August 21 – 28, 1998
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:
- Victorian Dress Codes and Modesty — Members discuss low-cut necklines, visible ankles, and shifting standards of modesty in 19th-century clothing, drawing on historical accounts and regional differences.
- Mourning Fabrics and Prints — A thread on mourning prints, dark reds and maroons as ‘dignified mourning,’ and the significance of fabric color choices in Victorian-era grief customs. (see the article on Victorian mourning customs)
- Zig-Zag Stitching and Sewing Machine History — Discussion of what zig-zag stitching tells you about a quilt’s age, including the history of zig-zag attachments and early sewing machine capabilities.
- Paul Pilgrim Exhibition and Quilt Museum Visits — Reports from members visiting the Paul Pilgrim quilt show and the New England Quilt Museum’s exhibition of early American textiles. (see the article on quilt museums)
- Historical Food and Household Terminology — An extended thread puzzling out references to ‘New Orleans sugar,’ ‘salleratus,’ and other historical terms found in pioneer-era letters and diaries. (see the article on cotton and textile terms)
- Digital Cameras for Quilt Documentation — A practical exchange about which digital cameras work best for photographing quilts, with tips on the Sony Mavica and floppy-disc workflow.
- Tailor’s Ham Construction — Members share what goes inside a tailor’s ham and how to make one, drawing on tailoring-class experience.
Date: Sun, 23 Aug 1998 20:06:53 +0000 | From: “Monika Jones” <monikaj [at] mail [dot] cdsnet [dot] net
hi……don’t know the answer to that………. but extracting dye from paper, I would lay the paper in a bowl of water. That should release the color, then add your yarn or fabric. This is just my guess. Perhaps someone on the list knows for sure.
Monika Jones
Date: Mon, 24 Aug 1998 08:02:03 -0500 | From: Laura Hobby Syler <texas_quilt.co [at] mail [dot] airmail [dot] net
I am doing a little research for the VQTS newsletter…
I am looking for sites that specialize in reproduction fabrics and would like to pick your brains…If you have a site that you are fond of please Email the URL to me privately so that I may compile a list. I’ve got the most popular…Nancy Kirks, Patchworks, someone named Kris<G>has a pretty good one<VBG>…. if you know of anyother shops that have developed web sites I’d appreciate the info. Once I get it compiled we’ll print it in the VQTS newsletter and maybe (wink) I’ll pass it along to you non-members too!
Have a great one!
Laura
Date: Mon, 24 Aug 1998 09:11:39 EDT | From: Alan Kelchner
At 06:13 AM 8/24/98 EDT, you wrote
I couldn’t believe it. The one time I was watching CBS This Morning (watching for hurricane updates – some possibility it may come this way), and they go do a story on how the cochineal beetle is actively being used. A lot of use is made in everyday foods we eat, according to this spot (this such as Hostess Snowballs and Ocean Spray Ruby Red Grapefruit Juice). Evidently, there have been a very few major allergic reactions (20 were cited), and now some people want it listed on labels (it’s not at the moment, since it’s considered an all-natural ingredient by the FDA, and is not required to be listed).
I was chuckling to myself, because when they referred to the cochineal, the reporter consistently called it a “bug”. Must be a prejudicial thing, since the story was about food. <G>
Did learn a couple of interesting things. One, the beetle is the only insect approved by the FDA for human consumption ! Second, I saw it in it’s natural state (sort of – apparently it lives in some sort of silken nest – couldn’t really see the thing). It was in small nests on prickly pear cacti, and the farmers would scrape them off to dry them. They had an entomologist (bug scientist), who squooshed one on TV. It was just this brilliant red smear. Incredible color, even on TV. Then, when asked if he was concerned about humans consuming them, he licked the thing off his finger. Ewww
For those concerned with possible allergic reactions, it is listed as cochineal or carmine, if it’s listed at all.
You’d have had fun watching me run to a color set to watch this (I started out on the 6″ B/W in my studio).
