June 29 – July 16, 2001
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:
- Provenance Debates Over eBay Quilts — Members track a Mariner’s Compass quilt and a “Black Americana”/Farm Life quilt across repeated eBay listings, comparing notes on authenticity and prior sightings.
- Freezing and Microwaving Quilts for Insect Damage — A chigger infestation question turns into a detailed exchange on safe freezing and microwave protocols for ridding textiles of insects and larvae, with National Park Service conservation guidance cited.
- Dating the Double Wedding Ring Pattern — Drawing on Robert Bishop’s research and Barbara Brackman’s pattern encyclopedia, members work out when the Double Wedding Ring design actually became popular. (see the article on dating quilts)
- Compiling a Quilt and Needlework Magazine Timeline — A member starts building a reference list of quilt and needlework magazines and their first publication dates, asking the list to help fill gaps.
- Hex Signs and Pennsylvania Dutch Patterns — A question about Pennsylvania Dutch hex-sign quilt patterns is traced to the “Daddy Hex” design in the Mountain Mist pattern catalog.
Date: Fri, 29 Jun 2001 08:08:52 -0500 | From: Laura Hobby Syler <texas_quilt.co@>
Hi Hollis, I think you may be right, But I have a **9** pointed lone star quilt… We all know about ooching and scooching diamonds so that they will lay flat. I’ve seen too many 7-pointed stars come out of my beginners classes when they don’t follow directions <G> But this 9-pointed star lays perfectly flat. Need to find a compass and check the degrees…maybe that will shed some light… Laura Hobby Syler in steamy N. Texas Any theories there? Edwaquilt@ wrote: > > I believe the 7 point star may have some significant in the Cherokee Nation. > Seven tribes. I have a paper somewhere at home about this. > I also have a friend that cut out an 8 point star quilt some years ago and > started piecing and and had one diamond left. It fit perfectly. So sometime > I guess it is an accident. > But I’ll look up the Cherokee connections to the 7 point. > > Holice
Date: Sat, 30 Jun 2001 11:54:23 EDT | From: Palampore@
I just got a card notifying me that there is a new state book out. It is: MISSISSIPPI QUILTS by Mary Elizabeth Johnson and photos by J>D> Schwalm. You can order from Univer. Press of Miss. in Jackson, Miss. press@ or 1-800-737-7788 Should be a great book. Ms. Johnson wrote the text of the big quilt book several years ago with a man named—mmmmmmm- Roderick. (?) My book is at my studio and I am doing this at home. I have heard her lecture and she is very knowledgable. Off to the beach, Lynn Lancaster Gorges, New Bern, NC
Date: Sat, 30 Jun 2001 11:55:23 +0100 | From: “Audrey Cameron” <audreycameron@>
Hi Everyone, A couple of years ago I told the list about an article in History Today that told the story of the patchworks quilts made in Changi prison during WWII. The entire article (without pictures) is available from this site. It is a great site to find complete articles on many subjects & from many magazines. Try it. A patchwork of internment.(quilts made by British women prisoners of war)(includes bibliography) http://www.findarticles.com/m1373/n7_v47/19581006/p1/article.jhtml
Date: Sun, 1 Jul 2001 11:02:11 -0400 | From: “Dee Stark” <dee@>
Greetings, all! The annual Crazy Quilt Conference is coming up in a few weeks in Omaha, NE (July 19 – 25, including pre & post conference classes) and there is one post conference class I thought would of interest to many on this list. It’s a two day class (Monday July 23 and Tuesday 24) with Cindy Brick (certified appraiser and historian, who has alot of experience with crazy quilts) “The History of Crazy Quilts and Embellishments and How to Date and Restore Your Victorian Crazy”. The class description reads: We’ll explore the wealth of embellishment designs over the decades and try a number of vintage embellishing methods including painting on silk. Explore the history of various trends – the popularity of spiders, sunflowers and peacock feathers. Come ready to share your own crazy quilts and copy patterns from Cindy’s private collection. ON Day 2 learn to date pre-1950 crazies by examing fabrics, styles an colors, then learn several techniques for restoring vintage crazies and when you SHOULDN’T do anything at all. Bring crazy quitls for discussion. The cost for the two day intensive workshop is $175 for Crazy Quilt Society Members, $200 for non-members. It says you don’t have to attend the conference to register for the workshops. I’m looking forward to this year’s conference – I’m teaching two half day workshops – but I thought perhaps there would be some people here that would be interested in Cindy’s workshop. No other affiliation, yadda, yadda 🙂 Dee Stark http://www.nf2g.com/vh
Date: Fri, 29 Jun 2001 19:03:57 -0400 | From: “Alan Kelchner” <quiltfix@>
Came across a quilting reference in Stephen King’s “It” today, and I’m not certain what it is. It was called a “surprise-quilt”, and was described with cowboys, horses, etc. No indication if it was a store-bought piece or home-made, although the woman’s sewing machine (black cast iron) was described in the next sentence. The time setting is 1958, perfect timing in my opinion for the cowboys and horses theme. Any ideas? Alan picking up quilting references in *weird* places.
