites. Today there are three Anabaptist faiths in the US — Brethren, Mennonite and Amish. While all Amish church districts are conservative — some more so than others — Mennonite and Brethren churches run the full range of being more conservative than some Amish churches to having dropped conservative styles of transportation and dress completely, and every degree of conservatism in between. Being of German heritage, when these people came to the US beginning in 1683 — into Germantown, which is now a section of Philadelphia — they brought with them a weaving tradition, not a quilting tradition. Their bedding included fancy woven coverlets. They also brought with them a tradition of decorating and embellishing their household linens and furnishings. I mention this because it leads into the exquisite workmanship found on quilts made by these groups. While they learned quilting from their English neighbors in the 1800s, their workmanship and skill had been evident in the fine embroidery they did on linen and wool in the 1700s. It was a basic German philosophy to do the best work that you could.
The quilts I am most familiar with are the ones found in PA. Both groups started making quilts about the time of the Civil War, the Mennonites a bit earlier. The “Hay Day” of their beautiful quilts was from about 1870 to 1900. These are the ones with the most eye catching looks, and are the most easily identified.
Amish quilts of Lancaster County were made of wool, machine pieced and usually hand quilted (yes, I have seen machine quilted ones), contained large pieces, had wide machine attached bindings, and were made of solid colors with print or apron gingham backs. Mennonite and other Pennsylvania German quilts were made of the small print cotton calicos available cheaply and in abundance, cut into the same patterns their neighbors were using, except they developed a unique color palette which is what makes PA German quilts identifiable. Their quilting theory seems to have been — use at least 3 colors, preferably 4, 5 or more. Never use solid white, but green, red, and cheddar solids were ok. Shirting as the background for applique was appropriate. Never put muslin on the back of a quilt — a print calico — brown, gray, or maybe strippy style made of several prints. They appear from observation of documentable family quilts to have been partial to sashing with cornerstones for setting their blocks. They did not use this method exclusively, however. Preferred colors of calico were pink, blue, green, red, yellow, and rust. Their bindings were always straight of grain, thin and not mitered.
While the Amish quilting style was a result of restrictions placed on their work by their religion, the Mennonite style was a result of their German heritage and was not connected to nor governed by their religion.
While only the Amish made the distinctive Amish style quilts, the Pennsylvania German quilting style is found in quilts made by Brethren and Reformed quilters as well as the Mennonites. This is because it was not a style defined by a particular religion but rather by cultural heritage. In the documentation projects I have worked on in our various counties, most of the quilts with the distinctive “look” have had Mennonite or Brethren provenance. The Reformed and Lutheran quilters tended to lean more toward their English neighbors’ quilting style and did not use the bright color combinations as consistently.
These distinctive quilting styles were a regional thing and during a specific time period.. Mennonite quilts of the midwest in the late 1800s did not have a special “look” to my knowledge. By the 20th century the PA German look had disappeared and Mennonite quilts of the 20s and 30s look just like everyone else’s quilts. The Amish continued their style of quilting into the 1940s. Today they all use all kinds of fabrics and patterns. The Amish ladies I have talked to prefer poly cotton blends — brighter colors, looks crisper, washes better, lasts longer were the reasons I was given. Both groups currently use lots and lots of that polyester double knit stuff from the 70s to make quick comforters, sometimes for their own use and for disaster relief. Again, it is low maintenance, wears like iron, and is just the right weight without any batting for many parts of the world. They are baled and shipped en masse by Mennonite Central Committee — a countrywide disaster relief organization (they hold quilt auctions in different parts of the country throughout the year).
It’s late so I will end. Any questions, please ask.
Barb in southeastern PA <bgarrett@>
Date: Wed, 28 Apr 1999 22:19:04 EDT | From: DDBSTUFF@
In a message dated 4/28/99 9:49:14 PM Eastern Daylight Time, QHL-Digest-request@ writes:
<< <kmtavare@> >>I don’t mean to sound like a smart ‘(%$#@ but have you tried looking at any books on Amish Quilts or Mennonite Quilts. Hey, some even have pictures. Try Eve Grannicks Book on Amish Quilts. Some of mine are in there and its one of the few, maybe the only one that had some serious research.
