October 15 – 19, 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:
- State Quilt Documentation Projects — Members discuss the “Determination” National Quilt Register project and state-level quilt documentation efforts in Florida and New York. (see the article on state quilt documentation books)
- Quilt Museums & Historians — Mentions of the Abby Aldrich Rockefeller Folk Art Museum and contacting Dutch quilt historian An Moonen. (see the article on quilt museums)
- Gearing Up for Houston — Members trade tips and excitement ahead of the International Quilt Festival in Houston.
- A Homemade Quilt Documentation Database — A member shares a self-built ACCESS database program for tracking quilt documentation records.
From: “J. G. Row” <JudyGrow@>
I heard a rumor that Julie actually did go to auctioneer school. Is that true Julie?
And….
I’m not the list moderator, but I think it would be best not to have to read any thing about Iraq from anyone on this list, right or left or center.
If anyone takes offense at anything anyone writes, take it back to them privately. Don’t put it out for the entire list to read. That’s the first thing I learned in parenting. Reprimand in private.
Julie and Gail, you know I love you both, but ……………
Judy, aka the Ringoes Kid judygrow@
This is slightly off-topic, but it is in the general arena. (and long too-sorry)
I was recently contacted by Dr. Lynn Hulse (United Kingdom), who along with her fellow researcher/writer Melissa Morbeck (United Kingdom) has been commissioned to write a scholarly book length history of the Royal School of Needlework and compile a three-part catalogue of historic embroideries and lace (which numbers in excess of 4000 items), paper designs (of which there are about 10,000) and commissions which are scattered around the world.
Over the years a number of documents associated with the school have been lost, including many of the instruction books that were published. These ladies have managed to find via the web three issues in the Needlework in War-Time series (darning, embroidery and ecclesiastical), but have not been able to find a copy of the others, including the one on quilting.
I collect vintage quilt paper items and through my travels have acquired vintage needlework items. I keep the vintage quilt paper items and pass on the vintage needlework items so I have some of the Needlework in War-Time Series booklets –
Embroidery on Canvas-Needlework in War-Time Subject 3, Royal School of Needlework, Principal: Lady Smith-Dorrien, DBE, Page 11. Owner Tag: Mrs. R. Gilman Lust, Meredith, New Hampshire.
Quilting and Patchwork Quilts-Needlework in War-Time Subject 4, Royal School of Needlework, Principal: Lady Smith-Dorrien, DBE, Page 11
Embroidery in Silks, Cottons, or Wools–On Materials Other Than Canvas-Needlework in War-Time Subject 7, Royal School of Needlework, Principal: Lady Smith-Dorrien, DBE, Page 11
Suggestions for Teaching Beginners or Convalescents-Needlework in War-Time Subject 8, Royal School of Needlework, Principal: Lady Smith-Dorrien, DBE, Page 11.
She found me via QHL list and asked me about my RSN paper items. I think it’s time these RSN items went back home so I am donating three of my four booklets to the Royal School of Needlework for their archives. I asked her if I could post to QHL their needs in the hopes that some of you out there who appreciate needlework of all kinds would be able to help them.
They would be grateful for any material related to the Royal School of Needlework (embroidery booklets, exhibition catalogues, newspaper cuttings, photographic evidence, details of RSN commissions which have made their way to the US, anecdotal evidence, etc.). Photocopies are welcomed. I am told photocopies will be used for research purposes.
If there are any of you on the list who could help them out, by pointing them in a direction, I know they would appreciate it.
I’m going to give you Dr. Hulse’s e-mail address and let you get in touch with her (or the Royal School of Needlework) –
Dr. Lynn Hulse E-mail: lynn.hulse@
Royal School of Needlework Apartment 12A Hampton Court Palace Surrey KT8 9AU England
Telephone: (+44) (020) 8943 1432 Facsimile: (+44) (020) 8943 4910 Email: enquiries@
I’m just the messenger, but I want to help these two ladies with their efforts to save a piece of textile history.
Thanks for your patience with this lengthy post.
Sue in Illinois
From: “Newbie Richardson”
Dear list, A dear friend of mine, who has spent a lifetime collecting books and articles on the history of European and domestic textiles – woven and printed – happened to be in NYC with her husband last year. They went into one of NYC’s premier book dealers on decorative arts. As it turns out, several of her – now out of print – books were on the shelf. She motioned to her husband, and without saying a word slowly took down each book, opened it to the price, closed it and repeated the gesture. When they left the shop, he asked her if she did indeed own all those books. Yes, she said, and then some. He was suitably impressed and will now be absolutely certain that they do not go to Goodwill! Placing a monetary value on some of our treasured references may be crass – but it can also be very effective in gaining the necessary respect that they are due by the “uninitiated”.
