December 1 – 10, 1997
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:
- Wood Damage to Stored Textiles — Members discuss the brown staining and acid damage that occurs when quilts or textiles are stored in direct contact with wood.
- Singer Featherweight Collecting — A lively thread identifies rare Featherweight models and colors, including the tan 221 and the brown-cased 301, with tips on spotting fakes and reproductions.
- European Quilting Traditions — A new quilter from the Netherlands asks about European quilt history, and members share references to Marseilles spreads and French whitework. (see the article on quilting in Europe)
- Quilting Stitch Counts — Members discuss AQS standards for quilting stitch counts and whether high stitch counts are a modern invention or have historical precedent.
- Auction Etiquette and Quilt Dealers — Tips and war stories about navigating antique auctions and dealing with reluctant or ego-driven male auctioneers.
- Buttermilk Lace Cleaning — Maury Bynum reports success using a buttermilk recipe to clean antique lace. (see the article on cleaning antique quilts)
- Chinese Import Quilts — Xenia Cord raises the issue of Chinese import quilts being mislabeled as antique or handmade at shows and shops.
Date: Mon, 01 Dec 1997 08:47:31 -0800 | From: Frank & Inge Stocklin
Re Lynn Gorges message from New Bern, NC
As a quilt restorer and appraiser, I do have an information sheet on
care, etc. that I’ve compiled from different sources that I do give my
customers. I think they appreciate the advice and have something in
writing. Another good source is the First Aid for Quilters book. While
I do not agree with all the information, I think it’s a good little book.
Regards, Inge
Quilt Studio, Historic Ellicott City, MD
P.S. Thanks to all of you out there for all the added information from
QHL – I share so much of this with my customers. This is truly what
makes quilting such a wonderful field.
www.erols.com/stocklin/
Date: Mon, 1 Dec 1997 16:16:15 -0500 (EST) | From: DDBSTUFF [at] aol [dot] com
I was just wondering what kind of damage was done by the contast with wood?
I agree that textiles should not come into contact with wood but I don’t know
what kind of problems it creates.
Thanks in advance for the info.
Darwin
Date: Mon, 01 Dec 1997 16:49:49 0400 | From: Xenia Cord
Hi, Darwin and QHLers – in my experience with casually stored textiles,
those quilts etc. stored against unsealed wood (more so than paper) turn
light to medium brown over time, and the fabric actually feels brittle.
In extreme cases I have seen cottons shatter in the same way dark dyed
fabrics with iron mordants shatter. I have seen quilts which, when
unfolded, show a brown quadrant on the back from long-term storage on an
unpainted wood shelf, and I have seen quilts with brown on the fold
lines, from the folded edges coming in contact with the sides of cedar
chests. (Also seen the same on quilts stored in the open in the home of
2 heavy smokers.) I have also had Marseilles spreads, in their original
brown paper wrappers, show the same kinds of discolorations from the
paper itself.
To balance the sides, however, I have also seen stuff brought out from
the most improbable storage with little or no damage – for instance, a
dated 1857 red and green applique found behind a temporary wall in an
attic dormer window, which was wrapped in white newsprint and tied with
string before being walled up. It looked great when it finally came out
of hiding (knowledgeable guesswork said the wall had been in place at
least 60 years). The window showed from outside the house but not in the
attic itself, leading curious auction staff to investigate.
Xenia
Date: Mon, 1 Dec 1997 17:00:39 0000 | From: Hilary Ford
I also saw the reference to a BROWN featherweight and was waiting
for more information. I have a white featherweight, purchased by my
parents as a college graduation gift for me in 1965. It was made in
England and has a green and white box. I use and treasure it today.
I will be very interested to learn about the brown machine.
Hilary Ford
Date: Mon, 01 Dec 1997 17:08:57 0400 | From: Xenia Cord
Hi, Hilary and QHLers – Yes, Featherweights did come in “brown” –
actually, sort of a dark tan color. These were made by Singer in Canada
for a few years in the 1960s, and came in a 2-tone brown saddle-stitched
case similar to the one the white Featherweight came in.
Xenia
Date: Mon, 1 Dec 1997 17:04:30 -0500 (EST) | From: Baglady111 [at] aol [dot] com
I apologize..i neglected to add Sylvia Landman’s address..
you can email her your prayers and strong thoughts at
studio [at] crl [dot] com
she’ll ove hearing from you…Jane of THE FEEDSACK CLUB
Date: Mon, 1 Dec 1997 17:22:53 -0500 (EST) | From: MothaNatur [at] aol [dot] com
Hi QHL friends~
I’ve decided to sell a very nice Singer Featherweight 221 I have. It’s fawn
beige and has extremely low mileage. The lady who sold it to me was given it
by her husband who thought that was all it would take to turn her into a
crack seamstress. She showed him by using it once….or so she said.
