---
title: "February 1 – February 4, 1997"
date: 2026-08-24
author: "QuiltAdmin"
featured_image: "https://quilthistory.com/wp-content/uploads/1997/02/Featherweight1.webp"
categories:
  - name: "Quilt History List Archive"
    url: "/category/quilt-history-list-archive.md"
tags:
  - name: "Quilt Block History"
    url: "/tag/quilt-block-history.md"
  - name: "Restoration & Conservation"
    url: "/tag/restoration-and-conservation.md"
---

# February 1 – February 4, 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 Archive**

- Bee and spiderweb symbolism in quilt patterns (including a Holocaust-era Honey Bee story)
- sources for quilting stencils
- restoring antique quilts with damaged batting/backing
- a Quaker quilt exhibit at the Brandywine River Museum
- teaching quilting to children and teenagers
- the “wave” quilting pattern’s Irish origins
- SIMPLY QUILTS TV schedule.

Date: Fri, 31 Jan 1997 22:56:12 -0500 (EST) | From: JZgliniec \[at\] aol \[dot\] com

Colby’s Quilting gives some origins ..but not much speculation. Mostly it is descriptive of what types of motifs and filler patterns were being used and when as well as period names for things. It is an excellent text.

IMHO, quiltmakers of the 18th and early 19th century used sources such as embroidery patterns and drawings ( for which every proper young girl was trained) as inspiration for quilting designs. You might check out some embroidery history books to find the “meaning” of some motifs.

Regards,

Julia

Date: Fri, 31 Jan 1997 22:56:06 -0500 (EST) | From: JZgliniec \[at\] aol \[dot\] com

Dear Cinda and QHL,

The Bee symbolized industry and is part of the logo of the state of Utah. The hive or straw skep is sometimes used in place of the bee to mean the same thing.

The spider and web was also used by weavers and lace makers. Read the myth of Arachne…the maid who was turned into a spider by the jealous Minerva …because she could weave so well. This is possibly the earliest ref. to not angering the gods by creating the perfect thing.

Julia….in Poway, CA

Date: Sat, 1 Feb 1997 06:07:18 -0500 (EST) | From: Baglady111 \[at\] aol \[dot\] com

Julia, in Poway, mentions the bee. As a lecturer, one of my programs is about quilt patterns such as teh Double Wedding Ring, Log Cabin, Ohio Star, etc..this story was told by a lady in my audience..being a teacher, she often used quilt patterns as a teaching tool..One was teh HONEY BEE..and elderly gentleman cme to school one day to pick up his g.child..he saw the pattern and was so overcome with emotion tears began to roll down his cheeks..he came over, began patting the hand of the teacher and then also touched her cheek (patted her face gently), turned and walked away.

The teacher followed thru and found out that he was a Jewish gentleman who had suffered the Nazi’s in Germany oh so many years ago..the HONEY BEE was a [symbol of help for the Jews who were trying to get out of Nazi Germany](https://encyclopedia.ushmm.org/content/en/article/jewish-resistance)..people would wear one/display one when they could, to show they would help you..this pattern of the HONEY BEE brought it all back to him..he made it out, but not his many family members and friends..He spoke very broken English and would have found it more difficult to explain onto of his emotionalism. Jane

Date: Sat, 1 Feb 1997 06:11:43 -0500 (EST) | From: Baglady111 \[at\] aol \[dot\] com

Alice & Buck Polk..Know them? Buck specializes in collectable Singers.. It is my understanding that young girls in days gone by were not educated..only the boys went to school..the little girl was taught to sew a very fine seam and do other forms of needlework..the 9 Patch was a good example..it was her arithmetic lesson, mama kept the bigger pieces for herself and she got the itty bitty ones so it taught her precision as well..and color combination..this is a fun forum..my history teacher, long gone now, would be proud..cause he never got thru to me..Jane

Date: Sat, 01 Feb 1997 07:05:53 -0500 | From: Cathy Hooley

> Nancy in VA asked: >… where is a good source of >pre-made quilting stencils? I’d be interested in finding some.

