December 18 – 22, 2003
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:
- Printing Fabric for Quilt Repair and Restoration — Members compare printer and paper products for reproducing period fabric and photographs onto cloth for repair work. (see the article on quilt restoration)
- Identifying the Textile Behind Khadafi in a News Broadcast — An unusual thread analyzes fabric visible in a televised press announcement, debating its origin and construction.
- A Firsthand Account from the Kitty Hawk Centennial — A longtime member shares a personal account of attending the 100th-anniversary flight celebration at Kitty Hawk. (see the article on Centennial prints)
- Sanitary Commission Civil War Quilts — Continuing research into Civil War-era charitable “Sanitary Commission” quilts and their rarity today. (see the article on a Civil War quilt)
- A New QHL Grandchild Announcement — A member shares the birth of her first grandchild with the list.
Date: Thu, 18 Dec 2003 | From: The Lesters <jeanlester@>
I have tried the scanning and printing of fabric for repair of old quilts. The really hard part is getting the color the same as the original. What looks just like it on the computer, looks quite different after printing. So far I have had fairly good success with black and whites but nothing I could use with color.
Also, when you scan the actual quilt, you also scan the quilting lines and shadow. Now, if the color were right and the piece exactly the right size and placement correct…….in a perfect world.. 😉
Jean
Date: Thu, 18 Dec 2003 | From: “Candace Perry”
Thanks for your enthusiastic responses. I’d actually like to get together a consulting “team” to help with this as I am a novice — in terms of the content. I plan on submitting a grant for funding, but I think I can pretty much plan to go ahead without major funding. now, a couple of questions/thoughts: 1) Does anybody have interest in being part of the team? (Barb Garrett…?) An expert team really adds integrity to the development of the exhibit. I’d entertain short essays being written for the exhibit text by folks other than me (here I am, trying to hand off my work to others). 2) Would it be best to solicit papers for the symposium, or simply hand pick some experts? 3) I would like to identify pieces in private and public collections that will help flesh out what we already have, or may acquire. Most likely it would be best to borrow from smaller institutions, the big boys may not want to lend to us. The objects should be PA German in provenance. I’d love suggestions on the best pieces you know from areas outside of Montgomery County, which I most likely have covered here. I am interested in printed cottons ONLY for this exhibit. I don’t think I have any adult clothing, for example, but I have absolutely wonderful children’s dresses.
The Schwenkfelder Library & Heritage Center is located in Pennsburg, PA, in the northern corner of Montgomery County, 30 minutes south of Allentown, an hour northwest of Philly, and 10 minutes from the Quakertown exit of the turnpike. I’m always remiss in noting location! Thanks, Candace Perry
Date: Thu, 18 Dec 2003 | From: “Cinda Cawley”
Oh Candace! An early Christmas present: the thought of an exhibit, symposium, catalogue on the textiles of the PA Germans! Be still my heart. I’ll practice patience till 2005, but it will be hard. Can you tell that I’m interested. Cinda on the Eastern Shore getting ready for 10 days in PA and NY
Date: Thu, 18 Dec 2003 | From: “Jan Drechsler” <quiltdoc@>
Candace in Schwenkfelder wrote: Would something like this be of interest?
Or Judy and Gaye, in the expansive words of a Vermont Yankee, ‘Ah-yup.’
Jan who would drive to PA to meet Ms. Gaye — Jan Drechsler in Vermont Quilt Restoration; Quilting teacher www.@/~bobmills
Date: Thu, 18 Dec 2003 | From: “Alan R. Kelchner” <alan@>
What processes are you using for this? I’m curious as to the type of printer you’re using, what you may do to fix the imagery, and have you come across any problems with the stability of the image? I’ve been doing some imaging on my own stuff, but hadn’t even considered the possibility of making fabric to fix quilts, and I have one that this would be perfect for.