It comes in a nice two-tone brown/beige case, with instruction book and
attachments. Write me with any questions…The price is $450 postage,
with the right to return it if it’s not what you expected (returner to pay
postage).
I live in Orange County, CA, so, if you live nearby, you can come by for a
test drive any time.
Best from Susie
Date: Mon, 1 Dec 1997 17:53:24 -0600 (CST) | From: Nancy Evans
At 05:08 PM 12/1/97 0400, you wrote:
>Hi, Hilary and QHLers – Yes, Featherweights did come in “brown” –
>actually, sort of a dark tan color. These were made by Singer in Canada
>for a few years in the 1960s, and came in a 2-tone brown saddle-stitched
>case similar to the one the white Featherweight came in.
>
>Xenia
>
>
>
I had replied to Jane about this earlier, but I may as well put it out for
general discussion and/or debunking!
My sewing machine guru, who has a lot of experience with featherweights has
told me to be on the lookout for “brown featherweights”. He describes them
as a darker brown color, slightly larger than a 221, with a shorter flip-up
end. These are NOT 221’s, though. He calls them 301’s and in his opinion,
they will be almost as hot of a collectible for us as the 221, within a few
years. Accordiong to my guru, the 301 sews like a dream and because people
don’t know what they are yet, you can often get them for a song and/or
pocket change – depending on your singing abiltiy! That’s my little bit for
today – FWIW!
Oh, and I might add, that I am not very religious about looking for these
machines – I have been happily married to a little black beauty with all her
attachments for 3 years now, and we have a wooden square-legged table
together, so my life is complete! ;o)
Nancy Evans – Nebraska Quilter
Date: Mon, 1 Dec 1997 16:32:43 -0800 | From: Asterix (by way of Quilting Heritage ListServ )
Hi, i am just starting to quilt and i am looking for information about
the European patchwork,i have been looking in the libary but with out
any luck,every little bit of information is welcome
greatings Carmen Leerdam(holland)
Date: Mon, 01 Dec 1997 19:03:32 -0700 | From: Terri Ellis
I too have seen the 301, and received the same information on it –
although it sold for slightly less than a regular 221. It looked just a
little larger than the 221, and was really cute! Maybe we will start
seeing more of these, now that everyone knows how much they can get for
the 221s.
Terri Ellis
Date: Mon, 01 Dec 1997 21:49:01 0400 | From: Xenia Cord
Hi, All – Thanks to all who replied. The tan Singer Featherweight (221)
and the Singer 301 are two different machines – each is sought after for
its own merits. There is not as much collecting interest as yet in the
301s, but those in the know are looking for them, as they are still much
undervalued on the open market. The Elna Grasshopper is another comer.
The two machines are both “brown,” but there is a difference in color.
The 221 is a creamier beige than the 301. The 301 is larger than a
Featherweight. It comes in 2 versions – long bed and short bed. And
by the way, Singer also made a table for this model. The table looks
very much like the one for the 221 – sometimes you have to fit a machine
into the cutout in order to know what machine the table was for.
The beige 221 is identical to the black version, but with less chrome
(none on the end plate, for instance). It has the same size fold-down
work surface as the black 221, the power supply is separate from the
machine, and the machine is gear driven. The white 221 (often called
light green) has a much shorter fold down work surface, is hard-wired,
and is belt driven.
Anyone consumed by this interest is invited to sign on to Featherweight
Fanatics at FWFanatics [at] ttsw [dot] com. Just e-mail to that address and say
subscribe (specify digest or not).
Xenia
Date: Mon, 1 Dec 1997 22:36:36 -0500 (EST) | From: DDBSTUFF [at] aol [dot] com
This is in response to J.JOY@MED>UNR>EDU’s response to my question: “what
type of damage occurs when fabric comes into contact with wood? I don’t know
what kind of problems it creates”. Her answer was: “I thought you said you
had been dealing in antique quilts for 20 years”. ” Foxing is found
frequently when one collects antique textiles and results from the textiles
coming into contact with lignins from the wood.”*
*(“lignins are an amorphous polymer related to cellulose that provides
rigidity and together with cellulose forms the woody cell walls of plants and
the cementing material between them”.) I’m sure we all knew that but…
Thanks for your enlighting yet somewhat retalitorical response. Yes, I have
been an antique quilt dealer for over 20 years, not a scientist. I guess
I’ve just never bought a quilt with foxing. I always thought “foxing” was
created by molds causing fungal infections, which in turn cause acidity and
thus causes the loss of sizing in the fabric and is visible as reddish-brown
freckle like spots. I’ve seen this on paper but never on textiles. All
this, of course is due to humidity problems which we can now control by air
conditioning. It can develop when air is not permited to move around the
material, be it fabric or paper. So it would seem that is one reason why it
is not advisable to store textiles in plastic bags. If this is true, than
what does acid free paper actually cause? It wouldn’t be foxing would it?