Try: Quilting Creations International, Inc. Box 512 Zoar, OH 44697 330-874-4741 FAX = 330-874-3200

They have continuous line & traditional patterns, a designer section including patterns by Harriet Hargrave, Helen Squire, Hari Walner & an international section. I haven’t bought any through the catalog yet, but they look good!

Cathy

Cathy Hooley

Date: Sat, 1 Feb 97 16:13:44 EST | From: “Bob Mills”

Debbie in NJ writes:Is anyone going into NY City for the symposium on antique quilts on Feb 14th? I would love to go and am wondering if anyone has any other information besides what I got in the mail yesterday.

Debbie, could you share what you got with the rest of us? I would like to know more. Thank you

Jan in Princeton NJ

Date: Sat, 01 Feb 1997 18:12:43 -0500 | From: Diane McGuire

Re: Alan’s request for a source for black silk. In the Victorian days black silk mourning dresses were quite common. I inherited two from my motheer-in-law before she passed away. I hope to restore them as some of the silk is in shreads, probably from being used as a (gasp!) halloween costume. I plan to line the dresses with black batiste if I can find it someday. However, if you can find similar garments in flea markets, etc. some parts might be in good enough shape to use for your restoration project. At least it sounds as if black might be an easier color that you think to find. I have also heard the story about the log cabin quilts and the underground railroad. Have they ever been documented? Many Quakers were “conductors” on the railroad. I wonder if that is an additional connection? Good luck with your projects, Diane McGuire

Date: Sat, 1 Feb 1997 19:03:44 -0500 | From: quiltmag \[at\] mindspring \[dot\] com (Jean Ann)

Leah, how interesting that spider webs are considered a symbol of luck. I dont have a pattern, but I do have a daughter who used to like to play tricks on me. One night she put a big plastic spider on the kitchen floor. When I got up early to make the coffee I stepped on it and jumped a mile high.

I always sat at my quilting frame in the early AM to do some serious hand quilting before the family woke up. I just plucked that plastic spider into a section of a quilt I was making, traced it on the quilt top and quilted it in. I had n temlate so i just quilted a spider web i drew free hand around it. It was an Attic Windows quilt, so it was perfect. 🙂

Date: \[not given — digest separator missing here\] | From: Ricki Maietta

To the lady interested in quilting patterns – be sure to look into the “wave” pattern of the early 1800’s, attributed to Irish quilters. It’s my understanding that a number of the early chintz broderie perse quilts were quilted this way.

Ricki in PA

Date: Sun, 2 Feb 1997 23:26:57 -0500 | From: mgoodman \[at\] albany \[dot\] net (Mary Beth Goodman)

Thank you so much Merikay!

I received the photocopies of the patterns from you and that is definitely the quilt! Right down to the dogtooth border.

Isn’t it intriguing that they brought back the same pattern with same sample photo some 25+ years later?

I found it fascinating that the quilt was offered as a kit in four colors (including the grey which the one I’d seen was done in). That grey color seemed to be the one of choice since it was the color mentioned in the directions in later years. At least in one place they gave the idea of putting it on different background colors.

I will pass along the information to the quilt owners and I’m sure they will be thrilled

Thanks again

mary Beth Goodman NYQuilts!