I recently did an IRS appraisal of a large, impressive collection of costume history books. There were some 600 volumes, the value of which was in the neighborhood of $45,000. ( Basically wholesale) Her collection was the equivalent of what I know many of you, including me, have on our bookshelves. Some of them were worth $0.50 – and others could only be had for $500 – if you were lucky! It is important to let your family members know that what may have started out as a casual whim has grown into an important collection! And if you do not feel that they can be trusted to take care of them properly – then you are obligated to do so yourself so that subsequent generations will have access to these valuable resources. I advise my clients to have them sold for the benefit of an organization they wish to support – that way interested collectors will have access to the books ( or costumes) and they will continue to be gently used and in so doing bring joy and knowledge – rather than gathering dust in a public repository. When a collector or afficionado pays real money for something – it will be cared for! IMHO Newbie Richardson
From: Gail Ingram
Julie and All,
First, I am sorry if my remarks offended. Having lived among British and American historians most of my adult life, I fell into a stereotypical joke about France’s fabled tendency to leave all wars to others, even those waged against it. It’s an old joke, one that undoubtedly works better among those who are familiar with its history. I understand how it might seem flippant and callous. As a woman, a mother of a son, and a teacher of boys who become my dear friends, I am far from flippant about war in general or about the war in Iraq in particular. I grew up in a world of families who had lost their sons and fathers in WW II and in a place where one could never forget war entails death. I hate war.
That said, I feel constrained to add it’s important to remember that the premise the war in Iraq is completely unjustified is not one shared by everyone. A large number of intelligent, thoughtful Americans consider that war just. Personally, I can appreciate the merits of both positions.
Those who consider it a just response to a complex and broad international situation that ultimately involves the U.S. citizenry also sorrow over the lives lost.
National Guard units from our section of Louisiana were among the first to be mobilized after 9/11, for instance, and thus Iraq is never far from our minds. Our friends and children and husbands are in harm’s way there, and we fear for them.
Yet our contacts with those men and women and with others who are in Iraq tell a story different from one I’ve seen reported on radio or television news, Liberal or Conservative. Their letters and calls home describe rebuilt schools, playgrounds constructed by off-duty military men and women, girls taught to read and write, women who come under the protection of darkness with homemade foods to thank the people who are working to end the reign of terror which has gripped their families for so long. On the flight to Portland, I sat next to an army sergeant who had just returned from active duty in Iraq. He said one of the things that shocked the citizens of Iraq with whom he had worked was the American concern for the lives of ordinary people. The fear of most, he said, was that the Americans would leave.
To have used a political metaphor, especially about war, might have been insensitive and out of place on a quilt history list, but sometimes we laugh so we can continue living, so we will not cry. My remark, dear Julie, stemmed not from callousness, as I hope you know.
Now, for the cat owners on list who might take umbrage, I am proud to be owned by a fine yellow and white feline who came into my home as a “gift” from a student whose litter overflowed.
Gail Ingram
From: “Laura Fisher” <laurafishernetlink1.net>
well I am sooooooo sorry to have missed AQSG on the west coast, but I saw mountains too (though none erupting) — in Alsace, France, at the Carrefours Patchwork Europe convention Sept 18-19. It was just like Paducah, only with better food, way better desserts, and come to think, better scenery and architecture too.
It was held in several towns, each one higher than the other, on a hill in the Jura Mountains. The principle locale was Ste Marie aux Mines (where they mined silver). This locale, it turns out– thanks to the fine research of Jacques Legeret –is THE place where the Amish first became Amish, and from where they emigrated elsewhere, never to return.
I heard lectures in French about the history of the Amish when they left the church and became anabaptists, and Amish life today in the U.S.
Don Kraybill from Pennsylvania was there to film a documentary on the town and Amish history, which presumably we’ll be able to see in the U.S. sometime next year. I hope Jacques will be able to come and make a presentation too. The region kept shifting from French to German and back over centuries, so it’s not quite accurate to place the first Amish in Germany as we have thought.
