--- title: "February 21-23, 1997" date: 2026-08-31 author: "QuiltAdmin" featured_image: "https://quilthistory.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/Signature-dresden-plate.webp" categories: - name: "Quilt History List Archive" url: "/category/quilt-history-list-archive.md" tags: - name: "Fabric Identification" url: "/tag/fabric-identification.md" - name: "Quilt Block History" url: "/tag/quilt-block-history.md" - name: "Restoration & Conservation" url: "/tag/restoration-and-conservation.md" --- # February 21-23, 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** - Continuation of the swastika/Confederate flag symbolism debate - Pennsylvania quilt patterns (Keystone, Brownsville, Rainbow Block) - wool batting reviews (Hobbs Heirloom) - feedsack fabric identification - several antique-quilt restoration dilemmas, including a family dispute over cutting up an heirloom quilt and a quilt causing allergic reactions - new members introducing themselves. **Date: Fri, 21 Feb 1997 00:01:37 -0500 | From: Gail Wagner** I’ve thought long and hard about this message because I don’t want to anger anyone, but it’s said there’s two things you shouldn’t discuss – religion and politics and it seems that the image of the swastika and the Stars and Bars on my state flag fall into both those categories. Both are extremely personal and volatile subjects; people’s opinions cannot be swayed no matter which side they are on. So before this turns into an entirely different forum, can we please return to the subjects of quilts and textiles where the only thing that makes me annoyed is when my finger is too sore to quilt anymore. **Date: Fri, 21 Feb 97 09:49:27 PST | From: John & Cinda Cawley** Hi Merikay, I’m prety sure that my Keystone Friendship quilt was made in Indiana County. All the names I’ve identified so far are from that area. I have Soft Covers open in front of me (great book). The design of mine is not so far out as the Brownsville quilt, but it is equally idiosyncratic. What is a Rainbow Block? In the catalogue from the James exhibit in Japan, pp. 48-49 there is a photo of a Windblown Lily made in Indiana Co., PA. In the collection of the State Museum of PA we found an unfinished quilt top in that pattern (same color scheme) that has papers attached with signatures and dedications dated October, 1879. We were able to determine the maker’s name and that the quilt was made in either Bedford or Fulton Co. This is the same general area of PA as Indiana Co. It will be pictured in the book Saved for the People of Pennsylvania to be published by the PHMC in May. What is your opinion of this pattern? It is certainly not one that I have seen often. I see that you’re going to be teaching at the Vermont Quilt Festival. I’m afraid I’m not going to get there this summer (it’s my absolutely favorite quilt show). My daughter is expecting a baby at the end of July and I think I’m going to have to stick close to home. Are you going to be giving classes anywhere else that I might be able to get to? Is there a way to learn more about the James collection? It sounds fabulous and so temptingly close. I wish I could go to your guild meeting and see the slide presentation. Cinda in Scranton **Date: Fri, 21 Feb 1997 12:14:44 -0500 (EST) | From: HKnight453 \[at\] aol \[dot\] com** Gail- I agree completely. Try Bag Balm for your fingers and the following as a topic for discussion. These days, collections of fabrics are popping up everywhere, letting one create a coordinated quilt with little effort. However, many antique quilts feature clashing and almost random choices of materials. Should modern quilters seek a middle ground? I’ve gone both ways. My first qulit was a Trip Around the World in three colors of the same ditzy calico print, and my latest quilt is a Log Cabin in white, kelly green, and orange for St.Patricks Day. Anyone else have thoughts on this? Heather from very pleasant RI **Date: Fri, 21 Feb 1997 12:32:59 -0500 (EST) | From: NSchm007 \[at\] aol \[dot\] com** Thank you so much dpw13. I heartily agree with you. I too thought long and hard about how to respond to QuiltMag’s spleen venting. We all have a family history, as varried as any quilt could be. There is always someone on the other side. Few things really annoy me. One is that people confuse the “Stars and Bars” with the Confederate flag. It was the battle flag of the Army of Northern Virginia. The “Bonnie Blue Flag”, celebrated in song, did not look the same. The other and far more aggravating is when I am sewing on the machine and I don’t happen to pull out a tail long enough. Then when the needle rises next, the thread slipps through the eye and I have to rethread the needle. OOOHHHHHH, I hate when that happens Cranston Print Works Company has a new web site. They say” you can visit a unique turn-of-the-century village” there,”especially for home-sewers, quilters and crafters.” There are free patterns to download too. You can also write to them there. It is one way to let fabric manufacturers know that we would like approximate dates in the selvedges of the reproduction prints, among other things. They are at http://www.cranstonvillage.com. Sara in warm but rainy North Carolina **Date: Fri, 21 Feb 1997 12:47:30 -0500 (EST) | From: AJSNGS \[at\] aol \[dot\] com** Hi all, I was reading Cinda’s post to Merikay and wondered what is a Brownsville quilt? You were obviously talking about Pennsylvania quilts since you mentioned the Keystone too. I’d like to know more about these. My husband collects Pennsylvania Railroad memorabilia, plus he has lots of relatives in Western PA near a small town named Brownsville. Wondered if the quilt comes from that area? Gosh, maybe I could get him to collect quilts too! TIA for any info. you have on these quilts. Nancy in Virginia