Date: Mon, 03 Feb 97 19:45:44 GMT | From: osborne \[at\] iinet \[dot\] com

Hi all, Our guild has Barbara Brackman coming to lecture On Feb. 13th on Turkey Red and it’s uses in quilts and Then Thursday and Friday (we filled both days , she is doing a workshop on Civil War quilts. She’s probably doing a California tour right now. We are all excited as we were told this might be the last year she is going to travel with her lectures. It should be an exciting for us. — Karen Osborne Quiltabeast in Murrieta, CA osborne \[at\] iinet \[dot\] com

Date: Mon, 03 Feb 1997 21:39:17 -0800 | From: nomad1 \[at\] ibm \[dot\] net

Dear All, I unwillingly acquired a quilt, that looks as if two dogs have fought over it in a tug-o-war!!. My DH suggested I throw it out!! Sacre bleu!! As I am a quilt sentimentalist , I would like to save it as it has some prtty prints—mainly 30’s & 20’s. Its been hand quilted & its a Double Axe quilt. It also was filthy & stunk–after many washes in Orvus it looks happier. Clever Quilt Restorers out there , please advise–should or rather can I safely remove the backing and batting and put on clean ones?. I am concerned about the quilting, i.e should I unpick it and then re quilt–will it leave holes etc. I really want to try my hand at restoring this quilt as I have never done this before & feel this will be a good practise piece. Thank you for all the lovely sharing on QHL–in the midst of chaos I sneak away to have a peep & recharge my batteries. Bye for now-Hiranya , Sydney Australia Quilting Treasures of Old (02) 9630-5839 e-mail nomad1 \[at\] ibm \[dot\] net

Date: Mon, 3 Feb 1997 18:07:30 -0500 (EST) | From: AJSNGS \[at\] aol \[dot\] com

Hi Karen,

Lucky you! Be sure to share with all of us after Barbara Brackman comes to your guild. I’d especially like to hear about Civil War quilts.

Thanks,

Nancy in Virginia

Date: Mon, 3 Feb 1997 23:25:38 -0500 (EST) | From: Gail Wagner (by way of Quilting Heritage ListServ )

Well, after Day One of the big book sale, I am POOPED!! It was a madhouse. I did not get any of the titles that were e-mailed to me. I did get some goodies though. Some of these I was able to get more than one copy so e-mail me if anyone is interested in anything. The Sunbonnet Family of Quilt Patterns, by Dolores A. Hinson, c. 1983. The Standard Book of Quilt Making and Collecting by Marguerite Ickis, c. 1949. Quilting, Patchwork, Applique, and Trapunto by Thelma R. Newman, c. 1974. One book that I bought is especially interesting. I got it intending to resell it but may keep it: American Quilts, A Sampler of Quilts and Their Stories by Jennifer Regan, c. 1989. The first quilt discussed is the Graveyard Quilt by Eliabeth Roseberry Mitchell, c. 1839, which I read about recently somewhere. This is really a very curious quilt. I’ll be back at the sale tomorrow still hoping to find those Montgomery, Pettit, or Peto books.

Date: Mon, 3 Feb 97 23:13:48 PST | From: John & Cinda Cawley

Ricki, Can you give some more information about the “wave” quilting pattern. TIA Cinda in Scranton

Date: Tue, 4 Feb 1997 01:06:08 -0500 (EST) | From: CTislander \[at\] aol \[dot\] com

Bev Jordan,

Thank you for posting the information about Sarah’s Quilting Party on March 22 and 23 in Coloma State Park.

I called Carol Verbeeck and had a nice long chat with her. The event sounds like such fun. I am anxiously awaiting my packet with the block pattern and other instructions. Carol was thrilled that the information was put out on the internet. She asked if the pattern could be put on somehow. I said I’d check around and see if it is possible. Do you know how this could be done? I could draw it up in Quilt-Pro and send a file, but only people with Q-P could get it.

I plan to make the block and am now trying to think of some wonderful, appropriate verse to write on it. I suppose the block should be hand sewn since the sewing machine was not in common use until the 1870s or so. Also, I think I will be able to go to the quilting bee and I am also thinking about what I can find to wear. I love sewing for quilting, but the thought of making a dress after all these years is daunting. I hardly even sew on buttons these days. I won’t hand sew an outfit!

Are you planning to go? You must be somewhere in Northern California. I live in Bethel Island in the Delta — east of Antioch, west of Sacramento.