There were fabulous exhibitions in all three towns, accessible by shuttle bus, or a hike in beautiful weather surrounded by glorious mountainsides. Jacques curated a large exhibit of Amish and Mennonite quilts in the main church in the town. I took pictures and will try to post them on my website.
Other churches and halls were the sites of exhibitions of new quilts on varying themes from different quilt groups. There was some great original work, as well as superb exact copies of traditional American designs.
In still other locales there were fabrics, kits, materials for sale just like in various states here. The most astonishing thing was the kits for the whitework “couvre pieds” or little baby quilts — fabulous quilting patterns, would be tough to tell new from old.
Mostly French and German companies were selling what looked like mostly American quilting fabrics. One Welsh company is producing “homespun” linen, checks and stripes that are dead ringers for thecoverted originals.
I wonder if their website Patchwork-Europe is still up so you all can see the program info. This is a trip worth taking, likely they’ll have another next September (this was their 10th year celebration). It’s not hard to manage the money or language, and one can plan a side trip to Mulhouse, home of a great textile museum. It was the site of manufacturers of superb 19th century French cottons.
If I were Cinda, I could have described this better. It was an incredible experience to see all the quilt work being done there. 18,000 people attended the event. Maybe there can be an American contingent that makes the trip next year.
Laura Fisher
Date: Fri, 15 Oct 2004 20:40:06 -0400 | From: “Teddy Pruett” <aprayzer@>
Hi Yall. While I was basking in the experience of AQSG, many people learned that I am a college student. To say I’m a little “long in the tooth” ( or cup) is an understatement. These same very kind people inquired as to whether I was completing my Master’s or my Doctorate, and I was humbled and embarrassed to admit that I am working on My Kindergartorate.
Have been trying to determine classes for next semester – I’ve picked three, again “have-to’s” to fulfill core stuff. Boooorrrrinnng. But I tell myself I can knock this out if I keep at it. Three classes a semester. Unless I keel over and begin to push up daisies before this task is complete, I will be a teetering old codgerette by the time I am through.
SO, I’ve just designed the outsider-art wheelchair I am going to use at FSU. It will be covered in hot pink rhinestones, with a feather boa around the back – cow horns mounted on the front, playing cards attached to the wheels with clothespins so that it makes a cool sound when it rolls – and a spritzer for my loud perfume, and another for my hairspray so that I can keep my “Harley Hair” look, a WalMart bag for my make-up, a special mini cooler for Ensure, and a hidden saddlebag for Depends. It will have an “oooga” horn so I can blast the skinny little broads in their Hooters outfits that get in my way. And I will glue buttons and pennies and leftover earrings on every available surface. When I die, with or without my degree, it will go to the Smithsonian, dedicated to those women who never, ever give up. Amen. Teddy Pruett, in north Florida, where outsider art never dies. (We just dont know it is outsider art – we think it’s classy!)
Date: Fri, 15 Oct 2004 20:51:42 -0400 | From: “Teddy Pruett” <aprayzer@>
You may have read in Quilter’s Newsletter Magazine that the gals in Florida have decided to reopen the state quilt documentation process. Actually, I’m not certain that we really were, but now that it is in print –well, what can we do??
I’ve been in discussion with the heroic gal who is going to be in charge of this new process, and she wants to know “Well, now what??” Has anyone ever actually outlined the procedures such as 1. Do this. 2. Now do this. ???? We see no reason to reinvent the wheel if there is an existing set of procedures which can be utilized. We do know, for certain, that we want to use the same form as the national database, which was simple enough to locate. We will be utilizing digital photos as opposed to professional photography, which was one of the nightmares in earlier documentation projects – both financially, and in the matter of actually finding someone who could do the photos. We have a statewide guild now, which did not exist at the time of the original documentation project.
If anyone can point me (us) in the right direction – and I am certain the correct persons are on this list – I will put you in touch with the chairperson, or forward the mail on to her. I am also sending her instructions on how to become a member of QHL, so it may be we can all hook up someway. I’m almost embarrassed to ask this, and admit how much we don’t know about the whole thing, but heck – what can ya expect from a woman who fantasizes over a pink rhinestone wheelchair?? Teddy Pruett, whose official job in the doc project is to date and identify quilts. Now, THAT I can do!!!!!
Teddy Pruett
From: “Jo Williams” <antiquilts@>
I wanted to thank those of you who e-mailed me privately about how best to sell the remaining antique quilts in my inventory since I have up my business. I’m especially ready to sell them to help finance my trip to Hawaii in March!