In a pamphlet I have from the Textile Conservation Center at the Merrimack
Valley Textile Museum in North Andover, Mass. I found this: “Most readily
available paper and wood products that might be conveniently used for holding
or padding textile items in storage seem to harm the items they serve. Paper
tubes, cardboard boxes, tissue, wrapping paper, wooden dowels and most tapes
belong in his catagory. Obtaining safe materials for use in storage is as
important as the facility itself. The best sources for acid-free containers,
tissue and assorted papers are to be found in the appendiof K.J. Harris’s
book, COSTUME DISPLAY TECHNIQUES. this book can be obtained from the
American Association of State and Local History in Nashville. Tennessee.”
About problems with wood it says,” seepages from wood can
also stain textiles and all wood surfaces that might come in contact with
textiles should have some form of barrier installed. The Center recommends
that no textile come in contact with bare wood. A polyester resin coating or
a polyester film barriermay be uded to protect the textile from possible
staining or other damage. The Center does not reccomend the sole use of
pourous barriers such as paper or muslin to protect textiles from wood.
Some reccomend painting the wood with a polyurethane varnish or sealer. The
Center prefers polyester as a barrier because of superior vapor permeability
figures when compared with a polyurethane of the same thickness. Either is
preferable to direct contact.”
Sorry this is so long but I dug it out and I had to do something with it. By
the way, this museum has published a series of 15 pamphlets on textile
conservation and the above was from #14moth-proofing. They can be purchased
by calling the museum or writing to the museum at 800 Mass. Ave., Andover,
Mass. 01845. They are very informative and deal separately with cotton,
wool, silk, storage, light, mounting, display etc., etc.
Go ahead, flood there phone lines.
Darwin
Date: Mon, 1 Dec 1997 23:12:50 -0500 (EST) | From: BBMorris [at] aol [dot] com
A few years ago when I was helping document quilts for our state quilt
project, a gentleman brought in a large stack of quilts that had been his
mothers and had been stored folded, in a cedar chest for over 10 years.
Every edge or fold that had touched the wood of the chest had a burn mark on
it. It looked almost like a rust stain except that it was in straight lines
that just matched the folded edges. They were beautiful quilts except for
those burn marks. He said that he had never looked at them as he had always
heard that the best place to store fabric items was in a cedar chest.
We did have a sheet of care instructions we gave out. Education was a part
of the documentation process.
Just my 2 cents worth for today.
Barbara in GA
Date: Mon, 01 Dec 1997 23:16:58 -0500 | From: Denise Schirmuhly
Hi!
Zena made a reference to the “Elna Grasshopper” . I think I have one! My machine is an old pre-WWII green potable
Elna. It has a strange knee control, that folds in. It comes in a green metal case, with hinges on the top. I don’t
have the model #’s handy. The machine is currently at Mom’s. It does sew like a dream! Does anyone know if this
could possibly be a “grasshopper”?? Or where I could get info on this machine?
Thanks!
Denise
Long Island, NY
>
Date: Mon, 01 Dec 1997 23:15:20 -0800 | From: The Waites
Has anyone seen the catalog from The Textile Museum exhibit, “Avant
Garde by the Yard: Cutting Edge Textile Design: 1880-1930″? I am
debating ordering it but would like a review first. You can post to the
list for others also.
Audrey Waite in Sedona, AZ
Date: Tue, 2 Dec 1997 09:36:02 -0500 | From: “Kathryn c. Cole”
Hi All:
I thought I’d add a little information to this discussion. I attended Gw=
en
Marston’s Beaver Island Quilt Retreat this past September, and Gwen told =
us
some of what happened at LCP. According to Gwen, all the contributing
writers were contacted by the new publisher with the offer to continue
writing for the “new” LCP, but at no salary!
As writing articles, and getting paid for said work, is what writers
do–they all quit. That’s why all the “regulars” are gone from the new
format. =
I appreciated the historic perspective of not only Gwen’s articles, but o=
f
all the other contributors. It’s really a shame we’ve, all lost a source=
of enjoyment and enlightenment.
Take care,
Kitty Cole in Milford Michigan =
Date: Tue, 2 Dec 1997 08:55:56 -0600 | From: “Lisa Erlandson”
The damage I have seen caused by wood is a brown “staining” at the point of
contact. This could be from something seeping from the wood (???) My best
advice is not to experiment to see what kinds of damage do or do not occur,
just to take the simple precautions of protecting textiles from possible
damage.
LISA (not Linda)
Date: Tue, 2 Dec 1997 11:26:48 -0500 (EST) | From: DDBSTUFF [at] aol [dot] com
Hi again,
Thought all of you conserned with quilt carew might like this. It’s a very
nice site also, check it out.
