February 3 – 8, 2004
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:
- Two-Sided and Duplex-Printed Fabrics — Members compare notes on reversible, two-sided, and duplex-printed fabrics and how to identify the printing method.
- The Underground Railroad Quilt-Code Debate — A major thread opens questioning and discussing the popular claim that quilts encoded secret directions for the Underground Railroad. (see the article on Underground Railroad quilts)
- 19th-Century Quilt Poetry and Prose — Sue Reich’s recurring feature continues with items themed around the month of the Presidents, including material on Lincoln.
- Lancaster Quilt and Textile Museum — A note shares information about the Lancaster Quilt and Textile Museum. (see the article on quilt museums)
From: quiltstuff@
Below is an email I received after writing to the journalist of that article on UGRR quilts. Sounds like she has had quite a few emails. VBG Suzy
From: “Adamson, Erin” <erin.adamson@> To: “Quiltstuff” <quiltstuff@> Sent: Saturday, 7 February 2004 7:38 AM Subject: RE: Underground railway.
> Ms. Atkins, > Thanks for writing me about the quilt article. I have received quite a few e-mails in regards to the acuracy of the research in “Hidden in Plain Sight” and regret perpetuating misinformation, if that is the case. We are considering a way to cover this topic again in the newspaper. > > Sincerely, > Erin Adamson
Date: Sat, 07 | From: “Jan Drechsler” <quiltdoc@>
A quilter and local 5th grade teacher told me she had just read HIPV. She would do a project with her students involving geometry and UGRR based on the book. When I carefully explained that the book was very controversial, she exclaimed ‘great!’ She wanted her students to learn good research techniques and critical thinking.
Every website mentioned here I e-mail to her. I send her newspaper articles in which I have been interviewed and practically ignored after hours of e-mails with the journalist or misquoted. Her students can read many newspaper articles on the web which support HIPV. I wish every teacher would have their students explore all these questions and possibilities.
Perhaps we should collectively make up a packet listing websites or other sources that we could print and hand deliver or e-mail to our local schools. A very carefully written cover letter would need to be written, perhaps by an educator, in educator language, regarding the skills that could be learned in delving into this subject from several directions. We would also need to write one or two sentences describing the contents of each website.
Would anyone truly bring this to their local school or call the pricipal and then mail it to him/her? If there is enough interest, I’ll work on it with QHL group assistance. If there is any one willing to take on the educator writing part alone or with someone else, let me know.
Regards,
Jan
— Jan Drechsler in Vermont Quilt Restoration; Quilting teacher www.@/~bobmills
Date: Sat, 7 Feb 2004
That is a *terrific* idea, Jan. And it should help to educate the teachers as well as the students.
Karen Evans
From: “J. G. Row” <JudyGrow@>
Gail Ingram is occupied with the first meeting of her DSQSG this weekend, but I can’t think of anyone better to tackle the educator part. She writes so eloquently and is passionate about honest research .
It sounds like a great idea to me. I would be willing to print from my printer and then invest postage to send such an envelope to the heads of history departments of all our local schools systems, Mercer and Hunterdon Counties in NJ and Bucks in Pa.
Judy “Ringo” in Ringoes, NJ judygrow@
Date: Sat, 7 Feb 2004 | From: Jccullencrew@
Dear Jan, I was just thinking last night that it would be a good idea to put together a packet of some sort, or a list of pros and cons on the issue, web sites, books, etc. and make it available to the public. What caught my eye was a play that will be put on at our local college that is about the relationship of slavery and quilts. After all this discussion about the UGRR, it peaked my interest and I’ll be going to see it in a couple of weeks (barring SNOW of course). I personally think it is futile to do this on a bit by bit basis with individual people. Some people already think it to be true and it’s becoming an urban legend, and probably none of us non-educators have enough information to make a good argument or case to change anyone’s mind. However, with good, solid background FACTS to go on, there is hope of making a dent. You could go to the schools–I would go to the schools, probably about 4th or 5th grade, and make the presentation when they’re studying the Civil War. We’d also need examples of quilts from back then, photos if nothing else, or patterns for the kids to make a Civil War quilt themselves. Then you can bring in the oral history portion and whether it’s true about all quilts at that time, or just in certain cases where this message system worked. It would be a wonderful project to work on. I don’t know if it would be too sensitive in today’s world to discuss, but it excites the heck out of me just typing this up as a proposal. Anyway, I’ve got to get some banking stuff done or something will bounce, so I’m off. I’d be glad to help you with this project editing or whatever if you decide to go ahead with it. I’m in a bit of a rush now so if you need to clarify any of my writings, do get back to me. This sounds like a super idea to me, so go for it. Carol Grace
