January 13 – 17, 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:
- Rickrack Trim History — Members dig into needlework dictionaries for the earliest documented use of rickrack.
- Finding a WWII-Era Tribute Quilting Book — A member’s book search turns into a group scavenger hunt for a specific title.
- The “Judy Ringo” Nickname Story — An inside joke about a signature-quilt project takes on a life of its own.
- Colonial Revival Quilt Patterns — A McCall’s “Rose of Sharon” mislabeling sparks a pattern-history discussion.
Date: January 13, 2004 | From: “ChrisA” <chrisa@>
HI Suzanne,
I looked in two needlework dictionaries: one did not give an age first seen, but showed it could be spelled with or without the “k”; while the other was written in 1882 and it did not list rick-rack in either spelling.
Kimberly Wulfert, PhD www.antiquequiltdating.com Email: quiltdating@
Date: January 13, 2004 | From: Joan Kiplinger <jkip@>
Suzanne — I deleted your rickrack post by accident so forgive if I repeat to some extent what you said. In one of my fashion books I remembering reading that a form of rickrack called serpentine braid was popular in the mid- 19thC. Later, when it was commercially made on a larger scale basis it was called wavy braid; there was a flat tape also for crocheting wavy edges to simulate serpentine design. Rickrack as we know it in a thinner corded braid appeared around end of 1890s in various sizes. Sorry I can’t be more specific. I have too many fashion and costume books to even begin searching through to find this information.
> >
Date: January 13, 2004 | From: Donald Beld <donbeld@>
So, did everyone see the quilt last night from Chicago? I think the appraisal price was right on–$4,000 to 6,000, BUT, it was NOT a Whig Rose–it was a Rose of Sharon.
Snooping around in my inquiries about the difference between Whig Rose, Democratic Rose, Republican Rose and Rose of Sharon has turned up the following information–th Century patterns do not distinguish between the four patterns–they all basically are the same.
However, early patterns–1840-60’s, have the Whig Rose, Republican Rose, and Democratic Rose all basically the same; but the Rose of Sharon (Songs of Solomon 2:1) is a reference to the RED Rose of Sharon–the plain on the seacoast in Israel.
So the quilt on Antique Roadshow–which was Red, except for the yellow stamen center, was a Rose of Sharon. Although that quilt was dated 1852, the Rose of Sharon was, strangely enough, a campaign quilt for James Buchanan, the President just before A. Lincoln, who was from Lancaster County Penns. In the English War of the Roses, the Lancasters were the Red Roses and the Yorks the White. Interesting symbolisms.
Don Beld
Date: January 14, 2004 | From: Margareta.Faustcec.eu.int
The Oxford Dictionnary gives ‘ricrac’ as the older spelling, and dates both to ‘late 19th century’. What about Webster’s ? Margareta
HI Suzanne,
I looked in two needlework dictionaries: one did not give an age first seen, but showed it could be spelled with or without the “k”; while the other was written in 1882 and it did not list rick-rack in either spelling.
Kimberly Wulfert, PhD www.antiquequiltdating.com Email: quiltdating@
Date: January 14, 2004 | From: “Newbie Richardson”
Don and list, As soon as I saw that Ken Farmer was doing the appraisal, I figured the figure would be accurate- and it was. He runs a very well respected auction house in central Virginia, and has been in th business for many years. Newbie Richardson
1074092874 Content-Type: text/plain; charset”US-ASCII” Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit
For us new to quitling 🙂 here is what a Rose of Sharon looks like _http://www.mccallsquilting.com/bonus/layout_700/_ (http://www.mccallsquilting.com/bonus/layout_700/)
~*~ Our Little Treasure ~*~
Date: January 14, 2004 | From: “Charlotte Bull” <charloumo-net.com>
I’m not trying to revive this, but I just wanted to mention that the other day I was reading a contemporary novel about fox hunting in Virginia and there was a cat named Golliwog among the many animals who TALKED! (dogs, cats, horses, foxes etc!) Rita Mae Brown does have a unique approach to her fiction for adults! At one point Golliwog caught a mouse and carried it proudly and the dogs made a comment about her thinking she was the only cat who ever caught a mouse! There was no mention or comparison to the original character in the children’s books. I never would have caught this reference If I had not read your letters a few weeks ago. Oh yes, the cat was a calico cat. Is that a fabric reference close enough to quilt topics?