Date: Mon, 02 Jul 2001 12:56:52 +0100 | From: MARK POWER <mpower@>
Dear Quilters of the World, I’ve just joined the list and I’m a male quilter, is this unusual? I read recently about someone known as the Cowboy Quilter but I wouldn’t describe myself as anything nearly sew macho! I came to quilting by a somewhat circuitous route. One of my main interests is social history and folklore. I recently read Linda Pershing’s “Ribbon Around the Pentagon”, an anthropologists account of an anti-nuclear protest in 1985 when the said building, and others, were ‘wrapped’ in a huge series of quilts etc. made mainly by women concerned at the arms race. I can’t recommend it enough. Anyway, having read it I became interested in the history of quilts as a form of political expression and found a rich history dating back to the American Revolution, Civil War and the Great Depression. I was hooked. If there is anyone else interested in this aspect of quilting I’d love to hear from them. I started reading about Amish quilts next and loved the simple designs. My own efforts are very basic and I’ve given them to my children (I’ve got two and I’m a lone parent) and friends. I hope to start a bigger project during the course of the summer. As a matter of interest does anyone know of the existence of quilt patterns based on Dutch Pennsylvania country ‘hex’ designs which normally come in the form of mandalas? Thanks for reading. Best wishes, Mark
Date: Mon, 2 Jul 2001 20:54:42 EDT | From: JBQUILTOK@
>does anyone know of the existence of quilt >patterns based on Dutch Pennsylvania country ‘hex’ designs which >normally come in the form of mandalas? Mountain Mist printed patterns on their batting wrappers for 30 or 40 years. One of the patterns was hex designs. I got my mother-in-law’s collection of wrappers & the hex designs was one of them. Mountain Mist has a catalog of the patterns now available for purchase. I don’t know if this is one of them or not. Janet
Date: Mon, 02 Jul 2001 20:53:49 -0500 | From: Marcia Kaylakie <marciark@>
The pattern to which Janet is referring is called “Daddy Hex” #119 in the Mountain Mist Catalog of Classic Quilt Patterns, p. 66. It is not listed as retired so I can assume that it is still available from Mountain Mist . If you would like to contact them, their telephone is 513-948-5307. Marcia Kaylakie, Mountain Mist Collector in Texas
Date: Mon, 2 Jul 2001 22:56:32 -0400 | From: “Cinda Cawley” <lrcawley@>
“You can’t fool Mother Nature!” the Vermont Quilt Festival moved up the dates by three weeks hoping for tolerable temps, but when we were there on Sat. it was hot and muggy! In spite of the discomfort I had a splendid time. There were some great quilts in the contest. I think my favorite was “Miranda,” a beautifully machine quilted and thread painted figurative quilt based on The Tempest made by Christine Fries of Barre, VT. It is the antique exhibits that make the VQF my all-time favorite quilt show and this year was particularly wonderful. They showed quilts from the VT documentation project; you can see many of them in Plain and Fancy. There were two groups of quilts which had been made by different members of the same family. It was very interesting to observe how one family used the same pattern repeatedly. The real treat were the Amish quilts from the Esprit Collection, particularly since I was able to join the tour of the exhibit that Julie Silber did on Sat. p.m. In the middle of Julie’s talk there was a terrific thunderstorm that knocked out the lights. The exhibit then proved that it’s subtitle “Lit from Within” was absolutely accurate. It was probably pretty close to seeing the quilts at the light-level of the homes where they were made. Julie spoke about the five designs which characterize Lancaster County Amish quilts: Center Square, Diamond, Bars, Sunshine and Shadows and Double Nine-Patch. There were multiple of variations of each in the exhibit. All the quilts were pre-1940; most were wool. Sara Miller’s collection of Amish crib quilts was the icing on the cake. I never thought I’d ever see 30 small Amish quilts in one place. A few were the long narrow daybed or handyman’s size, but most were baby quilts. We stopped in Bennington on the way, visited Robert Frost’s grave (great cemetery at the Congregational Church) and the Grandma Moses collection at the Bennington Museum. Cinda back on the Eastern Shore where it is actually cool (doesn’t happen often in MD in July)
Date: Mon, 2 Jul 2001 23:29:28 EDT | From: Cml791@
Help! I’ve been trying to find a picture in my books of an applique quilt kit, Bucilla 8525. A friend purchased the kit but there was no complete picture of the block. She has appliqued the blocks but we really want to see how close she came to doing what was planned. The name of the pattern is “Colonial Bouquet.” Carolyn
Date: Mon, 2 Jul 2001 23:52:01 -0400 | From: “J. G. Row” <Judygrow@>
http://cgi.ebay.com/aw-cgi/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item1160248739 The picture blocks were either done with crayon or paint, but they seem too soft to have been painted. I wish the photos were better quality on this quilt. There are lots of photos but the quality is very poor. Still, it is an interesting quilt, and the drawings seem to be original. I’l love to have other opinions. Judy in Ringoes, NJ judygrow@
Date: Tue, 3 Jul 2001 08:28:06 -0700 (PDT) | From: Kris Driessen <krisdriessen@>
I received this note this morning – I can’t believe Quilt America doesn’t have a website! If anyone can help her, please respond to her at shohne@. Kris I am trying very hard to find the class schedule and other info on Quilt America. I tried the qcx.com/QuiltAmerica/class.htm and got nothing. Can you help me out with this.
