April 27 – May 2, 2006
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:
- Judging Auction Quilts — Members give quick dating opinions on three auction quilts, from a c1900 cheddar and red quilt to 1970s maple leaf copies.
- Plagiarized Web Content — Several members describe pages, photos and stats code copied by other sites, and how they tried to stop it.
- A Diary’s “2 Pocket H.D.” — Members guess whether an 1820s diary abbreviation means handkerchief, housewife or house dress.
- Crazy Quilt Teas — A curator asks about Victorian crazy quilt teas, and members point to Penny McMorris and an 1890 magazine article. (see the article on Victorian crazy quilts)
- Mystery Blocks and Kit Quilts — Members try to name an unidentified 19th century block, a Mountain Mist pattern and a dogwood or apple blossom kit quilt.
- Machine Quilting on Antique Quilts — A member with an 1897 redwork quilt asks whether early machine quilting hurts value, and others weigh in.
- Textile Tours and Causes — Notices cover a French textile tour, Asheville events, Alzheimer’s art quilts and a Kent County documentation day.
Date: Thu, 27 Apr 2006 22:39:54 -0700 | From: Alan
Me? I’d buy the cheddar/red/green quilt in a heartbeat (I’m jealous). Looks c1900 to me, probably earlier. The maple leaf looks no earlier than the 1970’s, and the star quilt looks new.
Alan
From: J. G. Row
My mother made two of those maple leaf quilts in the late 1970’s. They were the only quilts she ever made, and both were king size. It was a Woman’s Day pattern.
Judy, now in Flemington NJ aka The Ringoes Kid judygrow
From: Judy Anne
There is nothing like finding someone on Ebay has copied your Amish quilt history article to help sell his phony Amish quilts
In this instance I had my son write to the seller as I wasn’t a member and could find no way to contact EBay. (Sounds like they have improved on this but at the time it appeared I had to be a member to even complain.) The man wrote back to my son with a really nasty letter and we suspect he also caused some problems for my son’s auctions later.
There have been other incidences but not with such a negative result.
Judy Anne
From: Cathy Hooley
A funny recently happened – I use Statcounter to track activity on my website – it requires that you put a small code at the bottom of each page, so the reporting is unique to your domain.
A report that lists pages with the most activity had someone elses website listed – very strange – when I checked it out, I found that this person had copied my entire web page, including the Statcounter counter code, so I was receiving her statistics as well – jeesh – how lazy can you get – I e-mailed her, never got a reply, but she finally removed the Statcounter code! (she didn’t have much activity so I didn’t feel bad!)
Cathy ************************************** Cathy Hooley Goose Tracks Quilts Broadalbin, NY 12025 www.goosetracks.com
From: Melissa L. Devin
I am not sure if this has been posted before or not, but in my search for carpeting, I came across Gee’s Bend inspired carpeting. http://www.shawfloors.com/FloorChoices/AreaRugs/RugCatalog/
Melissa L Devin atypicalquilter > http://solje.thedevins.com/blog<
From: ChrisA
Another way they can plagiarize, is to attach to a webpage via the photo on it. It shows up as a highly viewed page in my stats, but isn’t the page url, it’s another code that relates to the photo only. The other site sends all of their people to my picture, but behind the scenes, so they get all the credit and I get the traffic recorded but no credit at all.
We checked with our server and they made the necessary changes to stop it. It happened more than once, and they said it isn’t uncommon, and they gave us a way to prevent it. I don’t know what it is, it’s a HTML code of some type.
I think lazy is a good word for it, and it’s stealing, even if they try to rationalize differently. This web owner didn’t answer our emails either.
On another note- A school district copied all my UGRR pages from an article and used it inside their own circle of students and teachers on a computer for the school. When I asked them about it, they said it wouldn’t go out to the public, but it did! That’s how I found it. There was no expressed credit given to my site and no link. They could have asked me and I would have been fine with it, happy to share with a school, but with credit and a link to my site for them to read it. Educational systems don’t even have to ask to use it, but the way they used it seems unfair, even if it is “legal”. They changed it so that it didn’t go to the public, and added credit and a link if they wanted it, but kept it on their system. I approved this under the circumstances of another source seeing the myth for what it is, but I never was apologized to, nor was an understanding shown.