Alan
Date: Mon, 24 Aug 1998 12:14:13 -0400 | From: “Kelchner, Alan” <Alan.Kelchner [at] stdreg [dot] com>
Can anyone tell me what exactly is inside a tailors ham? I use mine extensively, but would like to make a new one better suited to my needs. I just haven’t the vaguest what’s inside the silly things! I like the firm, not-real-moveable stuff inside. My guess is some sort of wood shavings.
Alan
Date: Mon, 24 Aug 1998 17:57:19 EDT | From: BrickWks1 [at] aol [dot] com
Lisa’s post on dark red and maroon fabrics as “dignified mourning” reminded me of a stray bit of information I picked up once — the Victorians never approved of the bright red and green for Christmas colors that we often see today. That was considered vulgar and gaudy, and only the poor uncultured ‘schmucks’ would stoop to such a show! Cultured taste demanded more elegant colors: silver, gold, forest green, dark maroon, etc. Natural materials were big, too, for Christmas decorating — cones, fir branches, holly, etc.
Cindy
Date: Mon, 24 Aug 1998 18:23:54 EDT | From: BrickWks1 [at] aol [dot] com
<< In letter dated March 1854, the pioneer writes — The New Orleans sugar we buy in cones that resemble pointed hats. They are molded at the factory, and wrapped in blue paper. I tucked the cone papers in the wagon because I can extract indigo dye from them to color yarn and material blue.
Yes! This happened. According to my research, this was considered an extra ‘plus,’ except the source I read said they would dye a “lovely violet.” Kind of like finding a dollar in your pants pocket when you thought none was there There is a small mountain/hill north of Boulder, CO, shaped just like the old-fashioned cones, that’s called ‘Sugar Loaf.’
Cindy
Date: Mon, 24 Aug 1998 19:44:48 -0400 (EDT) | From: JOCELYNM [at] delphi [dot] com
On 21-AUG-1998 23:05:42.1 arlenegg said to JOCELYNM
> > (hey, they had a thing against visible ankles, so gaps at the breast would have sent people into the stratosphere!). Alan, I beg to differ. I’m not an expert, but have seen many pictures of Victorian fashion with the necklines cut very low. Also, it seems I read somewhere that generally speaking, when hemlines were high, so were necklines, and low hemlines accompanied low necklines.
Arlene and Alan,
The ‘proper’ height of the ‘proper’ neckline of those very-proper Victorians depended on many things. For example:
Time of day: Bare shoulders-which of course means the upper bosom is bare– were de rigeur for eveningwear, but not acceptable in ‘morning’
dresses.
Age of wearer: Young married women could show more bosom than their grandmas. <G> Sometimes, unmarried women could show more bust, sometimes less, than their married sisters.
I think Alan is correct that a GAP at the bosom would have been quite shocking….in the same way that, even now, we tend to consider accidental exposure more shocking than intentional. For example: remember the famous picture of Lady Diana Spenser in the transparent skirt? No one considered it shocking when she was photographed in a swimsuit, with her thighs completely exposed, but when her thighs were visible in outline through her thin skirt, THAT was considered naughty.
Jocelyn
Date: Mon, 24 Aug 1998 19:45:13 -0400 (EDT) | From: JOCELYNM [at] delphi [dot] com
On 23-AUG-1998 13:56:37.3 BPack55294 said to JOCELYNM
>humorous development was the wimple of Queen Eleanor, wife of Henry II. Supposedly she actually adopted this fashion out of vanity to hide the double chin which was making her look so much the senior of King Henry. The populace and church supposedly latched onto it, as the EAR had become a sex object. WHY the ear? A myth had developed (WHO KNOWS where these things start) that the Immaculate Conception had occurred through Mary’s EAR, thus it was deemed appropriate for women to cover their ears . . . while they walked around with naked flanks when donning the Gates of Hell garments of the same era.
Betsy,
Beg to differ again. <G>
Eleanor, wife of Henry II, lived in the 12th century. The Gates of Hell….aka sideless surcoat, was much later, mid 14th century or so. Eleanor was a common enough name…perhaps it was another Eleanor.