Alan
Date: Fri, 19 Dec 2003 | From: Marthapatches36@
Kimberly, Available at office supply stores I use an Avery product called Create Large Labels. The product number is 8165 there are 25 sheets 8 1/2 x 11 On the back of the pack they give an e-mail address and 800# They are www.avery.com or 1-800-462-8379 they are apparently based in Brea,CA. There is 25, 81/x11 sheets in a pack. I usually cut a piece of fabric about 12inches by the width of the of the bolt. After treating the fabric with BubbleJet and letting it dry, I press it and place the label sheet on. Using my handy dandy olfa cutter I trim it to size. It’s easy and you get enough fabric to do about five sheets that way. Good Luck , hope you can find the paper. Its easier than cutting freezer paper. Martha
Date: Fri, 19 Dec 2003 | From: “Pepper Cory”
Hello friends, After seeing postings I had to write–I have a Lexmark X83 and HATE it! Even after tinkering for hours under the tutledge of a Microsoft techie friend, we couldn’t get the d- thing to work properly. The fax tried to take over the phone line! So, I’ve turned off the fax option, replugged my old fax in on another phone jack, and now get faxes the ‘old fashion’ way. Plus, it is so s-l-o-w when printing. It takes 2-3 minutes to get revved up, and finally spits out the page. I want a top of the line printer and scanner period! Unlikely I’ll get one for Christmas since the clutch on my husband’s car had to be replaced and the modem on the studio computer went fizz. By the way, we went to the 100th anniversary of the Wright Brothers flight at Kitty Hawk NC and had a ball. I don’t care if the replica plane didn’t get off the ground! We had three days of spectacular airshows and I dragged around a pieced airplane signature quilt. Got Erik Lindbergh’s signature plus all the engineers on the Wright Flyer project, one of the original Tuskeegee airman etc. For an airplane lover, it was Mecca in the mud. Monsoon rains on Wednesday–no wonder the fragile flyer ended its public run in a puddle! All for now from the Carolina coast- Pepper Cory
Congratulations on the quilt signatures! I work for the FAA & the celebration has been a big thing for our organization. I was home recovering from a bad lung infection that day & got to watch the plane try to fly on TV.
Let us know if you post pictures or get a magazine article for the quilt.
Janet Bronston
> Greeks.. even though we believe it originally came from an > acronym for Wise > Oriental gentleman and was there fore more appropriate for Asians.
Suzy, FWIW, the acronym is virtually unknown prior to the 20th century, and came from soldiers who applied the military’s use of acronyms to other situations. Depending upon how old ‘wog’ is, it may have more accurately come from another source. I’ve heard ‘wop’ used as (somewhat derogatory) slang for ‘Italian’, and had a friend in college who did a comedy schtick about being insulted by a helicopter (which, of course, shouted ‘wop wop wop’ at him as it flew by.) <G>
Date: Sat, 20 Dec 2003 | From: Pat Kyser <patkyser@>
Pepper, thanks for sharing. I loved that you were at Kitty Hawk. Your account brought back a precious memory of mine. For my husband’s 50th birthday, he wanted to be standing at Kitty Hawk. He was an aeronautical engineer with a PhD in aeronautics and astronautics from Stanford. He’d wanted to build planes since before he knew words to express it. So it was a dream for him to be there on a beautiful fall day, high fog but comfortable temperature. He knew every detail, paced off where they lifted off, how far they flew. It was such a joy for me to watch. That same day I gave him a special quilt and poem I had designed and made for that special milestone, the one not four years later we used on the communion table at his funeral. Pat Kyser in Alabama
Date: Sat, 20 Dec 2003 | From: Alan Hamerstrom <hamer@>
Hello friends, I use the same Avery paper for applique patterns. If you’re doing 100 leaves, it’s nice to print out the pattern over and over. However, ink jet ink isn’t permanent on the paper and may rub off on your cloth and will most certainly come off if you use an iron. I spray a light coat of Krylon spray varnish on each sheet before I use it. When you’re mass producing many copies of the same pattern piece, this is definitely a time saver. The paper sticks right on the fabric. Besides, I can scan the pattern piece and if I want to put it on the wrong side of the fabric, my computer will reverse the pattern. Saves tracing time. For bubble jet fabric, I use the precut freezer paper sheets from Dharma Trading Co. (I think it’s dharmatrading.com) They’re cheaper than the label sheets and provide the same convenience.