Kimberly Wulfert, PhD www.antiquequiltdating.com Email: quiltdating
From: Gary Parrett
Awhile back, I wrote about a diary entry containing a long list of textile items which were made in one year. I have since read a transcript of the diary and have been finding out more about this young wife and family in a very young time for this then (1820) western frontier. Her name was Esther Maria Chapin. Her husband, Moses Chapin, was to become the first county judge.
Esther had one daughter, Maria, born in May 1819, and one son, newly born in Nov. 1820, when she wrote her entry in January of 1821, listing her accomplishments of the previous year. I won’t write the entire list again, but it made more sense, when in another listing, she named who the items were made for. Many were sewn for her young daughter. There was an item which we have been trying to guess as she abbreviates the entry. It is “2 pocket H.D.” On another list, this is mentioned as “Pocket H’d’hfs”. Would this be handerkerchiefs?
As to her quilting bee members, I still do not know who they all were. She does mention her sister, mother, her minister’s wife and a few others at times. For example: 18th Got on a quilt. 19th Siba (her sister) assisted me in quilting, likewise Susan & Frances. 20th Mrs. Hatch, Mrs. Spencer, Miss Newcomb & Miss West helped me quilt. (No entry for the 21st) 22nd Frances & Elizabeth went home after spending the week with me. Got the quilt off. A snowy day.
Esther also “met with the Female Education Society and helped piece out a quilt and comfortable.” I would like to see if I can dig into what that was about, who and how it started, if possible.
So, the question remains, can anyone decifer the abbreviation?
Thanks, Karen
From: ChrisA
Just a guess for Pocket H’d’hfs”.- a 2 pocket housewife -which would be their sewing/mending kit. It’s like a pocket as in a bag or in a roll-up version, that hung around their waist and beneath their skirt, like a pocket. The dates right. Maybe the other abbreviation means the same thing.
You don’t mention where they were living.
Kimberly Wulfert, PhD www.antiquequiltdating.com
Date: Fri, 28 Apr 2006 11:33:33 -0700 | From: Karen Evans
“Handkerchiefs” was my immediate thought.
Karen Evans
From: Andi
Someone (sorry – can’t remember who) asked about quilt-related things to do/see in Asheville, NC. These two are listed in the issue of “Our State: Down Home in North Carolina” magazine that arrived today. Not knowing where that person was coming from, I’m including the Greensboro event, also:
Tying One On
For hundreds of years, the apron was an everyday vital accessory for women. It was used not only for the protection of clothing, but it also conveyed social status and occupation. An apron can also help identify the time period in which the wearer lived.
A collection of 85 aprons from all walks of life – made out of potato sacks, dishtowels, old clothing and other material – will be on display at the Smith-McDowell House in Asheville, beginning May 5 trough August 31. The 1840 mansion-turned-musuem is located at 283 Victoria Road, and admission is $7 for adults, $3 for children ages five through 18, and free for children younger than five.
Call (828) 253-9231, or visit www.nchistory.org <http://www.nchistory.org/> for more information.
Pushing Your Buttons
The North Carolina Button Society will sponsor its 12th Annual Button Show and Competition on Friday May 19, and Staurday, May 20, at Best Western Windsor Suites in Greensboro. This year’s theme is “A Walk in the Garden,” and the event will feature botanist Maggie Whitson speaking o different ypes of plant life and their representation on buttons.
The show runs Friday, 9 am to 5 pm and 7 pm to 9″30 pm and Saturday 9 am to 6 pm. Admission is free and all button collectors, novie or expert, are invited to attend. Call (704) 788-2157 or visit www.ncbuttonsociety.org <http://www.ncbuttonsociety.org/> to learn more.
Enjoy!
Andi in Keota, Iowa
—
In a message dated 4/28/2006 2:05:53 P.M. Eastern Standard Time, gparret1 writes:
“2 pocket H.D.”
How about a house dress??? Too far out of the blue?
From: Lynne Z. Bassett
“2 pocket HD” I feel is definitely “handkerchief,” as is the other abbreviation. I have looked at lots of probate inventories and diaries and find that handkerchief is abbreviated in various ways–in fact, it’s seldom actually spelled out in its entirety. The reason that they say “pocket handkerchief” is to distinguish it from a “handkerchief” which was a square of cloth tied around the neck like a cravat–also sometimes called a “neckerchief” (the terms were interchangeable).