Date: January 14, 2004 | From: “Nancy Hornback”
> If you have any signature quilts please make it a New Years Resolution to > document the names on the quilt, etc. so that they can be put on file.
> I am really interested in this project. Please tell more about it. > > Judy in Ringoes, NJ
Judy, and all others interested in registering signature quilts:
Yes, by all means, please do get the information about your signature quilts ready to go into a database. This project will indeed be getting off the ground. Our initial idea was to begin gathering signature quilt registrations hoping that eventually we would find a permanent home for a database. The good news is that we may have already found such a repository. Details will soon be worked out and we will tell you more about it.
In the meantime Lynn Gorges (Palmpore@) and I (nancy96@) will be glad to hold for safekeeping any documentation sent to us until it can be turned over to the permanent database.
A signature quilt database will be a wonderful resource for us all. We look forward to hearing from you!
–Nancy Hornback
Date: January 14, 2004 | From: “Nancy Gibbs”
<<In the meantime Lynn Gorges (Palmpore@) and I (nancy96@) will be glad to hold for safekeeping any documentation sent to us until it can be turned over to the permanent database.
A signature quilt database will be a wonderful resource for us all. We look forward to hearing from you!>>
I guess I missed reading something–what is this project to involve? I have a mid-19th c. quilt with an embroidered signature and date which comes out of my late husband’s family. It’s not in terribly good condition, but was apparently VERY impressive when he first saw it as a child (before his aunt got hold of it and washed it numerous times in a wringer washer!). Large applique, red and green mostly, bound in red with one end cut off from mice damage. Is this what you’re looking for??? And are you looking just for the names or the quilts themselves?
Nancy G. in PA ——_
Date: January 14, 2004 | From: <mreich@>
Is there anyone out there in QHL land researching WWII era quilts? If so, could you email me privately. Thanks, sue reich
Date: January 14, 2004 | From: Palampore@
Sorry about that email on the digest. Have been having trouble with my email. Hopefully this copy of it will make it. My husband tried to exp lain to me in computer language what happened, but he might have as well been speaking in Portugese or some other language I don’t know!!! Will and I are in Charleston for a weekend escape. He is working a Civil War Show, and I am working on a million projects in the hotel. Then we hang out at night. If only thos e teenagers back home would stop calling!!!! My mother in law was Avis Styron Gorges. No, she wouldn’t have been known outside of Carteret Co. NC. She got the Gorges name from a soldier from O hio who was stationed in Davis, NC at the radar base during WW2. They were ma rried for 50+ years.
I appreicated Pepper letting you know about my mother-in-law’s passing. S he gave a beautiful tribute. Yes, she was a rare gem. She and I were very different and very alike. We had a common bond when it came to quilting, sewing in general, crocheting, gardening, and our love for the ocean. She was a true High Tidder of the coast of NC with the Old English style accent. She was 92 so she shared many stories of a time gone by. (She used to use flour on a strin g that you snapped to mark quilting lines, etc.) When the saddness is a little less fresh we will have a grand time watching the movies of her talking abou t her childhood on the Outer Banks, and seeing her demonstrate net making. My husband, 1 of our 2 sons (age 16), and my daughter (12) were with her and 2 other family members when she passed away. We wrapped her in a quilt as she died. When we came home that evening I took down the double wedding ring quilt she made for us as a wedding quilt (It hangs over our bed.),and my hus band and I slept under it for days. My children also slept under afghans she crocheted, and quilts she made as a way of being near her that evening. H er handiwork made that evening so much easier to bear. Her casket was covered w ith a snowball pattern quilt made by her mother at the turn of the century. Her favorite quilt. Her house was usually a wreck, like mine, but you know—-not one person mentioned that during the funeral service as people eulogized her. They t alked about her pantry filled with jams, her quilts, her creativity, her ability t o quote poems she learned as a child into her 80’s, and her warm sweet smile. I was blessed that she was a part of my life, and glad she produced her son, m y husband, who appreciates a woman who has to have boxes and boxes of fabric.