As for printers, I always buy Hewlett Packard. In my opinion, they have the most reliable paper feed and generally work well. I have an HP all in one printer and I love it, but haven’t played around with the fax yet, so I can’t recommend that from personal experience. I suspect it will work as well in that function as it does in the others. Cheers, Helen Hamerstrom
Date: Sat, 20 Dec 2003 | From: “Pepper Cory” <pepcory@>
Dear Pat-Your email left me with a lump in my throat. As I stood, with 25,000 other folks, on that rainy hill December 17th, I felt those bygone pilots were there with us in spirit. Your husband was there, both my parents, and my grandfather, a flight instructor for the Canadian RAF in WWI. We were all there together, and if wishing could have lifted that fragile contraption of canvas and wood, it would be soaring still. God bless and have a peaceful Christmas. Pepper
Date: Sat, 20 Dec 2003 | From: “Pepper Cory” <pepcory@>
Hello friends-My good friend Lynn Gorges, known to most of you as ‘Palampore,’ is dealing with an unhappy event this Christmas. Her mother-in-law, Avis Gorges, passed away December 15. Avis in her time was a crackerjack quilter and two years ago, for Avis’ birthday, Lynn organized a show-and-tell exhibition of her mother-in-law’s work. Avis quilts were classic American scrap quilts and she had a fantastic adventurous sense of color. She tackled any pattern and among the ones I remember were a Wedding Ring, a Clamshell, and a bold String Star set on orange with green sashing. When Avis’ eyesight began to fail, she continued to crochet by feel and produced wooly cotton rugs and mats in a folk-art style. She was a lovely gentle lady. Please keep Lynn and her husband Will in your prayers. Pepper Cory
Date: Sat, 20 Dec 2003 | From: Kris Driessen <krisdriessen@>
Cindy Bricks’ mother in law passed away the same day! That is an eerie co-incidence.
Kris whose own mother in law is alive and cleaning…
— Pepper Cory <pepcory@> wrote: > Hello friends-My good friend Lynn Gorges, known to most of you as > ‘Palampore,’ is dealing with an unhappy event this Christmas. Her > mother-in-law, Avis Gorges, passed away December 15.
Date: Sun, 21 Dec 2003 | From: macdowel@
Dear QHL’ers:
Last week, in honor of the fact that Valerie Rake, one of my fellow editors of H-Quilt, had her first baby, I asked H-Quilt list members (some of whom are also on QHL) to share stories about traditions or unique instances of making, receiving, and using baby quilts. Wonderful stories are being shared and it has prompted me to ask if other QHLers also had stories to share.
— Marsha MacDowell
Date: Sun, 21 Dec 2003 | From: “Leah Zeiber” <leah.zieber@>
In response to…
> Wonderful stories are being shared and it has prompted me to ask if > other QHLers also had stories to share. > > — Marsha MacDowell >
This story is true… While volunteering at my daughters’ school earlier this year I found myself standing in a hall reading some of the third grade writing papers that were posted on the walls. The children had written about their “Special Objects.” One paper touched my quilt-making heart.
“My Special Object Is A Quilt – by Jacob
My mom gave me a quilt when I was little. I don’t have it now because my dog ate it. It made me warm when I went to sleep. It is special because it reminds me of old memories.”
These poignant words lifted my heart. Quilts are very special and they do remind us of old memories. I was delighted to find that even a child of only eight years can know these simple truths about a quilt.