Darwin
Quilts should be handled infrequently but when it becomes necessary, wash=
and dry hands thoroughly before handling – body oils are easily transferr=
ed
to textiles. It is a good idea to remove any jewelry that could catch on=
the quilt. Use a large clean surface to work on. In lifting the quilts,=
support the main body from beneath with both hands.
<h4>Hanging</h4>
To hang the quilt, a hanging sleeve is sewn onto the backing using a slip stitch.=
Many artists will have sewn the sleeve themselves. A curtain rod or a 1/=
4″
thick wood slat sealed with shellac or acrylic paint is inserted into the=
sleeve. The slat may then be nailed to the wall, or it may be hung from
the ceiling using monofilament wire. We recommend using a slat so that t=
he
surface hangs flat. Often a second sleeve is sewn on the bottom of the
piece and a slat inserted to give the piece some weight. This will help
the piece hang flat and straight. <BR>
Heavier quilts may require the use =
of Velcro strips. The softer half is
machine sewn to a piece of cotton fabric 1/2″ wider than the Velcro. The=
fabric strip is then sewn onto the edges of the quilt back using a slip
stitch. Closely staple the hook half of the Velcro to slats sealed with
shellac or acrylic paint with rustproof staples, then nail the slats to t=
he
wall. Attach the quilt to the slats without stretching the quilt.
<h4>Sunlight and Lighting</h4>
The worst enemy of any artwork is sunlight. In the case of fiber art,
light will not only fade the quilt but will also weaken the fiber.
Ultraviolet rays are the most harmful, but using filters on windows and
fluorescent fixtures will greatly reduce ultraviolet light. 3M makes a
clear film that can be easily glued to glass. Plexiglas UV filters can b=
e
inserted between the fluorescent light tubes and the cover. Another opti=
on
is to enclose the quilt in a UV filtered Plexiglas frame.<BR>
<IMG SRC=3D”http://206.204.3.133/dirgif/dotclear.gif” HSPACE=3D0 VSPACE=
=3D0 WIDTH=3D30 HEIGHT=3D1 BORDER=3D0>If you must light your quilt, the r=
ecommended light intensity is 5
foot-candles. The heat from lamps can dry out your quilt causing them to=
become brittle. Spotlights should not be kept closer than eight feet fro=
m
the surface of the quilt.
<h4>Cleaning</h4>
The best way to clean a quilt is by vacuuming. Use a hand held vacuum wi=
th
low suction and a soft brush attachment. Do not use an attachment with a=
rotating brush. The best method is to work in a pattern of lifting and
pressing. A clean soft paintbrush can be used to lift off more stubborn
dust and dirt. Vacuum both sides before storing.
<h4>Storing</h4>
The ideal storage facility is a dark place with good air circulation, and=
large enough to store the quilts flat. Avoid a room subject to poor
ventilation, high humidity or temperature extremes. If the quilt must be
folded, fold it with clean sheets, cotton fabric, or crumpled acid free
tissue along the folds. This will prevent creasing the quilts. If your
quilt is to be stored on a wood shelf, drawer, or box, line it with a lay=
er
of heavy duty aluminum. This will prevent acid migration from the wood.
Date: Tue, 2 Dec 1997 11:30:57 -0700 | From: annbow [at] cio [dot] net (Ann Nash)
As soon as someone mentioned the two tone brown case with saddle stitching
I started to smile because I knew you were talking about my 301 Singer.
Yes, it has been a workhorse.
I received mine as a high school graduation present from my parents. It was
used at the time, of course. That machine has hemed more pants in it’s
time. It roars over those thick welt seams of jeans. It sews leather
patches on to jeans. It also sews fine fabrics. But it only goes forward
and backwards, although the buttonhole attachment is a noisy wonder. I know
you can buy an attachment that simulates zig zag motions but I’m not quite
sure how…it must move the fabric or something.
The tension is almost never a problem. Need I say more? The case is pretty
funky but very sturdy. The sewing machine repair guy always speaks in
reverant tones about 301’s. Nice to know their day is coming.:)
Ann
http://home.cio.net/annbow
Currently showing at the La Conner Quilt Museum, PO Box 1270, 703 S. 2nd
Street, La Conner, WA: Quilt Poems….Quilts by Marilyn Henrion of NYC.
Boldly geometric with precise construction. Now through January 2nd, 1998.
Wednesday-Sunday’s, 11am-4pm, Winter Hours. Admission $3. Phone:
(360)466-4288
Closed January 3-Feb 2nd.