Thank you Sara Hohne
email: shohne@
Date: Tue, 3 Jul 2001 11:00:14 -0700 (PDT) | From: Kris Driessen <krisdriessen@>
I happened to sign in to Ebay today, and there on the FIRST page was a link to this quilt: http://cgi.ebay.com/aw-cgi/eBayISAPI.dll?MfcISAPICommandViewItem&item1442400143 I know it’s incredibly expensive to advertise on the first page, so I promptly popped over to look at the quilt. At the risk of showing my ignorance, is the black print in one of the closeups an 1830 – 1850 print? I can agree with the rest – that quilt is in unbelievable fine condition! Any speculation on the reserve amount? Kris – PS – My birthday is coming up if y’all want to take up a collection….
Date: Tue, 03 Jul 2001 11:28:09 -0700 | From: “Julia D. Zgliniec” <rzglini1@>
Dear QHL, If I am not mistaken, wasn’t this quilt up for auction a while ago. I seem to remember one VERY much like it that generated some discussion. Julia
Date: Tue, 03 Jul 2001 13:40:49 -0600 | From: Xenia Cord <xecord@>
Quilt America does indeed have a website: www.quiltame@. The show is now owned by Rita Barber, Barber Diversified, who can be reached at: rbbarber@ The show will be July 12-14 at the Indiana Convention Center Hall F, downtown Indianapolis. Exhibits & merchant mall open 10-5 all 3 days. Several pre-convention events and early bird classes, Friday night charity auction raises $$ for free mammograms (the “Yes Mam!”® Mammogram Project). Don’t know the general admission cost but it has been about $7 in the past. Xenia (former owner of Quit America)
Date: Tue, 3 Jul 2001 13:38:57 -0700 | From: chrisa@
I remember a discussion about a quilt that looks like this one, or it may be this one, that is very much like the one on the cover of Quilts and Coverlets, from The American Museum in Britain, written by Shiela Betterton. We determined it was not the same one do to placement of the sawtooths and a different green fabric, and perhaps yellow fabric. It is curious though that yet another quilt so similar should show up now. Did anyone of you eBay-quilt-picture-savers save a picture of the other one discussed? (Is this, perhaps, a new form of Mystery Quilt?) Kimberly Wulfert in very hot and humid Ojai, CA
Date: Tue, 03 Jul 2001 16:51:26 -0400 | From: “Judy Kelius (judysue)” <
This is the same quilt that was on eBay some time back and generated a lot of discussion on QHL. It is almost identical to the one in the American Museum. When the seller had it on eBay before, it did not reach reserve even though the bidding got to nearly $15,000.
Date: Tue, 3 Jul 2001 15:12:45 -0700 (PDT) | From: Kris Driessen <
QHL – I wandered through gb-best’s feedback, which is pretty darn good, and I do have to wonder where on Earth the seller gets such great pieces. Great sources maybe, or selling a long time collection? I have the general impression that quilt prices have gone down, I don’t believe I would sell off my prizes now – if I had any. (How is the collection going, by the way?) I did find reference to the discussion at http://www.quilthistory.com/00280.htm There are pictures there of the quilt that was on Ebay then, and the American museum quilt. We came to the conclusion they were different quilts. The one on Ebay now is clearly the same on on Ebay then. It will be interesting to see what this one sells (or doesn’t sell) for. Kris
Date: Tue, 3 Jul 2001 20:23:24 -0400 | From: “Zendelle Bouchard” <zendelle@>
It cracks me up to see antique quilts listed on eBay as “smoke-free” or “from a smoke-free home”. Considering how popular smoking was in earlier times, it’s highly unlikely that no family members of any of the previous owners smoked. Maybe they should say “from a currently smoke-free home”. Z
Date: [date unknown] | From: Mary Beth Goodman <mgoodman@>
I agree with Cinda — although I was almost glad that the Plain and Fancy quilts were there **again**. It was like seeing old friends for sure – and there were a few that I didn’t remember meeting in person previously. But because I had seen them, I could spend MORE time with the Amish quilts without guilt. I spent a lot of time with both groups of Amish quilts — and did the same gallery talk with Julie Silber that Cinda described (followed by power-white gloving when the thunderstorm evacuated the craftshow and field and buses into the quilt show – the crowd was way denser than it normally is!) and thought the power blip timing couldn’t have been more appropos. And it was GREAT to finally see the backs of these quilts after years of wondering what was there. On Sunday, I did a gallery talk with Bettina Havig on the crib quilts. I thought that was great. Although I had thanked Sara Miller for making it possible to have the quilts at Vermont, we probably learned more about her by having Bettina do the Sunday talk than if Sarah had spoken herself (which she did on other days of the show). As I processed my digital images, I found that most of them were closeups of the quilting on the large amish quilts and pictures of the kinder comfort quilts. I reminded myself that since I own that big book on the big quilts, I really didn’t need to take great shots of all the big quilts there! So many great ideas on filling in all that blank space that is a quilt top with quilting. Julie mentioned Joe Cunningham’s theory that many of