Date: Sun, 21 Dec 2003 | From: <mreich@>
My first grandchild, Owen Reich George was born 4 weeks ago in Cambridge, Massachusetts. His mother, Megan, my second child has been a Sex Education/Aids Educator in the Boston School System for the past four years. Owen’s Auntie AnnMarie spent the past two years in Botswana conducting fetal transmission studies through the Botswana/Harvard Aids Partnership. Just as I was planning a quilt for my first grandchild, my dear friend, Pam Worthen, director of ABC Quilts showed me the new line of fabrics designed to raise monies for Aids babies and the project. It seemed fitting to make the baby’s quilt from those fabrics to reflect our family’s close ties with the pandemic Aids virus. I chose the six, shooting star fabrics in the brights, the fabrics with babies of all different nationalities floating in the sky sitting on the clouds. The block is an eight-point, variable star. Around the border, I appliquéd “A New Star Shines in the World!” I singed Owen’s name and date of birth on one of the star blocks. The other blocks will some day have the names of subsequent grandchildren and great, grandchildren and the quilt will become a family heritage quilt. Just another baby quilt story to share. sue reich
Date: Sun, 21 Dec 2003 | From: “Velia Lauerman” <velialive@>
Candelaria Torres Gutierrez,my mother was born in 1903 and went to quilt heaven at the age of 95 in 1999. She began quilting with her mother and sister in san antonio texas. We are unable to even begin counting the baby quilts she gave to everyone she loved and then some. After her death her family of 3 sons and 8 daughters have kept up her tradition of quilting and sewing as gift giving. My grand niece had a baby shower this summer and what do you suppose were some of her gifts? of course, baby quilts. One from her grandfather Primitivo (a ladybug applique) One from her greataunt Gloria who has been sewing bridal for 40 years ( a white whole cloth machine ) and from me Velia Gutierrez Lauerman a hand quilted bunny applique. Kim Warren’s grandmother is “Bunny” Sarah Leity Gutierrez. Prim and Bunny have 12 children and many greatgrand children. Sew, we continue to make baby quilts and many types of quilts, hand and machine, as most of Cande and Paulos family keep up with tradition. Cande would be so delighted to know her legacy will continue for some time. I could go on and on about what this creative lady gave us to charish. Cande did machine piecing but hand quilted and never tied or knoted her pieces. We call tied pieces Knot quilted . Cande said if you don’t use your quilt give it to someone who will. Some are masterpieces and others utitilrian but each one unique. she left eight Lone star quilted given to each of her 8 children born in Texas. the Michiganders got other patterns . Most quilts exist and I am planning a show of her creations sometime in the future at the KayBeard building in Michigan where I presently teach quilting. Hope I did’nt get too lenghtly telling about my love for my mothers quilts. Velia
Date: Sun, 21 Dec 2003 | From: Joan Kiplinger
Perhaps some one on this list has the answer — on all the newcasts showing Khadafi sitting with various persons in what appears to be his “meeting and greeting room”, there is a cloth background which appears to be a quilt of triangles. Is it? and if so, what would the pattern be?
Date: Sun, 21 Dec 2003 | From: Gaye Ingram
Joan, Here’s where my Louisiana expertise comes in handy. Quilts I’m slow at making, but quilt names, I know about. It’s Rats Flying North, a Libyan pattern acquired from experience with the French, your favs <g>
Okay, okay, okay: it’s Christmas, and I’ve had too many cookies and eggnog and……..I just could not restrain myself: pardon, s’il vous plait.
Date: Sun, 21 Dec 2003 | From: Vyvyan L Emery <vyquilter@>
Hello everyone,
I don’t post often but I wanted to respond to the Lester’s post about printing on fabric. I don’t have much experience with the actual printing on fabric; however I do know that there are various pretreated fabrics for such a purpose. My interest is in how to get an accurate color. If you have Adobe PhotoShop or know someone who has it, therein may lie your answer. This program enables one to manipulate photos (scans) – you can remove those quilting stitches with the rubber stamp tool or tweak the color to any degree you want, including changing it completely. I have actually moved or removed people completely from group photographs and you wouldn’t know they had been changed. Maybe if you make about 6 slightly different variations on the color and put it all on one page to print might yield one that is fairly correct. I realize that this is till trial and error, but once you get a match, then you could then delete the “wrong” ones and print as many of the right ones as you need. PhotoShop is a bit pricey, but if this is something you’re doing often it might be worth the cost (and the learning curve!) Just a thought that I hope might help you.