I am trying to sell them on ebay this week (Seller ID: antiquilt), so I’ll see what kind of luck I have there. If that isn’t successful, I’ll try another show. Thanks again! Your comments were very helpful. Jo in New River Gorge, WV
From: “Peter LEATE” <crafters@>
GO!
Mature students are the best!
I had a mid life crisis and had to get a degree, but as I was overseas one month in three this posed a few problems.
over the next 15 years I wound up with a wall full of degrees/qualifications but found I could handle it better than the young ones on even less study. I did assignments on the back of aircraft seats without the benefit of textbooks and even eventually had withdrawal symptoms between semesters. Wound up as student rep on Academic board and university council as well.
Everything is possible! Hang In there!
Enjoy it!
Peter from OZ
From: “Peter LEATE”
is there something quilting in March in Hawaii??
Peter from OZ
From: “Karen Evans”
I’m planning to update my will later this year and have already decided to leave my quilting books and research to the Sophia Smith Collection at Smith College, my alma mater. The SSC is a leading women’s history archive and would at least have an idea of what to do with the stuff, especially if the will were drawn up correctly. I’m also making provision in my will that in the absence of other heirs, the bulk of my estate will go toward establishing a textile research fund at Smith, geared towards quilts. The quilts I’ve made per historic models will go directly to the college art museum.
It’ll be a way to continue my work even after I’m no longer there to do it, and to make sure that my quilts are properly cared for. And what better place than a women’s college? 🙂
Karen Evans
From: “Karen Evans”
I know a woman who got her college degree at 42 and is now halfway through her M.Ed. I got my MA from Hartford Seminary twenty years after I graduated from college. Older students rule!
Karen Evans
Date: Sat, 16 Oct | From: Jccullencrew@
Hey Teddy, Your chair sounds fabulous–the way my knees are behaving I may have to join you soon. My degree (besides my nursing one) is in thereapeutic recreation therapy. What a blast we could have. I love to decorate and embellish, play games both physical and intellectual, and always learn new things. You could be the resident student (for a while longeranyway) and we could have a bash/blowout when you graduate. Our county college just graduated someone 72 and she added wisdom and experience to the classes. I call my DH, who is older than I am, my living history reference book, he’s been around that long. Regarding history, he said it is being changed to suit the people who want it to be politically correct. Nothing is what it was, but rather what some would want it to be to avoid the real truth being told. We have read our grandchildren’s history books and cannot believe how some things that happened have been glossed over. But history is history so thank God for books written at the time so you can go back and refer to them in order to get the complete and true historical perspective. I’ve been very pleased to hear about the topic of quilt history, discussions of books, and making sure our books are passed on to a place they will be used. The wealth of information on this website amazes me, and I have learned so much. One last thing, someplace, somewhere is a university w/o walls that gives credit for life experiences. It accounts for maybe a third of the credits if you can take the test and pass it. Don’t know if they have it by you, but several people I know did it and it worked out well for them and made their time in school much shorter. Have you heard of it? It may be something you can look into on the net. I very much enjoyed your description of the wheelchair…you are a funny writer. I’d like to meet you if I get to Florida. I think we would have a lot of laughs and that’s what I love to do the most. Take care of yourself and enjoy whatever you do. Kind regards. Carol Grace
From: “Karen Evans”
Does anyone on the list have an e-mail address for An Moonen or know how I can contact her? Thanks!
Karen Evans
From: Kathie Holland
she is on the British Quilt History list and posts there often…….. are you on that list?
From: “Pat Sloan” <pat@>
Can anyone tell me where the new Abby Aldrich Rockefeller museum will be? It closes Jan 2 2005 in Williamsburg VA. http://www.history.org/History/museums/abby_art.cfm
Pat Sloan http://www.Quilters@ sign-up for my yahoo group- Pat-Sloan-Quilts
From: “Susan Wildemuth”
I’d like to make a correction on my post about the Royal School of Needlework
The citation should read as follows:
Embroidery on Canvas-Needlework in War-Time Subject 3, Royal School of Needlework, Principal: Lady Smith-Dorrien, DBE, Page 11. Owner Tag: Mrs. R. Gilman Lunt, Meredith, New Hampshire.
Mrs. R. Gilman Lunt (not Lust as I had previously posted) or Margaret Lunt or “Peg”.
Thanks Pat for e-mailing me privately about this I appreciate that.