Date: Tue, 2 Dec 97 14:39:36 PST | From: John & Cinda Cawley
My father, who died in 1990, was an old fashioned GP. He practiced
medicine well into his 80’s. A couple of weeks ago one of his patients gave
me a tape she made in his office in 1986. She was doing an oral history
project and chatted with Dad,who was born in 1904,about events in Scranton
during his youth. The tape was almost impossible to understand, lots of
background noise; Dad’s voice kept fading out as he moved around the office.
I took it to a recording studio in town where a wonderful young man
with a ponytail worked some kind of magic to produce for me an amazingly
clear version on CD. He said he had a software program which identified
the background noise and erased it. You can imagine what it is like to hear
my father’s voice and, best of all, his laugh again. I have copies for my
sisters and bothers; there will be lots of happy tears on Christmas day. I
am very happy to be living at the end of the 20th century.
Cinda in Scranton
Date: Tue, 02 Dec 1997 15:01:56 -0600 | From: Maury Bynum
Hi All!
I’ve just cleaned an antique lace tablecloth with the buttermilk
receipe——-came out great!!!!!!!!!Try it! You’ll like it!
Maury Bynum
Date: Tue, 02 Dec 1997 21:56:31 0400 | From: Xenia Cord
Julie asked for information about Marseilles spreads, which I mentioned
in an earlier post. I don’t know much about Marseilles spreads except
that they were factory-woven, dimensional bedspreads from the late
19th-early 20th century, made to imitate the stuffed work quilting
techniques of Provence, France. For a good study. see Kathryn Berenson,
Quilts of Provence (1996), especially on page 15, where she says that:
“The adjective ‘Marseilles’ applied to a textile object in England and
the United States generally refers to an all-white cotton article with a
raised, textured pattern, always whole cloth (one type of fabric or
weave). … In the last two hundred years the adjective ‘Marseilles’
has been applied without clear distinction to a number of textile
categories, particularly after the 1763 advent of loom-woven ‘Marseilles
cloth.'” (and following paragraphs)
The book is a delight to read and to look at, and the quilting pictured
is detailed and exquisite beyond belief.
If what you have is a factory product, a cotton or linen bedspread, it
has antique value determined by condition, design, and quality. I have
sold children’s ABC marseilles cot covers for over $100, but often can’t
get anyone to look at very nice, unused spreads from around 1900. You
can see examples in the repro Sears catalogs, or the originals from
1900-1910.
I think that’s all the stuff in my mental databanks!
Xenia
—
Date: Tue, 2 Dec 1997 22:08:13 -0500 (EST) | From: QuiltCat26 [at] aol [dot] com
HGTV Simply Quilts had Nancy as special guest today on #313, and it was a joy
to see her “in person”, and listen to some excellent advice on quilt
restoration, and whether to, or not to restore. Nancy, thanks for sharing
with all of us!
Nancee
Grand Rapids, Michigan
Date: Tue, 02 Dec 1997 15:33:04 -0500 | From: Alan
Hi.
Spent the last five days searching all over for quilts. Found quite a
few, but none came home with me (although one came really close).
One thing I did see was a partial top, 4″ bowtie blocks in one (count
it, one) fabric. Weird. Haven’t seen that before. And yes, it was
most definitely one fabric per block. No faded fabrics, very similar
colors/patterns or something else of that sort.
Regarding the FW discussion, I recall a pale green model (I believe
early 1960’s – not a 221) in a shop once. Am I crazy?
I also have 4-5 ugly 1950’s tops that are free to a good home, first
come first served, u-pay postage! Email me privately.
And also, about “what is vintage”. Personally, I use vintage to
separate antiques (100 years and older) from items that are newer than
that. I have a very different view of what is old from the people I
deal with in this area. So very often I am told “I have this old ___”,
and it turns out that, whatever it is, it is no older than 1930. And
the person talking to me means OLD – ancient, whatever. Whereas, I see
old as being in the last century or even earlier (I own a couple of
Middle Eastern lamps – Syria, or what it may have been called then –
made of clay, that date from around the birth of Christ – now THAT’s
old!) Basically, for me vintage is something not an antique, but not
new. For me, collectibles are new, while vintage/antique items are
collectible. Being collectible denotes value of something not ever
intended for collecting, while collectibles themselves are things
intended for collections (such as Precious Moments).
And yes, I do get sloppy at times and refer to vintage quilts as
antiques, rather than vintage.
My dictionary (Oxford American) defines the use of vintage as an
adjective as such: “vintage, adj. – of high quality, especially from a
past period”. The other uses, of course, involved wine.