Have a Merry Christmas All, Vyvyan Emery
Date: Sun, 21 Dec 2003 | From: Joan Kiplinger
Gaye — in the immortal words of that favoritie suthren TV waitress Flo, “well, kiss my grits, you got something there!” I would have opted for Triangles at Half Mast but that pales beside your enriched eggnog-inspired label. Such creativity is what makes you so esteemed as editor/advisor of Southern Vices, er….Southern Voices. Glug, skoal and cheers to you. 😀
Date: Sun, 21 Dec 2003 | From: Gaye Ingram <gingram@>
Joan asked about the textile behind M. Khadafi in his press announcement. Knowing the Corsican French leader Napoleon is one of her fascinations and having French blood in my own veins, I joked about the possible name of that piece, which at the time I had seen only from a distance.
Yet only last week the mother of two of my Pakistani students told me of her own long quilting history, how she helped make patchwork quilts from earliest childhood, when all she could do was thread the needles for the women. (Sound familiar to anyone?) She described quilts that look very much like the attractive patchwork-appearing textile behind the Libyan leader. She specifically mentioned oversize pieces that would cover several children or on which several children could lie. I intend to ask her to take a look at that video.
gaye
Date: Sun, 21 Dec 2003 | From: Joan Kiplinger <jkip@>
Gaye — I got a slightly better glimpse of the cloth in a newscast today; there were several long cloths which formed fencing; each was tied to a metal pole; appeared to be about 3 of them in the scene I saw. Unfortunately camera was moving too fast but the location is outdoors. Possibly this cloth fencing was to form a pavilion. Also in this newscast Khadafi was spelled Quaddifi; wish the media would make up its mind about which spelling it will use. I think the kh is anglicized form for qu. I hope your Pakistani can shed some light for us about the quilt or is it khilt?? 😉
Date: Sun, 21 Dec 2003 | From: “ChrisA” <chrisa@>
“Possibly this cloth fencing was to form a pavilion” Joan- You may be right. There is an article in the 2003 Uncoverings about cloth tents made and used today in Egypt. They are huge, with many individual side panels covered in fabrics which are decorated with appliqué. They can be easily put up and taken down for the different occasions.
This article was written by Blaire O. Gagnon and is titled “Egyptian Appliques”
There is another book that comes to mind that may help you- it’s called Ralli Quilts, and is about the type of textiles and quilts seen in the Middle East.
Kimberly Wulfert, PhD www.antiquequiltdating.com Email: quiltdating@
Date: Mon, 22 Dec 2003 | From: AndreaBlackhurst@
Five years ago my Mother was diagnosed with cancer, and within a short time needed full time care. My sisters & I shared the task of caring for her. I lived five hours away, so when I took my turn I would stay for a week at a time, every three weeks or so. One week I took a bag of pieces I cut to make a Grandmother’s Flower Garden quilt, and Mom became interested in helping me to piece them. She had never pieced before, despite my sister & I trying to get her interested. We sat and made those flowers till I ran out of pieces and I said I’d bring some more next week. She took a turn for the worse, and from her hospital bed asked my sister to remind me to put some more pieces in the mail for her! As these things go, we never did work on those together again. I put it away for a while, then I decided to divide them up & make three small baby quilts out of them, as a gift from Mom & me for her three oldest grandchildren. Two have been given away, and the third grandchild (my son) will be getting married this spring. It will be ready when the time comes.