“I then left the house and went to tell my father, who was at his store. It was a nasty day. As I opened the door I saw that it was drizzling, cloudy and dark. There was a guard around the house, and also one stationed on each of the corners, above and below. I gave the first announcement of the death to them and through them to the outside world. I got father, and when I came back the president was all black about the eye and forehead. I put my hand on his eye and forehead. I put my hand on his face, and it was cold as a stone. “Soon after the Mr. Lincoln was taken from the house. His body was wrapped up in a couple of blankets and carried to the embalmer’s. It was then laid out in state in the East Room of the White House.” “You do not own the house in which President Lincoln died, Mr. Peterson?” “No; all is changed now, and these relics which I have are the last practical evidences of the president’s last sufferings. The room in which he died has been changed, and we have sold the house to its present owner, Mr. Louis Shade. We got $4,000 for it, and the buyer took it because he thought the government would use it as a museum, and he asked, some time ago, $12,000 for it. These pictures and these pillow cases are all that is left of the furniture. We sold the bed upon which the president died for $80, and I think it is now in Syracuse, N.Y. No one had ever slept under this coverlid since that night, and we would not think of using it. I do not think it should be sold to any one. It should be preserved for a museum. We could have sold it time and again.” “It is wonderful the desire people have for collecting relics of Lincoln. They came for days after the president’s death to see the room in which he died, and they stole everything they could get their hands on. They snipped pieces out of the curtains, pulled paper off of the walls, and even carried away the mustard plasters we used that night. When the president was carried over from the theatre to the house that night, some drops of blood fell upon our doorstop, and the next day men and boys dipped little pieces of paper into his blood, and carries them away as mementoes. “The day after the assassination was Sunday, and Washington was draped in black, and all the preachers preached funeral sermons over him. “I don’t like to think of it,” concluded Mr. Peterson, as he folded up the blood stained pillow cases and quilt. “The scenes of it sometimes haunt me like a nightmare, and I almost wish that I had not been a part of them.” Thomas A. Todd
From: “Christine Thresh”
A few years ago (1999) I posted some pictures of an Egyptian Applique piece that I bought on EBay: http://www.winnowing.com/egypt.html
Several people from QHL responded and gave some information about the panel. One of the responders with the most knowledge was Ady in Israel.
I just received an e-mail from someone named Sandy who found a pair of panels in her library’s basement. They had been stored down there for 50 years. Sandy asked me if I could give her the e-mail address of Ady. I no longer have it. Sandy wanted to ask Ady some questions.
Thanks, Christine Thresh
From: “J. G. Row”
Browsing the quilts at www.quiltstudy.org I was intrigued by #1997.007.0821, an applique quilt in the James collection that is listed as circa 1885, probably Mennonite made in Lancaster County, Pa, machine applique, cotton brocade and damask, with multiple signatures.
If I had seen this quilt with no legend, I would have said it was 1920 or later, probably from a commercial pattern. The predominant applique color is pink (I can’t tell what the dark color is, but think it might be green) and is flowers in 4 baskets, cornered, with flowers in the border with and a scalloped edge. Is it possible that this quilt is mis-labeled? If it isn’t, I am stunned by the image and will have to relearn all I know about late 19th century and 20th century quilt history.
You can search the collection by the accession number to see this puzzling quilt.
I’d love to have your opinions.
Judy “Ringo” in Ringoes, NJ judygrow@
Date: Sat, 7 | From: “Judy Anne” <anne_j@>
Go to http://www.funtrivia.com/playquiz.cfm?qid=142044&origin for a little questionnaire and see how you do. When you get your score you also get the % of people who got each question right. You will find the percentage for the UGRR question interesting.
Judy Anne
From: Patricia L
In the January 2004 issue of The Quilter magazine, there is an article called ‘The Mill Girls of Spindle City” that Jim and I prepared for publication. After researching the topic, and after having found many sources of information, I have found yet an excellent book, post publication. The Belles of New England by William Moran is a terrific account in which I have already found several answers to questions that have been posed by readers.
First of all, there is a description of the history of the “pew rent” which the mill girls were initially required to pay at St. Anne’s Episcopal Church.
Secondly, on page 24, the author speaks of slavery as being the “most important public issue for the women, as for the rest of the country”. He goes on to point out that the mill workers were forced to weave “negro cloth”, a coarse material that was used to make clothing for slaves. (There are examples of this cloth at the Boott’s Mill Museum).
The mill girls loved the poetry of abolitionist John Greenleaf Whittier. The first two lines of one of his stanzas is:
Speed on the light to those who dwell In Slavery’s land of woe and sin,
Needless to say, I am really enjoying this book tremendously. I recommend it. The only thing lacking in its presentation are the wonderful color photos that Jim took. However, there are some great black and white ones included in the book’s special photo section.
As a shameless plug for Kris, might I remind you that if you order the book by clicking through from her site, you will be helping to support her continuing efforts to provide this list that we all enjoy so much. Thanks, Kris.
Pat Cummings
From: “Judy Kelius (judysue)” <judysue@>
Some of the questions are strange! I didn’t know what they meant by “odd man out” but guessed correctly.
From: “Judy Kelius (judysue)”
I agree – it looks like a Marie Webster pattern or a variation on one of her patterns published by a different company. Actually, I think the photo and the description are mismatched – the description refers to an album quilt, and the photo is not of an album quilt and I really doubt that the quilt shown has multiple signatures. Did you write the webmaster? I bet it is a simple mistake of mixing up photos.
Date: Sun, 8 Feb 2004 06:56:35 -0800 (PST) | From: Kris Driessen <krisdriessen@>
I got the one about the odd man out wrong. The reference to Colonial America also threw me, but I got the rest right. I wonder if she is a member of this list? Another of her quizes (http://www.funtrivia.com/quizlistgold.cfm?player=natsim) is on shape singing.
Kris