Best, Lynne
From: Judy Anne
>>I found that this person had >>copied my entire web page, including the Statcounter counter code
That is so funny! I think most of the people who take articles are just plain clueless. They don’t realize everything on the Internet isn’t free to use. The person who copied your article didn’t even understand your code and copied all if it.
I find blogs are the biggest problem. Bloggers seem to think they can copy anything including both pictures and articles. At least sites like this are usually so far down in the search engines that they don’t get many visitors.
Judy Anne
From: TEXTIQUE
Hi all;
Been researching the topic of “crazy quilt teas”. I’m hoping to determine the validity of them from early magazine articles. I’d like to blow some up, for interest. The details would be helpful for a possible opening of an upcoming exhibit at the RMQM. Any help is appreciated.
Jan Thomas Guest Curator, Crazy Quilt Exhibit RMQM
From: Lucinda Cawley
Someday I will find a Russian Iimperial Easter egg at a garage sale. While waiting for that to happen I’m looking for the perfect New York quilt. It is blue and white with a border of “weeping trees” and the owner’s name, town and the date in pieced letters. In search of this treasure I’ve been exercising admirable restraint while trolling around the Finger Lakes and Central NY. Last week I passed up several tempting quilts and only succumbed to the lure of a zany sampler top (circa 1870). It’s constructed as a medallion with Basket blocks (Brackman 662) as the center focus. Each of the Baskets contains an odd shape (a cross, bud, weeping tree) hung with appliqued hearts. Various simple pieced blocks (9-Patch, Flying Geese, 25-Patch) and parts of blocks surround the center. An outer border of large equalateral triangles appears to me to have been added later (1900). This top, which was made in Horseheads, NY, is very much like another, much more sophisticated in design, top made in Amber, NY which I found last year . Now, I realize that two examples do not make any kind of decent sample, but I’m wondering if others have seen similar things made in the area. I’m also curious about your fantasy quilt. What treasure do you dream of finding someday? Cinda on the Eastern Shore hoping everyone who is going to England with Deb Roberts has a wonderful time. Wish I were going with you (sob)
From: Lucinda Cawley
I spent yesterday in Chestertown, MD (probably the prettiest town on the Eastern Shore) helping with the Kent County documentation project. I was sure that some wonderful things would turn up and I was not disappointed. The first piece I saw was an 1820s stuffed and corded whitework coverlet that was exquisite in design and workmanship. The owner bought it at auction in Grafton, VT 30 years ago and had no idea of it origins. After that it was pretty much home-grown treasures like the Baltimore Album quilt (really and truly made in Baltimore) still in the maker’s family. It has the typical 25 blocks but no borders or sashing and a surprising range of skill in design and execution of the blocks. You can read about it in “A Maryland Album” pp. 120-122. The quilt was sold out of the family at one time but has been repurchased by the great-granddaughter-in-law of the original owner. Another lady arrived with a picture of her g,g-grandmother who made a spectacular (and nearly pristine) circa 1840 Sunburst (Brackman 3486) in a single madder red print with a double dogtooth border. I was particularly interested in the quilting: shallow scallops about 1/2″ apart across the entire quilt. It was almost certainly done without marking (elbow quilting) and gave a remarkably elegant look to a very formal quilt. No marking! Works for me! The best story of the day came with a Baltimore-style crib quilt. It is a medallion with a flower basket in the center. The basket lattice is not woven but cut from a single piece of fabric. The basket itself is resting on what looks like a perfect little Queen Anne candle stand. The long stemmed flowers are simple red shapes with details quilted in. The name Mary Orem is crossed stitched in tiny letters in the center and radiating from the basket are appliquéd squares which meet a dogtooth border. It’s a neat little quilt, but the story is that several years ago a couple bought a little house in Chestertown owned by an elderly African American woman. The agreement was that lady would occupy the house for the rest of her life. When she died last year her family took what they wanted from the house and the owners came in to clean it out (the plan is to tear it down and build on the site). They found the quilt among other items the family left behind. It’s been determined that the old lady’s grandmother worked as a domestic for the Orem family in the late 19th century. Mary Orem was born in Chestertown in 1833. She married in 1850 and moved to Baltimore. It appears that later in life she returned to Chestertown. The quilt has been acquired by the Kent County Historical Society which is raising money to put a marker on the grave of the lady who preserved the quilt. Dawn Heefner who came from Philadelphia to help described us (Barb Garrett is part on the project, but she was doing the Franklin Co., PA documentation on Sat.) as “serial quilt documentors.” I think she means that we will go anywhere there is a chance of seeing old quilts. I plead guilty. There will be two more documentations in Kent County, one in Rock Hall, a fishing village on the edge of the Bay and another at an African American church in Chestertown. Cinda on the Eastern Shore who can still have fun even if she can’t go to England (sob)
From: Steve & Jean Loken
Could you define crazy quilt tea? I was thinking a tea party but how could you blow that up? Not a pretty picture. Jean in MN
From: Kathy Moore
You said, ” I’d like to blow some up, for interest.”