Christine Thresh

Date: Tue, 4 Feb 1997 05:21:30 -0500 (EST) | From: SadieRose \[at\] aol \[dot\] com

Here is the SIMPLY QUILTS schedule for February, as per their program guide. The show airs on HGTV from 9:30 to 10:00 am and 2:30 to 3:00 pm, EST, on Tuesdays and Thursdays. The Tuesday show is also repeated on Saturday from 1:00- 1:30 pm. The Thursday show is repeated on Sunday from 4:30 – 5:00 pm.

Feb. 4 Antique Quilts Feb. 6 Quilt Decor Feb. 11 Movie Quilt Feb. 13 Basket Block Feb. 18 Feathered Stars Feb. 20 Computerized Quilts Feb. 25 Photo Transfers Feb. 27 Designing Fabric

Happy Viewing!! Karan from Iowa, where the blizzard has started!

Date: Tue, 4 Feb 1997 19:49:52 +0800 | From: balfourk \[at\] echidna \[dot\] id \[dot\] au (Kath Balfour)

Hiranya has the same problem we do! We bought a lovely old quilt that was beautifully pieced & quilted. Unfortunately, it must have been used as a pad between the mattress and iron bedsprings out in humid Deep East Texas–the back is eaten through in spirals of rust and the batting is shredding through the holes. The top looks okay. We’re not sure whether to unpick it and try saving the top, or to baste a cover of lightweight muslin over the back and try washing and drying it. The quilt is quite heavy. Any ideas? Anyone have any success rescuing such an orphan?

— Kath Balfour 37 Gibson St Hilton WA 6163 AUSTRALIA

e-mail: balfourk

Date: Tue, 04 Feb 1997 07:20:06 -0800 | From: Lynn & Debbie CUPP

Well, I must admit that the worst I’ve heard from Karlene who is a mature 13 is “I know” when I remind her to do something. I’m sure it could get a lot worse but for right now I am enjoying her efforts at sewing. She likes doing machine embroidery embellishments to the pinwoven vests. She made me some crazy quilt pillows that are really neat. Her sense of color is great; something I struggle with. Last year we had the raffle quilt at our home to work on, a blue/white pineapple with lots of quilting in the ditch. She asked to help and I showed her a few basics and she pulled up a chair and joined me. She was very conscientious (sp?) and even stopped to rip some out occasionally. When I asked why–she replied “They were too big and crooked”. Wow! I never had noticed. I thought they looked very good.

Last night I took an appliqued heart over a 4 patch to our monthly block drawing. She was sorry to see it go and really inspected the block closely. “Can you show me how to applique?” What is it they say–strike while the iron is hot?

Debbie Cupp Virginia Beach

Date: Tue, 04 Feb 1997 07:27:01 -0800 | From: Lynn & Debbie CUPP

I am so sorry I sent that quilting teenager message to this list. I meant to send it to QuiltBee. Not enough caffeine yet this morning. Sorry folks!

Debbie

Date: Tue, 4 Feb 1997 07:51:02 +0000 | From: “The Garretts”

Yesterday I went to a show at the Brandywine River Museum in Chadds Ford, PA, which is in western Delaware County outside Philadelphia. It is titled “Of the best Sort but Plain: Quaker Quilts from the Delaware Valley 1760-1890.”

The 21 quilts in the exhibit were wonderful. Three whole cloth silk quilts, two doll quilts – one silk, one cotton, a silk crib quilt, a cotton sunburst, two cotton Lone Stars with applique chintz and pieced stars in the outer setting areas, a silk bars quilt, a silk courthouse steps, and numerous pieced and appliqued friendship or sampler quilts, several being red and green.

