January 1 – 2, 2004
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 Edge Treatments & Bindings — Members compare period-correct edge and binding methods used when documenting antique quilts.
- Decoding “Thos.” and Other Old Name Abbreviations — A name found on an old crazy quilt sparks a thread on historical shorthand for Thomas, Joseph, and other names.
- Square and Four-Block Quilt Formats — Discussion of historical quilt sizing conventions and four-block construction that yields a square top.
- Cochineal as a Historic Dye — Members discuss cochineal insect dye and where it was historically produced and used. (see the article on natural dyes)
Date: January 1, 2004 | From: “Quiltstuff” <quiltstuffoptusnet.com.au>
<img align=”left” alt=”clcik on this to see it close up” border=”2″ height=”55″ src=”images/roseofsharon_small.jpg” width=”100″/>Hi all, I am an avid browser of EBay as that is really the only way I will get to se many antique quilts here in Australia. I was intrigued by one I saw tonight http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=2584189822&category=2221
The appliqué pattern is not one I had seen before and I think it is a very interesting one. I am also intrigued by the fact the quilt has pink and green swags on two sides of the quilt and then a pink green straight line border on another edge?? Looks like the quilter ran out of patience. Any one have any comments about it??
Suzy Atkins
Date: January 1, 2004 | From: Edwaquilt@
I seem to recall there was an interesting exhibit of Red Cross quilts as well as other quilts related to war times at the last quilt show on the pier in NYC. Can’t remember the date but was about 10 or so years ago. There was also a very emotional quilt made of wool fabric from prisoner of war wool clothing. I believe this was from clothing from German camps of WWII. If anyone has a program from this show, it might give clues to where they came from.
Holice
Date: January 1, 2004 | From: “Judy Kelius (judysue)” <judysue@>
It is a different pattern, one I have not seen before!
My guess is that the quilter made it for a particular bed and put the swag border on the two sides that would show . . . why do all that work if it isn’t going to be seen?
At 05:03 AM 1/1/04, you wrote: > Hi all, > I am an avid browser of EBay as that is really the only way I will get to >se many antique quilts here in Australia. > I was intrigued by one I saw tonight
Date: January 1, 2004 | From: OzarkQuiltmaker@
Happy New Year!
I’m researching edge treatments for quilts. Any information or observations would be appreciated. What are your observations on the history of binding widths, double vs. single fold, bias vs. straight grain usage. What are the earliest examples of scalloped edges some of you have seen? I’m also interested in the earliest uses of folded triangles (prairie points).
Sew Piecefully, Kathy Kansier AQS Appraiser Ozark, Missouri
Date: January 1, 2004 | From: “Judy Kelius (judysue)” <judysue@>
In documenting the quilts for the PA Quilt Museum, I saw four types of edge treatments – separate bindings (ranged from 1/4 to 1/2″ except for the Amish quilts, which usually had 1″ bindings), front turned to back, back turned to front, and knife-edge edges, both hand and machine sewn. I didn’t see many knife-edge treatments, but it seems to me (without going through the records and counting) that the other three were about equally represented. Most separate bindings were straight-grain. (These were all 19th century quilts made in Pennsylvania.)
I have seen 1850s applique quilts with a narrow piping edge next to the binding. We have at least one with this kind of edge in the Museum. Another quilt (1850s, Quaker) has a ball fringe edge which I am sure is original.
I sold one early quilt (1850s-1860s) with a scalloped edge – I don’t recall any in the Museum. I can post a photo of the one I sold if you are interested in seeing it.
Happy New Year to everyone!
Date: January 1, 2004 | From: JBQUILTOK@
It may have been fabric the quilter ran out of. Or it may have been finished by someone else who didn’t do applique.
>From original msg: I am also intrigued by the fact the quilt has pink and green swags on two sides of the quilt and then a pink green straight line border on another edge?? Looks like the quilter ran out of patience.