these quilts may have been quilted free hand rather than being extensively marked. As I personally hate to mark quilts for quilting and will go to some length not to mark, I found this fascinating. That made me go back and look at the quilting on a separate occasion in a whole new light. I did not have any problem believing this as a possibility. The flowers that looked oh so identical at first look, looked very similar but not identical at all when I looked again. The quilted scalloped borders often found outside the inner border was another good example. the individual bumps were just about the size of a quarter. Some areas were very very uniform. Other areas were less uniform. Still others had a gentle slope to them, as though the angle of the person quilting had changed or made it harder to get them perfectly upright. Since I often use the quilt itself to regulate where the quilting goes, or use small references to help make things more uniform, I could really relate to this. Lots to think about on many levels. I have put up my own photos, although not on individual web pages at: http://nyquilts.tripod.com/vqf_01/ So, if you want to just browse photos, with no information etc, feel free. All rights remain with the makers etc. There are a few photos of myself, my mother and my friend Sue in there as well. I put these up in this directory mainly for a friend who wasn’t able to attend VQF this year. Many thanks to Julie and to Bettina for the great talks. It was a great opportunity and I’m glad I had the chance. Mary Beth Goodman http://www.quiltr.com
Date: Tue, 03 Jul 2001 20:53:23 -0700 | From: Kathleen Reyes <kwiltlvr@>
Hello All, The “Black Americana Quilt” that Judy refers to on ebay is The Farm Life Quilt. It was designed by Ruby Short McKim & published in various newspapers across the country in 1930. I have several examples in my collection. McKim suggested embroidery, appliqué and crayon as techniques for the blocks. The quilt Judy mentioned is indeed done in crayon. It is unique in it’s depiction of the characters as blacks. I’ve not seen the quilt in that interpretation. I congratulate the high bidder. I was 10 minutes too late to bid! I loaned a crayoned McKim design, Audobon or Bird Life Quilt to VQF for their Parallel Threads Exhibit. Did anyone see that part of the show? Farm Life with black and white characters would have been perfect! Happy Independance Day. Kathi Reyes in So. Calif.
Date: Wed, 4 Jul 2001 13:17:09 -0700 | From: “jajb” <anne_j@>
I followed this list a while back but was unable to keep up at that time due to other projects I was doing. I’m back and have sent my $15 to the post office box requested and it does not seem to have been cashed. I wrote to the email listed on the web page but have received no answer. If anyone here can help sort this out please write me. I’m currently working on a Quilt History site called “Exploring Quilting History”. It’s at http://www.historyofquilts.com/ My goal is to give some basic historical information on a on a wide variety of topics by publishing a short article once a week. I’m also setting up links to websites and books to help people dig deeper into the topic of quilt history if they wish. If any of you have a website with quilt history information let me know so I can link to it. Also I would really appreciate knowing if I am wrong on any of my facts on the site. I have tried to be as accurate as possible but I am still concerned that I may not have all of it right. So if you do drop by the site and see anything I need to change please let me know. Anne Johnson
Date: Wed, 4 Jul 2001 16:54:33 -0400 | From: “Crandall Associates” <rcrandal@>
I “saved” a bunch of feedsacks and fabric from going to the dump last weekend and am in need of some help dating some of the pieces. (they were all musty and moldy from being stored for years in a basement but washed up nicely). I have looked in my books but can’t seem to find a list of fabric widths/dates. I have 3 different pieces of red with small white/off white design that is 24″ wide. Most of the other pieces go to 36″. What are the years for these widths? Thanks in advance for the help. Carole in beautiful Maine
Date: Wed, 4 Jul 2001 22:11:02 -0400 | From: “J. G. Row” <Judygrow@>
That Mariner’s Compass Quilt on E-bay is a sister quilt to the one in England, which had its outer border taken off at some time. The dark fabric is not a black, but a very deep indigo. I know as I was the underbidder at the auction in Crosswicks NJ last October where gb-best bought it. She has it listed as being made in Pa???????? I don’t know about that, but I don’t think so. It had been in the Gertrude Brick collection in Crosswicks for a long, long time! I have the paperwork saved from all the times gb-best has had it up on e-bay. (It is all upstairs and my knees won’t let me do the stairs too often) As I recall the first time it didn’t meet reserve at $18,000. The second time it didn’t even reach $10,000.
It is a glorious quilt, in wonderful condition. I’ve got lots of photos of it from the pre-auction exhibition. And….. I am well into reproducing it. One of our list members duded up the design for me on EQ4. I don’t know if she wants her name put about, so when she reads this if she cares to she can post to the list about it.