Check with your library.
Good Luck, Darwin Bearley in Akron, Ohio
Date: Wed, 28 Apr 1999 22:09:37 -0500 (CDT) | From: Marcia Kaylakie <marciak@>
Hi! Point of interest: can anyone direct me to reading about scheeren schnitte (OK, I spelled it all wrong!) quilts? I would like to do a little more reading in that area. P.S. Hi to everyone I got ot meet in Paducah!!
Thanks, Marcia
Date: Thu, 29 Apr 1999 09:15:58 EDT | From: Windquilt@
Hello all, I’m a new poster here and have a question for you. Does anyone have any information about a vintage textile show that is held in Sturbridge, Massachusetts during the week of the Brimfield Antiques Show? I had heard that the textile dealers hold their show indoors, maybe on the Monday of that week. Brimfield is 3 times a year – the first one is coming up soon in May, but the website does not say anything about textiles.
Any information/insight (do they show many quilts there?) you may be able to offer will be greatly appreciated. Thank you all very much.
Nancy Blake Duxbury, Massachusetts “Don’t just live the length of your life, live the width of it as well.” – D. Ackerman
Date: Thu, 29 Apr 1999 10:38:49 EDT | From: JQuilt@
the website for the Brimfield Antique Show is http://www.brimfieldshow.com/
jean
Date: Thu, 29 Apr 1999 10:40:21 EDT | From: JQuilt@
sorry I forgot to add the website for sturbridge is http://www.osv.org/
jean
Date: Thu, 29 Apr 1999 09:31:26 -0700 | From: “R & L Carroll” <Robert.J.Carroll@>
Hi Marcie and Everyone. On Papercut applique.
Elly Sienkiewicz covers this topic pretty well in her books on Baltimore Album Quilts, and one of them Papercuts and Plenty is all encompassing. There are also a couple of new books out right now on this subject. Laurette in So. California
Date: Thu, 29 Apr 1999 13:26:54 EDT | From: AlineMcK@
I’m finally back after a very hectic few weeks (applying for a promotion at work, and getting caught up in all the Littleton coverage). Again, many apologies to the folks whose books I haven’t sent out…they’re going out tomorrrow. Also, there’s a stack of books on the Freedom Quilting Bee, part of the Southern civil-rights movement from the 1960s-70s. About seven copies, and I believe they were $5.98.
Date: Thu, 29 Apr 1999 11:00:57 -0700 | From: “R & L Carroll” <Robert.J.Carroll@>
Hello.
Thank you Barb for all the information on the Mennonite quilts! Very generous of you to be so thorough.
Laurette
Date: Fri, 30 Apr 1999 03:47:48 PDT | From: “Ann-Louise Beaumont” <albeaumont@>
To: QHL@
I have in front of me a brochure on “Brimfield Outdoor Antique Shows. The Official Guide for 1999.” On page 2 there is the advertisement for the Textile Sale:
ANTIQUE TEXTILE & VINTAGE FASHIONS EXTRAVAGANZA 1ST DAY BRIMFIELD WEEK-INDOORS 1999 MONDAYS MONDAY, MAY 10 125 booths MONDAY, JULY 5 90 booths MONDAY, SEPT 13 125 booths FABRICS-QUILTS-TRIMMINGS BUTTONS-LINENS-LACES OLD JEWELRY-EPHEMERA 11-5pm – $5 admission Early admission 9:30 a.m. – $20 HOST HOTEL – STURBRIDGE Route 20, Sturbridge, MA (Jct. Mass Pike 90 & I-84)
SHOW INFORMATION (207) 439-2334 SHOW ASSOCIATES (PSMA) Linda Zukas Hope this helps. My calendar is marked and I can’t wait.
Best Wishes, Ann-Louise _______________________________________________________________ Get Free Email and Do More On The Web. Visit http://www.msn.com
Date: Fri, 30 Apr 1999 12:42:29 +0100 | From: “Sally Ward” <sward@>
Can anyone add information on this query which was posted to the British Quilt List?