Andrea in Dayton
Date: Mon, 22 Dec 2003 | From: “Steve and Jean Loken” <sandjloken@>
Hi all, I tuned in late to a radio show yesterday, but they were talking about the golliwog dolls on Studio 360 on National Public Radio. The host was speaking to Anne Rice at the time, but I don’t know the connection. She went on to discuss her next book project, but the nature of the conversation about the wogs was that they were racist. I would think that an audio version of the show would be available on their website, www.npr.org, as most of them are through “real audio” downloads. I only have a dial-up connection, so listening to an hour-long radio show is quite an indulgence, plus an hour at this time of year is also indulgent for me with all the cookies to bake, etc. etc. If someone want to listen and summarize for us, we’ll thank you profusely. Jean in MN
Date: Mon, 22 Dec 2003 | From: Joan Kiplinger <jkip@>
Kim — thanx for the information. Seems logical. I keep hoping for a closer view to determine if cloths are quilts or just cloth covers. They are colorful. And now there are more spellings to add to the list: Ghadafi and Qaddafi.
ChrisA wrote:
Date: Mon, 22 Dec 2003 | From: Joan Kiplinger <jkip@>
Jean — Anne Rice is a noted doll collector and has been selling off some of her collection. This might have been the connection plus possibly a voodoo connotation attached to the golliwog. I vaguely remember my friend in New Orleans, also a doll collector, mentioning the voodoo aspect but that’s been years ago.
Steve and Jean Loken wrote:
>Hi all, >I tuned in late to a radio show yesterday, but they were talking about the >golliwog dolls on Studio 360 on National Public Radio. The host was speaking >to Anne Rice at the time, but I don’t know the connection. She went on to >discuss her next book project, but the nature of the conversation about the >wogs was that they were racist. I would think that an audio version of the >show would be available on their website, www.npr.org, as most of them are >through “real audio” downloads. I only have a dial-up connection, so >listening to an hour-long radio show is quite an indulgence, plus an hour at >this time of year is also indulgent for me with all the cookies to bake, >etc. etc. > > >
Date: Mon, 22 Dec 2003 | From: “Christine Thresh” <christine@>
I did a search on eBay for “Golly” (not golliwogs) and many came up. So if you want to see a picture go there.
Christine Thresh http://www.winnowing.com
Date: Mon, 22 Dec 2003 | From: “Sally Ward”
> Kim — thanx for the information. Seems logical. I keep > hoping for a closer view to determine if cloths are quilts or just > cloth covers. They are colorful.
These patchwork hangings are quite familiar to us, we’ve been seeing Gaddafi on our screens for some years – I think some of the British magazines have carried articles about them. Mr G was born in a Bedouin tent, and chooses to make a statement by receiving visitors in one, and (at least for public consumption) living in tents with his very large and extended family. I believe the hangings are the sort of weight you would find in the applique hangings made by the Cairo tentmakers and not quilted.
If you missed the news pictures you can see the tent lining at http://www.suntimes.co.za/1999/05/30/news/news13.htm
Sally W in UK
Date: Mon, 22 Dec 2003 | From: Joan Kiplinger <jkip@>
Sally — yes, this is the same cloth and similar design only the scene on Fox was outdoors; not a tent. I will pass this url on to VF list as someone asked the same question. Thanx for sharing the environment of Mr K or G or Q.
Sally Ward wrote:
Date: Mon, 22 Dec 2003 | From: “Laura Fisher” <laurafisher@>
You would think Khadafi would have redecorated the tent already, what with all the laundered money being channeled to the terrorists. Those tent textiles have been hanging around him for decades.
Imagine the surprise when I first saw them — what is he doing with a Triangles or Flying Geese quilt on the walls? Then of course I realized how many quilt-like, or patchwork and/or applique textiles exist in other cultures than our own. In the Middle East there are lots of textiles akin to patchwork or applique, and some get offered to me on a regular basis by the same guys who bring by hooked rugs.
