August 15 - 22, 2001 - QuiltHistory

Oral History & Documentation, Quilt Block History, Quilt History Resources, Regional Quilt History

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:

Quilt Block Dictionaries & Collecting — Members compare notes on collecting quilt block reference books, including Susan Winter Mills’ 1980 guide and the Electric Quilt version of Brackman’s Encyclopedia.
‘Imported’ Quilt Labeling Controversy — A member’s complaint about LL Bean’s vaguely labeled ‘imported’ quilts grows into a wider debate about country-of-origin disclosure and a federal regulation requiring it.
Current Projects Roundup — In response to a member’s question, quilters describe their current projects, from a Sydney guild donation quilt to log cabin color-arrangement experiments.
Black Quiltmakers & Newspaper Research — Kyra Hicks shares a newspaper find about a Black quiltmaker who regularly entered quilts at the New York State Fair.
Missouri & Harriet Powers Bible Quilts — A discussion of Harriet Powers’ Bible quilts leads Bettina Havig to describe her work directing the Missouri quilt documentation project.

Date: Wed, 15 Aug 2001 11:09:35 -0500 | From: Laura Hobby Syler <texas_quilt.co@>

Hi again,
I have a request. Longish story here…but I think it’s important.. A
client brought me a quilt top for appraisal last week. She is wanting
to
have it quilted…which is normally no problem, but here is the
situation. The top -a DWR and in good condition- was pieced by her
GGM
in the late 30’s for her mother for her wedding. Back in the 80’s or
early ’90’s (she wasn’t sure) when Minnesota had it’s Centennial, her
GGM was found to be the oldest living native of the state, and “quite
a
fuss was made over her”. She has been in touch with the museum in St
Paul, here GGM lived and they want the piece, but she’s not
sure…de-acquisition and all that. She really wants to have it
quilted
for her daughter to enjoy for a while, and we decided that if we
could
find a Minnesota quilter, we could keep the state historical aspect
true…
Can anyone give me names and contact information on hand quilters in
MN?
Please reply privately. No need to clog up the list.
My greatest appreciation with your assistance!!!
Laura Hobby Syler
Still in dry, hot N. Texas!!!

Date: Wed, 15 Aug 2001 11:44:32 -0500 (Central Daylight Time) | From: Mary Persyn <Mary.Persyn@>

I have had Yvonne Khin’s book for a number of years and
have found it useful.

Someone asked if she had published any other books. I
checked WorldCat and only found her Encyclopia listed
under her name. Over 700 libraries own it in its various
printings.

A piece of trivia for a summer day.

Mary in beautiful, not steamy, for a change Valparaiso, IN

Mary Persyn (219) 465-7830
Email: Mary.Persyn@
Law Librarian
School of Law
Valparaiso University
Valparaiso, IN 46383
FAX: (219) 465-7917

Date: Wed, 15 Aug 2001 16:47:11 -0400 | From: Nancy Manning <nemanning@>

re: Addy in Israel: . . .I’m curious to know what quilts you’re
working
on. Any reproduction quilts being made? . . .

I’ve been a “lurker” for a very long time, and finally decided to
join your group since I continue to look forward to the wonderful
“intellectual” and educational discussions. I have been involved
in quiltmaking since the early 1990s in Michigan. I have really
enjoyed the responses to Addy’s question and would like to share
what I am currently working on in quiltmaking.

I’ve been working on a restoration of sorts–from the 1930s. I
purchased 30 “Imperial Butterfly” blocks for $15 at an Amish
auction/flea market a couple of years ago. At that time, I had just
completed a total restoration (my first) of a 1930s Dresden Plate
made
by my husband’s grandmother, and I think I was still lost in the 30s.
(I worked on the Dresden Plate quilt on and off for nearly eight
years.
I learned a lot about the 30s during that time)!

The butterfly blocks were made very poorly. They were
straight-stiched
machine appliqued with a fairly good stitch. A black embroidery
floss
stem stitch surrounded only two of the butterflies. They also had
black
embroidered Xs in the center of the solid-colored bodies and the
lower
solid-colored wings. Two butterflies had black embroidered antennae.

The butterfly fabric was like new, so I took the blocks apart, washed
the very soiled, thin backgrounds of various sized feed or flour
sacks,
and set about to reassemble them on the same backgrounds in a neater
fashion, then hand appliqued them. I did not choose to use the black
stem stitch, but I did leave one of the original blocks as is. I
have set them diagonally in new fabric–Buttercup Yellow Kona
Cotton–to brighten them up, and am now working on the borders and
prairie points. I unfortunately am replacing my white narrow borders
(which were sewn to the yellow borders). When I looked at the quilt
in
the sunlight, the white borders suddenly looked fluorescent!

The top is marked, except for the borders. I used an old floral vine
quilting pattern to develop some block patterns, side patterns and
corner patterns, and it will also be in the wider yellow border.
This
quilt will be used in the summertime in our old-fashioned guest room.