Sally Ward if you are on the list I have three more vintage UK booklets (these on quilting) I’d like to send back home. E-mail me privately, if you or the BQSG would like to have them.
Sue in Illinois
From: “Karen Evans”
No. Do you have the list subscription information? Thanks!
Date: Sat | From: AG32040@
How about Oberlin College in Ohio ? It was the first to admit women.
From: “Andi Reynolds”
Hi List,
Per Teddy’s comment: You may have read in Quilter’s Newsletter Magazine that the gals in Florida have decided to reopen the state quilt documentation process. Actually, I’m not certain that we really were, but now that it is in print –well, what can we do??…
As a co-founder of Florida’s statewide guild (1994), I can tell you that keeping up with documentation was an early goal. Our thought was that if we undertook this activity periodically, it wouldn’t be the humongous chore the original project was. While we were thinking about how to begin, we learned two things: that the original records were still in paper format – and we thought they should be computerized – and that a national database was being created. Unless something has changed drastically, there is a stalemate over getting the original documents computerized. I am pleased to learn from Teddy that the input technology will overcome that problem this new go round and that using the national database format is the plan. I suggest that every state that did a documentation project consider keeping up with the phenomenal output of quilts the boom in this art form is producing. I mean, every five years might not be fast enough! At this point, Florida will be tracking quilts that didn’t get caught in the net the first time as well as 14 years’ worth of new quilts. I wish them all good luck, no hassle logistics and tremendous participation.
About posterity: I’m enjoying the thread on where quilt-related things go when we are gone. I wrote “You Can’t Take It with You” (QNM July/August 1999) and am now writing a follow-up piece on donating quilts to museums and historical societies. To this end, I’d appreciate suggestions that the fabulously knowledgeable people on this list want to see included in such an article. I’d also love to hear about museum curators and historical society chairpeople who would be good interviewees. I anticipate mention of condition, provenance, appraisals, acquisition policies and maintenance fiscal gifts (off the top of my head without benefit of several years’ worth of notes). A private reply might be best, but I’m posting to the list because I think this topic is of interest to many of us.
Thanks in advance, and Teddy, be sure your wheelchair has fat tires for better traction at the beach and a sterling silver cupholder for your julep.
Andi in Keota, Iowa
Oberlin is a wonderful school, but Smith is the choice for me a) I’ve never been to Oberlin, b) their secondary mission is classical music, not women’s history, c) Smith is a women’s college with a major women’s archive, and d) I’m an alumna. 🙂
That aside, my point is that leaving one’s work to a college (especially one’s alma mater) is a good way to preserve it, especially if you structure the bequest properly. That’s why I plan to attach conditions to the bequest requiring the founding of a textile study program or award. That will prevent the college from placing my books in the general stacks at Neilson Library and forgetting about them 🙂
Karen Evans
From: Loretta Woodard
If your plans are flexible, consider going to Waimea on the Big Island (Hawaii) for the biennial two-day quilt show by Ka Hui Kapa Apana O Waimea, February 19 & 20, 2005. It will be hung at Kuhio Hale in Waimea. Admission free. You won’t be sorry. The quilters, overwhelmingly, are Hawaiian or “local” so if you want a chance to study Hawaiian quilts as well as note the variations and conservative experimentation, this is the place to be. Hui members include Sharon Balai, Dorothy Badua, Harriet Soong and their students whose work has been featured in Robert Shaw’s Hawaiin Quilt Masterpieces, and MacDowell and Dewhurst’s To Honor and Comfort.
On Oahu, the Hawaii Quilt Guild mounts a great show in May around Mother’s Day. The Mission Houses, if it’s planning another quilt show, probably will open late July and run to mid-September. Maui has an active quilt guild but I have no info on when their show will be hung. The Kauai Museum on Kauai hangs quilts in September and October (contemporary guild-type one month, Hawaiian the other month but I’m not sure if that’s annual or biennial.