On to a couple of other things…. I was asked many years ago to do conservation/restoration work on a silk KKK robe. At first I refused. Then my husband explained to me that history is history. He said that we have to know our history in order to not repeat our mistakes. He said that items like that deserve to be seen and explained. He also gave me the history of the Klan in a very similar version to the one Ga ye told you. He said that it was really started out to protect families, but got way out of control and went in a very bad direction. He said that we need to know that good things can become evil when handled by the wrong people and f or the wrong reasons. So I did do the work and mounted it to a board for framing. I have no ide a what was ever done with it. I can’t remember everything about it, but I do have a file and pictures of i t at my studio. It was a light cream colored silk robe trimmed in red silk bands down the front. It was an A-line robe. It closed in the front with hoo ks and eyes, I think. There was an embroidered patch in red silk threads on one side of the chest. It was maybe a rose. It had fallen into the conditi on of most silk items of the early part of the 1900’s in that it was shattered and tattered silk. I do believe it was a silk weft and a cotton warp. It w as made for a department store in the Deep South—Ala. or Miss. The name of the store was on the selvedge of the fabric. Obviously this store sold them to the leaders/or those who wanted a fancy robe. There was no hood with it. The NC Museum of History has a hood that has horns with it. I remember that because the y were conserving it at the same time, and it subsequently went to be in an exhibit in Atlanta on Civil Rights, I believe. I discussed the moral issues with them as well.
VINTAGE WASH STUFF I have compiled the chemical ingredients of most of the cleaners on the market that people might consider using for quilts and antique/collectible textiles. I think I will post that info. and a summary regarding the chem icals to go with it. It will be missing the testing that I had planned to do, but I w ould like to at least get this info. out. I will post next week to let you kno w where to find it. If you have any signature quilts please make it a New Years Resolution to document the names on the quilt, etc. so that they can be put on file. Na ncy Hornbeck and I will be glad to take the info. and move on with it. (I am preaching to myself right now.) Sorry for this long post. I am playing catch up with my life. I am als o in the throws of planning a trip to Australia for days in late June. My s on will be leaving in Feb. for a semester at the Univ. of Wollongong (1 hr. sou th of Sydney), so we plan to go tour with him before he returns to the US. W ould love to hear from some of you from Australia. (Please write to me at palampore@) Happy New Year to a great group of folks. We are so fortunate to have thi s outlet. Thanks Kris for all your hard work!!!!
Off and running, Lynn Lancaster Gorges Historic Textiles Sudio New Bern, NC textilepreservation.com
Date: January 14, 2004 | From: “ChrisA” <chrisa@>
You may know this Sue, but I’ll post it for the list:
There is a terrific new book out on exactly this topic. It’s called “Women of Grace and Charm- A Quilting Tribute to the Women who served in WWII” by Barb Adams and Alma Allen. It has pictures of the women and their individual story, plus history of times during WWII, and then a quilt or block is designed and made in honor of each, which is pictured in color with instructions.
Kimberly Wulfert, PhD www.antiquequiltdating.com Email: quiltdating@
Date: January 14, 2004 | From: Feedsackfanatic@
You can find: “Women of Grace and Charm- A Quilting Tribute to the Women who served in WWII” by Barb Adams and Alma Allen at: www.connectingthreads.com.