AJSNGS \[at\] aol \[dot\] com **Date: Fri, 21 Feb 1997 15:33:29 -0500 (EST) | From: QRestore \[at\] aol \[dot\] com** To the Group; Thought I would share this with you . . .I have just recently tried the Hobbs Heirloom Wool Batting in a large (107″x107″) quilt that I’m hand quilting. I’ve been quilting for some 27 years (since I was in 4-H as a young girl) and really can’t say enough about how nice this batting is. I struggled with this decision to use this wool batt over my standard choice of cotton batts. I don’t care for polyester batts and have never used them . . .preferring the natural fibers instead. I studied Harriet Hargrave’s survey and research she writes about in her book “Heirloom Machine Quilting” and decided to try something different. The wool batt has many nice qualities and has a recovery rate from compression of 95% . . .which basically means the loft retention is excellent. It is very, very soft and drapable, which was important to me, as I plan to do heavy quilting and trapunto work. Just thought I’d pass along my new experience . . .and by the way, the wool batt does “quilt like butter.” Victoria Montgomery QRestore \[at\] aol \[dot\] com **Date: Fri, 21 Feb 97 21:45:28 +0000 | From: “Bob Mills”** I have had a bad cold, and one night this week, when the coughing got serious in the middle of the night, I felt badly about keeping my husband awake, so I went into the guest bedroom to sleep. I sat up in that bed awile, waiting for cough syrup to take effect, and was staring groggily at the quilt on the bed which my mom gave to me several years ago. Suddenly a light went off, and I started looking for feedsack fabric in the dresden plate pattern (at 4 in the morning). I never cared for this quilt too much-it was made for a friend of my mom’s. When this friend died, her husband gave me two quilts that had been made for her many years ago. It is a heavily quilted, multi-colored quilt with odd brown embroidery in places, and I have the maker’s name and residence. I only just realized what feed sack material looked like when Jane sent me some samples several months ago. At three in the morning I was convinced that it had a lot of feed sack material. Now I am not so sure. It is a heavily quilted, multi-colored quilt with odd brown embroidery in places, and I have the maker’s name and residence. I can’t wait til I get my Textile Bags book from Kris so I can study it. Jane, if you are reading this, if I sent you some close up shots of the squares, would you be able to recognize feed sacks from a photo? I do have this mental image of you being able to recognize feedsacks from 100 yards distance! I am eagerly learning everything possible from this group and from the tons of library books my library is ordering for me from our book lists. Some of the books come from as far away as California-with no shipping bill for me. I love it. That list has been invaluable to me. Thanks to all of you for sharing. Jan Drechsler in NJ **Date: Fri, 21 Feb 1997 23:18:24 -0500 | From: quiltmag \[at\] mindspring \[dot\] com (Jean Ann)** I love scrap quilting, the more fabrics the better. When I first started quilting I tried to coordinate everything. Then I started going to quilt shows and seeing some wonderful old quilts. I learned from the old quilts that the more fabrics, even the ones I thought to be clashing, were needed to make an effective scrap quilt. I love the pumpkin orange used so frequently in old quilts, but mostly ignored by modern day quilters. Can we even get that old pumpkin orange? Oh, I also learned to piece funky quilt backs with big pieces of ugly fabric I must have had to have once, cause I sure bought them but now wonder how. I saw backs like this on antique quilts and decided to use up some of my stash this way. Jean Ann Eitel Editor, QUILT magazine http://www.quiltmag.com Let’s Talk Quilting: dal.net IRC – /join #quilttalk http://www.quiltmag.com/QuiltTalk/ **Date: Sat, 22 Feb 1997 03:41:09 -0500 (EST) | From: CTislander \[at\] aol \[dot\] com** Wow, controversy about quilts. I was the person who originally posted about my find of a quilt top with s\_\_\_\_\_\_\_ blocks in an antique store. I bought the top for $15 and I have been printing out all the comments about it posted on QHL. I plan to store the comments with the quilt top (in a deep, dark closet). If this list is going to discuss quilt heritage, other uncomfortable subjects might come up. If my reading is correct, quilts were often political and espoused various causes. Look at many quilt block names. How can a heritage list avoid history? I certainly was not \*advocating\* the use of the s\_\_\_\_\_\_\_ symbol. Christine T. in the California Delta **Date: Sat, 22 Feb 1997 05:36:06 -0600 | From: R D** Good Morning (I can’t sleep)- I agree with Victoria — Hobbs Herloom Wool Batting is wonderful to work with! You will be amazed at how many stitches to the inch you get, and it drapes wonderfully. I made one antique looking wallhanging of my own design with lots of feathered quilting in it. I used the wool batting. I wish that I would have thought about using the trapunto technique when I started this. I love this wallhanging, but that would have given it the look that I really wanted. I should order John Flynn’s trapunto rods one of these days. He has a rod that you insert between the stitches (as you are quilting) to push the stuffing in — then you don’t have to cut the material. (No affiliation) Victoria, what do you stuff your trapunto with? Cotton batting, maybe? Or maybe would you use the same batting as the quilt that you are making? I have some left over pieces of Hobbs Wool batting. If any of you would like me to send you a small square so that you can try needling through it and see how it feels, email me privately and I will give you my