My question too: are there any Hawaii quilt shows in March? —– Laurie Woodard Hawaiian Quilt Research Project PO Box 691 Kailua, HI 96734
From: Daniele Seyrig
And once you are in Mulhouse (hometown of my French family since the 15th c . VBG) , you can drive 40kms in the Vosges mountains to visit another very interesting textile Museum in Wesserling . They have a permanent exhibition of costumes from different time period in wonderful settings and also sometime temporary exhibitions .I saw one on Indiennes but also one on contemporary textiles and all the different things used to make them ( copper, plastic etc … seemed more like a chemistry exhibition than a textile one except for all the wonderful swatches one could touch and play with ) I have a video on the history of the Manufactures and on the textiles printed there at the time made by Daniel Schlosser in 1998 and called Sur la Piste des Indiennes (52mn)wich I bought in Wesserling . Laura I wonder if the “couvre-pieds” you saw were not boutis ? Quilted without batting then stuffed with cotton thread , very intricate patterns ??? There are a lot of those done here and several shops who carry nothing else as there is a real revival for this style of Provencal work . Daniele ,going to visit the Jouy en Josas textile museum with American friends tomorow
Daniele Seyrig Les theories passent , la grenouille reste (Jean Rostand )
From: “Candace Perry”
I’ve been reading these library threads with interest, and I wanted to comment on a couple of things. I’ve been in the museum field for 16 years and have worked in a wide variety of historical societies and museums. Two of the historical societies (including my present position) had significant libraries. If there is anyone in library science on the list I’d appreciate your thoughts… as I may be way off base. First, if you donate to a library, particularly one that is quilt or textile related your books may be duplicates (or triplicates or quadruplicates) and the library may not be able to retain them. Check with the library first. I may be preaching to the choir here, but we encounter this nearly everyday, even with books that are extraordinarily rare. We do ask the donors if we can sell the duplicates, and usually we are permitted.
Books are a dilemma for me; because they are used (as in opened and read) they have different preservation issues than a quilt, for instance, that we display and store. I have this mental separation, in my head, of “special collection” books that are preserved for perpetuity for as much as their rareness as books than the information they contain. For instance, we have incunabula Bibles in our library that are beyond being mere bibles; they were published in 1483. KWIM? Once more, probably preaching to the choir.
Secondly, if you wish to endow a specific collection or put restrictions on it, have a conversation with the institution to discuss the sustainability of your idea over the long term. Is it a project that fits the mission of the institution in the long term? I think Karen Evans has the right idea and has obviously researched her choice. I have presently been thinking a lot about a certain local college that has a certain collection which was once a focus of one of their academic programs; however, with the death of the driving force behind the program, the collection has languished. Most likely the collection doesn’t really fit the college museum’s or library’s mission, and should be given to a more appropriate institution. I guess my point is to do your research, and find the best home possible for your treasures (and your cash!) Thanks for reading my long-windedness, Candace Perry Schwenkfelder Library & Heritage Center
Date: Sat, 16 Oct 2004 17:09:44 -0700 | From: “Judy Anne” <anne_j@>
Did anyone save the quote that I think was in the Wall Street Journal a while back slamming quilt exhibits because they aren’t really art? We talked about it quite a bit here. I would like to see it again to use in an article.
Judy Anne
America’s Quilting History http://womenfolk.com/historyofquilts
Patches From the Past http://historyofquilts.com
From: “Jan Drechsler”
Hi Teddy,
Step one: Start Fund Raising.
Step two: Write Grants.
This is assuming you are planning a Florida book. If not, also begin at Step One!
Perhaps you could start mass production of your custom boa feather and pink rinestone wheel chairs to finance the project.
Input everything into a lap top at the documentation itself, while examining the quilt. Paper copies, the data being entered by folks who have never seen the quilts, years later, etc. slow down the analysis.
Talk to those who have just finished the publication of a state book. Find out what they wish had been different from the start.
Make sure there are enough, crazy committed folks dedicated to the project.
Jan, just back from a Western Massachusetts Documentation day at a town historical society
— Jan Drechsler in Vermont Quilt Restoration; Quilting teacher www.sover.net/~bobmills
From: Patricia L Cummings
Dear Judy Anne:
The original article has been removed by the WSJ and is no longer available online.
At the time, I had written a lengthy response: http://www.quiltersmuse.com/WSJcritique.htm
Other people in the quilt world also responded to the article: http://www.quilts.com/WSJarticleresponse.htm
Pat Cummings Quilter’s Muse Publications www.quiltersmuse.com
* * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Did anyone save the quote that I think was in the Wall Street Journal a while back slamming quilt exhibits because they aren’t really art? We talked about it quite a bit here. I would like to see it again to use in an article.