Jocelyn
Date: Mon, 24 Aug 1998 19:45:05 -0400 (EDT) | From: JOCELYNM [at] delphi [dot] com
> The only time in European history that I can recall where low cut necklines were acceptable in the day prior to our own (and today it’s only acceptable for certain ages and circumstances) was the Empire period, roughly from the French Revolution to just after the Napoleonic Wars.
Contrary to what you see in the movies, medieval
>and Renaissance women usually did *not* show off their cleavages, and costumes were *not* cut to emphasize the bust; the first corsets were designed to flatten breasts, not enhance them. Visible cleavage was the sign of a low class, slatternly type, not an aristocrat or wealthy bourgeois.
Lisa,
I would beg to differ. In Elizabethan times, the ‘partelet’ was worn by older and married women, to cover the upper chest, but tucked to the sides to reveal skin by maidens and young married women. While this doesn’t give the dramatic cleavage that we may be familiar with, it DOES reveal the bosom, especially depending upon the lady’s endowment and position. <G> Italian Renaissance bodices did support and redirect the wearer’s form into the ‘monobosom’….where the most protuberent portion of the bosom was in the middle, between the breasts, and tapering away to the sides beginning about where the greatest protuberance is today.
I do historical reenactment and I personally wear Italian Renaissance. My chemise scoops to below my collarbones, and most of my gowns show only an inch or so of chemise above the top of them. That proportion is clearly documentable in Italian art. When I stand and look in the mirror, nothing is visible. However, I have had people share photos they’ve taken of me, and I have been surprised at the visibility. <G> As the old saying goes, men look down on women in low-cut blouses. <G>
The ‘wench’ spilling over the top of her vest WAS a lower-class phenonmenon, mainly because the vest was the only breast support worn by women who HAD to work– bend, lift, stretch, carry things. Corsets caused such immobility that the working class woman couldn’t wear them. She used a doublet, laced tightly, to do the job, and of course, getting a new one as she matured, or gained weight, or entered motherhood, was not always possible. The buxom, overflowing look wasn’t necessarily by choice. Middle class women may have worn corsets, but many wore boned doublets with a busque (busk) down the front. This was a long, pointy triangle of wood (or other stiff material) that went from the top of the doublet (jacket) to below the waist. The top of the doublet or corset would have a tiny drawstring that would be tied to keep it from popping out the top if the woman bent over— the little bows on modern lingerie are the direct descendents of the drawstring! <G> The busque provided the bust flattening of a corset, with less restriction of motion, still an important consideration for a merchant’s wife.
However, young middle-class and upper-class women nevertheless wore their partelets open, while their mothers wore theirs closed. Check out the various portraits of Elizabeth I to see how her partelet varied with her age. It might be theorized that older women were cold, in the same way that older women wear shawls or sweaters while young women do not. However, the fact that some women wore their partelets open while maidens and closed them after becoming wives, tends to support the theory that it wasn’t always a matter of chilliness, but was instead a matter of flirting. <G> The Tudors loved to dance. Can we really imagine that all of Henry VIII’s fondness of dancing had to do with his enjoyment of physical activity, and none had to do with the cut of the ladies’ gowns? <G> I read once that in the Elizabethan court, that the country dances that involved lifting the woman in the air were popular with the men for a couple of reasons: one, they allowed the men to demonstrate their manly strength by lifting the ladies high, and two, if you made a pact with a friend across the circle from you, and both of you did not lift the ladies perfectly vertically, you each got an enchanting view. <G>
Perhaps the view wasn’t exciting by our standards…but I’d say that medieval and Renaissance folks would say that there WERE times when they wondered what the younger generation was coming too, what with all the bosom the girls were showing…and then there were those tights on the boys! <g>
Jocelyn
Date: Mon, 24 Aug 1998 21:21:50 -0400 | From: “Judy Grow” <Judygrow [at] blast [dot] net>
What serendipidous times I live in. No sooner do I post that I would like to make a linen quilt someday, than I stumble onto 10 yards of white, 36″, brand new with the Shamrock paper label still pasted on. Got it at my flea for $25.00. What a gorgeous hand it has.
Now I need colors and a pattern.