The provenance of the quilts was complete – many are still in the Quaker families of the makers. Those on loan from collections had histories with them. These histories were very interesting –

1. The starburst was made for a girl after her betrothal but before the wedding her church split and since the boys family went with the more “liberal” half, she was not allowed to marry him, and died a spinster.
2. One of the whole cloth quilts had the silk wedding petticoat as kind of a central panel with matching silk around it to make it bed size.
3. A large number of the quilts have signatures and dates and the stories are there about weddings and other presentations.

Except for the silk quilts, which is not to my knowledge a usual choice of fabric, these quilts do not shout “I am Quaker” the way Amish and Pennsylvania Dutch quilts do by their styles, fabrics and colors. Many of these quilts – style, fabric, etc – could have been made by any woman of means living in the thriving Philadelphia area at the time. The Quakers were prominent merchants and businessmen in a prosperous shipping area and these quilts reflect that standard of life.

These quilts were “best” quilts and saved through the years. The stitching is incredible – especially the quilting. Such tiny stitches – like 20 to the inch. The applique stitches are fine and nearly invisible. The piecing is precise. The quantity of inked signatures and sayings is large and very interesting.

The curator seems to feel that the Quakers were plain people and we should be shocked by the beauty of these quilts. In conversations with many people in the area, including one person from England where the Quakers originally came from, the general feeling is that the words elegant and refined more aptly describe them. They were not flashy, but nobody except the curator felt plain described the Quakers. I would describe these quilts as elegant – the best of the types being made at this time by any group of people.

I highly recommend a visit if you are able. There is a catalogue available – mostly black and white pictures but some color. I haven’t read it yet but got it for the pictures. Brandywine River Museum is on Route 1 in Chadds Ford, PA, and is very easy to find. Admission $5, parking free. Hours 9:30 to 5 daily. If anyone would like detailed directions, please e-mail me. The show ends March 16. Also, if anyone is interested, I might be able to send copies of the catalogue. E-mail me privately if you want to discuss this.

Now, a personal request. Many local museums and historical societies mount beautiful quilt shows, but do not have the financial means to advertize in large areas. Since they do many different types of shows, they don’t know to announce the show in quilting magazines, etc., so if you learn of a show, please post information to the list. Sometimes a show could be as close as an hour and half to where we live, but it is never mentioned in the local paper. Thank you.

Barb in southeastern PA

Date: Tue, 4 Feb 1997 08:28:56 -0500 (EST) | From: AJSNGS \[at\] aol \[dot\] com

Hi All,

I too have a quilt that the batting is coming out of (binding on two ends is falling apart) and I’ve wondered what I should do to save this. The top is still quite pretty despite obvious wear. Should a new backing be put on right over the other one? Or should new batting be put in where it has fallen out, then a new backing?

Any suggestions would be helpful.

Nancy in VA

Date: Tue, 4 Feb 1997 13:34:40 -0500 (EST) | From: DReyno3650 \[at\] aol \[dot\] com

Hello Everyone: I too have a quilt I salvaged from a rummage sale we were conducting. The other ladies hid this satin and velvet crazy quilt in a box in the kitchen. “Throw away that old thing” was the advice they had. But I couldn’t, and finally donated $20 to keep it. Only one of the pieces has disintegrated, but it is consistent and is scattered all over. Can’t tell what kind of fabric it was, but now it is brownish with a yellow cast, leading me to think it might have been one of those greens. It looks to me like the woof has disintegrated completely–gone, leaving no trace–while the weft is cotton, the brown color, and still there, but disattached at one end. The thing that makes the quilt special are the silk embellishments add: one, from the Rose Fair they held locally from about 1890, the other from an early swim club The Dolphins, who I believe swam in the Pacific Ocean before the Boardwalk was built in 1905. (Brrr). The satin and velvet pieces are basted (threads still in place exposed by the rotting pieces) over a heavy dark brown herringbone twill, which also is splitting lengthwise from age. It had a batting and back at some time, but the batting is cut away, and the back was a hot pink silk that is still around the edges. I have the embroidery skills to redo this quilt, and would like to restore it (the top only, and bind it hopefully with the red silk still in place) and donate it to the local history museum. I don’t think they would take it in the current condition, and I don’t have the history of it, except it is local. I would like an opinion of the group on whether this should be done, or whether I should make it into a wall hanging by cutting squares out of the good parts and stitching them into a wall hanging. This is like desecration to even think of doing, but something must be done. What does the group think? Willa Dean Reynolds Soquel, Santa Cruz County, California