I don’t think there’s much of a re-sale market for them yet, but maybe Khadafi’s hangings will bring money, once he gets captured!!
Laura Fisher ——
Date: Mon, 22 Dec 2003 | From: Hazelmacc@
Pat and Pepper — Your stories were most interesting to me as l married a small plane builder and pilot.
There was a documentary on Kenny Hyde’s flight at an air strip west of here in No. Virginia. He did great research – built the plane and took it out to see if it would taxi ok. It did just that and to his surprise went airborne at the end of the runway. What is at the end of runways — trees. He remembered one area where there were none and made it through there, attempted to turn back to the field, but a tree got them. Kenny was injured, they brought in a helicopter to take him to the hospital — he said that he was not excited about his modern flight after his experience with the antique plane. The airplane was repaired in time for its trip to Kitty Hawk.
Hazel Carter, a quilter, whose husband just completed building a Banty ultra-light airplane, which last week-end was removed to this air strip in No. Va.
Date: Mon, 22 Dec 2003 | From: “Carol’s Quilt Closet” <imaquilter2@>
OK, I confess, I have been lurking in the wings reading all this wonderful information. I am new to the list but that is no excuse for not jumping in and introducing myself. So here I am, listening from a little southeast of S.Reich. Thanks Sue for hooking me up.
I do not feel comfortable in contributing yet so give me a little chance to get settled in……..
For now, may you all have a “Happy, Healthy Holiday”.
Carol
Date: Mon, 22 Dec 2003 | From: Kittencat3@
My thought on the attempted re-enactment was that a) failure happens much more often than success when one engages in practical archaeology, b) re-enactments can get unbelievably muddy, and c) it was a great effort regardless of the outcome.
Then again, I belong to a group that stages a 12,000 person war every August and calls it fun, so what do I know :)?
Lisa Evans
This Christmas Eve poem about a grandma and a quilt was written over one hundred years ago but it could have been written yesterday. I have been saving it to share until I became a grandma. That blessed event of a little over a month ago gave me cause to share it with the rest of you, grandmas, out there. Merry Christmas, sue reich
Hamilton Daily Republican Hamilton, Ohio January 10, 1895
Grandma’™s Christmas Eve.
Bring out my old trundle bed, wipe off the dust, Find my little blue bed quilt, and laugh if you must. It used to hold two of us ‘“ three with a squeeze, I’™m sure there’™ll be room if I curl up my knees. I would like to forget that my hair is so white, And play I’m a ‘œchild again, just for the night.’ So I’ll hang up my stockings and jump into bed, With visions of Santa Claus filling my head.
Let me dream of the things that the little ones prize, Of a dolly that opens and closes its eyes, With real curly hair and a dress with a trail, And a sweet little hat with a bit of a veil, Of A B C blocks and of ducks that will squeak, A fur tippet as soft as a ‘œwee’� babys cheek. Noah’™s ark full of animals, bright red and blue, Tiny sets of new dishes, and picture books too.
With the first peep of daylight I’™ll steal down the stairs, Forgetting my life’™s weary years and its cares, And, seizing my stocking. I’™ll sit on the floor, And tumble the goodies out just as of yore. Oh, if I could live over just one Christmas eve As I did in my childhood, I really believe I could take up my burden and sing all the way To that beautiful land which is all Christmas day ! Mrs. J.G. Maurer
Date: Mon, 22 Dec 2003 | From: Joan Kiplinger <jkip@>
Sally — In reading the Khadafi report on website you gave, I noticed that the male reporter in describing what the the Brother Leader [as he now wants to be labeled] was wearing listed a chiffon robe. Do you really think a male would be that savvy about fabric name or did someone supply him with that information?? The rest of the clothing had no adjectives. It was an interesting story so thanx again for sharing it.