Did you mean you would like to enlarge them????
Pardon my impertenance, but it seems so unnecessary to say “blow up” when you really mean “enlarge”.
When will we ever be able to get people to say what they mean?
Kathy Moore Lincoln, NE
From: Karen Evans
Um…”blow up” has been a recognized photography term for decades. Michaelangelo Antonioni even made a film in the late 1960s about a photographic enlargement that may or may not show a murder…and he called it Blow Up.
Karen Evans
Date: Sun, 30 Apr 2006 12:32:41 -0700 (PDT) | From: karenquilt
Okay, up front: I have a vested interest in encouraging a few more of you to go on this tour of French textiles. I just signed up but it isnt’ a “go” until we have 20 and we are about 7 short at this point. Several friends of mine went on the first tour last fall and raved about it. Deb recently posted photos on this list. I took one look and thought, WOW! I have got to go on THIS one. This is a once in a life time opportunity to have some fantastic fun with some of my friends AND see some fabulous fabric; study some textile history; eat some great food (with a bottle of French wine!); see a beautiful country and all in the company of other quilters and textile lovers! So I bit the bullet and decided to go. Again, the website that contains all of the links is www.textiletour.com. Even if you don’t think you could go on the trip, do take the virtual tour. The fabrics are breath-taking. (PS: Due to increase in energy costs, the prices are going way up in 2007 for the same tour so the Fall 2006 tour coming up is going to be a bargain in comparison!! Another reason I decided to go in 2006.) Come join us and have a ball! Karen Alexander in the sunny San Juans
Date: Sun, 30 Apr 2006 15:23:31 -0700 | From: Christine Thresh
blow up 1. To come into being: A storm blew up. 2. To fill with air; inflate: blow up a tire. 3. To enlarge (a photographic image or print). 4. To explode: bombs blowing up. 5. To lose one’s temper.
Christine Thresh
Date: Mon, 01 May 2006 10:12:06 -0400 | From: Karen Evans
-What does the background cloth in this Madonna and Child look like to you? http://www.nga.gov/cgi-bin/pinfo?Object41402+0+none
Thanks.
Karen Evans
Date: Mon, 1 May 2006 08:59:52 -0700 (PDT) | From: Jackie Joy
Pardon my impertinence, but when will we ever be able to get people to spell correctly?
Jackie in Reno
Kathy Moore wrote: Pardon my impertenance, but . .
When will we ever be able to get people to say what they mean?
Kathy Moore Lincoln, NE
Date: Mon, 1 May 2006 09:41:59 -0700 (PDT) | From: Kris Driessen
OK, y’all are getting silly now. Spelling/grammar/punctuation (etc) criticism belongs off list.
Let me change the subject…
This past weekend, we had an antique signature quilt show in our shop classroom with quilts loaned by local people. It turned out really great, and I will post pictures as soon as I can. However, while searching for some quilts that I own and wanted to display, I came across a whole case of “Quilts of Tennessee” which I had apparently purchased for resale but put away instead.
It’s a $20 book which I imagine I paid $10 for. If anyone would like it for $10 (plus shipping), send me an E-mail or call me at the shop at 1-888-817-6577.