mailing address. Please enclose a self addressed, stamped envelope. I wouldn’t use this for all of my projects, but for some things, it is just right! Donna in Wisconsin RE: Thought I would share this with you . . .I have just recently tried the Hobbs Heirloom Wool Batting in a large (107″x107″) quilt that I’m hand quilting. I’ve been quilting for some 27 years (since I was in 4-H as a young girl) and really can’t say enough about how nice this batting is. The wool batt has many nice qualities and has a recovery rate from compression of 95% . . .which basically means the loft retention is excellent. It is very, very soft and drapable, which was important to me, as I plan to do heavy quilting and trapunto work. Just thought I’d pass along my new experience . . .and by the way, the wool batt does “quilt like butter.” Victoria Montgomery QRestore \[at\] aol \[dot\] com – —————————- **Date: Sat, 22 Feb 1997 10:03:43 -0800 | From: Sharon Harleman Tandy** Dear Christine, Thank you. The study of art cannot be accomplished without mentioning several periods of disgraceful concepts. So to the study of history, even more so. Certainly the study of quilt history must be similar. I am opposed to the suppression of women’s rights but love studying about suffrage, etc. Surely, we can set aside our emotions for a moment? “The unexamined life is not worth living.” Plato or Ralph Waldo Emerson (\_now\_ I’ll go look it up.) And: Those who do not study history are condemned to repeat it. Sorry, that’s a poor paraphrase. Sharon. **Date: Sat, 22 Feb 1997 12:45:26 -0500 (EST) | From: SadieRose \[at\] aol \[dot\] com** Jan, Hope your cold is better!! I think Jane posted that she was off to Florida for a few days, so don’t be disappointed if you don’t hear right back from her. Hopefully, she will read your message when she gets back…but sometimes when she is gone, she has Kris stop her mail. So, if you start seeing her post again, and haven’t heard back, send her a copy of your letter. Let us all know what she has to say!! Happy Quilting! Karan **Date: Sat, 22 Feb 1997 12:45:37 -0500 (EST) | From: SadieRose \[at\] aol \[dot\] com** Greetings, Everyone, First, my opinion on “touchy” discussions- obviously there are topics that we won’t all agree on, and some which may touch a nerve for one, and not others in the group. I would hope that we can “agree to disagree” on such subjects, without stooping to name-calling. I think our discussion of the “s” topic covered a variety of different points of view, which hopefully helped each of us think through this topic, and maybe added new information to help us evaluate our own opinions on the subject. Now on to a subject which (at least I ) we all love: Fabric!! Someone asked about the idea of using fabric lines (collections, such as the Smithsonian repros). For many years I have discouraged students from going into the fabric store (usually a large chain store) and picking all the fabrics for a quilt from a manufacturer’s “line”. The perfect coordination of the colors/prints made for a boring quilt. I personally prefer scrap quilts, the more variety the merrier…although I do use a “color recipe” to maintain some control. 10 navy blues are much more interesting than 1 navy (to me, anyway). However, I view the current reproduction lines in a different way. These fabric collections have been chosen with a variety of textures (small, large, florals, geometrics, backgrounds) and also a variety of colors. So, using them together in a project would not give you the sameness, that other fabric lines would. In the new “Heirloom Collection” line by Harriet Hargrave, there are 4 greens, 4 purples, 3 yellows, 5 blues, 5 pinks, 3 pink & browns, 11 “madder” prints of rust & browns, including one “pumpkin” or bittersweet orange. So, there are a variety of colors. Now, look at this collection in another way: there are 10 different motifs or prints: 2 stripes, a printed plaid, a basket weave, 2 small calicoes, 2 medium “bubble” prints, and 2 closer space medium prints. Most of these motifs are done in 3 or 4 colorways. One of the small calicoes, with an allover design of leaves with tiny white dots placed irregularily, is done in 6 colors. My personal preference is not to use “sister prints” (same motif, different colorways) repeatedly in a project. Now, if I was making a large scrap quilt, I could probably use all 6 of those calicoes, just space them so it wasn’t noticed. In a smaller project, I would not use all 6. For my current project, making “Dear Jane” blocks, I am going to combine fabrics from this new line, with P & B’s “Mad Madders” line. This will give me more variety to work with, and the colors and designs are from the same era, so will work together. So, my feeling is that it’s OK to use these collections “by themselves” or, mix with others, depending on the effect you are aiming for. There are plenty of fabrics out there, which are not “reproduction prints” that have the appropriate colors and motifs, that could be used or added to make a quilt with that “period” look. Most of the antique scrap quilts had a mixture of fabrics from different eras, and that is what gives them their charm. Now, a new question: what do you think about combining “vintage” fabrics with the new reproduction prints from the same era?? For example: 30s type print or feedsack fabrics, combined with some of the new “Aunt Grace’s” repros by Marcus Brothers? Let’s say this is for a new project….not repair or restoration work. Will be interested on your opinions….. Happy Stitching, everyone!! Karan from Iowa, where an “Alberta Clipper” is bringing back the sub zero temps – yuck!! **Date: Sat, 22 Feb 1997 16:39:08 -0500 | From: quiltmag \[at\] mindspring \[dot\] com (Jean Ann)** Last wednesday I was working up a new quilt design and