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=2584189822&category=2221
Janet
Date: January 1, 2004 | From: <mreich@>
Here are two early ads for mattresses; one from Illinois and the other from Maine, both address content and size. I was particularly surprised at the ad from Maine calling them single and double mattresses. The third item is a descriptive on “the healthy bed.” It discusses content and the mattress recommended is straw which could be made any size. That the people from 1865 Maryland were excreting so many poisonous gases at night makes you wonder if their diets consisted of large quantities of beans! As you hunker-down tonight and romanticize about the beds of by-gone days, thank your lucky stars for Serta and Sealy. sue reich
Alton Telegraph Alton, Illinois September 14, 1836
Fresh Mattresses. James Mansfield has on hand and for sale large assortment of Moss and Shuck Mattresses, bol sters and pillows. N.B. Mattresses made and Upholstery done to order. Alton, july 20
Bangor Daily Whig and Courier Bangor, Maine August 14, 1837
Mattresses. Single and double mattresses, made of the first quality of hair. Brad Grass,do. a good article for underbeds, just received and for sale by nov26 – SHAW & MERRILL.
The Alleganian Cumberland, Maryland May 10, 1865
Importance of Wholesome Beds.
Sleep to the working man is emphatically Nature’s-sweet restorer; reinvigorating the physical system, which thro’ much toil has become weary, and keeping up that flow of life and spirits which are necessary to the performance of the arduous duties of life. A comfortable bed, as we are all aware, conduces greatly to one’s rest. On this subject, a recent writer says: Of the eight pounds which man eats and drinks in a day, it is thought that not less than five pounds leave the body through the skin. And of these five pounds a considerable per centage escapes during the night while he is in bed. The larger part of this is water, but in addition there is much effete and poisonous matter. This being in great part gaseous in form, permeates every part of the bed. Thus all parts of the bed, mattress, blankets, as well as sheets soon become foul and need purification. The mattress needs the renovation quite as much as the sheets. To allow the sheets to be used without washing or changing, three or six months, would be regarded as bad housekeeping; but I insist is a thin sheet can absorb enough of the poisonous exceration of the body to make it unfit for use in a few days, a thick mattress, which can absorb and retain a thousand times as much of these poisonous excerations, needs to be purified as often certainly as once in three months. A sheet can be washed. A mattress cannot be renovated in this way. Indeed there is no other way of cleansing a mattress but by steaming it, or picking it to pieces, and thus in fragments exposing it to the direct rays of the sun. And these processes are scarcely practicable with any of the ordinary mattresses, I am decidedly of the opinion that the good old-fashioned straw bed, which can every three months be changed for fresh straw; and the tick be washed, is the sweetest and healthiest of beds. If in the winter season the porousness of the straw bed makes it a little uncomfortable spread over it a comforter, or two woollen blankets, which should be washed as often as every two weeks. With this arrangement, if you wash all the bed coverings as often as once in two or three weeks, you will have a delightful healthy bed. Now if you leave the bed to air, with open windows during the day, and not make it up for the night before evening, you will have added greatly to the sweetness of your rest, and, in consequence, to the tone of your health. I heartily wish this good change could be everywhere introduced. Only those who have thus attended to this important matter can judge of its influence on the general health and spirits.
Date: January 1, 2004 | From: “Cinda Cawley” <lrcawley@>
Sue Reich is amazing! I will refrain from naming the QHL member who lives near Cumberland, MD and might, perhaps, be able to comment on the “poisonous excressences.” We have no such phenomena on the Eastern Shore. Cinda
Date: January 1, 2004 | From: “Jean Carlton” <jeancarlton@>
Quilt size is mentioned only briefly in Brackman’s Clues in the Calico saying, “quilts about seven feet square are a rather standard size . . .” meaning, I assume, that a somewhat significant number of them in that size range has been observed but no statistics are given nor does she speculate about the reason/s. Jean Carlton ——=_NextPart_000_0008_01C3D04E.D7AE0B80–
Date: January 1, 2004 | From: “Anne Datko” <datkoa@>
Re square quilts, don’t forget the 4 – block quilts which generally yield a square quilt. These are described, for example, by Linda Giesler Carlson in Roots, Feathers and Blooms, pub 1994. Carlson states that of the many sources she examined, about 1 of 132 quilts made before 1900 were of the 4-block set.