Must get ready to attend fall classes soon, as an “older” student in
English/writing, but I’m definitely going to look up Gail Ingram’s
reading material for more 30s inspiration, “Everyday Use” by Alice
Walker. Thanks for the lead! Nancy

Date: Wed, 15 Aug 2001 16:33:19 -0500 | From: grapes <grapes@>

Ok I am going to get on my soapbox here. I just got my LL Bean
catalog.
It is the Home Casual Furnishings #LL 2108860. Lots of quilts. Hand
quilted. One machine quilted. All the other products say, ‘made in
USA,
Germany, Portugal, etc.’ The quilts say ‘imported’. Would this be
because they are made with slave labor in China or Taiwan? I am
sending
them an email. The web site is www.llbean.com/home.

Jo in Tx
Gammill Classic

Date: Wed, 15 Aug 2001 17:43:58 EDT | From: jocelynm@

On Wed, 15 Aug 2001 16:33:19 -0500 grapes wrote:

The quilts say ‘imported’. Would this be
> because they are made with slave labor in China or Taiwan?

Jo,
I think it probably means that the quilts are being made in more than
one
country. Probably some in China, some in Taiwan- and they don’t want
to
have to nail it down that all of one design are made in China.
Probably,
if one design turns out to be much more popular than another, ALL of
their factories in whichever country will start making that design.
So
they can’t offer them for sale as ‘made in X’ (any specific country).
Jocelyn

Date: Wed, 15 Aug 2001 16:48:50 -0500 | From: grapes <grapes@>

I agree, the thing that gets me is I guess we kind of expect this
from
Target, but LL Bean?
Jo
—
Spindle’s Tops Machine Quilting
Visit our personal Photopoint album at
http://albums.photopoint.com/j/AlbumList?u352870&Authfalse

Date: Wed, 15 Aug 2001 16:51:47 -0500 | From: “Rowley’s” <rowley35@>

In answer to Addy’s question, I just put a crib-sized quilt on the
frame
to quilt that I made after a class I took several years ago from Liz

Porter when she and Marianne Fons visited our guild. The class was
to
teach us how to make a quilt that replicates the 1880-1910 era. Mine
is
a Variable Star in a Streak of Lightning setting. I’m hoping to have
it
finished for our quilt show in October. I was thrilled when I showed

the top at Show and Tell soon after finishing it and a woman whom I
didn’t know at the time came up to me afterwards and wanted to take a

picture of it saying that it looked like it was made 100 years ago.
I
didn’t know at the time, but she is our resident expert on antique
quilts and I’ve gotten to know her quite well since then.

I am also making a Southern Belle appliquE9 quilt using 30’s repro
fabrics. My question is this: after I do the appliquE9, how is the

embroidery done? Do I embroider on the edge of the dress itself or
on
the background fabric very close to the dress? I plan to use a black

outline stitch. Also, how many threads do you suggest?

This is my first time writing to the list, but I’ve been reading it
for
a good while. Thanks for all the great information.

Carla Rowley
who became a grandmother for the first time today!20

Date: Thu, 16 Aug 2001 12:54:06 +1000 | From: “kate knight” <kateknight@>

In answer to Ady’s question on our current projects: My quilt group
in
Sydney just presented a quilt top to our outgoing president as a way
of
acknowledging her fantastic contribution to the group. We wanted the
quilt
to be very personalised so chose to reproduce an album quilt featured
in
“For Purpose or Pleasure” by Sandi Fox on page 46…the Mary P Allen
Album
Quilt.
A few of us raided our stashes of reproduction reds and shirtings and
made
up little kits for our 90 group members with the fabric, pattern and
instructions, including instructions on how to write on fabric for
the
dedication strips which separate the mini-sized pieced album block
squares.
Each member was asked to make half a 12″ block, ie two mini album
blocks and
a signature strip. Many wrote little poems or drew tiny ink pictures
as
well as signing their names.
I redrafted and made the central applique block which is a pieced and
appliqued wreath. Within the wreath a dedication was written to the
recipient. All up we recieved the makings for 49 whole blocks, so
we only
had to make 5 more for the half blocks which went around the outside.
The
blocks were set on point, as in the original, and sashed with a
striped
shirting….it turned out to be 2.5m square (that is 100″). It was
presented last weekend to an completely astonished ex-president, who
was a
blubbering mess for at least 35 minutes ! A very satisfactory result
!!
Our group’s web-mistress is out of town at the moment, but we will
post a
picture of the quilt next week if anyone is interested in having a
peek.
Kate Knight
from Eastwood Patchwork Quilters
website: www.epq.com.au

Date: Wed, 15 Aug 2001 23:45:07 -0400 | From: Nancy Manning <nemanning@>

Regarding Carla Rowley’s question about the number of black threads
to
use on her Southern Belle quilt:

My 1930s Butterfly quilt blocks had three threads originally around
two
of the blocks. They were worked like a stem stitch all around the
straight stitch machine applique on the actual background of the
block–right up to the butterfly. When I began the restoration of
the
blocks, I chose to reapply the butterflies by hand applique, and I
just
could not bring myself to put the harsh black threads around them
(some
restoration!). I used only two black threads for the antennae and
eyes
that I added.