Judy Anne
America’s Quilting History http://womenfolk.com/historyofquilts
Patches From the Past http://historyofquilts.com
From: “Jo Williams”
No, everyone, I don’t know of any quilt shows in Hawaii during March. I’m just going on vacation to see beautiful Hawaii!! I do plan to visit museums and see quilts while I’m there, though. Jo in New River Gorge, WV
From: “Nancy Roberts” <aquilter@>
For Teddy and a plan for documenting quilts: One thought I have is to make a plan to divide your state into manageable sub-districts in which data would be collected. “Divide and conquer” comes to mind. Possibly answer some questions with a panel of other interested folks such as “are there natural districts within the state that could be used for implementing this project?”; “do we know dedicated quilt historians in each district who would carry out the implementation?”; “how might we standardize data collection so that every district is consistent in administering the project?”; “what time frame would be reasonable for districts to complete their tasks?”. Florida’s tourism zones like Space Coast, Nature Coast, Panhandle, etc. could provide recognizable sub-districts.
A second idea is to create a timeline that reflects a reasonable “start-to-finish” calendar in order to have a big-picture look at the effort and to guide you in assessing how well you meet the goals. It strikes me that Florida might present a unique challenge in the numbers of part-time residents (ie “snowbirds”). It could affect the timeframe and number of volunteer workers. Defining the parameters of the documentation could help with this. I’m curious about the parameters of state studies. Are they generally limited to quilts made in the state; or quilts that “reside” in the state; or what? Hmm… lots to think about here. Nancy Roberts
there’s a wonderful list(compiled by a rosemary brock.. rbrocktextilelinks.com) of textile/costume museum…etc… at this website http://www.textilelinks.com/museums/museums.html jeanL
From: “Christine Thresh”
There is lots of information about very old sewing machines on the International Sewing Machine Collectors Society (ISMACS) website http://www.ismacs.net/
Christine Thresh http://www.@
From: “Edith L. Taylor”
Dear all:
Ooooh! This is exciting news about a future book from the Royal School of Needlework. I own one book by the school, Royal School of Needlework Embroidery Techniques by Sally Saunders (text), Anne Butcher and Debra Barrett (designs), 1998. It is a lovely book and the embroidery examples are exquisite! I could never do most of what they show, but the book is beautifully produced and researched.
I will definitely look forward to a history of the School, which seems to have kept alive embroidery techniques from the recent and distant past.
Thanks for the info., Susan!
Edie Taylor Lawrence, Kansas
P.S. Teddy – I love your description of your ‘outsider’ art. We also love this stuff in Kansas, but here it’s called ‘grassroots’ art. If you’re ever traveling through, be sure to see the Grassroots Art Museum in the tiny town of Lucas, Kansas, home of our premier example of grassroots art, the Garden of Eden. It’s worth the trip!
From: “Karen Evans”
I need the services of someone, anyone, who reads enough French to navigate a French web site for me. Please reply privately; this is somewhat complicated. Thanks in advance.
Karen Evans (known in the SCA as Lady Sarah Davies)
From: “Rosie Werner”
I have been reading the “Dutch Girl Quilting Scrapbooks” and in #35 Edna Van Das says that Laura Wheeler and Alice Brooks were trade names of Hubert Ver Mehren of the Home Art Studio and the patterns printed under these names were designed by Hubert Ver Mehren. She was working from a Laura Wheeler catalog. I don’t have one of these, but would like to know if they were published by the Home Art Studio. Can anyone tell me? Is there a connection between H.Ver Mehren and these patterns? Rosie Werner from Minnesota
From: Sylvia Adair
Dear quilt historians, We’re going to start a quilt study group right here in Wisconsin, and we’d like to invite you to join us. (After all, we can’t let the east coast have all the fun!) Our plan is to meet once a month, and take field trips to quilt sites, museums, etc. around the state. We’ll plan a theme for each meeting, and bring quilts etc. to match the theme, for sharing and learning and just the joy of it. Right now we’re in the initial stages of planning, and we’d like to know how many other people are interested in meeting. I’m still working (if only part time), so meetings may be on the weekend, or we could alternate weekday and weekend times. The two of us are Debbie Cole (Madison area) and Sylvia Adair (Milwaukee area), so meetings will be within driving distance of both places at least at first. Let us know what you think! Contact us at the addresses below. Debbie Cole rideoutsme@ or Sylvia Adair piecethepastwi.@ Thank you very much!
From: “Julie” <quiltappraiser@>
Teddy wrote “You may have read in Quilter’s Newsletter Magazine that the gals in Florida have decided to reopen the state quilt documentation process.”