AnneD ——=_NextPart_000_0C09_01C3D057.4814CA00–
Date: January 1, 2004 | From: “Dee Stark” <deedeestark.com>
Laura wrote:
>picturesque detail by Cinda, hop the PATH train or NJ Transit to NYC and go to the Met >Museum, where there is an (unpublicized) exhibition of Amish quilts. They hang in a long >corridor in the American Wing . A visit there gives the opportunity to spend time up close,
I took a look at the Met website, and noticed that they are giving some talks concerning the quilts, too….
February 1, 2004 Trish Herr, independent scholar, Lancaster, Pennsylvania
Lancaster County Amish Quilts and Their Makers Real-time captioned
2:00 p.m. Grace Rainey Rogers Auditorium Free with Museum admission
dee www.deestark.com (Who is going to be in NYC on Feb. 25th – planning on arriving near Grand Central and then going up to the Botanical Gardens in the Bronx for the day, if anyone is interested in meeting for lunch at the Gardens)
Date: January 1, 2004 | From: danabalsamo@
Hello all I recently purchased another Old Crazy Quilt and it has a name on it that I am not familiar with…”Thos”…complete name “Thos H. Julian”. Has anyone heard of this first name before? Is it male or female? Is it short for something longer. I intend on researching it on the geneology sites as well, but like to start here first. Thanks and Happy New Years everyone! Dana Material Pleasures www.rubylane.com/shops/materialpleasures www.tias/stores/materialpleasures
Date: January 1, 2004 | From: “Newbie Richardson” <pastcrafts@>
Dear list, Happy New Year one and all… Would any of you headed for Elly Sienkiewics’ lecture on Sunday at 2pm at the BMA like to meet for coffee afterward? I am planning on seeing the exhibit before hand. Maybe we could all have a carnation held in our teeth (!) as an identifying “qhl” insignia. Newbie Richardson Alexandria, Va
Date: January 1, 2004 | From: “Steve and Jean Loken” <sandjloken@>
Hi, reporting in from the Minnesota quilt project database on our findings. Looking for that date span, I did find a remarkable number of square or near-square quilts, but with a wide variety of sizes, from 79×79 (2) up to 100×97, but most in the 80s, like 84×81, 86×88, etc. Both pieced and applique, including 4-block and 9-block, log cabins, and stars: LeMoyne and broken star. Some are signed and dated, but most are date estimates. We even had a square doll quilt from that era (19×19). Lots of red and green appliques among them, too. Jean from sunny MN wishing all a happy and healthy new year.
Date: January 1, 2004 | From: “Lorraine Olsson” <svenpnc.com.au>
The name Thos is usually a shortened version of Thomas.
Lorraine in Oz
Happy New Year All!!
Date: January 1, 2004 | From: Laurajbr@
Hi, Dana, just in case no one has told you yet, Thos. is short for Thomas. Have a happy new year. Sylvia Adair, Germantown, Wisconsin
Date: January 1, 2004 | From: “Sally Ward” <sallytatters@>
> I recently purchased another Old Crazy Quilt and it has a name on it that > I am not familiar with…”Thos
A very common shortening of Thomas over here.
Sally W in UK
Date: January 1, 2004 | From: Dana Balsamo <danabalsamo@>
Thank you all! I thought it was going to be an odd name and easy to research <sigh>, I have my work cut out for me. Happy New Year! Dana
Sally Ward <sallytatters@> wrote: > I recently purchased another Old Crazy Quilt and it has a name on it that > I am not familiar with…”Thos
A very common shortening of Thomas over here.
Date: January 1, 2004 | From: “Quiltstuff” <quiltstuffoptusnet.com.au>
I thought of that but what I find odd is that instead of leaving the edge totally alone and just having the backing fabric she added two bands of ( presumably ) pieced fabric. maybe they were needed to give the dimensions for the ‘tuck in’ portion of the bed. Either way, it is a refreshing design. On another note, I was studying Florence Peto’s calico garden quilt today . Am I right in presuming she has sued vintage fabrics in this. As it was made in 1950 and reproduction fabrics were not available then. I wonder if it had turned up without any provenance, how would historians known it was 1950s and not earlier??
here is Australia, one thing that will be in the future very confusing, is a way to tell quilts that were made here compared with the numbers of vintage quilts being imported. Should make life somewhat confusing. Suzy
Date: January 1, 2004 | From: “Teddy Pruett” <aprayzer@>
I’ve been lurking for a while now, so thought I would put in my 2 cents on a couple of things.