Sally Ward wrote:
If you missed the news pictures you can see the tent lining at http://www.suntimes.co.za/1999/05/30/news/news13.htm
Date: Mon, 22 Dec 2003 | From: Donald Beld <donbeld@>
Hi, thanks everyone for asking to see my Sanitary Commission Quilts. On that same note, women in the Confederacy also made quilts, but not as many of them, to raise funds for their war effort. They were called “Gunboat Ladies” because the funds from their raffle quilts were used to buy gunboats for the Confederate Navy. There were very few of them made, however, because of the shortage of finished cotton fabric in the South during the War. Finished cotton fabric was going for as much as $26.00 a yard (in their money) by the end of the War.
Because of that, these quilts were often raffled more than once–with the winner donating the quilt he/she won back to the cause.
WELLLLL. Last January I bought $20.00 worth of raffle tickets from North Cities quilt guild in Placentia, Ca–the quilt was a stunning Civil War repro fabric rendition of a design made–in all place–Australia. It consists of nine patch blocks, Feathered Stars, and Monkey Wrench blocks set in a Flying Geese sashing and have Tobacco leaf appliques on the outer border. It is beautifully quilted and done. Low and behold, I won the quilt in late October.
I would NEVER place it on my bed (I have two dogs who sleep with me); so rathe than have it sit in my cedar chest,I have made it a Gunboat Ladies quilt and am raffling it again to raise funds for North Cities homeless shelter and my guild’s battered women’s shelter. What fun!!!!
If you think about the number of quilts quilters have made and donated in the 140+ years since the founding of the Sanitary Commission it is staggering. Let’s say there are 100 quilting guilds in each state (low figure), that would be 5000 guilds. Let say they donate 100 quilts (low figure) a year to charities, etc., that would be 500,000 quilts times 140 years equals 70,000,000 quilts!!!. What a tradition of giving!!! Do you think this qualifies as one of the “thousand points of light” the first President Bush talked about when he was President?
If you would like to see the quilt I am re-raffling in the Gunboat Ladies tradition, I of couse, would love to e-mail you a photo. Hope you all have joyous holidays. Don Beld
Date: Mon, 22 Dec 2003 | From: Kris Driessen
Date: Mon, 22 Dec 2003 | From: Gaye Ingram <gingram@>
As we ponder this subject, I am struck by a recurring question: do you think the people at Lockerby or the parents of students from Syracuse U who would be parents themselves by now or any of those who loved people on that plane that went down in Scotland would care what the Libyan Brother Leader lives under? I understand the needs of international diplomacy sometimes, perhaps often, dictate that a nation must deal with barbarians. But it is well to remember that is what it is dealing with. Perhaps not a very Christmasy thought. but loving our neighbor does not include excusing his atrocities. I don’t think there is enough pink chiffon in the Middle East to disguise Col Khadafi’s crimes against humanity.
Gaye
Date: Mon, 22 Dec 2003 | From: “Alan R. Kelchner”
I’m not certain what Gadafi’s people would call this particular style of tent, but patchwork festival tents exist in that part of the world. Several years ago, I bought what I thought was a summer-weight folk art quilt. Turned out to be a tent wall for an Indian tent, called a shamiana. The piece is mainly appliqued and reverse appliqued, including the running diamond borders ! It has a naive quality to the craftsmanship, but the amount of handwork on the piece is incredible. The shamiana is even quilted in embroidery-weight thread, parallel lines 1/2″ apart running the length of the piece.
Alan
Date: Mon, 22 Dec 2003 | From: “Sally Ward” <sallytatters@>
> Do you really think a male would be that savvy about > fabric name or did someone supply him with that information??
Not being sexist there are you Joan? <G>. I think any man who can tell a designer camouflage shirt from an army one, and notes when calf-length boots are being worn under ‘slacks’ (not common parlance amongst the males in my household), is quite likely to know chiffon when he sees it <G>.
Sally W
Date: Mon, 22 Dec 2003 | From: “kerrybrack@”
i am humbled donyou donated the quilt backfo r sure lets see a pictureawesomekerry in sydney australia Original