Most of the time, I try to talk in terms of the age of the quilt(s) in
question. (I try to NEVER talk about Chinese imports). And speaking of
such, I want an opinion. I came across a display of Chinese imports in
an antique mall. No big surprise. But they were way overpriced and
falsely represented and hand made by people in the US out of business
(the sign also stated that they sold for $300-$400). I buy from this
mall and don’t want to start a scene, but it really ticks me off that
the dealer is lying about the quilts (I found the remains of the tag
sewn into the seam). I just want to stick an addendum to the sign, but
a friend says I should go and complain, credentials in hand. I think
he’s right, but I hate face-to-face confrontation with basic strangers
(my fussing online is easier – you’re my friends!). What would you do?
Alan
Date: Wed, 3 Dec 1997 15:38:46 -0500 (EST) | From: QuiltCat26 [at] aol [dot] com
In a message dated 97-12-03 02:50:39 EST, QHL-Digest-request [at] cue [dot] com writes:
<<
I thought I’d add a little information to this discussion. I attended Gw=
en
Marston’s Beaver Island Quilt Retreat this past September, and Gwen told =
us
some of what happened at LCP. According to Gwen, all the contributing
writers were contacted by the new publisher with the offer to continue
writing for the “new” LCP, but at no salary!
As writing articles, and getting paid for said work, is what writers
do–they all quit. That’s why all the “regulars” are gone from the new
for >>
If the Lady’s Circle Patchwork Circle publisher contacted all of the
contributing writers with the offer to continue writing for the “new” LCPQ at
no salary, then WHY is the price for such an outrageous piece of print so
exorbitantly high?! The magazine is comic-book appearing, and I guess a look
through the magazine could elicit a laugh! I have no clue as to why a
magazine would change so drastically when it was probably the best of the
quilting magazines ever published when it truly was the original Lady’s
Circle Patchwork Quilts Magazine. I would be embarassed to sign my name to
any article appearing in this “new” format. Just my 2 cents more on this
issue!
Nancee
Grand Rapids, MI
Date: Wed, 03 Dec 1997 15:50:23 0400 | From: Xenia Cord
Chinese import quilts (and not only from China) are another hot button.
What I have done when I see them inappropriately labeled in antique
malls, antique shows, and auctions is to ask the manager or auctioneer –
with GREAT concern<G> – whether they have a policy about selling
non-antique items and mislabeled items? Regardless of the answer, I
put on a serious and very concerned face and say it would be a shame if
that mall/show/auction got a reputation for selling imports as American
creations or as American antiques, when it was apparent to knowledgeable
buyers that the stuff was nothing of the kind. I then offer to point
out the obvious marks of imported quilts – “off” printed fabrics, no
binding, huge stitches, minimal quilting, label remnants in the seams.
This approach has worked in several instances, especially when you act
as though the manager or auctioneer has also been a victim, rather than
a perpetrator.
Xenia
Date: Wed, 3 Dec 1997 17:41:09 -0500 (EST) | From: Feathrwate [at] aol [dot] com
Forgive the personal note to Rosalie Owen: pls send your POBox # in regard
to fabric I sold you. Thanks, Linda Feathrwate [at] aol [dot] com
Date: Wed, 03 Dec 1997 17:24:31 -0500 | From: Alan
Amen, sister!
The guys who auction things around here have to be handled with kid
gloves, lest we upset their macho egos! I’ve done the same thing, but
unless there’s outright lying going on, I let it slip. Only because the
buyer needs the lesson – unfortunately. I also know if the buyer goes
to get the item and is really upset, the auctions will not MAKE them
take the item. I figure it also sends a message to the auctioneer when
the customer is ticked at him – much stronger than anything I say.
I was at one auction a few weeks back, where some quilts were being
sold. Badly in need of TLC (restoration, actually). They were
presented as “having some good age on them”! I bid on the ones I was
interested in, but I’m a tightwad and left another bidder have them.
One was an Ohio Star printed bedspread, 10-20 yrs old, decent
condition. I was stunned when it sold for somewhere around $60 – that’s
really good for the auctioneer. This piece was photographed in the
flyer, and drew me to see it – thought there was a treasure. Anyhow, it
was at the next auction!
I’ve bought things without looking before, and know that the best lesson
is the one you spend money on! Somehow that empty space in the wallet
speaks volumes. This is one of the reasons I’m so reluctant to bid on
ebay, or order anything through the mail – I can’t examine it first~!
Now if I could only find a new old quilt to take home. There is a shop
near my house I haven’t been in in months. I looked throught the window
a couple of months ago and they had a c1900 log cabin (no, I don’t
remember what color the centers were!<G>). I’ll have to go back.
Alan
Date: Tue, 9 Dec 1997 23:51:56 EST | From: Ellyn LK
In regard to Nancy Evans’ discussion of the ad to turn quilts into teddy
bears…
I was at an antique flea market a couple years back and I spied a tired, well-
loved, well-worn and “mostly dead” turn-of-the-century baby… a scrap beauty
(my favorite kind; I have a soft spot for those “make do” quilts) that was a
textbook example of the period– clarets, cadet blues, faded indigoes,
mourning prints and shirtings.