Tomorrow Jan Drechsler and I will be dragging our DH’s to Philly to see the Pilgrim show at the College of Textiles. And … they get to take us out to lunch.
Judy in Ringoes, NJ judygrow [at] blast [dot] net
Date: Mon, 24 Aug 1998 20:36:37 -0700 | From: Rebecca Erle <erleec [at] sprintmail [dot] com>
I’m coming out of ‘lurkdom’ to add something to the Mourning thread. First, I would like to say that I have enjoyed reading all the posts the last six months –I have learned so much.
Second, for the writers/editors etc. of the group — please remember that I’m neither a writer nor editor — so don’t know all the ‘rules’
for quoting from text.
Several years ago (1995) I had the pleasure of visiting Bell Meade Plantation in Nashville, Tennessee. The exhibit at that time was titled ‘Widows, Weepers & Wakes ….Mourning in Middle Tennessee’. The catalog that accompanied the exhibit was so interesting that I bought a copy to bring home with me (to Texas). Today I called the plantation to ask permission to quote some of the information in the catalog and they very graciously gave me permission. The research was done by Janet S. Hasson and Livy I Simpson. The catalog was written by Janet S. Hasson. “…The period 1850 to 1890 was considered the peak of the ‘Cult of Mourning’. Expensive funerals were an opportunity to display wealth and social position. Victorians associated wealth with respectability and even salvation. The rising middle class copied the manners and lifestyle of the rich. A pauper’s funeral was a social disgrace even among the poor……
“Failure to follow the rules could result in social ostracism. Never mind that etiquette books often disagreed as to just what the rules were!……
“Women shared the primary burden of mourning. Widows were required to wear black for two and a half years with social activities severely curtailed. Men, on the other hand, could get by with wearing a black arm band and a hat band with streamers called a ‘weeper’. Men could also appear socially within a few months. This was especially unfair when a woman was required to stay at home in mourning for one of the husband’s relatives when he himself was allowed to go out. Second wives were even required to wear mourning for the deaths of the first wife’s parents. ……..
“The color black was used for mourning because it was a symbol of night with an absence of light and joy. Children wore white trimmed with black. Whole families wore mourning clothing, including the servants. Not to wear it was considered a sign of disrespect. Even the poor felt pressure to wear mourning. Middle class women and the poor made their own or dyed their clothing black. In wealthy families a dressmaker was summoned to the home as soon as a death occurred, as the ladies of the family were not allowed to go out. Suppliers of mourning goods spread the rumor that it was considered bad luck to keep mourning clothing on hand, so that new garments would be acquired with each bereavement. Poor people sold their mourning clothing while the middle class recycled. Mourning clothing could be found in pawn shops. Mourning was among the first ready-to-wear clothing available for women……. At first the clothing lagged behind current fashion trends. After the Civil War, however, it became more fashion conscious, although mourning clothing was always plainer and more subdued. “For the first stages of mourning, immediately after the death, only dull fabrics were to be worn. Bombazine and paramatta (combinations of silk and wool), and bombazet (cotton and wool) were used for the first stages — even in summer. The most important mourning fabric, however, was crape, a transparent dull silk gauze heavily crimped. Crape was stiffened with shellac and embossed by passing over a copper cylinder. Crape did not wear well. It soon became limp and shabby, and the color turned rusty with age. Hence the term ‘weeds’ for mourning clothing. It also smelled terrible and was especially undesirable for mourning veils as the odor affected the throat, lungs, and eyes. Raindrops left white marks on crape. Later a rain proof version was developed. To cover up the white marks, women were advised to paint them with black ink! Beeton’s Book of Household Management, printed in 1861, contained this recipe to make old crape look nearly new:
‘Place a little water in a teakettle, and let it boil until there is plenty of steam from the spout; then, holding the crape in both hands, pass it to and from several times through the steam, and it will be clean and look nearly equal to new’.
“Green tea boiled in iron was recommended to restore rusty silk according to The American Frugal Housewife in 1832. Women also had difficulty with black stains getting on their skin. For that reason women did not wear black underwear during mourning until later in the century when a colorfast dye was developed.