I have a single 1940s gingham applique animal that my mother started
where black stem stitches were used for details (eyes, legs, etc).
The
black outline stitching was done to the pieces before they were cut
out
of the gingham. Seems like that would be easier to manage. Hope
this
helps! Nancy

Date: Thu, 16 Aug 2001 05:48:59 -0500 | From: “Ann G. Hubbard” <ahubbard@>

to Laura and others,
For years my bible for block identification was a book printed in
1980 by
Susan Winter Mills.
It is called “The Illustrated Index to Traditional American Quilt
Patterns”. I also have all of Jinny Beyers Books. I have Yvonne
Khin’s book
and I had Barbara Brackman’s book until I bought Blockbase and then I
gave
the book to my daughter. I thought that both Susan’s and Jinny’s
books were
more helpful than the last two. But then mostly this is opinion as we
are
all searching for something slightly different and we use things
slightly
different also. I am enjoying reading the everyday series of history
books
and wish to thank whoever sent the book list to the quilt history
list. Ann
from Lake of the Ozarks

Date: Thu, 16 Aug 2001 14:45:51 EDT | From: CBENBERRY@

I was most pleased to read Rachel Greco’s posting to QHL Digest
concerning
quilt dictionaries and indexes. She is apparently one of the rare
persons
who understands the evolutionary process that these quilt
publications of the
mid to late 20th century has undergone. Most of all she acknowledges
the
tremendous work of the pioneer quilt women publishers of the 1930s to
1970s.
And she does point out that the publishing women were motivated by
different
objectives.

As I was an active participant beginning in the 1950s grassroots
quilt
movement, it is gratifying to me to find someone like Rachel Greco
who is
able to place these publications in their proper historical context.
Despite
any perceived shortcomings of some of the various documents, first
and
foremost, they are all undeniably a part of the 20th century quilt
history
record. My hope is that there are others out there in the quilt
world who
have the same appreciation of these pioneer quilt publishing women’s
works as
does Rachel Greco.

Cuesta Benberry
CBENBERRY @aol.com

Date: Fri, 17 Aug 2001 05:29:15 -0500 | From: grapes <grapes@>

This is the reply I got from LL Bean. It is very politically correct,
but they do not say where those quilts come from……
—

Dear Ms. Spindle:
Thank you for your recent inquiry to L.L. Bean. I understand your
concerns about the source of L.L. Bean products and your specific
concerns with products made in China. We are sensitive to this issue
as
well.

L.L. Bean’s intent is to provide customers with the highest quality
product at the best possible price. “Made in the USA” has been a
part
of L.L. Bean’s heritage since we began. It is extremely important to
us
that all of our products come from the best factories we can find.
We
source more in the U.S. than most retailers, and because we employ
350
people in our own manufacturing facility in Brunswick, Maine, we are
very sensitive to the employment implications of overseas sourcing.
In
our factory, which is L.L. Bean’s largest supplier, we still make our
heritage product, the Bean Boot. Our Brunswick factory also makes
luggage, dog beds, flannel sleepwear, robes, fleece blankets, canvas
boat & tote bags, futon covers and slipper socks.

Our catalogs are prepared months in advance and we don’t always know
which manufacturer will be used (or their location). In the case of
our
more popular products, the items may come from several different
companies so that we will have sufficient stock to service our
customers. As a result, the catalog copy may state a vague term,
such
as “Made in the U.S.A. or Imported.” Our telephone representatives
do
have up-to-date catalog information and are able to provide customers
with specific information about the actual source for all of our
products.

With an increasingly limited selection of U.S. manufacturers
available
over the past ten to twenty years, we have had to place production in
offshore facilities in order to meet our customers’ needs. In some
instances, the U.S. factory closed and we were forced to find
alternative sources for the products. In other instances, we felt we
could obtain an equal or better quality product and offer it to our
consumers for a lower price. Again, we are partial to U.S.
manufacturers, but we do have to deal with the realities of available
capacity for quality manufacturing in our own country as well as the
need to find the best quality factories wherever they may exist in
the
global economy.

In 1996, L.L. Bean was asked to participate in a White House
coalition
of U.S. manufacturers, consumer and human rights groups, labor
organizations and President Clinton to take a stand against
exploitative
working conditions. L.L. Bean is one of ten nationally prominent
companies chosen to help define steps for ensuring that the products
we
all make and sell are manufactured under decent and humane working
conditions. L.L. Bean joined this effort because we understand the
value that the American consumer places on knowing that the products
they purchase have been produced under acceptable labor conditions.