It was a magnet and just sucked me in. Most of the fabrics were threadbare,
seams were history, pieces were shredding and the batting bleeding through the
holes quietly boasted of many years of use. It was clean, it had signs of
mending– someone had dearly loved this quilt. But oh! It was W A Y past
saving. I thought to buy it, thinking I could fold it in some way to give the
illusion that it was still a quilt. It would have been tricky but hey, I’ve
done origami before. If I could make a piece of paper into a crane, I could
make this baby look like a quilt again.
The proprieter of the stall was as seedy as the quilt. “How much?” I asked.
I expected a price of fifteen dollars or less.
“Forty dollars.”
I could not believe my ears! Now, I love quilts, fabrics, treasure the
workmanship and the hours and love that go into quilts. But honestly, this
was a rag. There probably wasn’t one intact fabric in the entire quilt.
“Forty dollars?” I exclaimed. “This is a RAG!”
He literally sneered at me. “Lotsa people,” he assured, “will pay forty
dollars to cut up that ‘rag’!”
I offered him ten bucks but he proudly refused. “It’s worth forty dollars,”
he assured.
“It’s still a rag,” I said, walking away.
I was sick– knowing that someone likely WOULD buy and cut up that quilt. And
I don’t have enough casual cash laying around that I could drop forty bucks
just for the honor of being a quilt social worker. The only thing I could see
left for the poor thing was, as I said, a careful folding job so that it would
enhance a shelf of quilts in a way that would disguise its many, many ills.
The only saving grace is knowing that whoever was silly enough to pay forty
bucks for the honor of cutting up that quilt quickly found that there wasn’t
enough good fabric left to make much more than a potholder!. But that quilt
is lost forever.
It’s times like that that I wish I was rich….
Lauri Klobas
Pacific Palisades, California where it is so cold that people are shaking
their heads in wonder– but people from the east would wonder why we are
shaking because it’s not that cold in THEIR scheme of things!
Date: Wed, 10 Dec 1997 11:44:25 -0000 | From: “Audrey Cameron”
Dear Jane & the rest,
Yes, I know & subscribe to Popular Patchwork which is one of 3 such
magazines in the UK. It is very different from any of the US magazines but
as far as I know it is completely reputable. My best friend writes for it &
has never had cause for concern.
If you need its address or the name of someone on the staff to write to I
can help. Just let me know.
The magazine is a bi-monthly & covers projects as well as the occasional
article on history, type, etc. Subjects are more for a general patchwork
audience with not a great deal of experience. It is a good magazine & has
been out for some years.
Audrey Cameron in cool damp England
audrey.cameron [at] virgin [dot] net
Date: Tue, 09 Dec 1997 22:18:12 -0500 (EST) | From: JOCELYNM [at] delphi [dot] com
On 9-DEC-1997 09:02:26.9 janet said to JOCELYNM
>questions prior to bidding, and refrain from bidding on any quilt with
>an “All Sales Final” policy, or any quilt where the dealer seems
>reluctant to provide an accurate description.
Janet and all,
I’ve never been to ebay, because of the ‘bidding’. But I have been to
several websites where quilts are offered at a fixed price. I don’t believe
I’ve seen any of them that don’t agree to accept returns. Some are quite
pricey, sometimes because they deal in museum-quality quilts (I saw a quilt
the other day that cost more than my house sold for 3 years ago! ) and
others just seem to be highly impressed with what they have.
I have found one site that meets my satisfaction. The prices are
reasonable, at least partially because you can get unfinished tops and
blocks to finish yourself. I have not yet found anything that’s not as
described…although I am intrigued by that one quilt that is sashed with
‘the ugliest black and red print you’ve ever seen’. I’ve gotta admit, I’m
tempted to order it, just to see if the description is accurate!
As for the dealer’s honesty…well, first I asked her if she would take
a layaway on the items I wanted, since I don’t use plastic. She agreed to do
so, then shipped them as soon as she got my downpayment! Now, I can
understand the concept of layaway, in that she keeps the merchandise until
I’ve paid for it….but I was amazed that HER thought was, ‘I want you to
see what you’ve bought, so that you aren’t sending me money for something
you won’t want.’ How can you argue with logic like that? So I have my
order here, and she has half of the price we agreed on. I can’t imagine that
a person who does business like this would give anyone a hard time about
returning merchandise if they didn’t care for it.
The standard disclaimer applies. If you are interested in the name
of this merchant, email me privately.
Jocelyn
Date: Wed, 10 Dec 1997 10:45:36 +1000 | From: quiltcomplex
I’m looking for the current address/phone/fax/e-mail, etc. for JINNY BEYER.
Pls. e-mail privately, and thanks.