decided not to do a scrap quilt for once, but to do the design with just four colors. It has been years since I did such a controlled fabric selection. I usually sew scraps, the more the merrier. I spent the entire day…as in 8 hours…trying to select the perfect four colors. I would decide, then cut a little, arrange the pieces, say NO! and then go find more fabrics. I think there are about 6 sets of 4 fabrics stacked on the cutting table that were chosen then rejected. Finally, I cut out the block. It was a difficult block to sew, an 8″ block. When I finished it, I didn’t like it. I went to bed wondering why in the world I spent all day and then the evening picking fabrics and sewing and ending up with a small block that is frankly, just awful… So it is back to scrap quilting for me. I love seeing well designed quilts from a controlled selection of fabrics when other people do it, bit it is beyond me! Jean Ann Eitel Editor, QUILT magazine http://www.quiltmag.com **Date: Sat, 22 Feb 1997 16:51:28 -0800 | From: Jody Bordner** Sadie, I too would be interested in hearing the reactions to mixing old 30’s fabrics with new repros in a new project. I have lots of little pieces of old fabrics,not enough to do much with, but hate to see it go to waste also. It seems to be of a tight weave and washed very well. Jody **Date: Sat, 22 Feb 1997 16:49:38 -0500 (EST) | From: Quilting Heritage ListServ** Sorry I have been so quiet lately, my keyboard was stuck and my efforts to unstick it resulted in me buying a new keyboard… That was my stupid animal trick for the week. I \*was\* interested in the symbol debate. Interestingly enough, we just had a debate over symbols in the NYS legislature. Seems there was a display of the original 13 colonies flags in the Capitol building. Not the original flags from 1776, but the states current flag. Georgias’ has the stars and bars on it, to which one of our black legislators took offense, so he removed the flag. With much fanfare and bally-hoo, of course, this was a major photo op. The next day, one of Georgia’s legislators teetered along a ledge and, amid much more fanfare and bally-hoo, took New York State’s flag down. Both got front page coverage. Both flags were replaced the next day. Ironically, the same day as Jean Ann’s letter, a letter was published in our local newspaper comparing the symbolism of the stars and bars to that of the swastika and suggesting that they both be banned forevermore. I am very much of mixed feelings on this. I understand how much these symbols hurt people. BUT, he who does not remember history is doomed to repeat it! The swastika is part of our heritage, whether we like it or not. It is an event we have to learn from, and go beyond. The stars and bars are a little harder to defend. For that we have to fall back on the adage, “I may not agree with your position, but I will fight to the death to defend it.” It would be interesting to discuss other patterns and their symbolism. I was talking to Betty Kiser yesterday about her Drunkards path book, and it turns out a lot of the Drunkards Path blocks were historically arranged in different ways to commemorate different events. I didn’t know that! Evidently the pattern originated in England, and the blocks – instead of being placed asymmetrically, which is what makes up the drunkards path – formed circular patterns. The pattern was called Mill Wheel or Steeplechase then, or, depending on the placement of light and dark, Rob Peter to Pay Paul. (I always thought of RP2PP as something like the Lafayette orange peel pattern, which is another story in and of itself.) The pattern didn’t become known as Drunkards Path until Temperance days. Which I did know from Pepper Cory’s book. This is the kind of thing that fascinates me. Anyone know any other stories? Kris **Date: Sat, 22 Feb 97 17:19:08 PST | From: Cliff & Claire Fenton** Sadie, I too would be interested in hearing the reactions to mixing old 30’s fabrics with new repros in a new project. I have lots of little pieces of old fabrics,not enough to do much with, but hate to see it go to waste also. It seems to be of a tight weave and washed very well. Jody I’m making Dresden plate blocks right now and am using both repros and pieces of old feed sacks. T hey look great…I can see no reason not to..if there is one someone let me know! Claire in S.La. **Date: Sat, 22 Feb 1997 18:46:31 -0500 (EST) | From: AJSNGS \[at\] aol \[dot\] com** Hi All, It seems to me that women of the past who quilted would have used whatever fabric they had on hand, whether it was new or old, to piece their quilts. And if they ran out of fabric, they would have bought new fabric. So….they would have used both old and new; whatever was on hand. In light of this, I would think the same would be true today. We can use fabric we have on hand, and buy new ones to blend in. Nancy in VA **Date: Sat, 22 Feb 1997 18:53:34 -0500 (EST) | From: AJSNGS \[at\] aol \[dot\] com** Hi all, In Virginia recently they voted to change the state song. For years the song “Carry Me Back to Old Virginia” has been the state song. It was recently given emeritus status, and a new song is being sought. The words to “Carry Me Back…” were published in our local paper, and I was truly astonished at them! They are very offensive to many people. I can certainly understand why something like this would be unpopular. But on the other hand, this is a song about our history and reminds us of a time that is part of history (the Civil War) whether we like it or not. Therefore, it has a place in our history…just like the symbols we’ve discussed here on QHL recently. They may not be liked by many, but they ARE part of history, and we can learn from them. Just my 1 cent worth. Nancy in VA **Date: Sat, 22 Feb 1997 21:57:05 -0500 (EST) | From: Tubeywooby \[at\] aol \[dot\] com** When I was growing up, my next door neighbor, Ruth, taught my mother to quilt. They made one quilt for each of us kids and mine was the only one they used a wool bat on. The wool has worked its way out of the stitch holes over the years and through washings. For this, I would not recommend a wool bat. It is still a fabulous quilt, with sun bonnet sues, each a different gingham (all cotton). Ruth was my mothers best friend, and died at 49 of lung cancer (never smoked). Last year, my father died, and my mother married Ruth’s husband, 23 years widowed, in January! He had carefully saved all of Ruth’s quilts and his mother’s precious quilts. Her legacy lives on in the many my mother and I have taught to quilt. Happy with my new step-daddy, Melissa in sunny warm Houston : ) **Date: Sat, 22 Feb 1997 22:43:24 -0500 (EST) | From: Baglady111 \[at\] aol \[dot\] com** Sure Jan, I can do it with my eyes closed..Ha..yes, we could try that..alot of times Ic an tell if I recoginze the pattern..when we have sacks brought in that are sooo close to the feel of percale, we are unbale to be sure also..UNLESS we know the pattern is one we’ve seen before..send me some shops and maybe we can id it..better yet..one of my members, Pat Reid in Titusville, Fl..(I jsut came home from there tonight) hs cataloged over 12,000 2 and one half ” sqs and she wold be able to go thru her catalogs..and tell you.. email me for for ehr adrress..Jane **Date: Sat, 22 Feb 1997 21:45:11 -0500 | From: “jackiem”** Jean Anne, I can relate to your story on a day wasted, only I don’t feel your day was wasted at all. You learned a lot about colors and pattern choice and that you really love scrap quilts. (a girl after my own heart). My twin sister and I spent a couple of nights talking about using some of my “stash” and although we are identical twins with all of the same interests, we see things differently. A few years ago I made a lovely (if I do say so myself) log cabin quilt (top) using a controlled color palette, but not worrying about the fabric. Using the same palette, we pulled out blues, browns and burgandies. All of the dark and medium darks were put in one pile and the lights and medium lights were in the other. Strips were made randomly using the darker pile for the geese and the lighter pile for the background. As we sewed the two identical quilts, JoAn’s choice was to match the fabrics in the corners of the geese and my choice was to do it scrappy and just use the light randomly with corners not matching. JoAn sewed all of the geese strips and set the strips together. Jackie cut all of the strips and sewed the borders on both quilts. We both chose the same fabric for the joining strips and the borders of the quilt were done the same. The result is two beautiful quilt tops that look identical, but upon close examination are different. I do not buy new fabric when designing a quilt. I usually challenge myself to use what I have and then buy one or two if necessary to tie it together. It is easy to buy all coordinating fabrics to assemble a quilt, but these quilts are usually boring. (not always) Scrap quilts can be very unusual sometimes and even comical (We really had a laugh at an old one at our last guild meeting), but are never boring. It is the challenge to use unusual or unheard of combinations that produces some of our prettiest quilts. My art background tells me that value is more important than color when working with scraps. As to combining the old fabrics with the current reproduction fabrics in a new project, Why not? There are no rules when it comes to something new. Whatever works to bring your creation into reality. Our Mothers and Grandmothers and so forth, passed their stash from generation to generation and who says a 90’s quilt has to be 90’s fabric. Jackie & JoAn jackiem \[at\] ivic \[dot\] net jackiem \[at\] artlover \[dot\] com **Date: Sun, 23 Feb 1997 22:03:49 -0800 | From: nomad1 \[at\] ibm \[dot\] net** Hi There, Yes , I am still here ! Unfortunately my mail deliverer on the computer has had problems delivering mail for the past 4 days . I only found out today when my test message never came back & hence rang IBM to ask what was happening ! According to them I can still send emails out so hopefully you will get this . So , if you have not had a reply from me since the 20th , could you please remail any emails since then . Thanks for doing this , I wish I could ring & chat on the phone instead ! Until we chat agin, Hiranya **Date: Sun, 23 Feb 1997 06:52:22 -0500 | From: quiltmag \[at\] mindspring \[dot\] com (Jean Ann)** Last Friday I was in Ft. Worth at the Trinity Valley Quilt Guild meeting. During show and tell a beatiful Victorian quilt was shown. The quilt had been made in 1904 (Queen Victoria being dead only 4 years at that time, so maybe it wasnt a Victorian quilt…) It was a friendship quilt and there where beautiful embroidered squares alternated with plain squares. (If it was Victorian, it wasnt crazy). The colors were definitly a Victorian palette. The very interesting thing to me, is that a 4 year old little girl dressed in a classic dark plaid dress, almost down to her ankles, and long hair tied up in a bow was part of the show and tell. Her great-grandmother made the quilt which had recently been discovered with some other old things. This little girl will have the quilt when she is grown. It was lovely to see the link between the generations that this quilt provided. And the little girl, by being there, saw how precious and important her quilt is, so she can cherish it when she does recevie it. Jean Ann Eitel Editor, QUILT magazine http://www.quiltmag.com Let’s Talk Quilting: dal.net IRC – /join #quilttalk http://www.quiltmag.com/QuiltTalk/ **Date: Sun, 23 Feb 1997 07:03:39 -0500 (EST) | From: Baglady111 \[at\] aol \[dot\] com** Just read your post to Jan (with a cold, poor baby) and wondere if that is Dreschler? I’m back.,had an emailfrom her, and have replied..if not her..WHO!! and thank youfor explainingmy abscense..I’M HOME..Jane **Date: Sun, 23 Feb 1997 08:28:01 EST | From: debatqps \[at\] juno \[dot\] com** Hi everyone, The RJR fabric rep was in the shop this week and I saw their new 30s line of fabrics. VERY NICE. Much better greige goods than the Marcus line, which don’t get me wrong I love them and have lots in my store and my stash, but I really like these prints also. Also look for Judie Rothermel’s new book. We got ours yesterday and most are sold already. Its a great book with patterns and stories about each quilt pattern. Maybe 10 or 12 quilt patterns from the 30s done in her repro fabrics. I really like it. I am mixing old 30s fabrics with repros in a star quilt I am making for my daughter. Its coming out really neat and hopefully will be done before she gets married, shes 12 . . . . . . VBG Debbie in NJ **Date: Sun, 23 Feb 97 11:02:11 PST | From: John & Cinda Cawley** Jean Ann, In the exhibit of Quaker quilts now at the Brandywine Museum in Chadds Ford, PA there is an album friendship quilt date 1890. It is made of sqares of black silk beautifully embrioidered with elaborate floral motifs and gorgeous monograms and every sort of embellishment (beads, paint etc.). Definitely Victorian but not crazy. It was made as a wedding gift. Cinda in Scranton **Date: Sun, 23 Feb 1997 12:34:02 -0500 (EST) | From: CTislander \[at\] aol \[dot\] com** Kris said it would be interesting to discuss other patterns and their symbolism. In Carrie Hall and Rose Kretsinger’s book \*The Romance of the Patchwork Quilt in America\* there is a little bit about symbols. Hall said, “There were scores of political names given to their quilts… Such names as ‘Clay’s Choice,’ Whig Rose,’ Democrat Rose,’ ‘Harrison Rose,’ ‘Fifty-Four-Forty-or-Fight,’ ‘The Little Giant,’ ‘Lincoln’s Platform,’ ‘Old Tippecanoe,’ and ‘Free Trade Patch’ are of political inspiration… Their religion was such a vital part of the lives of our ancestors that it is not strange that there were many of these. ‘Job’s Tears,’ ‘Joseph’s Coat,’ ‘Jacob’s Ladder,’ ‘Crown of Thorns,’ ‘Wonder-of-the-World,’ ‘Ecclesiastes,’ ‘Children of Israel,’ ‘Golgotha,’ ‘David and Goliath,’ ‘Coronation,’ and innumerable ones having ‘Cross’ as an integral part.” We have to consider the source here; there are errors in Hall’s book, so she may have had some of these names wrong. Barbara Brackman in her \*Encyclopedia of Pieced Quilt Patterns\* said, “Some names went unpublished because they were inelegant or distasteful to the magazine editors. Burgoo Trollop, Ham Shank, and Pigpen went unrecorded… Patterns honoring the losing side were rarely published. Collectors are not too sure about what a Confederate Rose looked like and no one recorded the pattern KuKlux, although its name appeared in print.” (My DH said the KK pattern was probably plain white sheeting, so it was not recorded .) That’s all I know, but I would like to learn more. Christine in the California Delta **Date: Sun, 23 Feb 1997 12:41:51 -0800 | From: Sharon Harleman Tandy** Dear Kris, I love your designation of a long and difficult name, RP2PP. Seems I am always talking in shorthand. I have gradually become aware that as you go around the country (in research, books, and even, for some, in reality) any pattern in which halves of one block, or sometimes neighboring blocks, where there are two colors/fabrics involved and where equal amounts of each are used and in the same shapes…..what I’m not saying very well here is: positive/negative relationships…..any of those have at one time or another been called RP2PP, most likely because, if it weren’t for seam allowances, there would have been no waste, and there’s no “background” or “foreground”. Has anyone any references that would back up such a position. Sharon in supersunny Boise. **Date: Sun, 23 Feb 1997 13:15:07 -0800 | From: Sharon Harleman Tandy** Quilt love to quilt lover: I can sympathize with what JeanAnn thought was a wasted day but as has already been pointed out, she also learned something. For me, Friday, Feb 20, was anything but wasted. A quilt I had seen at guild last November was brought to my house and I was privileged to spend 2 and a half hours examining it. It is, after some late night “light” research, one of the variants of “The Garden” quilt from Ruth Finley’s book, \_Old Patchwork Quilts and the Women Who Made Them\_, plate # 57. Other variations have appeared: one as the cover and color plate H in the introduction of the reprint of the Finley book, another I have seen is on the cover of Quilter’s Newsletter Magazine, No. 273, June 1995 (see: on the cover, p. 4, photo and note courtesy of Rod Kirakofe) and p. 210 in his \_The American Quilt: A History of Cloth and Comfort 1750-1950\_ (see also p. 206 for a photo of maker, fig. 209 and photo of her crazy quilt, fig. 210.) The quilt I examined was one of two identical quilts, probably made in Cincinnati in the thirties. In one of those stories that make you cringe, the “twin” was given to someone who came to the door looking for old clothes. (All together now, arrrrggghhh!) Still, the remaining quilt is astonishing to look at; the quilting is exquisite, though simple in design; I found the stitches to be from 12 to 18 to the inch (yes, counted only on the top!) Nowhere in the parallel lines does the quilting vary from 3/8ths of an inch apart. To say the least, I am all aflutter; although I slept well, I woke early and got up early, I can’t seem to eat, have cleaned rooms that haven’t seen the light of day for over a month, accomplished more today than in weeks; I am a blur of activity and my mind is the same. I may have the opportunity to visit the quilt in April and perhaps meet the owner. Does time fly? Sharon in wonderful Boise. **Date: Sun, 23 Feb 1997 16:35:34 -0500 | From: gridgees \[at\] algorithms \[dot\] com (Merry May)** For Jean, re: Scrap Quilts I, too, now have a MAJOR problem choosing only 3 or 4 fabrics for quilts. It’s almost like, once you’ve “crossed over” to making scrap quilts you can never go back again! 