……..
to remove black stains from the skin:
‘Keep in the drawer of your washstand, a box containing a mixture in equal portions of cream of tartar and oxalic acid……wet the black stains with warm water and rub-on the mixture. Immediately wash off with soap and water’.
Never mind that oxalic acid was toxic. Mourning could literally make one sick!
“Widows observed the deepest mourning which lasted a total of two and a half years.
For the first stage which lasted a year plus one day, a widow wore only dull black almost entirely covered with crape. Her crape bonnet featured a long veil which reached nearly to the feet. At first it was worn over the face, then thrown back for later stages. A white ruffle worn inside the bonnet identified the widow. Indoors she wore a white cap…. The only trim on her dress was a deep fold. Buttons were dull, and the only jewelry permitted was dull jet or its imitation. Silver, gold, and precious stones were forbidden. “For the next nine months she was allowed to add a white collar and sleeves to her mourning garments. Instead of a dress covered in crape, the crape was used as trim. Her bonnet could be lined with white with a veil of black net.
“During the following three months shiny silk and velvet were permitted trimmed with ribbons, lace, embroidery, or shiny jet beading. Gold, diamond, pearl, and amethyst jewelry was worn. This stage was called ordinary mourning. ……..
“The last stage, called half mourning, lasted for six months. Colors were permitted such as gray, mauve, purple, lavender, and white. White bonnets and shawls were acceptable. Many widows, however, continued to wear black or half mourning colors for the rest of their lives. …….
“A widow was not allowed to leave home the first month except to attend church. Then she was permitted to go out and to receive visitors. Social events were forbidden, however. After three months she could attend concerts. If a family member got married, the widow could attend but was encouraged to wear lighter mourning colors, as black would cast a pall on the ceremony. After two years she could return to society.
“Widows were allowed more freedom then unmarried girls as they were not required to have chaperones. Therefore, men pursued them, especially if they were rich. If a widow remarried, she was not allowed to wear white. Victorians frowned upon second marriages for women because that implied that they slept with two men! Etiquette suggested that widowers wait at least a year before remarrying, although many men did not. This was particularly prevalent if the widower had young children. ……. If a man remarried within a year, his second wife was required to wear mourning for her predecessor”.
(all rights reserved, including the right of production in whole or in part in any form.)
This is only a small portion of this wonderful catalog/booklet. Anyone who would like more info about the catalog, email me personally. Please know that I have no other interest in this catalog other than sharing the information contained in it.
Rebecca (enjoying the rain, *finally*, in central Texas)
Date: Tue, 25 Aug 1998 09:41:58 EDT | From: Rachel
In a message dated 98-08-24 18:25:38 EDT, you write:
<< There is a small mountain/hill north of Boulder, CO, shaped just like the old-fashioned cones, that’s called ‘Sugar Loaf.’ >> There is also a small mountain/hill north of Washington DC in Maryland named Sugar Loaf. And, if I recall my place settings and proper etiquette, there is also an implement–sugar pincer?–that is appropriate for obtaining sugar from the loaf.
–Rachel
Date: Tue, 25 Aug 1998 23:01:46 -0400 | From: “Judy Grow” <Judygrow [at] blast [dot] net
Jan Drechsler, our husbands, and I went to see the 18 quilts of the Paul Pilgrim show today at the Philadelphia College of Textile. He was a great designer, and the quilts are well worth a special trip. However, the show ends in Philly on the 27th — in 2 days. If it moves around the country and comes to a venue near you, make a special trip. As most of you know, Pilgrim used antique blocks and antique and repro fabrics to construct new quilts. My husband, who is a professional artist, found the show far more interesting and the quilts more well designed than any of the shows he has trekked with me to see, and that includes Lancaster and Fort Washington. His comment was that you have to slog through all the ticky-tacky to find the really well designed quilts in those shows. Every one of the Pilgrim quilts was visually arresting. We also saw the I-Max “Everest” movie at the Franklin Institute, and I did get queezy, but mostly at the coming attractions– mostly on the one about roller coasters and other thrill rides. My eyes stayed closed through much of it– and I can’t say as they would have in real life, because there is no way you would get me on anything like a roller coaster in real life. Going up in an airplane is bad enough.