She also told me that Mary Gormley from Lincoln NE (?) made her own reproduction of the Bath quilt years ago and it is spectacular. I’d love to see it, but I am not sure I want to until mine is finished. It takes (5) 19.75″ whole compasses set in 22.75″ blocks, 4 half and 4 quarter compasses, and over 480 something half square triangles — just more than is in one package of 2″ Thangles. It took me until last month to find an indigo that would have approximately the same look as the original, and I am still not entirely happy with my choice, but there is nothing else out there. Also, the original quilt has the compasses set into a very tiny print fabric, and all the other lights are a very white white, and besides a pin dot, this fabric was hard to find also. This has to be done and quilted by next June 2, as it will be my son’s wedding present. He asked for a Mariner’s Compass quilt long, long ago. There isn’t much fancy quilting — just a few feather motifs, very small, in the block corners, and not much else besides outline quilting. If I can make the applique presentable — not my strong point — I should have it done by then. Judy in Ringoes, NJ judygrow@
Date: Thu, 5 Jul 2001 22:03:19 -0400 | From: “Cinda Cawley” <lrcawley@>
It was a QHL mini-convention at the DAR today for Nancy Gibson’s quilt study program on patriotic quilts (after all yesterday was July 4). Fran’s Vintage Friends were well represented (they were planning a very full day: the MD Historical Society Baltimore Album exhibit in the afternoon and Newbie’s talk on quilt preservation in the evening). Newbie herself was there; the first time we have met in real, as opposed to cyber, space. Stella Rubin, Phyllis Twigg, Nancy Kaufman…a very knowledgeable group. 20 As always, Nancy Gibson held us spellbound for 90 minutes as she showed us the treasures of the collection and shared her enormous knowledge of quilts. The earliest was a medallion quilt made by “a niece of Ethan Allen” (our British friends may not know that Ethan Allen was the leader of the Green Mountain Boys of Vermont during the late unpleasantness with King George III).
Sadly, there is no further info about the maker. I haven’t gotten my books organized after the move, so I’m probably not going to be able to refer you to pictures. The most notable feature of this quilt is an applied dimity ruffle, original to the late 18th century quilt. The lined top made by the widow of Francis Scott Key, mariners compasses enclosed in piping, is a catalogue of circa 1840 fabrics. The compasses are surrounded by hundreds of half square triangles in scrap fabrics. I should remember the name of the woman from Frederick, MD who made a reverse applique quilt for each of her 11 grandchildren, but I don’t. I do remember how amazing those quilts are. The DAR exhibited most of them in the early 90s and now have many in the collection. Nancy showed us four today. Two had eagles in the centers surrounded by chintz applique (quite wonderful and very patriotic).
The other two were floral appliques, bouquets created from cut out chintz, in pristine condition with colors as vibrant as the day the quilts were made. Remeber, all of these quilts are made in reverse applique. I was very excited to see a coverlet exhibited in 1864 at the Brooklyn, NY Sanitary Commission Fair. It’s basically a flag with a beautiful painted eagle in the center. I should have taken notes (but I would have had to take my eyes off the quilts to do that) so that I could tell you the names, but I do remember that the son of the maker was a well-known professional artist who painted the eagle for his mother. Great news from Stella Rubin! She has written a book to be published in August. The title is Treasure or Not and the subject is how to develop a discerning eye for quilts, a kind of Good, Better, Best as Israel Sack did for furniture. Stella promised to send me an order form; I’ll share the info when I get it. Since I now live 50 miles farther away from the western shore (that’s where all the cultural stuff is) I couldn’t go to Baltimore to hear Newbie’s talk. Maybe she will fill us in. I hope so. Cinda on the Eastern Shore
Date: Sun, 8 Jul 2001 12:10:18 EDT | From: Edwaquilt@
I have not been able to find the actual 7 point symbol of the Cherokee Nation but did find a copy of a Thesis Abstract written by Marilyn Y. Gore. I am not sure of the date of this but believe it is late 70’s or early 80’s when she wrote it. It was for her Thesis at Howard University School of Human Ecology. Title is “A Historical Study of American Quilts” Designhs from North Carolina from 1660 to 1976. I quote from this. (Section for Mrs Mary U. Chiltoskey) Mary U. Chiltoskey is a resident of Cherokee County, which is the Cherokee Indian Reservation……….
Mrs. Chiltoskey designed the “Cherokee Star” as a symbol of her heritage. She wrote: I worked this patterhn, using the idea of the Seven-Pointed star used by the Cherokee Indians. Each point of the star represents one of the ancient clans. (The clan system was broken up at the time of the Cherokee Removal during 1835 to 1838.) The star should be placed in the quilt so that no one point is higher than all the others, because no one clan was more important than any other.” I have an illustration of the Cherokee National 7-point star somewhere and will find it eventually. Holice
Date: Sun, 8 Jul 2001 21:30:58 -0400 | From: “Cinda Cawley” <lrcawley@>
No, I’m not running ads in the singles column, I spent the afternoon at Hazel Carter’s Vintage Fabric Studies Group, the Dating Club for short. The theme for today was quilts of the 1900 decade. This is a period which certainly approaches the nadir of American quilt making, but the choice of topic proved that everything is interesting when approached with enthusiasm. Hazel reviewed the characteristics of the period: redwork, scarcity of applique and fancy quilting, two color quilts (red and white, blue and white), cadet blue, maroon (claret), shirtings, and then people began pulling quilts out of bags and pillowcases.
There was nothing to change my mind about the general decline in quality of quilts in this period, but there were lots of examples of what was typical–always helpful to those of us concerned about dating quilts. 20 Once we paid our dues to the early 20th century the real goodies appeared: a four patch Whig Rose in red, green and pumpkin, an exquisite oak leaf and reel circa 1830 made from a lovely large scale blue floral and, believe it or not, a Baltimore Album quilt as beautiful as any hanging right now in the Maryland Historical Society exhibit.