Date: Tue, 4 Feb 1997 14:51:35 -0500 (EST) | From: QuiltAlive \[at\] aol \[dot\] com

Has anyone seen an embroidered Friendship quilt that might have some reference to “My Radio Friend”? WLS radio broadcast from Chicago. On one program in the early 1930s the announcer encouraged listeners to send in (or trade) cloth blocks with other radio listeners. I’ve seen one completed quilt top owned by a friend in Indiana. The blocks were obviously different sizes when the maker received them. Each block has an embroidered name, date or place. A couple blocks refer to “My Radio Friend.” — Merikay Waldvogel

Date: Tue, 4 Feb 1997 16:09:36 -0500 (EST) | From: SadieRose \[at\] aol \[dot\] com

Debbie, No apologies necessary…. I am always pleased to hear about “future quilters” …we have to keep this “quilting revival” going!! Gee, how fun, you can get her some of her own supplies for birthday, Christmas, etc. I got my Mom started quilting when she retired a year ago. We wrapped all her presents in fabric….got her tools that she would need, a book & subscription to Quilter’s Newsletter, etc. Don’t suppose you would want to overdo that with a teenager, but a few ‘quilty’ gifts would probably be appreciated! I have gone to the “home ec” (only now they have some fancy title for it!) class at my boys’ high school, and taught quilting. The kids loved it! For “practice” sewing on the machine, we had them make strip sets for Nine Patch blocks. Then, they made the blocks into 30″ square quilts, backed with flannel, which our quilt guild makes to donate to the Preemie Intensive Care nursery at a local hospital. The kids felt like their “practice sewing” made something worthwhile….not just sewing along lines on a piece of paper with an unthreaded needle, which was what the teacher had planned. Living with teenagers is a challenge, my boys are 16 and almost 18. Most of the time, they are wonderful….enjoy them while you can…it goes by too fast!! My oldest is a Senior, so we are looking into college options now….hard to think that in 6 months he may be living 2 hours away. 🙁 But, I know he needs to get away from home and start his own life, too. Sure makes you appreciate your parents, and what they did (and didn’t do) for you!! We had 8-10″ of snow overnight….no school….not too easy to get around, even with my 4 wheel drive Jeep!! So, I am going to get busy stitching!! Happy Quilting to BOTH of you!! Karan

Date: Tue, 4 Feb 1997 17:49:57 -0500 (EST) | From: HKnight453 \[at\] aol \[dot\] com

This is for Diane- A good souce for black bastise is hancock’s fabrics. Their new site is fabric1.com. They can also be called at 1-800-845-8723. Their prices are excellent. Heather from cold RI