Judy in Ringoes, NJ judygrow [at] blast [dot] net
Date: Wed, 26 Aug 1998 09:47:46 +0100 | From: “Sally Ward” <sward [at] t-ward [dot] demon [dot] co [dot] uk>
Many thanks to Rebecca and everyone for sharing so much fascinating information.
=20
Just to add that even the newborn were not exempt. My great grandmother died after childbirth in 1888. My grandmother was christened ‘at the head of her mother’s coffin’ (I assume it was a double service of christening and funeral) wearing a white christening robe trimmed with black ribbon.
=20
Sally in UK=20
Date: Wed, 26 Aug 1998 22:32:31 EDT | From: Kittencat3 [at] aol [dot] com
I don’t know about a museum in Enfield, but the Wadsworth Atheneum in Hartford has a good collection of old quilts, costumes and textiles. They also have a terrific library.
The only other museum I can think of in that area is the Springfield Museum of Fine Arts just over the border. The local history museum has a lot of Pioneer Valley artifacts and may have some quilts, but I’ve never heard of any.
Lisa Evans
Date: Thu, 27 Aug 1998 12:45:30 -0400 | From: “Judy Grow” <Judygrow [at] blast [dot] net>
Merikay Waldvogel was kind enough to send me a bibliography of books containing textile history. I did a search on Amazon.com for those that are out of print. They are still looking for some, but they found two of them. The second one on the list might be great, but the $$$$$$$$ are way too much for my wallet. Can anyone tell me about the first one? Is it worth $168.45? Should I accept the offered price? We have paid that kind of money (rarely) in the past for beautifully illustrated first editions for our collection, but I imagine this will serve me as a textbook . Is it worth the money for the USEFUL knowledge I would gain from it. If anyone has it, I would love to know if you can’t do without it.
>Stuart. Robinson “A History of Printed Textiles.” Price: $164.50
>Shipping & handling charge: $3.95
>Total charge for item: $168.45
>Binding: Hardcover
>Florence M. Montgomery “Printed textiles; English and American cottons and linens 1700-1850”
>Price: $752.00
>Shipping & handling charge: $3.95
>Total charge for item: $755.95
>Binding: Hardcover
>Amazon.com guarantees that our out of print matches are in good condition – or better. “Good condition” refers to a previously-read book that shows some signs of wear and may have minor flaws, but has all pages and leaves present.
Judy in Ringoes, NJ judygrow [at] blast [dot] net
Date: Thu, 27 Aug 1998 16:42:05 -0400 | From: Vivien Lee Sayre <vsayre [at] nesa [dot] com
I have just seen one of the most wonderful exhibits ever. The New England Quilt Museum is now exhibiting the works of Gayle Fraas and Duncan Slade. The title of the exhibit is “Frontiers: The Art Quilts of Gayle Fraas and Duncan Slade”. There are thirty two wonderful pieces to ‘dye’ for (pun intended).
The Curator of the Museum, Jennifer Gilbert, describes the works as…………….”Fraas and Slade work with the quilt as a painted and screen-painted whole-cloth piece. They use a single piece of cotton fabric on which they paint using fiber reactive dyes, they then add a batting and backing and machine and hand quilt the layers together. The finished quilt is mounted, then framed and installed as a painting would be.” When you look at the works they look pieced. It isn’t until closer inspection the you realize they are one piece of fabric that has been painted and dyed. In addition, the subjects and colors are well thought out and appealing. I went to the Museum for other reasons and was totally and wonderfully surprised by this fantastic body of work. The exhibit will run until Nov. 8, 1998, so if you are in the neighborhood, or are looking for someplace to visit, come to New England and The Quilt Museum! Better yet……….do it during foliage season.