At L.L. Bean, we have had our own monitoring program in place for
many
years. We rigorously inspect the factories we use and have extensive
quality control programs in the manufacturing plants of our vendors.
Company representatives travel frequently to factories that produce
L.L.
Bean merchandise, both in the U.S. and abroad. They not only monitor
product and production quality, but monitor employee age, working
conditions and pay standards. Because of our diligence, we are
confident that Bean products are manufactured under legal, safe and
fair
working conditions.

We feel that we are making continuous progress, but also realize it
is
an ongoing challenge. The issues surrounding product sourcing are
complex and of great concern to us. L.L. Bean’s Corporate Purpose
Statement explains our commitment to fair labor practices: “As we
become more active in sourcing products, we must ensure that our
business partners have compatible practices…..While we must surely
recognize and respect legitimate cultural diversity and understand
that
individual business partners cannot control all political and social
aspects of their environment, we must be certain that our business
partnerships are consistent with our beliefs regarding employment
practices, child labor, health and safety, legal requirements and the
environment.”

I hope this information helps to alleviate some of your concerns.
You
are a valued customer and your opinion is very important to us. We
hope
you will give us the opportunity to be of service to you again in the
future.

Sincerely,

Carolyn Beem
Consumer Affairs Representative

>>> <grapes@> 08/15/01 06:31PM >>>

From: Jo Spindle
Subject: Shopping

I am upset and concerned about your latest home catalog. As a
professional machine quilter I was shocked to see you are now selling
imported machine and handmade quilts. The fact that you choose to
designate the quilts as ‘imported’ rather than designate a country of
origin as you do with your other products indicates that they are
made
in China or Tawain by slave labor. I expect this from Target, but not
LL
Bean. If I am incorrect in my assumption, please advise me of the
actual
origin of your products. There is a HUGE American quiltmaking
industry
that could provide good, quality merchandise that is synanamous with
the
LL Bean name.
Sincerely,
Jo Spindle
customer #1894 263 803

Date: Fri, 17 Aug 2001 09:24:09 EDT | From: ARabara15@

This is Donald Brokate, I am new to the group and and have not
responded to
any of the many emails unless I felt that I could contribute
something. In
this case I feel that I can. Having recently retired (not due to age
but a
career change) from 25 years in the retail industry, I can support
Bean’s
response. Catalogues are put together well in advance of production
and when
sourcing production in foreign countries, many times factories and
counties
change, as do quota prices etc. I feel that their explaination is
adequate
and not vague at all. But then I have an inside understanding of the
industry.

As an introduction to myself I am a collector and dealer in vintage
and
antique quilts.
My primary occupation is building restoration and when construction
slows in
the Winter months I do quilt restorations. I live in Trenton NJ with
my
partner of 18 yrs and our 4 adopted sons and assorted 4 legged
friends.

Date: Fri, 17 Aug 2001 12:27:15 -0700 (PDT) | From: Judy Schwender <j_schwender@>

I had never seen the Electric Quilt version of
Brackman’s Encyclopedia until last night. A visiting
friend had it on her laptop. It was late (we had been
going to antique shops, quilt shops and the IQSC all
day) but I did manage to work with it a bit. A very
interesting tool. One thing struck me about this
tool: in the accompanying instruction book, Brackman’s
thinking on block names was given, and she pointed out
that many 19th century quilters would not recognize
the names we ascribe today to their blocks. Language
is a fluid thing, and it seems that the language of
the quilt block is VERY fluid. I am always amazed
how, at a quilt show, if a quilt is labelled “thus and
such” and viewing quilters contest this label, the
discussion can become so heated.
As a reference point in tracking the dispersion of
quilt patterns the use of identifying labels can be
very helpful and instructive- it keeps the train on
the track, so to speak. Block names have worth in
understanding the language of quilts. But as a
be-all, end all, I think care must be given to not
allow argument over names to supercede inquiry the
names assist.
As for the publications themselves, I wish I had
Khin’s book! I have an old Romance of the Patchwork
Quilt that was water damaged long before I got into
this obsession, yet I was adamant about keep the thing
when I threw out other, less damaged books.
Thanks to this email group I have an idea of what
other references I need to access in the future.
Thank you!

Date: Fri, 17 Aug 2001 15:33:56 -0500 | From: grapes <grapes@>

Donald, I guess I was unclear in my statement. I just meant that the
reply did not ever make clear where the source countries were. I do
understand the logistics of printing the catalogs, but now that they
are
out shouldn’t they know who is shipping? Of course as was referenced
earlier, maybe the problem is that the quilts are coming from several
factories in different countries….
Jo
—
Spindle’s Tops Machine Quilting

Date: Fri, 17 Aug 2001 23:16:58 -0400 | From: “J. G. Row” <Judygrow@>

I just got the Pottery Barn Bed and Bath catalog, and the listings
for the
quilts they have for sale don’t mention country of origin at all. Or
that
they are imported, or if they are American made. Nada. No mention
at all
of anything, that I could see.