🙂 One of the best things about scrap quilts is that you can make one block of this combination, and another block of another combination. They may not all be stellar, but when they’re all put together, they’re still beautiful. So I guess what I’m trying to say is, don’t fight it! It sounds like you’ve already started making a scrap quilt based on the fabric combinations you DIDN’T like!! (So why waste all of those good blocks?) Also, I’ve found that if I REALLY, REALLY {{HAVE TO}} choose only 3 or 4 fabrics, either Amish colors, or patriotic colors seem to be the easiest to narrow down. (This may not work for you, but it does for me – hope it helps!) Take care, and like they say, “if life gives you scraps, make scrappy quilts!” Merry May gridgees \[at\] algorithms \[dot\] com **Date: Sun, 23 Feb 1997 17:22:32 -0500 (EST) | From: AJSNGS \[at\] aol \[dot\] com** I liked what Merry May had to say about scrap quilts. It seems like a challenge to take what you have on hand and make something nice out of it. May not always turn out exactly how you envision, but still something worth having and showing off. Personally it doesn’t seem like much of a challenge if you can go and pick out 3 or 4 fabrics from a special designer line that all coordinate. Besides, if you use YOUR scraps, then your quilt is one of a kind! Nancy in VA **Date: Sun, 23 Feb 1997 17:49:32 -0500 (EST) | From: QRestore \[at\] aol \[dot\] com** Just a few more words about the wool batt of today . . .it is not the wool batts our grandmothers used. Bearding has often been considered a problem in wool batts, however an unresinated batt will probably beard when washed and usually does not get worse with progressive washings. Resinated wool batts tend not to beard al all. Hobbs has produced this wool batt from loose fibers, which is lightly resinated to resist fiber migration and shifting. I have washed test samples of this new wool batt (with top and backing) and it machine washes (in cold water)with no problems and dries well in the dryer on low or air dry setting (although I wouldn’t recommend ever drying a finished quilt in the dryer). Other nice qualities are that “wool batts are naturally mildew resistant and resist moth damage when coverd with cotton fabrics. Moths do not eat the wool fibers unless dirt – their food – is attached to the fibers.” (As described in Harriet Hargrave’s Heirloom Machine Quilting book) As mentioned in Harriet Hargrave’s book polyester is often used in quilts made for babies . . .”if exposed to fire or high heat the fibers will melt and the resins on the batt will cause them to flare”. On the other hand, “Wool is flame-resistant. When exposed to flames it smolders at a low temperature and self-extinguishes with a cool ash, making it an extremely safe fiber to use for small children.” Just wanted to be clear about this new wool batt by Hobbs developed with Harriet Hargrave. (PS: absolutely no affiliation with Hobbs or Hargrave . . .just recently discovered and love quilting this wool batt) Victoria Montgomery QRestore \[at\] aol \[dot\] com **Date: Sun, 23 Feb 1997 18:03:09 -0500 (EST) | From: QRestore \[at\] aol \[dot\] com** I have to agree with Sharon . . .I too was lucky enough to be exposed to this beautiful quilt with beautiful workmanship. It’s so nice to know there a still unfound treasures out there just waiting to be discovered. What inspiration! Victoria Montgomery QRestore \[at\] aol \[dot\] com **Date: Sun, 23 Feb 1997 18:16:07 -0500 (EST) | From: QRestore \[at\] aol \[dot\] com** Dear Sadie; Couldn’t agree more with your comments . . .as to the question about combining vintage fabrics with reproduction fabrics in a new project . . .yes, absolutely. Our grandmothers and great grandmothers used fabrics available to them, used, worn and new, didn’t matter . . .that’s part of their charm. . . but you already know that. I do hope your okay with this because the block I’m stitching for your \*new\* quilt project (hopefully will be in the mail this week to you) is made with vintage fabric . . .I love to share my collection of vintage fabrics with other quilters. Victoria Montgomery QRestore \[at\] aol \[dot\] com **Date: Sun, 23 Feb 1997 21:18:23 -0500 (EST) | From: MiamiQuilt \[at\] aol \[dot\] com** Hi! Alan, yes, it is Pam in Miami. It was too small of a group to not be you but better to check than to embarass yourself. How is your quilt repair coming that you brought to Albany? I am amazed at the response to Christine’s “s” blocks? Controversy is part of scholarship and in as such it needs to be heard to reveal all the potential of an object. Bravo for different opinions and let’s remain open minded and keep it on a professional level. That’s it for my lecture. Pam **Date: Sun, 23 Feb 1997 22:05:07 -0500 (EST) | From: BBMorris \[at\] aol \[dot\] com** I have a quilt made by my great grandmother that has both old and new fabrics in it. Some small squares of the old fabric is pieced to have a large enough piece to finish that block. Some of the solids were “NEW” feed sacks that were home dyed a navy blue that ran when the quilt was washed the first time. I have no problem with combining old with new fabrics as long as the old ones are in good condition. I am just keeping up a family tradition Barbara in GA **Date: Sun, 23 Feb 1997 23:10:47 -0500 (EST) | From: LISA108 \[at\] delphi \[dot\] com** I have a wool batt, but after several attempts (and problems with one of my cats, who enjoye \*eating\* the batt) with it I use it mainly for trapunto. I’m sticking with Warm ‘n Natural until I find something better…but I don’t use polyester for anything serious these days. **Date: Sun, 23 Feb 1997 22:37:56 -0600 | From: ShirleySpencer** I just love this list. I’ve been subscribing since issue #10, so thought it was time I introduced myself. I’ve been interested in vintage quilts for several years and have collected many quilts, tops, and blocks. I have devoured Brackman and many other quilt history books as well as the state documentary books. I am a member of the Quilt Restoration Society – been to both conferences and have met many of you there. I’m active in my local quild, have served on the board in many capacities. Actually I’m quite ready to sit back next year and listen and watch. I find I am particularly interested in quilts made on the frontier and the difficulties those women encountered. Because of that I have dabbled a little in natural dyeing to see just how difficult that was for our foremothers. I certainly am not expert, but I’ve learned a lot. Haven’t had time to do it for some time. I have a vintage quilt dilemma. See my next post. Shirley Spencer in Rockford, Illinois ShirleySpencer \[at\] Prodigy \[dot\] net **Date: Sun, 23 Feb 1997 23:17:23 -0600 | From: ShirleySpencer** I have a friend who has a crib quilt made my her mother in the 30’s. It is a Sunbonnet Sue summer quilt with no batting. My friend, I will call her Lucy, wants to give this quilt to her children. She wants each of her three grown sons to have a piece of it, and she actually started to cut it up in order to make 3 pillows. It now has a small cut in it. Right after she cut it, she showed it to me and told me her intent. I tried very hard to not go ballistic and scream “Do not cut this quilt up.” I took a deep breath and tried to explain that when you are done, you will have pieces of a quilt, but you will no longer have your beloved quilt. It will no longer BE a quilt. I gave her several suggestions. Keep the quilt for a while until you see which of your sons or their wives or their children might want and appreciate your baby quilt. After all, not all of our children like quilts and maybe they won’t want it at all. Particularly since it is a Sunbonnet Sue and more appealing to girls. She was adamant that she wanted each ofthem to have a piece of this quilt. I suggested that pillows sometimes become worn, dirty, and are thrown away. I told her I would be happy to help her repair the small cut so she could keep it as a quilt. I also suggested she could make copies of it. Pretty soon I realized I was getting too involved here and I could see she really didn’t like my ideas, so because we are friends I dropped the subject and never asked about it again and Lucy never mentioned it. This happened a few years ago. I’ve often wondered what happened to that quilt. I guess I should say here that I am a more experienced quilter than she is, but she has made some baby quilts for her grandkids and others. We were recently together vacationing at the same spot. We went to a couple quilt shops together and she is getting interested in more serious quilting. I have been encouraging and shared a lot of magazines and stuff with her because I would really like to see her spread her wings. She finally mentioned the quilt one day saying she still had it and had done nothing with it. She added that she had had her mother sign each block before she died. I was delighted to hear that the quilt was still in one piece and asked her what she had decided to do? She said she was thinking about it but wanted to finish up her current project. I was encouraged that she brought the subject up, since she knows how I feel. That’s where it stands now. What do you think? I welcome your comments. ShirleySpencer \[at\] prodigy \[dot\] net **Date: Sun, 23 Feb 97 22:26:31 -0800 | From: beth\_novak \[at\] om \[dot\] cv \[dot\] hp \[dot\] com** Hello fellow quilters, I’m new to the list. I have a strange problem that I’ve never run across before. I purchased a depression era 4 point star/strings quilt that was extensively damaged by mice (three corners out of four were entirely missing, along with some large central holes). There was (and still is ) also some minor mildew staining. This was purchased from a well known dealer who must have had it cleaned because it should have smelled awful, and it smelled just fine. I diligently fixed the quilt, which was quite a major undertaking, and put a new backing on it. Looks great now, but a big problem has come up. Every time I am near that quilt my sinuses have a major attack and feel like they are swelling like balloons inside my head. Something about the quilt is giving me an allergy attack, and I have never had allergies in my life! Could it be the cleaning solution that was used, the former presence of mice, the mildew, or something else? When working on the quilt, I noticed the cotton batting seemed rougher than any I have ever seen before. It seems like the batting was disintigrating or dusty, and had tiny black areas evenly spaced in the cotton (looked like part of the cotton itself, combed in). Maybe the cotton was never cleaned? I put a lot of time into that old quilt, and would really like to be able to stand being near it. As it is, I’m even afraid that hanging it on the wall might be an irritant. An obvious solution might be to try to wash it, but some of the original fabric is looking so fragile I don’t think I should. I know this quilt is unsuitable to ever use on a bed, because some of the fabric is so fragile, but I’d like to be able to enoy it! Any opinions or suggestions would be appreciated!