Several people helped NH quilt doc project to get started. I am on the Massachusetts board and also the Chairman of the NH Board. If you need any help or advice, I would be happy to help. I got a lot of good advice from Vivien Lee Sayre, Massachusetts; and Sue Reich, Connecticut. Sue Fiondella (I hope I spelled your name right), was on the Connecticut project and has since moved to Florida. She would be a great resource. Please contact me if I could be any help to you. Julie Crossland, Hudson, NH
Rosie, There was a paper given on Hubert Van Mehren’s Home Art Studio company at last years AQSG. The Uncoverings 2003 would have it.
I believe a friend of mine has the scrapbooks by Edna too. I have asked her to take a look- they are packed away, but she’ll be able to find out in Nov. when she moves. They were simply given to her with no information. There were written in the 1970s- right? Are produced on a typewriter and include xeroxed pages of older newsletters and newspaper articles etc? She sent them through the mail to subscribers it seems. The ones I saw were filled mostly with 20th century quilting info, but there were so many I didn’t see them all. When I first saw them I had never seen or heard of them either. I have looked and asked for a few years now but have never found out anything about these newsletters.
Kim Wulfert www.antiquequiltdating.com
From: “Judy Anne” <anne_j@>
Thanks to those of you who sent links. It was interesting reading through all those responses.
It would have been nice to be able to re-read the article but I have enough to allude to the fact that some still refuse to accept that a quilt could ever be art. I have to wonder if the WSJ took the article down simply because it was old or because of the many critical letters sent.
Judy Anne
From: MargaretFahey@
A few of us in New York state are thinking of utilizing our Quilters Consortium of NYS to begin a documentation project. The various clubs could hold documentation days after their members had trained.
I am aware that CO has a project, and Michigan too I believe. Is anyone on this list a part of, or familiar with their projects?
Does anyone know of the website Cinda says has a variety of forms for documentation? I believe that the criteria for quilts for the CO project is that the owner resides in CO with the quilt. It may have been made in Vermont three weeks ago, but if it came to live with a CO person, it’s in.
Is a fee charged for the documentation?
Do all state projects give owners fabric with info re data source to sew onto the quilt?
What kind of computer program is needed to store tons of info? Where can one find info re this topic?
Obviously, we can use guidance, oh wise ones. Please advise.
Thank you . Margaret
Date: Tue, 19 Oct 2004 07:59:18 -0400 | From: MargaretFahey@
Margaret, I do have a computer program, which is an ACCESS-based program (Windows 98 and XE support ACCESS) that I put together (for my own use), based on the format that the “Quilt Index” uses (see their website: http://www.quiltindex.org/)
If you’d like to see it, we can arrange to meet and I’ll bring my laptop! It might be a start…and the ACCESS program allows for tons of info using only a small amount of memory.
There are some forms for documentation on-line, plus many of the state documentation books include a form in the back of the books. I can share what I have with you.
Let me know!! Beth
Date: Tue, 19 Oct 2004 08:03:15 EDT | From: ZegrtQuilt@
For those of you attempting to begin new quilt documentation projects, I would like to refer you to an article that I wrote for Quilter’s Newsletter Magazine for November 2004 titled, State of Affairs ,which details the history of the quilt documentation movement that began in the early 1980’s with Kentucky as the first, and lays out some plans for the future.
re :New York, an extensive state quilt documentation project was done in 1992and a book resulted titled New York Beauties. It was undertaken by the American Folk Art Museum in NYC. I would contact them for more information.
Also, go to the _www.centerforthequiltonline_ (http://www.centerforthequiltonline) and go to the Quilt Index where state of the art.ready for computerization, documentation forms are available for your use. There are currently 2000 quilts and records from four such projects that are in searchable databases for researchers. In addition the Quilt Index will be expanding dramatically in the next two years because of a major grant from the Institute for Museum and Library Sciences , a national organization. MSU , one of our partners , is bringing this project to reality A press release on the grant will be posted shortly. Lets all work to continue the efforts of documenting quilts, but we are fortunate to not now have to re invent the wheel. Please contact me if you have questions.
Shelly Z.egart President . Alliance for American Quilts Shelly Zegart zegrtquilt@ 502-897-7566 _www.shellyquilts.com_ (http://www.shellyquilts.com/) _www.centerforthequilt.org_ (http://www.centerforthequilt.org/)