Judy in Ringoes, NJ
judygrow@

Date: Sat, 18 Aug 2001 09:16:28 +0200 | From: Ady Hirsch <adamroni@>

Hi all,
I’d like to thank everyone for responding to my question about quilts
– it
made fascinating reading, and also inspired me to get out of summer
doldrums and start piecing again.
Re Yvonne Khin’s book – one of her quilts, an Alphabet applique, is
on p.
237 of Duke and Harding’ America’s Glorious Quilts. I stumbled on her
book
by pure chance, while brwosing www.powells.com (it went for somethng
like
$10) and find it very useful in conjunction with other pattern
sources.
Happy quilting
Ady in Israel

Date: Sat, 18 Aug 2001 07:26:05 EDT | From: DDBSTUFF@

Hi All.

Has anyone thought to simply call and ask? It the Bean letter, the
writer
clearly says,
“Our telephone representatives do have up-to-date catalog information
and are
able to provide customers with specific information about the actual
source
for all of our products.”

I haven’t called but I’d be curious to hear what they say.

Darwin

Date: Sat, 18 Aug 2001 09:58:01 EDT | From: Hazelmacc@

No doubt l will upset many of you, but this thing of saying
“imported”
without country origin has been going on before even the Smithsonian
crisis
of their having quilts duplicated from their collection. From that
experience we were just happy that they at least documented that the
quilts
were “imported”.

Now my question is: What does it do to know the country? If you go
to
Bloomingdales they usually say their quilts are from India but l have
not
found many others that document the country of origin. I was just in
Macy’s
yesterday to check on the new styles being produced. A little study
and one
can usually tell a quilt that has been imported.

Another consideration that we had to think on during the earlier
crisis – if
these people whom you may consider ‘slaves’ (we could never
substantiate that
it was slave labor from the companies nor from our own government)
were not
making these quilts, what would they be doing? If women no doubt
they would
become prostitutes.
It is a sad note to end on but have been down this road years ago
during the
Smithsonian crisis.

Hazel Carter in No. Va.

Date: Sat, 18 Aug 2001 15:36:37 -0400 | From: “J. G. Row” <Judygrow@>

I have been intrigued for a long time with a certain color
arrangement in
log cabin quilts, and am wondering how and when this arrangement came
to be.
It is usually seen in a barn raising set.

This is not a scrap quilt — all fabrics must be bought specifically
for
this, because there are only 5, usually, and they are arranged in
specific
order.

The photo I am looking at, taken at an antique shop in New Oxford,
Pa., is a
perfect example. The center squares are twice as big as each strip
is wide,
in this instance, double blue. Instead of just dark and light
arranged on
either side of the diagonal, there are a light and a medium light on
one
side (white shirting and yellow calico) and a dark and a medium on
the other
(red /black print and yellow/green print). These colors alternate on
either
side of the center square. And in alternate blocks the starting
strips
(therefore the outside strips) also alternate.

So, when looking as the quilt as a whole, besides seeing light and
dark
diamonds, you see alternating stripes of color moving around the
center
squares.

I have seen many of these in “Dutchy” colors, and I own one in green
and
red, yellow and double pink, with cheddar centers! This one has a
border of
half blocks set on point. There is one in Stella Rubin’s new book
(c. 1900)
on page 109 in red, white, double pink, and burgundy!

I’m wondering if this color arrangement started out in south east
Pennsylvania or was just favored there. There are so many of them
(none on
e-bay at the moment) that I wonder if there was ever a pattern or
directions
published for it. This would have been after the 1880’s I believe,
not
before. I can’t believe it appeared spontaneously all over at
approximately
the same time.

Has anyone seen references for directions for this?

Judy in Ringoes, NJ
judygrow@

Date: Sat, 18 Aug 2001 22:37:18 EDT | From: ARabara15@

Hazel, It’s Donald Brokate again, Having grappled with these ethical
issues
in my last career life, and having been on task forces to explore
these
issues, I understand what you are saying. We as Americans have a hard
time
grasping the low economic standards of 3rd world countries. The real
issues
here are not low wage and long hours, which may be usual for an
underdeveloped country, but other abuses that occur in these
sweatshops that
violate basic human rights-beatings, starvation, indentured
servitude. These
are the types of things that we as Americans cannot endorse and by
not buying
products made under these conditions we can in some small way show
are
disapproval. As I had mentioned to Jo, it is the responsibility of
any large
company doing business overseas to have their overseas production
team source
factories that are reputable and who are not engaged in human rights
violations. I am not familiar with the Smithsonian situation but it
sounds
like you were very involved. Regards.