Kris
Date: Mon, 1 May 2006 13:58:07 EDT | From: TEXTIQUE
In a message dated 5/1/2006 11:55:15 A.M. Mountain Daylight Time, TEXTIQUE writes:
Friends and fellow quilt lovers;
Please forgive my error in not making it clear in my post that I want to ENLARGE some quotes from early magazine references to ‘crazy quilt teas’ for an upcoming exhibit opening. (If any actually exist.) Do not allow this to reflect negatively on the wonderful organization I am currently representing – that would distress me more than any personal criticism could.
I have always admired the members of this list for their graciousness, and enthusiastic desire to help others. This program is a last minute responsibility that has put me in the position of not having the time to do my own research. That is why I asked you all for your help. Several sleepless nights have addled my brain and influenced my ability to form correct sentence structure…..snore. I receive anywhere from 100 to 200 e-mails daily and sometimes I just don’t think about how I word posts or responses :). Perhaps I should be more careful.
Thanks to those of you who have contacted me off list with offers of help. I gratefully appreciate your generosity.
Jan Thomas
In a message dated 4/29/2006 6:45:29 P.M. Mountain Daylight Time, TEXTIQUE writes:
Been researching the topic of “crazy quilt teas”. I’m hoping to determine the validity of them from early magazine articles. I’d like to blow some up, for interest. The details would be helpful for a possible opening of an upcoming exhibit at the RMQM. Any help is appreciated.
Jan Thomas Guest Curator RMQM
Date: Mon, 01 May 2006 14:27:34 -0400 | From: Barb Garrett
Hi Jan –
I’m not familiar with Crazy Quilt Teas, and since I don’t live near Denver, won’t be able to visit your exhibit. Please share your information with the list so we can all benefit from your research. When and where were they held? Did they work on blocks, exchange blocks, or exchange fabric? I’m very curious about the custom.
Thanks for sharing, Barb in southeastern PA
Date: Mon, 1 May 2006 11:34:08 -0700 (PDT) | From: Pat Cummings
Putting in a word….
The only book in which I have seen Crazy Quilt Teas described was in Penny McMorris’ excellent book, Crazy Quilts, now out of print.
The guests would arrive at a Victorian Crazy Quilt Tea and all of the surfaces of the room(s) would be draped with crazy quilted textile objects of various kinds. The “tea” itself was “crazy,” in that a bell was rung every few minutes and that was a sign to change the current topic of conversation.
I’m sure Jan can add a whole lot more if she is mounting an exhibit. I would have to reread the book to tell you more.
Pat Cummings www.quiltersmuse.com
— Barb Garrett wrote:
> Hi Jan –
> I’m not familiar with Crazy Quilt Teas,
Date: Mon, 1 May 2006 14:42:27 -0500 (GMT-05:00) | From: Marcia Kaylakie
Well, I am not running for my copy fo Brackman and other resources due to a broken ankle and I am in a cast and a wheelchair. Needless to say, the books are on another level! BUT…..looks like grounds for probable case here! Marcia in Austin, TX
Date: Mon, 1 May 2006 17:04:09 -0500 (GMT-05:00) | From: Marcia Kaylakie
Well, I couldn’t resist answering this one! From a Mountain Mist standpoint, it would be one of the rare ones, like Mushrooms or the rooster one (name escapes me at the moment). Other than that, it would be a very early one, like 1800-1825 in terrific condition, with great fabrics and wonderful quilting! Now you know how hard those are to find here in the great LOne Star State!!! Marcia (still in a cast)
Date: Mon, 1 May 2006 16:33:22 -0700 | From: Julie Silber
Hi again Friends and Helpers!
We have a wonderful 19th century quilt with a pattern (block) I can not identify. If anyone can help, I’d be very appreciative. The closest I can find in Brackman is what she notes as “Century Block” — #1065. Our quilt is full of fabrics I would think c. 1870- 1880, so a “century block” (1976?) fits. But the design of the actual quilt is not quite the same as the Brackman drawing.
Barbara also attribute the name to a 1970 pattern book – and our quilt is 100 years older than that. That, of course, is neither here not there.
I am posting a full shot as well as a detail on the eBoard, under “Quilts.” (PURPLE and ORANGE posts)
THANKS! Julie
From: gingham
I just looked up crazy teas in McMorris’s Crazy Quilts (page 23)
Her reference was The Ladies World magazine June, 1890
The home was decorated with crazy quilts everywhere and pictures were hung upside down on the walls, “sofas were to be covered with books, vases”.