Date: Tue, 04 Feb 1997 18:58:31 -0500 | From: Diane McGuire

Re: Hiranya , Sydney Australia and her questions about restoring an old quilt. Your quilt sounds delightful, could we have a more detailed description? Colors? Pattern? I an also in the process of trying to save what I can from an antique quilt. Mine was made about 1880 and was found in a barn, the happy home for a family of mice. It is a basket quilt and had a really wide and ugly green border. I carefully removed the border to discover more pieced squares under it! The baskets, mostly brown and red prints on shirting, are just triangles with machine appliqued half circle handles. The sashing was a black prints, faded to charcoal or less. It was also filthy and some of the fabric is fragile. I had the incredible priviledge of working with Richard Cleveland on a Massachusetts Quilt Documentation day and I asked his advise. \[He is the founder of the Vermont Quilt Festival and wrote the book on the Vermont documentation. He is helping neighboring states to begin documentation.\] He said that the quilt was in such bad shape that anything I did would be an improvement. That gave me the courage to remove the ties \[not quilted\] and the backing and batting, fortunately outside in summer. It was then that I realized how dirty and smelly it really was. I was going to try to save the batting, but now I think I will preserve a very small sealed plastic bag of it and toss the rest. I have decided to take apart the squares, baste them to cotton batiste as a backing, and wash them. Ivory clear liquid soap was recommended to me. Cheer liquid has been given the cotton industy offical seal of approval because it does not alter the color of the fabric. I have taken pictures of the quilt, as I found it, with the ugly green border removed, and I will reconfigure best of the pieces left into a quilt that can be displayed with care. The rest I will try to recycle into paper pieced projects that use tiny bits of fabric. I felt very encouraged by the people I talked to about the reconstruction project. This is not a special or artistic quilt, but someone cared about it, and I would like to keep the best parts of it alive for others to enjoy. I don’t know what I would do if it were quilted except to pick out the stitches and not worry about any little holes left. It is supposed to look old and restored. It is loved and admired, that is the main goal. One important rule I have been told from many sources: USE ONLY THE ORIGINAL FABRICS. even if you have to make the quilt smaller. If you start using reproductions or worse, you lessen the value, and probably the aesthetics of the quilt. I would love to hear from others who have saved “rag” quilts. Hope I have given you some ideas, Diane, in still cold, but not too snowy Massachusetts

Date: Tue, 04 Feb 1997 19:56:07 -0500 | From: Diane McGuire

Willa Dean Reynolds asked our opinion about restoring a badly damaged quilt. I applaud your efforts! My opinion is that you should take the best parts and restore them to mark the design and significance of the quilt, and then make your own personal contribution to quilt history. Every part of history wears away. Save the best so that we can remember and learn. We do not have to reproduce the past exactly. Record what you know or surmise about the quilt, attach a label with that information, and recycle what you can of the rest for a personal momento. Good luck with your project. Diane, who wishes we could see all of these projects.

Date: Tue, 04 Feb 1997 19:12:30 -0500 (EST) | From: LISA108 \[at\] delphi \[dot\] com

When it comes to the old quilts with the mangled backing and batting, I’d definitely remove the back and batt and start over. Iron will corrode the fabric. Test launder the top and if it can stand it, *gently* wash it in cool water (by hand, mildest soap available) and dry it on the lawn. This will get any traces of iron out of the top. I’d requilt it with a cotton batt and a cotton thread; poly core threads can eventually cut through old cloth.

Good luck!

Lisa Evans Springfield, MA

Date: Tue, 04 Feb 1997 19:40:36 -0500 (EST) | From: LISA108 \[at\] delphi \[dot\] com

Willa – I’d restore the quilt and give it to the museum. It sounds much too interesting to cut up!

Date: Tue, 4 Feb 1997 20:15:51 -0500 (EST) | From: BFquilter \[at\] aol \[dot\] com

Dear Debbie,

I read with interest your story about your 13 year old who likes to quilt. Lucky you that you can share a hobby with your teen & spend time with her. I’m a retired Home Ec. teacher & enjoy sewing, quilting, baking, embroidery, etc. I always dreamed of my daughter, now 15, sharing my interests and being able to teach her some of my hobbies. As you probably guessed, she’s not the least bit interested. Sad me!. But guess what ? My 7 year old son loves to bake & sew with me. He is currently taking a sewing class for little kids & loves it. But he has been pressing quilt blocks for me for 2 years, after I had shoulder surgery & had difficulty lifting the iron. I save all my scraps for him & he loves making doll size crazy quilts. At last I have a prodigy & we have fun spending time together. So don’t despair the rest of you with non-interested teens, perhaps your sons will fulfill your dreams!

Barb in very cold & snowy Minnesota (about 69 inches so far this year)