FIrst of all, I will tell you all something that I’ve never breathed to a soul – and now, here I will tell it to an international audience! I just ask that you bear in mind that I am relating history that I had no part in! Several years ago, on a trip to West Virginia, my hosts mentioned that they had old quilts in a trunk upstairs, and knew nothing at all about them. They would be pleased to let me see the quilts if I wished, and I could tell them what I knew. Of course, I did not pass up a chance to do this! We opened the enormous old musty trunk, and looked at several quilts. As we took the last one out of the trunk, I was horrified to see right there in front of me an actual authentic KKK robe and hood. Even thinking about it today, I get unpleasant shivers. I was dying to look at it closer, but could not make myself touch such an evil thing. I begged the owners to contact a museum and donate it, as I truly think it is a part of history that must not be forgotten, but I could not bear to sleep in the same room with it. Much the same as the holocaust, these horrible things must be remembered lest we fail to be diligent in preventing them from happening again.
ANyway, from my first-hand experience, I can tell you that the cross is nothing at all like the red cross crosses. KKK crosses are white, placed on a red ground. They are almost circular in shape, with the part at the center smaller than the outer edge. It reminds me much of an airplane propellor, or the insignia of BMW. ANd that is more than I ever thought I would share about the KKK. I may be Southern to the core, but My mind simply cannot comprehend the evil one man can feel towards another. I cant even stand it when people hunt animals, much less humans.
As for the debate on the 85″ square theory, I can’t say that I agree with that. I’ve appraised hundreds and hundreds of quilt – probably getting up in to the thousands by now. WHile I have seen many, many basically square quilts (given a half inch here or there) the 85″ figure doesnt sound familiar to my brain. In a perfect world, I would not be meeting myslef coming and going, and I would have time to go through my files and actually do a search. ALas, my files are in paper, not in the computer, so the time to do so will not be forthcoming.
ANd that’s how it is in the FLorida piney woods this week.
Teddy Pruett
Date: January 1, 2004 | From: “ChrisA” <chrisa@>
<<On another note, I was studying Florence Peto’s calico garden quilt today . Am I right in presuming she has sued vintage fabrics in this. As it was made in 1950 and reproduction fabrics were not available then>>
Suzy, Yes, it was vintage fabric. In that particular quilt, she fussy cut many of them to fit into the petal or flower she was appliquéing. It’s really wonderful close up. Since you are in Australia, this probably won’t help you out, but it will be in their exhibit next summer and is often on display anyway at the Shelburne Museum.
Florence Peto loved and collected antique quilts and fabrics. She used bits and pieces of the real thing in many of her quilts. You find pictures of them scattered about in different books. Trish Herr brought a couple to the last AQSG meeting for viewing. It was quite a privilege, I thought, to be able to see them up close and personal. Thank you Trish, for making that possible.
Kim
Kimberly Wulfert, PhD www.antiquequiltdating.com Email: quiltdating@
Date: January 1, 2004 | From: “kathy moore” <kathymooreneb.@>
Suzy, I looked at the picture on Ebay and my guess is that this quilt was made to go on a bed that would be against a wall. The practical quilter didn’t see any point in wasting her time and fabric on an elegant border that no one would see. Thanks for pointing it out. It’s a lovely example.
Kathy Moore
Date: January 1, 2004 | From: “kathy moore” <kathymooreneb.@>
Dana, the Thos you refer to is probably an abbreviated form of Thomas.
Kathy Moore ——=_N
Date: January 1, 2004 | From: Dana Balsamo <danabalsamo@>
Thank you! I am finding lots of Thomas Julians and a few with the H middle initial…I think I am going to have to get some additional info from the previous owner, at least if it’s originally from NJ (where purchased) or elsewhere. It was from an auction, so that might be hard. My best, Dana
kathy moore <kathymooreneb.@> wrote: Dana, the Thos you refer to is probably an abbreviated form of Thomas.