The most intriguing thing about this quilt (by the way it’s in great condition) is that it has characteristics of Designers II and III (read Lavish Legacies if you don’t know what this means) and some elements that were really puzzling. There are ruched flowers, reverse applique, chenille embroidery, most motifs are outlined with wool buttonhole stitches, stems and leaves are embellished with stitches that resemble thorns, much of the applique is stuffed almost to bursting (not just flowers, but whole urns and vases), some of the flowers are decorated with a metallic gold thread. This is a very high-style quilt, but not reminiscent of Mary Simon, and while the wool embroidery reminds one of Designer III there is nothing “folky” about it.
I thought the most interesting quilt we saw was a whole cloth (c. 1830-40) in a most curious fabric. The design is toile-like except that it is two colors (blue and buff) rather than a single color on the background. The scene is a boar hunt with riders in vaguely European uniforms on horseback and others in an equally vague oriental costume on elephants. There are some extremely fierce hounds and the boar is bleeding blue blood while a lance hangs from his side (not conducive to sweet dreams, if you want my opinion). The repeat is relatively short (maybe 20 inches). Does this sound familiar to anyone? Can you think of a better way to spend an afternoon? Cinda on the Eastern Shore who hasn’t told you all the good stuff because life is too short.
Date: Mon, 09 Jul 2001 20:51:23 -0600 | From: Xenia Cord <xecord@>
If you are going to be in the Indianapolis area this week I urge you to check out Quilt America, open once again at the Indiana Convention Center, Hall F (see below for location). The exhibits and merchant area will be open from 10am to 5pm Thursday, Friday, and Saturday (no Sunday hours). Rita Barber, the new producer, promises over 4000 quilts on display, including some spectacular antique quilts from the collection of Mary and Joe Koval of Pennsylvania. And Friday evening (that’s Friday the 13th!) is the annual Block Party and auction, where wonderful donated items are sold to support free mammograms (since 1990, area imaging facilities have received almost $79,000 from events at the show itself, and $122,000 has been donated nationally through the “Yes Mam!”� Mammogram Project.)
This is the longest-running mammogram support project by quilters in the country, I think. At last year’s auction Sara Miller of Kalona, IA (yes, she of the Amish crib quilts discussed here recently) bought a wonderful sampler quilt top made by the Patoka Valley Quilt Guild (Indiana). Over the winter she invited her friends, including Susie Ropp, Marge Slabaugh, Tanya Gelement, Calra Miller, Marie Shalla, Judy Martin, Marianne Fons, Marti Michell, Bettina Havig, Liz Porter, Ruth Yoder, Barb Weaver, andDorothy Bond, to help quilt it. You know at least a few of these quilters, and the quilt is beautiful! Stippled to death, and signed by all who helped. Sara has now donated the quilt BACK to Quilt America to be auctioned as a finished piece. Someone is going to go home with that wonderful piece of quilt history – and it could be you! The auction begins at 7pm in the White River Ballroom of the Indiana Convention Center at 1000S. Capitol, in downtown Indianapolis across from the Westin Hotel and the new Marriott. Everyone is welcome – come and bid! Xenia (no longer affiliated, but an avid supporter nevertheless)
Date: Thu, 12 Jul 2001 22:02:52 -0400 | From: “Judi” <jlgunter@>
I am beginning to compile a list of all quilt and needlework magazines and when they were first published. Also I am interested in the naming of quilt patterns, their origins, and historical background during the time they were most popular. Would anyone on the list be able to direct me to some resources on these topics? Judi Gunter Sunny Maryland jlgunter@
Date: Fri, 13 Jul 2001 12:19:29 -0400 | From: deboraclem@
My apologies if this is a repeat, I tried to send this message a couple of days ago and have never seen it appear. In fact I haven’t received a digest in a couple of days either. I’m trying to find information on the types of frames that would have been used in the mid-19th century. What would have been most prevalent – the type that hang from the ceiling (like my grandmother used) or would they have been propped up on chair backs? HOw would they have been constructed? Finally, when did hoops come into use? Are hoops a more modern phenomena or could they have been used during the time frame of my study (mid-19th century)? I hope these questions make sense, I can’t figure out any other way to word them. So if anyone has any ideas of places for me to begin my research I would be most appreciative. TTFN, Debbie in GA
Date: Fri, 13 Jul 2001 17:51:44 +0100 | From: MARK POWER <mpower@>
Dear Q’s,