Vivien
Date: Fri, 28 Aug 1998 08:48:37 -0600 | From: Sven Olsson <sven [at] pnc [dot] com [dot] au
Hello Judy,
I have had occasion to buy out of print books from Amazon. I have not been looking for books as rare as your wish list though though! But, they are extremely helpful, and when my orders have arrived, I have been extremely happy with the condition of the books. This does not get you your books but I can highly recomend the company. There is another company called Warren Art Books that I have dealt with for out of prints, pertaining to old quilts. Also very helpful. email address is < warrenart [at] prodigy [dot] net >
Good luck,
Lorraine in Australia
Date: Thu, 27 Aug 1998 21:53:23 -0400 | From: “John and Cinda Cawley”
This question may have been answered already, but as you my have noticed I’ve been living in the real (rather than the cyber) world this summer. On pages 26 & 27 of Ho for California by Jean Ray Laury and the California Heritage Quilt Project (1990) ISBN: 0-525-48533-3 there are two pictures and a story about a floral sampler quilt, 1840-1850, which was cut in half to resolve a ” i=”” is=”” maker.=”” of=”” of.<="" only="" p="" solomonic="" the="" think="" this="">
Cinda in Scranton
—–Original Message—–
From: Sharon Harleman Tandy <harleman [at] micron [dot] net>>Hello QHLers,
>Another new thread and a request for information regarding Solomon’s Choice. Somewhere in the last ten years I’ve heard (or read) of the cut-up quilts which were distributed among family members referred to as Solomon’s Choice.
>Q.#1. Can anyone give me a reference as to book, magazine, workshop, seminar, etc where I may have read it?
>Q.#2. Can anyone tell me of any research (aside from Mary Cross’ recent 16th century find!) on cut-up quilts from the early-to-mid 19th century?
>I’ve already checked all of Uncoverings titles (did you all know that their website has a _complete_ listing of subjects/authors?) and most of my own books, but I do remember reading about them somewhere. Thanks for anything you’ve got! Sharon Harleman Tandy
Date: Thu, 27 Aug 1998 22:22:45 EDT | From: [from unknown]
In a message dated 98-08-27 21:58:33 EDT, you write:
> >Stuart. Robinson “A History of Printed Textiles.” Price: $164.50
> >Shipping & handling charge: $3.95
> >Total charge for item: $168.45
> >Binding: Hardcover
I was in such a self-righteous snit over the price of the Montgomery book that I took a look-see for myself at bibliocity.com and found this title selling for $40 and $45. The range at bibliofind.com was $40 to $50. The Montgomery book was available at both sites from an Australian dealer for approx. $171, btw…..
Date: Thu, 27 Aug 1998 22:52:03 EDT | From: Darwin
In response to Catherine’s question about Digital Cameras I went through the same thing trying to decide what to do and what to buy. Well, It depends on what you want to do with the pictures. If you simply want to use them on the computer, for email and maybe a web site, the easiest one to use is the Sony Mavica 7. It uses a floopy disc in place of film and you simply shot and stick the floppy in the 3 1/2 floppy drive and download the images. you can shot one picture, download, and delete the image from the floppy and start over or you can shot 20 shots and download them. i is advised to use a photo editing program so you can resize the images so they load quicker and I;d recomend Paint Shop Pro 5. It is real easy and fun and it offers all kinds of stuff you will never use but it’s nice to have. The new model Sony is out so it will bew easy to find a used Mavica, as I did and save a lot of money. I found mine in a Digital Camera user site.. just use a search engine and type in Mavica and you’ll find all kinds of digital stuff.
I don’t really think there is an easier camera to use on the market but things will change. As for now it is the easiest to use. All the rest use wires to download, so you’ll always have to hook them up before downloading. A real pain.
Of course, if you want to end up with high resolution prints, this is not the camera for you.
Good Luck,
Darwin
Date: Thu, 27 Aug 1998 22:10:19 -0500 | From: “Jeff & Sheri Lesh” <jefflesh [at] netins [dot] net>
Well, I would kindly like to ask a favor of you cloth gurus, is that buttering you up enough? I have 3 wool braided area rugs that were made by a great grandmother who died in her 80’s in the early 1960’s. So these rugs have some age to them and I have used them off and on since I have had them, which has been the last 15-20 yrs. They need some repair, which I have done in the past and that is not so much the problem, but they need to be cleaned and I considered getting them professionally cleaned, but got to thinking, why couldn’t I do it. Does any one have any tips or thoughts on the matter. I would use Ovis, the bath tub, probably something like a sheet to support it getting it out of the tub, like a quilt. Should I repair before I wash? I know this is off topic, but felt this group would be knowledgeable for this type of subject. Please email me privately with any help would be appreciated.