Menu: “baked beans covered with currant jelly, cornbread and cheese frosted with chocolate icing, tarts stuffed with chow-chow* and to quench the resulting thirst, hot salted lemonade.” * Chow-chow is a “relish made of chopped pickles in a highly seasoned mustard sauce”.
I think we need to have a crazy tea at an AQSG meeting. It would be a great diet program.
Sandra Starley
(Jan, let me know if you need the full text.)
Date: Tue, 2 May 2006 | From: KennaleeM
While in Chicago for the quilt show last month, our group (The Traveling Quilters) visited the Naper Settlement in Naperville. They mounted a small quilt exhibit for us and I fell in love with one of their quilts. They called it “Flock of Birds” ca 1880. It is almost a duplicate of Julie’s quilt. They would not allow us to photograph their quilts so I stood and tried to draw it. The main difference is that theirs had four half square triangles on each side of the white square, where Julie’s has three. Theirs used a shirting type of fabric with more red triangles. Someday I will make those 512 half square triangles! Kennalee
From: Beth Donaldson
Does anyone know anything about the kit this quilt was made from? http://www.quiltindex.org/fulldisplay.php?pbd=quiltdata-a0a0h1-a Thanks, Beth
From: ARabara15
In a message dated 5/2/06 9:13:17 AM, quilts writes:
> http://www.quiltindex.org/fulldisplay.php?pbd=quiltdata-a0a0h1-a >
I have a pair of these quilts and I do believe that they are a Mountain Mist pattern. They are definitely dogwood. The clue is the flower petals are heart shaped and have embroidery in the cleft of the petal. With the appleblossum the branches are thicker and the petals are rounded. I collect kit quilts.
Donald Brokate “The Crazy Quilt Collector” Trenton NJ
Date: Tue, 2 May 2006 09:39:58 -0500 | From: Susan Wildemuth
I recently acquired a Redwork Quilt 1897. It is machine quilted with “well done” machine quilting – I do not believe the machine quilting was done at a later date.
The person who sold it to me said “If it was hand quilted that piece would be worth “x,” but since it is machine quilted I can’t even give it away.” Well I am living proof that she could give it away, but my questions are these:
Is it rare to see a quilt from this time period machine quilted?
I know there is an age-old debate about hand-quilted vs. hand-pieced that is still going on today. So how do you feel about machine quilted antique quilts if the machine quilting was done at the time the quilt was created?
Your thoughts?
Thanks — Sue in Illinois
Date: Tue, 02 May 2006 08:24:24 -0700 | From: Laura Robins-Morris
For those of you who might not be on Ami Simms’ Newsletter, she has begun a huge effort to promote Alzheimer’s awareness and to raise money for research. Ami’s mother, Beebe, has Alzheimers, and Ami has written periodically about her progress. Beebe was a quilter and even designed some fabric for Ami’s business, but over time her ablities became more limited. Ami has been ingenious and persevering in finding activites her mother could participate in. For a while it was just increasingly simple piecing tasks. When Beebe could no longer do that, Ami gave her blank note cards which Beebe paints with random swaths of color. Those are sold on the web site, and are printed with special information about Beebe and Alzheimers on the back.
One of Ami’s fund-raising activites has been recruiting for donations of small (about 8″x10″) quilts which are auctioned on her web site. (Below is the latest information.) I bought one in the last auction and it is heart-warming to have something on my wall, made by a person whom I don’t know, to honor her own mother who suffered from Alzheimers. It is a special connection between quilters and between people touched by this disease.
Check out Ami’s web site and the auction quilts. I admire Ami — she’s an amazing person with her enery and creativity. She gets things done! You might also enjoy her monthly newsletter, information below.