Date: Sat, 18 Aug 2001 22:50:33 -0400 | From: “KYRA E HICKS” <KHICKS1@>

Hello –

I was recently reading a newspaper article about a women who entered
her
quilts regularly in the NY State Fair. The article did not say if
she
won any blue ribbons, though! Does anyone know if there’s any good

books or articles that review the quilts at the annual NY State Fair?

Thanks – Kyra

Kyra Hicks
Khicks1@

Date: Sun, 19 Aug 2001 01:35:43 EDT | From: KareQuilt@

Gail, are you a writer as well as a quilter?! <g> I thoroughly
enjoyed your post about your efforts to cover your period beds with repro
quilts (but confessing that your “true” love is Depression era
fabrics!) Was it truly Alice Walker that inspired you or do you also LIKE
to write? <g> Summer projects Addy asks? I am presently visiting the
San Juan Islands off the coast of Washington State. We inherited my
husband’s parents’ home in March when his father passed on at age 83.
This is the longest visit we have managed (17 days) so I am actually
making some headway sorting through a life-time accumulation of
stuff, though these two were really quite good about not being pack rats.
Uhh, except my dear MIL, bless her soul, was a quilter so she can be
forgiven for her accumulation of “stuff!” <g> I have now sorted the
knitting and crocheting out to offer to my two daughters. The quilt
stuff I will KEEP! <g> (I am now trying to find the pattern source of
all her quilts in her “s!
!
tuff.” That’s one of my summer p
rojects!) My new DIL was just here to visit and decided that she too
will become a quilter so she promptly returned to Portland and bought
some fabric and a rotary cutter and began slicing away at her
fingers. <g> She emailed “HELP!” but I had to confess that I had never used
a rotary cutter myself (yet), but that my QHL friends have indicated
that it is indeed a very dangerous instrument. <g> I guess now that I
have inherited Wini’s quilting studio I am going to have to get back
to actually making quilts instead of just researching and writing
about them. (Ahh, yes but before I pick up that needle, I have three
Press Releases and two articles to write!)

Karen Alexander

Date: Sun, 19 Aug 2001 08:11:42 -0500 | From: “Avalon” <malthaus@>

Ady,

There is another picture of one of her quilts on page 236, #194. It
is a
great study in her “fabric stash”.

Mary in Wisconsin

>Re Yvonne Khin’s book – one of her quilts, an Alphabet applique, is
on p.
>237 of Duke and Harding’ America’s Glorious Quilts

Date: Sun, 19 Aug 2001 13:16:09 -0500 | From: Charlene Shanas Davis <cspdavis@>

Hi Everybody,

On the question of imported – or not – once upon a time, there was a
federal regulation that required “imported” on any item that was
imported. But today, with — almost — every nation having ‘most
favored
nation’ status, that may have been revoked. And besides, look at the
price! and you’ll know!
As long as you know what you are getting — there is a place for
those
quilts — who would put a real work of art or history in a window as
a
drape — I wouldn’t, but I have two windows covered by $29.95 quilts
from very poor countries.
(Hi Hazel Carter, I think I agree with you about where the women
would
be without the slave labor.)

Speaking of poor countries, Russian women are turning to quilts as a
tourist sale and also as their expressions of art. Their materials
and
equipment are limited. My daughter, who works for Delta and can fly
stand-by, is in the Moscow area often — very close friend of hers
and
mine. We have discussed several times getting up something in the way
of
“aid to Russian quilters from American quilters.” Does anyone have
feelings, bias, suggestions on the subject?? The Russian people are
very
proud and would undoubtedly want to return something to us.
And yes, my daughter speaks Russian, so she can communicate; she
spent a
semester at Moscow State U (and no, I didn’t sleep the entire
semester :
) ) and has a degree in Russian Studies from Stetson U.

Charlene in Louisiana — who usually just lurks and reads with
enjoyment!

Date: Sun, 19 Aug 2001 22:25:22 EDT | From: Trimble4@

I am back from a week in Missouri, and (as soon as the laundry’s
done) headed
for Florida for another week. But I had to ask a question of you all
(y’all)…while in Missouri I came across a nice, scrappy little
9-patch
Depression-era quilt. Picked it up and unfolded it and, lo and
behold, there
was a label sewn on in the lower right hand corner indicating that
the quilt
had been entered in the 1930 Sears Century of Progress show. The
information
included pattern name, quiltmaker’s name, address, and value placed
on the
quilt if it were to be sold (a third of what I bought it for!) Well,
do I
need to tell you that I fell in love, there and then? It is now en
route to
me (entrusted to the USPS), and I am really tickled about it.

My question is, it is remotely unusual to find quilts with this
particular
label on them? I had none of my reference books with me, and am too
worn out
tonight to go hunt for the information on that show (I do remember
some
discussion of it recently on QHL), so I don’t remember the
particulars of
that show. I just thought it was especially neat (to use a lofty,
highbrow,
technical term).