Kathy Moore
Date: January 2, 2004 | From: “Charlotte Bull” <charloumo-net.com>
Thos =s Thomas! Boy, that will teach me not to reply until I’ve read ALL of the digest! But isn’t it wonderful that we all agree! And that so many jump in with answers!
Now if we could only come up with a Block Name for the red & pink unique quilt we could view on ebay! And I do agree that quilts often had fancy borders on only 2 sides – the visible ones! Beds were so often shoved into a corner of a room!
But, re looking at antique quilts, I do suggest that you go to www.centerforthequilt.org/quiltindex.html for a look at many, MANY quilts! Also, you can check out the IQSC and get on their quilt of the month list etc www.quiltstudy.org You can look at quilts all day long!!! Database of over 1200 Qs But if you want to visit me in MO you can spend a week reading all of my books! cb
Date: January 2, 2004 | From: aol.com
Other common name abbreviations:
Jos – Joseph Robt – Robert Chas – Charles
Hope this helps.
Karen Evans
Date: January 2, 2004 | From: Jo Morton <jomorton@>
I read on another list that the traveling exhibit ‘Calico & Chintz’ from the Smithsonian would be at the Speed Art Museum in Louisville, KY from Dec 16, 2003 through March 4, 2004. Lucky for me, we had planned Christmas at my cousins home in Knoxville, TN and then drive home to Nebraska through Ohio to visit potter friends. After I found this info, we diverted our trip to Ohio through Louisville. I also have a friend in Louisville, that I had not seen in a few years and was able to have supper with her after a wonderful afternoon at the Speed Art Museum. We also took the docents tour of the museum. This museum is free – no admission. If you buy something in the Museum store they will validate your parking. www.speedmuseum.org will give you all the info you need to go to the Museum that is on the University of Louisville campus – easy to get to. My friend teaches art at that University. Now for the great part – the Museum store has both the soft cover and hard cover of ‘Calico & Chintz’. The soft cover is $25.95 and the hard cover is $39.95. The books don’t seem to be a second printing – after the talk of being out of print and selling for big $$$, I was surprised to find them. Unless the Smithsonian has held back copies for the traveling exhibit?
Happy New Year! Jo Morton Nebraska City, NE
Date: January 2, 2004 | From: “BOBBIE A AUG” <qwltpro@>
I have been following the discussion re bed/quilt sizes and would like tooffer the following contribution:
1700-1830 – very large beds, sometimes 3 to 4 yards wide. i.e. 108″ to 1= 44″ and sometimes square – sometimes not.
1825-1850 – 3/4 beds were popular. Sometimes square, ranging from 6′ to 7.5′ (78″ x 78″ to 90″ x 90″). Sometimes and often not square. When rec tangular, often 6″ to 10″ longer than wide.
There were also quilts made for cots, trundles and cradles – both child a nd adult. These were long and skinny and not like anything mentioned abo ve.
1900’s (double beds) This increased the size to 7′ or 8′. Sometimes squ are. Sometimes not.
Twin beds. 1930’s double beds (two lengths of 36″ fabric, about 72″ x 90= “).
After WWII, Queen and King size. 1960’s water beds. 1980’s Sizes to fittwin, double, queen, king and water beds, California King and Queen.
These sizes are GENERALITIES. For every mattress maker, every bed maker and every quiltmaker, there is originality!
Bobbie
Date: January 2, 2004 | From: “jajb” <anne_j@>
> Living in AZ we have plenty of prickly pear cactus. This summer we asked a > friend about the white gunk that was on our cactus (we were sure it was some > awful disease) and he showed us the little beetle inside and squished it.
There is a wonderful book called ‘Colour’ by Victoria Finlay, in which she describes her travels around the world exploring the natural history of pigments. In the section on Red, she describes visiting cochineal farms in Chile. She when she asked, of cochineal industry, ‘is it cruel?’ the reply was ‘only for the cactuses: the insects eat them alive’. On another farm she is told how the harvesting of the bugs is crucial. If they are left to their own devices the insects kill the plants, the manager must strike a balance between letting the cochineals grow to their maximum size and keeping the castuses alive. After the collection the plants have to be given two or three months’ rest before they are infested again. The bugs live for about five months before collection time comes around again.