Thanks,
Sheri in Iowa
Jeff & Sheri Lesh jefflesh [at] netins [dot] net
Date: Fri, 28 Aug 1998 09:13:19 EDT | From: JQuilt [at] aol [dot] com
There is a textile museum in Willimantic Conn.: The Windham Textile & History Museum has developed into a major center to research Eastern Connecticut’s social, cultural, economic and industrial history and heritage. It has close ties to the University of Connecticut and Eastern Connecticut State University, and provides a wide range of educational and tourism programs. The Museum store is an ideal place to do all kinds of shipping, as well as being located in an actual 19th century textile company store.
The Museum complex is housed in a textile company’s store, library, and store warehouse, built in 1877. The main building, housed a 19th century version of today’s all-purpose stores. Millworkers could obtain anything, from a side of beef in the butcher’s department, to a lady’s bonnet in the millinery department. Workers could also obtain education and culture in the Dunham Hall Library. Today, the library is a fully equipped facility utilized for research and study.
I-84 East, exit 59 to I-384, exit 6 (Bolton Notch) to Route 6 East to Wilimantic, approx. 15 miles from Bolton Notch.
jean jquilt [at] aol [dot] com
Date: Fri, 28 Aug 1998 09:18:33 -0400 | From: Marilouise Hagenberg <mhagenbe [at] smc [dot] cc [dot] mi [dot] us>
Has anybody had the opportunity to read the current issue of People magazine and the article on the lady with the million dollar quilting business? I am in support of those who are savvy business people starting/maintaining their business. But once again I was put off by the quilts being produced in factories in China. Anybody else?
Marilouise
Date: Fri, 28 Aug 1998 06:54:53 -0700 | From: Jean Binns Smith <shejean [at] vicon [dot] net>
Made a tailor’s ham a few years ago as part of a tailoring class. Teacher brought ceder shavings to class to fill them. Suspect this was to discourage moths, as we used wool scraps from our project to make the ham.
Jean
Date: Fri, 28 Aug 1998 11:43:21 +0000 | From: Jocelyn <jocelynm [at] sw1 [dot] socwel [dot] ukans [dot] edu
> Does any one have any tips or thoughts on the matter. I would use Ovis, the bath tub, probably something like a sheet to support it getting it out of the tub, like a quilt.
Sheri,
Wow, you picked the right time of year for this!
Go to Wal-Mart and buy a child’s wading pool, and wash your rugs outside on the lawn in this! It will give you a LOT more space for the rug to lie flat. Quilts may fold nicely, but rugs, being thicker, tend not to fold up and fit in a bathtub very well. You can then lift your rugs out of the wading pool and let them dry flat on the lawn….you can even rinse them by laying them on the lawn and spraying them with a hose! No huge heavy wet rug to carry dripping through your house!
BTW…If you opt for rinsing them in the pool, you can add some hair conditioner to the final rinse water, to make them softer. After all, wool is just sheep’s hair!
Jocelyn
Date: Fri, 28 Aug 1998 20:12:55 -0400 | From: “Phyllis Twigg” <ptwigg [at] radix [dot] net
I’m planning to make a reproduction alphabet quilt this fall. I’m going to make it bed size, all pieced, using strickly the 26 typical letters (as on pg 137 in Brackman’s Encyclopedia) and I can print the patterns from Blockbase. However, recently I remember seeing a commercial pattern for a complete alphabet quilt in a magazine or catalog or somewhere. Now, of course, I can’t remember where I saw that pattern. Does anyone recollect having seen it anywhere ? It appeared to be the typical type pattern you would find for sale in a plastic bag at a quilt shop (but I could be wrong about that). I would like to buy that pattern. I am not referring to the baby quilt /outline embroidery/cute animals of the alphabet type patterns.
Thanks,
Phyllis