I’ve recently been following a discussion list re: the Vietnam war. Most of the contributors are vets or historians. I asked if there was a tradition of protest quilts, both pro and anti the war, and whether anyone had come across any fabric arts whilst there. One reply described seeing some embroidery depicting shootings on sale in a market. A couple of people mentioned fabric art by the Hmong people, describing it as very rich and impressive. I was also given a URL to visit which shows some of this art. I can pass it on to anyone interested. Can anyone recommend a good ‘revisionist’ history of garment workers and seamstresses in 19th and 20th C, the Triangle fire and that kind of thing? I’ve come across one called !A Bobbin. a Needle, A Strike”. Does anyone know of any others? Regards, Mark
Date: Fri, 13 Jul 2001 13:56:33 EDT | From: Palampore@
I had a lady call and ask how to check and see if her quilts had chiggers. She had taken them to Bible School for a program where they were layed over hay. Later they found that the hay bales were filled with chiggers. This was truly a new one for me! I suggested that she seal them in a plastic bag for a couple of weeks to see if there was any fracous left in the bags. They are 1900
– 1950 quilts. I really didn’t want to suggest a bug spray. The only thing I know about chiggers is that if we get one on our body we put nail polish on it to smother it. Your help would be most appreciated. Thanks, Lynn Lancaster Gorges, Historic Textiles Studio, New Bern, NC
Date: Fri, 13 Jul 2001 18:59:41 +0000 | From: Bobbie Aug <qwltpro@>
What I do is put the quilt in a plastic bag. Seal and freeze for 48 hours. Remove from freezer and let sit for 48 hours and then put back into the freezer for 48 hours. Some do this over a shorter or longer period of time, but this 48 hours cycle seems to work best for me. The insects go into a hibernation state and then are “shocked into spring” and then when they are coming “alive” you refreeze them and they die. Bobbie Aug
Date: Fri, 13 Jul 2001 19:07:18 +0000 | From: Bobbie Aug <qwltpro@>
Mark, I just returned home from teaching at the Vermont Quilt Festival and touring New England afterwards. The “Bobbie” book I may have seen while at the Lowell Textile Museum, or the Boot Textile Museum, or the Boot Mill Girls Boarding House Museum at Lowell. Certainly, I came home with many textile history books – the early 1800’s and the mill industry – as I am always interested and I am also currently researching early fabrics used in quiltmaking. Good luck! Bobbie Aug
Date: Fri, 13 Jul 2001 22:44:23 -0400 | From: Newbie Richardson <pastcrafts@>
Lynn, et al, There are 2 safe ways to rid any textile of any umwanted insects and larvae. Either freeze or microwave – both are SAFE! There have been studies done and published in the AIC (American Inst. of Conservators) Textile sub group “Post Prints”. For large textiles, as quilts, place in locker style freezer for 48 hours, remove and let warm for 24 hours. Repeat. any eggs/insects will not survive. Vaccuum well afterwards. No it will not get damp, as it is not in there long enough and you shoud wrap it in a sheet/muslin anyway. To microwave, place in the oven with a small cup of water (to prevent dehydration) microwave on high for 5 minutes. (You all know what happens to chicken eggs in the microwave, well larvae doesn’t have a chance!) No critter will survive. This, too, is safe, as tested on pieces of Civil War era wool and South American weavings. Newbie Richardson Past Crafts Alexandria, Va.
Date: Sat, 14 Jul 2001 10:16:14 +0100 | From: “Sally Ward” <Sally.D.Ward@>
I don’t know what a chigger is, sorry <G>, but can anyone tell me if these methods work on moths eggs and other larvae, which are a more common problem in the UK?. I can get to a large chest freezer, but are we talking large industrial microwave ovens? All I have access to is small domestic microwave ovens – can the quilt just go in folded and a tight fit, like into a suitcase, or is there any danger of burning on the folded edges? Sally W
Date: Sat, 14 Jul 2001 09:26:20 EDT | From: Kittencat3@
I am going to Wales for a hiking trip in three weeks. Among the places we’ll be visiting are Dolgellau, Conwy, and Harlech. I know that Wales has a strong quilting tradition, and wondered if any of the UK members know of any quilt or fabric shops in these three towns. I’m particularly interested in Conwy and Dolgellau, since my group is scheduled to have some shopping time there. Thanks in advance. This is the trip of a lifetime for me, and I can hardly wait! Karen Evans
Date: Sat, 14 Jul 2001 19:28:57 -0700 | From: “M. Geiss-Mooney” <mgmooney@>
Please check out the National Park Service “Conserve-O-Gram” pamphlet number 3/6 “An Insect Pest Control Procedure: The Freezing Process” which is available for free at the following web address: http://www.cr.nps.gov/csd/publications/conserveogram/cons_toc.html
You can’t just stuff a king-size quilt into a small freezer (or microwave) and expect the process to work, thereby lulling you into thinking the insects have been stopped. For example, your chest freezer also generally must maintain a sub-zero temperature without having a heat-up cycle (which is what a frost-free freezer does). etc. etc. Check out the pamphlet for all of the details!