It’s simple, scrappy, and quite cheerful (I too love that period), so
I would
like it without it’s “birth certificate”, but I thought it was kind
of
special. Any thoughts?

Thanks for your input, and for tolerating my rambling this evening!

Lori in muggy Massachusetts

Date: Sun, 19 Aug 2001 22:30:05 EDT | From: Trimble4@

Hazelmacc@ writes:

<< Another consideration that we had to think on during the earlier
crisis –
if
these people whom you may consider ‘slaves’ (we could never
substantiate
that
it was slave labor from the companies nor from our own government)
were not
making these quilts, what would they be doing? If women no doubt
they would
become prostitutes.
It is a sad note to end on but have been down this road years ago
during the
Smithsonian crisis.
>>

I agree. While I do hate seeing these imports, I have to wonder if
the
makers are earning living wages in the countries in which they live?
While
$2 a day (just an arbitrary figure) is less than a pittance to us, in
some
countries it’s not all that bad, certainly better than nothing.

I do not mean to imply that I condone sales of these things, but
obviously
there is a market for them or stores would not be marketing them. It
is
indeed abhorrent to most of us, but is no more than the difference
between
hot dogs and chateaubriand for many people.

Just my thoughts…

Lori

Date: Sun, 19 Aug 2001 23:06:40 -0400 | From: Paul and Nancy Hahn <phahn@>

The discussion about Yvonne Khin’s book brings back memories of a
pleasant trip a group of 5 quilters made about 8-10 years ago to
Yvonne’s “Quilt Barn” in the Thurmont, Maryland area. I think we
read
in the local paper that she and her husband had moved up to that area
and were holding a quilt exhibit of their collection in a restored
home/barn. (Memories are alittle vague). The 5 of us were the only
ones
there at the time, but both the Khins escorted us about the Quilt
Barn
and explained where each quilt was acquired or why they made it. I
seem
to remember Mr. Khin was also involved in quilting. They also had a
number of items on display made of feedsack fabrics and took turns
reading to us the poem about underwear made from feedsacks, which
they
both found amusing. They also showed us many beautiful oriental-type
fabrics from their homeland and some contmporary patchwork they
created
with these fabrics. It was a very insightful day that these lovely
people provided for 5 quilters in a van who arrived on their
doorstep.
Thanks for bringing up the Khins’ names and reminding me of that
wonderful experience. Does anyone know if the Khins are still in the
Thurmont, Maryland area?

Nancy Hahn

Date: Mon, 20 Aug 2001 09:49:00 EDT | From: Trimble4@

Good morning all,

A kind member of this list suggested I contact Merikay Waldvogel
about the
1930 quilt I just purchased…does anyone have an email address for
her? Is
she on this list?

Will appreciate any help!

Thanks,
Lori in foggy Massachusetts

Date: Mon, 20 Aug 2001 22:53:55 -0400 | From: “Cinda Cawley” <lrcawley@>

I too enjoyed the responses to Addy’s question. The Blind Man’s
Fancy from Quilts of Western New York (I love that little catalogue)
is amazing. The Mary P. Allen Album Quilt is particularly interesting because of the T-shape (cut-out corners), unusual in a PA quilt.
I’ll tell you what I’m doing in the dog days of summer. Phyllis
Twigg is curating an antique quilt exhibit for the PA Extravaganza in
September. The theme is heavily quilted quilts. I am delighted that
she is including a Colonial Ladies, circa 1930, from my collection
which has lots of super quilting and represents that aspect of the first
great quilting revival of the 20th century. I am putting a sleeve and a
new label on the quilt. Apropos of nothing, it is extraordinarily large
(93×111″) for the era before king-size beds.
Project #2 is sewing the binding on a quilt inspired by a circa
1865 Berks County PA Four- Patch Diamond on p. 55 of Nancy Martin’s Thread
of Time. I made no effort to match the fabrics; I only tried to capture
the “look.” I used my favorite Ely Walker double pink and a chrome
yellow as background for 4-patches made from every off-beat repro I could
find. There’s a lot of the first Pilgrim/Roy line in the quilt.
Cinda on the Eastern Shore

–

Date: Mon, 20 Aug 2001 23:03:01 EDT | From: QultFrFn@

Your oversize quilt interests me. Many old farms in the South had
quite
oversize beds in the last of the 19th and early part of the 20th c.
Several
children were meant to sleep in each bed.

Could be your 93″ X 111″ quilt was made for a similar ‘farm’ bed.
Nancy, AZ

Date: Mon, 20 Aug 2001 23:36:49 -0400 | From: “Grayson Deborah” <deborahg@>

Greetings:

In my research I have come across a number of references to quilts —
particularly the fabric quilts are made from — evoking memories of
people,
places, history, ancestors. I am really interested in quilts that
have
been discussed in terms of having or releasing spiritual and or
healing
properties. I am doing this study within an African American
cultural
context but am interested in other examples of this
phenomenon. Does anyone have any suggestions for places to look,
anecdotes
to share etc.? Obviously I have used Roland Freeman’s work among
others.