Julie Silber
Date: Wed, 10 Dec 1997 10:51:15 -0800 (PST) | From: Lonni Sexton
Regarding quilting stitches, Sue wrote:
Most quilters use a size 10 or 12 between needle for quilting. I have
>found that with a thin batt, no seams to quilt through, and a bias
>quilting line you can actually squeeze 20 front and back stitches on a
>size 10 needle, but it takes great skill to do this consistantly on a
>quilt top.
It does take a lot of skill to stack up 20 stitches on a size 10 needle,
but it is absolutely not necessary to stack up stitches on your needle, in
order to achieve 20 stitches per inch. Because I suffer from incipient
carpal tunnel syndrome, I take a maximum of 3 (six front and back) tiny
stitches on my needle. I find it makes pulling the laden needle through
the quilt much easier, which is better for my hands and wrist, and I still
acheive about 18 (front and back) stitches per inch.
Now, our foremothers were a lot tougher, and I’m sure they set a premium
on tiny needles with lots of stitches on them. Maybe that’s why Grandma
was such a terrific pincher of cheeks and noses!
xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxox
Lonni Sexton
Knight Library, Serials Dept.
lsexton [at] oregon [dot] uoregon [dot] edu
Date: Wed, 10 Dec 1997 17:59:40 -0500 | From: Alan
Well, I bought a very enjoyable quilt last Saturday. It was UGLY. 30’s
vintage, but poorly designed fabrics and tied. But I have a rule – look
at ALL quilts. So I looked, I bought, I took it home. At the shop I
noticed a tear, and when I looked inside, there was another top, didn’t
look too bad. So, for $20, I went home and started ripping ties. What
fun. It was tied within an inch of it’s life. What I found underneath
was a strippy ninepatch. The ninepatch stips were in browns and white
set with muslin blocks. The ctrips between were a light blue stripe.
Looks as if the top is 1870-ish. The back of it was a cotton crazy
patch. The outer quilt was reversible also! So, four tops for the
price of two. Unfortunately, nothing to restore, but a good bit of
fabric to save for other jobs.
Stayed up until past 1 am ripping stitches!
Alan
Date: Tue, 9 Dec 1997 17:29:59 -0800 | From: nikdeb [at] juno [dot] com (Debra L Hofland)
Dear QHL’ers…
I’ve been having a bad week and this was great news, to hear that
counting stitches by AQS standards means counting the top AND bottom
stitch. I’m rather a new quilter, and for the life of me, I couldn’t
get more than six or seven to the inch (counting only the top stitch).
However, now I’m delighted to know that I’m a GOOD QUILTER (at least by
AQS standards!!!???).
Oh, this is so nice to know. I’m good. I’m good! Yeah. I can quit
poking my finger so much trying to squeeze more stitches into an inch!!!!
Hallelujah!
Deb in Spokane
Date: Wed, 10 Dec 1997 20:43:49 -0800 | From: cpk3 [at] juno [dot] com (Linda K Kotarba)
Hi quilters,
I certainly enjoy the QHL digests. The expert advise and information
shared is appreciated.
I hope my participation is within the realm of standards:
Recently the Northville Community Library (Northville, Michigan) unveiled
the Library Quilt that my quilt group (Hands All Around) created. It was
a fund raising endeavor for the new Library. Donors names were
embroidered in varying script down the spine of a book ($75) or across an
entire open book ($150). We raised over $11,000.
We feel good about the community project and want to share it with you.
You can see a color photo of the Library Quilt at my web site:
http://www.geocities.com/Heartland/Acres/2771
Feedback is very welcome. If you are interested in knowing more about
the quilt, please feel free to contact me.
Hope you are enjoying holiday preparations…
Linda
With lots of snow in Michigan 🙂
Date: Wed, 10 Dec 1997 21:58:15 +0400 | From: Xenia Cord
If you get a chance, see the free exhibit at the Cleveland Museum of
Art entitled “When Silk Was Gold” (until Jan 4, 1998). They have
mounted an amazing collection of 64 silk fragments from the 700s to
larger pieces dating up to the 1400s. These are woven in a variety of
techniques, some with gold thread based on paper, and are both
embellished and painted with dyes. There are exquisite garments made
for royalty and as political gifts, some displayed in freestanding cases
so that all dimensions can be viewed. Each piece is described in detail
(some knowledge of Asian silk-weaving techniques and terms would be
helpful), and the exhibit is arranged into dynastic and ethnic
groupings.
Be sure to pick up all of the literature, as the lighting is very
subdued and the richness of the textiles is necessarily diminished.
There is a wonderful, full-text book with color plates in the museum
shop ($50) that fleshes out the exhibit, especially in explaining the
commercial aspects of the silk trade (rather than just the artifacts).
Xenia