Please reply to me, I will forward.
Sally in UK <I saw a little advert in one of the recent magazines for a quilting conference at the Sheraton Waikiki in Hawaii at the end of June, called ‘Quilt Hawaii ’99’. I can’t find much about this on the web so perhaps it isn’t a very big show/event. Does anyone on the list know anything more about it? I’ve got the workshop list and it looks like fun. Expensive to get to, but one can dream…>
Date: Fri, 30 Apr 1999 05:30:22 PDT | From: “Ann-Louise Beaumont” <albeaumont@>
Hello again.
Because we are preparing to move, all my quilting books and magazines are packed and I don’t dare start opening boxes to find things. Since I don’t have access to my “Ontario Heritage Quilts” (title is approximate) by Marilyn Walker, or my copies of “The Canadian Quilter” put out by the Canadian Quilter’s Association/L’association canadienne de la courtepointe , or “Coverstories” by the Canadian Quilt Study Group, I can’t discuss Mennonite quilts in Canada intelligently or accurately. However, I would like to mention the Mennonite community in southern Ontario near Kitchener-Waterloo in Waterloo county. In Canada, their work is quite famous as are their relief sales. A few years ago I attended a show and sale of Mennonite relief quilts in Hudson, Quebec. These were all modern quilts. There is some big quilting event in the Waterloo area. I haven’t lived in Ontario for quite a while, and really don’t know what all goes on.
It would be very interesting to compare the quilts made in Canada with those made in the States. I don’t have a copy of Ruth McKendry’s out-of-print book on Canadian quilts: perhaps there is information there too.
Sorry to be so vague myself, but perhaps there is someone out there who can actually knows something about Canadian Mennonites and their quilts.
Best Wishes, Ann-Louise _______________________________________________________________ Get Free Email and Do More On The Web. Visit http://www.msn.com
Date: Fri, 30 Apr 1999 08:39:56 -0400 | From: “jawhite@” <jawhite@>
Hi Nancy. The vintage textile show isn’t in Old Sturbridge Village. It’s in the town of Sturbridge. It’s held inside the Sheraton (I think that’s a Sheraton). It’s held twice a year – on Labor Day and I can’t remember the other time – in the Spring I think. Actually, I just got a card in the mail about it a couple of weeks ago, but tossed it. I just felt that there wasn’t enough there in to make me want to go back. There was a lot of decorator fabric, a lot of old drapery fabric, a lot of vintage clothing if you are into that, a few quilts and some bedraggled blocks. It’s kind of hit and miss, I think. If you have never been and don’t have any other way to waste $5.00, then by all means go. This is not connected with Brimfield. It’s a private show and once you attend, you will be on their mailing list.
Judy White – CT
Date: Fri, 30 Apr 1999 08:00:17 -0700 | From: Kathy Tavares <kmtavare@>
I have been to the public library in my area. It is worse than useless.
They have 3 books on quilting, none of these are quilting history. I have recently gotten into the history of quilting and find it quite interesting.
I hope this answers your question.
Kathy << <kmtavare@> >>I don’t mean to sound like a smart ‘(%$#@ but have you tried looking at any books on Amish Quilts or Mennonite Quilts. Hey, some even have pictures. Try Eve Grannicks Book on Amish Quilts. Some of mine are in there and its one of the few, maybe the only one that had some serious research.
Check with your library.
Good Luck, Darwin Bearley in Akron, Ohio –
Date: Fri, 30 Apr 1999 12:50:38 -0400 | From: “jawhite@” <jawhite@>
I know what you mean Kathy about the library. Some libraries just don’t have any books on quilts or quilting. However, one of the guilds that meets in my little town contributes quilting books to the library on a regular basis; such as in honor of someone’s birthday, anniversary, National Quilt Day, etc. This is something that all quilt groups could do and then the local library could build up a good selection of quilting books. But quilt history is quite another story. In my library, there are almost no books dedicated to quilt history or needlework history. I think that’s because the average person (we quilters are not average) is just not interested in this subject.
Judy White – CT