And take a look at all of the other free pamphlets that are also available from the same site; for example, 1/6 Choosing a Vacuum Cleaner for Use in Museum Collections; 2/4 Dichlorvos (Vapona) Update; 3/9 Anoxic Microenvironments: A Treatment for Pest Control (as an alternative to freezing or micro-waving); 16/1 Causes, Detection and Prevention of Mold and Mildew on Textiles; 16/2 Dry Cleaning Museum Textiles. If you are unable to access the website, let me know as I already have printed copies of them all. Meg Geiss-Mooney Quilt/Textile Conservator Petaluma, California
Date: Sat, 14 Jul 2001 22:59:28 -0400 | From: “KYRA E HICKS” <KHICKS1@>
I am interested in learning about the mechanics for conducting a Quilt Day to document quilts in the local community. Can anyone help by pointing out any books or particularly good articles on the topic? 20 Thanks -20 Kyra Hicks
Date: Sun, 15 Jul 2001 22:16:54 EDT | From: Palampore@
I had to laugh when I pulled up my email tonight. What a stir I created by asking about chiggers!! For those of you who don’t know what chiggers are….. A chigger is a harvest mite. It is a tiny red creature (hence the 2nd name-red bugs) which creeps into the pores of humans and also into their hair follicles. They inject a saliva in order to feed. (It sounds like a mosquito, but the itch stays around much longer.) This saliva creates the itching. ((World Book)
They are found in the west and the south. Really very annoying—gotten most often when hiking or gardening. I apologize that I didn’t mention my hesitation to mention freezing to the woman. I know about freezing items but in some recent reading (which I can’t find the literature now that I need it…) there was concern that the typical freezers we have are really not sufficient to do the job for they don’t maintain low enough constant temperatures. (There is a chest freezer that Sears carries which will do the trick, I think.) I do believe that they said that in some cases with carpet beetles the freezer might even assist their mating/egg development—whatever. I seem to think that this was an artilce regarding freezing Oriental rugs.
Anyway…. I didn’t recommend freezing to the lady for she had 5 quilts and limited freezing space. It is also something that I also do not recommend readily to people who know nothing about textiles. It is a very lengthy process. I offered to evaluate them in person, for a fee, but she didn’t want to do that. Since she didn’t want that I knew that she wasn’t interested in paying me to freeze them. I guess I was hoping that “you” could offer me a quick fix. I wonder how doctors feel when they turn down patients because they can’t/won’t pay. And I think the can’t/won’t are the opportune words here. Meg, I am most anxious to look up the sites you suggested! Thanks to all of you for your input and interest.
But I must bust Newbie, since she is my buddy…..Where in the world can I get a microwave oven which will hold a quilt??? A turkey maybe, but not a quilt. Newbie, it was a priceless visual…… What a great group, Lynn in New Bern, NC
Date: Mon, 16 Jul 2001 06:34:25 -0400 | From: Newbie Richardson <pastcrafts@>
Sally, Using themicrowave for textiles is dictated by the size of the piece. You do not want to crowd the piece as you really need the small cup of water to keep the hydration at normal. The textile will not “burn”, the microwave causes the molecules to “shake, rattle, and roll” and brings the inside of each molecule to “boiling” – thus releasing any moisture in the process. This is hardly the scienfific explanation, but the analogies work for me! Newbie
Date: Mon, 16 Jul 2001 08:47:46 -0400 | From: Mary Worrall <worrall@>
As a part of the Michigan Quilt Project, the Michigan State University Museum has put together a packet on how to run a documentation day. We provide it to guilds and others who are interested in conducting MQP documentation.
Mary Worrall Cultural Collections Assistant
Date: Mon, 16 Jul 2001 07:03:44 -0700 | From: “Penni Ryan” <penniquilts@>
How old is the Double Wedding Ring Block? I believe that it is from the 30’s but I wonder if it was ever any other name before that time. Thank you.
Date: Mon, 16 Jul 2001 09:32:38 -0600 | From: Xenia Cord <xecord@>
The earliest date Barbara Brackman gives for this design in her Encyclopedia of Pieced Quilt Patterns is 10/20/1928 in Capper’s Weekly. Xenia
Date: Mon, 16 Jul 2001 10:50:25 -0400 | From: “Judy Kelius (judysue)” <
Robert Bishop in his excellent 1989 book Romance of the Double Wedding Ring Quilt (out of print) goes into detail about the origins of the pattern. Although some say the pattern originated in the 19th century, Bishop reports he has seen none dating earlier than the late 1920’s and no references in print until that time. However, others report seeing 19th century examples which were more likely called "The Rainbow" or "Endless Chain" (although no print references have been found and none of these quilts are dated).
Bishop repeats a great deal of Bonnie Leman’s comments about the DWR in the June ’78 issue of QNM and all the responses she received to it. I suggest you read the entire introductory chapter in his book to get a feeling for all the controversy surrounding the origins of the quilt pattern – in the end, you still aren’t sure when it originated but one fact that no one disputes is that it wasn’t overly popular until the 1920’s and 30’s. Bishop does show a DWR candlewick spread dated 1897 and points out that a similar pattern was used in woven coverlets, which provided inspiration for some quilt patterns.<br> <
Date: Mon, 16 Jul 2001 11:28:26 -0600 | From: Xenia Cord <xecord@>
Judy K reminds me that I have a bedroom set with chenilled overlapping circles in blue, probably from the 1930s. But the fabric on which the pieces are worked (drapes, 2 dresser scarves) is early 19th century linen, with initials and household inventory number worked over ONE thread in tiny cross stitch. Looks like a single sheet was separated at the center seam to make the draperies, and the ends cut off to make the scarves. And I also have a candlewicked white spread dated 1853 with some overlapping circles, although not the main design. Xenia