Laura
From Ami Simms:
I just wanted to send you a short note letting you know that the quilts up for auction for this month is going. The auction will go through May 10th 12 noon EST. Take a look at this month’s quilts at http://amisimms.com/quiltauctions.html and see if there is one (or maybe more) that you would like to get for someone special this Mother’s Day. Thanks for all of your support to Alzheimer’s research. Ami 🙂
<http://www.alzquilts.org/>
Founder, Alzheimer’s Art Quilt Initiative <http://www.alzquilts.org/>_ _Curator, Alzheimer’s: Forgetting Piece by Piece <http://www.amisimms.com/alfopibypi.html>_ _Author, The Alzheimer’s Art Quilt Initiative NEWSLETTER <http://www.amisimms.com/aaqinewsletter.html> *NEW!*
Sign up for the FREE Ami Simms Newsletter <http://www.amisimms.com/freenewsletter.html> e-mailed to your computer every month whether you need it or not. Mostly about quilting; sometimes not. Guaranteed to make you laugh or your money back. More than 17,000 quilters read it every month with no reported adverse side effects._ _ Mallery Press, Inc. 4206 Sheraton Drive Flint, MI 48532 www.AmiSimms.com <http://www.amisimms.com/> Toll Free: 1-800-278-4824
Date: Tue, 02 May 2006 17:26:17 +0000 | From: pkeirstead
Karen, you convinced me. I’m seriously considering signing up. Just have to consult with DH.
I forwarded your posting to my local quilting friends; maybe we’ll get some more interest.
Peggy Keirstead north central Texas
From: Private Private
Thank you so much for letting us all know about this wonderful organization, and opportunity. I also lost my mother to alzheimer’s several years ago, so this project hits home for me.
Annette in CA
Date: Tue, 2 May 2006 13:51:21 -0500 | From: Susan Wildemuth
Sorry about that– the age-old debate is about hand quilting vs machine quilting.
Sue
—
Is it rare to see a quilt from this time period machine quilted?
I know there is an age-old debate about hand-quilted vs. hand-pieced that is still going on today. So how do you feel about machine quilted antique quilts if the machine quilting was done at the time the quilt was created?
Hi Sue . . . good question! Personally I think machine quilting should not decrease the value and might even increase the value . . . given the fact that machine quilting was relatively rare in the 19th century on full-size quilts (you tend to see it more often on crib and doll quilts). Of course, not everyone agrees with me! I had an 1859 book which sung the praises of machine quilting, especially for fancy designs . . . it was ahead of its time!
Personally, I also think it can be appropriate to machine quilt an antique top today (the ordinary ones, not rare, museum quality, or especially early). I like to see these tops turned into quilts, and I find that machine quilting is much less stressful to the antique fabrics than hand quilting. When someone hand quilts, the constant rocking of the needle can easily split the old threads whereas a machine needle quickly penetrates the fabric and does not damage it. (I recommend a thin needle and fine cotton thread.)
When someone asks me why I want to quilt by machine rather than by hand, I explain that I am still HAND quilting, just using the machine as my needle! It is my opinion that machine quilting, whether done today or 100 years ago, requires more skill and experience than hand quilting! – Judy
Date: Tue, 2 May 2006 15:25:30 -0700 (PDT) | From: Kris Driessen
My apologies to the list. What I thought was a case of Quilts of Tennessee turned out to be a mixed case which included Crazy Quilting by Christine Dabbs. I am completely out of Quilts of Tennessee. If anyone wants the Crazy Quilting book for half price ($11.50) plus shipping, please give me a call at 1-888-817-6577. I have five of these, never been opened.
Kris
Date: Tue, 2 May 2006 15:28:45 -0700 | From: Alan
Machine quilting shouldn’t affect the price of a vintage piece, as long as it’s original to the quilt. I remember a quilt made in 1876 that I saw, and it was very cool. Not only did it have marvelous 1776-1876 conversation prints, it was quilted with a chain stitch sewing machine.
On the other hand, and I have to agree with Judy, there is no reason you shouldn’t machine quilt an ordinary quilt top. So many of them would get stuck away in a cupboard or closet and looked at rarely. Seems to be a better thing to make it up and give someone the opportunity to use it. Shoot, I bought a tatty quilt last fall just so I could rescue the top. I ended up using a row of blocks to fix the blown-out ones. And since it still will never have a long life, I went ahead and machine quilted it, with a metallic thread no less. So now I have a sweet little flannel backed quilt to sleep under, in my fave fabrics.
I also shop for ordinary tops with an eye to disassembling and making them into new quilts. Guess I’m the eternal recycler.
Alan