She goes on to point out that although it is a deep, intensely coloured organic red, it will never be used for Buddhist robes because ‘there is too much death in it’.
Sally W
Date: January 2, 2004 | From: “Christine Thresh” <christinewinnowing.com>
Cochineal is a beautiful “natural” dye. I thought it was found in Central and South America. It gives lovely pinks and bright scarlet on wool. I’ve used it many times. It hold up very well. You can find it in many old oriental rugs. I don’t know the process to use it on cottons.
I believe it is still used to stain laboratory slides.
Christine Thresh http://www.winnowing.com
Date: January 2, 2004 | From: aol.com
Cochineal is one of my favorite natural dyes, and yes, it’s been used in many places and time periods. The insects that produce it are related to the insects that produce two more red dyes, lac and kermes.
Cochineal itself is fairly easy to use on cotton and linen; I’ve done a double mordant with alum and tannin and gotten a wonderful magenta pink. I’ve also gotten a silver color on linen when using a copper mordant. Cochineal is absolutely gorgeous on silk when mordanted with alum. It’s non-toxic (and used as a food coloring in cranberry juice, cherries, and ice cream), easy to make (just grind up the dried bugs and mix the powder with water), and easy to use (heat dye. Dip mordanted goods in dye. Wait half an hour. Voila!).
I believe supplies can be obtained from Dharma Trading and The Earth Guild. It’s well worth trying – the colors are so pretty!
Karen Evans
“J. G. Row” <JudyGrow@> Date: Sat, 3 Jan 2004 00:56:40 -0500 X-Message-Number: 1
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=2584923588&category=2221
Date: January 2, 2004 | From: “Denise M. R. Nordberg”
They say you never forget your first one and my first experience at a real museum dedicated to quilts was over a dozen years ago at the New England Quilt Museum in Lowell, Massachusetts. I saw Nancy Halpern’s Archipelago and some of the Binney collection. It was amazing! That’s what makes it truly heartbreaking to have had such a bad experience there last weekend. By way of internet and phone informatiion, the museum advertised itself as being open on Sundays through December from noon to 4PM. I checked on December 26th minutes before leaving Pennsylvania to go to a family gathering near Cape Cod. December 28th is my birthday so it was a treat for my husband to drive me from the Cape so that I could see their exhibit of stars quilts. When we arrived, the museum was closed – without so much as a note on the door! I wasn’t the only disappointed quilt enthusiast. A woman and her son who were from Maine were trying to find a open door, convinced that the dark interior was a fiction. When I used my cell phone to try to rouse someone in the museum, I simply got the same message. Open on Sundays in December…..
We then went to spend 2 days in Deerfield, Massachusetts and thought about returning to the museum on Tuesday. We’d have to get there just as they open since doing that would add 4 hours to our trip home. On the way, I called again and someone who had gotten in early said that yes, they were opening at 10. When I arrived I asked to speak to someone in public relations. When I explained the problem, I didn’t receive any satisfaction but was simply told that she would bring up my “concerns” (my insistance that you can’t run a museum that way….) at the “next” meeting. Not even the smallest attempt at groveling. In fact, she said that they had also closed (UNANNOUNCED) on the 24th as if a pattern of not being there during announced times would make it all right. The exhibit was lovely – as theirs tend to be – and I was happy that my husband was patient enough to be willing to tack on an extra 4 hours to our trip home. But, before leaving, I looked at the visitor’s book and noticed that in the last 2 weeks visitors from Texas, Brazil, Arizona, Pennsylvania and Maryland had signed it. The New England Quilt Museum is a mecca for those of us who are quilt enthusiasts. It would be expected that those traveling in the New England area during the holidays would go out of their way to see a quilt exhibit. Being closed during publicized open hours is no way to run a museum. I have to caution anyone going there to speak to a person ahead of any visit to confirm that the museum will acutually be open on the days it publicizes. Denise Nordberg , home again in northeastern PA