Thanks,

Deborah

Date: Mon, 20 Aug 2001 23:28:46 -0500 | From: Gail Ingram <GIngram@>

It is deeply August here in North Louisiana. The days have shortened
and the
light is that melancholy light that spells the beginning of the end
of
summer. Lonesome, unsettling weather when folks lose focus. Neither
my
students nor I was ready for school, but today school began.

As a final fling on my last “free” weekend: I read straight through
“Kansas
Quilts & Quilters” (Brackman, Chinn, Davis, Hornback, Farley,
Thompson). I
knew every chapter well, but I had never read them in order. I
intended the
reading to summarize my summer’s learning and experience with
historic
quilts.

It did that, but it also did more: it reminded me what independent
and
tough-minded scholars Kansas has given the nation in the past several
decades. The authors of these essays had done what often seems
impossible—taken sharp critical looks at history without losing
sight of
its personal and emotional content and implications.Like that of many
members of this forum, my first reading about quilting was in highly
sentimental material. I don’t regret that. I still love Rose Wilder
Lane’s
chapter on quilts in “Woman’s Day Book of Needlework,” for instance,
but
even as a twenty-year-old, I yearned for a more critical, systematic
study–i.e., a more complete study—of something I sensed had
immense
cultural and historical significance.

“Kansas Quilts & Quilters” reminded me that daughter of the Deep
South
though I am, my own path of discovery and understanding of quilts has
been
lighted by Kansas women and scholars. These essays are models of
scholarship
and inquiry. I marvel, for instance, at the manner in which Jennie
Chinn’s
clearly reasoned and carefully researched “African American
Quiltmaking
Traditions: Some Assumptions Reviewed” models an approach to an area
that
deserves considerable reconsideration.

Quilt scholar-historians like the ones whose work appears in this
book have
enlarged the boundaries of historical and cultural studies in the
past 30
years. What this book demonstrates is that they have also modeled a
kind of
scholarship that deserves more general attention and emulation at
gatherings
like that of the American Historical Association. A female professor
once
told me, “It is REAL hard, honey, to be both a scholar and a lady.” I
wish
she were alive to read “Kansas Quilts & Quilters” and the body of
scholarship it focuses and draws upon.

We really have come a long way, haven’t we?

Gail Ingram

Date: Tue, 21 Aug 2001 07:18:14 -0500 | From: “Sehoy L. Welshofer” <slw4quilts@>

***************************
Lori – you’ve probably had this answered a dozen times, but here’s
Merikay’s
address (a fellow Tennessean): quiltalive@

Sehoy Welshofer

Visit Web Threads, the Newsletter for Net Savvy Quilters at:
http://www.welshofer.com/WebThreads/

Date: Tue, 21 Aug 2001 07:25:31 -0500 | From: “Susan Wildemuth” <ksandbcwgeneseo.net>

Have you come across the Harriet Power Bible quilts in your research?
They
are beautiful and “double” storied. There is the story/stories
symbolized
in each quilt and then there is the story of how we still have these
quilts
today–

Sue in Illinois

Date: Tue, 21 Aug 2001 22:13:47 -0500 | From: Bettina Havig <bettinaqc@>

I served as director of the MO documentation project and in all the
quilts
that we documented for the MO project we saw none with such a label.
While
our emphasis at the time was on 19th C. we did see quite a number of
20th C.
and none bore such a label. Indeed, Merikay or Barbara Brackman may
have
some idea about the label. We did not provide any such labeling for
quilts
that we documented in MO. I am wondering how the label was made, how
attached and how authentic? There were a great many MO quilts
entered in
the contest so I can’t help but speculate that we might have seen
such a
label if they were provided widely to the entrants. Now you have
piqued my
curiosity.
Bettian Havig

Date: Wed, 22 Aug 2001 06:06:27 -0500 | From: “Karen S Bush” <Birdsong@>

Sorry, I haven’t posted forever. I’m going thru a messy divorce,
blind-sided
me and didn’t know this was going to happen. so, I’ve been alittle
‘down’
shall we say.
So, I’m starting a new life at 52 and really, more or less
enjoying the
thought of a new challenge with my business and with branching out.
Now that
the tension is gone from home, and I can breathe again, with the help
of
GOOD friends and support, I’m going to start Plan A, and if that
doesn’t
work, A-Z, until I get this business off the ground, once again,
coming out
of retirement and hand quilting, turning the house into a shop, and
doing
MORE design work. So, that’s it in a nutshell. Just wanted to say
‘hi’ and
hope I can participate more in what’s going on on this list! 🙂 kb