Paula in GA
Date: January 14, 2004 | From: “Barb D” <barbdclarityconnect.com>
thank you Paula, very much. My Mom served in WWII and taught me to sew and quilt. This is the perfec t book. Barb ——-Original Message——- From: Quilt History List Date: Wednesday, January 14, 04 17:28:05 To: Quilt History List Subject: [qhl] Re: World War II quilts You can find: “Women of Grace and Charm- A Quilting Tribute to the Women who served in WWII” by Barb Adams and Alma Allen at: www.connectingthreads.co m. Paula in GA
Date: January 14, 2004 | From: “Barb D” <barbdclarityconnect.com>
ok, I’m really a dummy I guess Looked on all 3 pages of their books and can’t find it. help please! ——-Original Message——- From: Quilt History List Date: Wednesday,
Date: January 14, 2004 | From: Kris Driessen <krisdriessen@>
I found it. It’s at http://snipurl.com/3tsr
Kris
Date: January 14, 2004 | From: “Barb D” <barbdclarityconnect.com>
thanks Paula after following your instructions (lolol) I got it! ——-Original Message——- From: Quilt History List Date: Wednesday, January 14, 04 18:10:21 To: Quilt History List Subject: [qhl] Re: World War II quilts Barb, Go into connectingthreads.com, and click on books on the top menu. Scroll down and put in the title, and it should come right up. I’ve bought many items through Connecting Threads, and they have wonderful service. Let me know if you need more help. Paula
—
There were many colonial revivals during the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. This news piece was printed in 1895 a date not commonly associated with colonial revival. It indicates that the fashion industry and furniture makers were also affective by a revival at this same time. The step-by-step instructions are helpful to quilt researchers. Here two layers of wadding is encouraged. Plus, the commentary on machine quilting at the end is very tell all. It makes you appreciate all of those early machine quilted quilts all the more. sue reich
The Edwardsville Intelligencer Edwardsville, IL January 11, 1895
PATCHWORK QUILTS
AN OLD FASHIONED PHASE OF NEEDLEWORK REVIVED
Two Effective but Simple Designs of the Real Old Time Order – Directions For Finishing Off Lining and Quilting These Bright Bedcovers.
The old fashioned patchwork can never become entirely obsolete while there are in the majority of households little fingers just learning to hold the needle or failing eyes that require some simple occupation or pastime. The result of the hours pleasantly spent over the bright colored fragments is always acceptable to the good house mother, for these pieced quilts are light, warm, durable and easily cleansed. Of late months everything which could be recognized as old fashioned is the new fashion, and this is as truly the case in needlework as in sleeves or furniture. The decree has gone forth that a revival of patchwork quilts is at hand, and dainty fingers whose owners have known only patches and patchwork from family description are busy placing the blocks together in new and artistic patterns as well as in the real old time order. With an effort to aid prospective quiltmakers in avoiding the rock of ugliness and the whirlpool of intricacy a writer for The Ladies’ Home Journal gives illustrated descriptions of a number of pleasing designs, among which are the following: A quilt of red and white is made of turkey red and white cotton. The center square is 10 ½ inches. The surrounding strip is 2 inches wide. It is perhaps the most easily made and effective pattern that can be given. The quilt is made oblong by adding a strip at top and bottom and can be made larger or smaller by altering the size of the center square. Great care must of course be taken that all the patches are cut evenly and well. A very simple and at the same time effective pattern is one that has been known as the album quilt unfortunately, which may prejudice some against the neat little squares that look so pretty either in blue and white or pink and white. Having made the patchwork of the desired dimensions comes the finishing by tacking two layers of wadding on the inner side. Then make a lining of soft white cotton exactly the same size and baste it very carefully upon the wadded patchwork. Be lavish with your basting thread, running it around the edges diagonally from corner to corner and across again after the fashion of the union jack. Give it some additional lines until the patchwork and lining are smoothly and firmly fastened together and ready for the final process of quilting. The old fashioned quilting bars, into which the work is now ready to be fastened, insure the most perfect results. The lines that are to be followed with a light running are marked with colored chalk in diamonds or squares of any angle or size preferred. A quilting bee is the merriest and quickest way of finishing the quilt after all these preliminary preparations have been made. If the quilting bars and the bee are not attainable, the work may be spread upon a bed, and with a little extra care and trouble may be quilted in that way. The worst way of all is to use the sewing machine for the purpose, and the best is to find some skillful, old fashioned sewing woman who will take your dainty, bright patchwork, line it, quilt it in delicate, fine tracery and bind it for a moderate sum. A well made quilt will last in constant use for many years and can be renovated by recovering when worn or faded.
Date: January 15, 2004
There were many colonial revivals during the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. This news piece was printed in 1895 a date not commonly associated with colonial revival. It indicates that the fashion industry and furniture makers were also affective by a revival at this same time. The step-by-step instructions are helpful to quilt researchers. Here two layers of wadding is encouraged. Plus, the commentary on machine quilting at the end is very tell all. It makes you appreciate all of those early machine quilted quilts all the more. sue reich
The Edwardsville Intelligencer Edwardsville, IL January 11, 1895
PATCHWORK QUILTS
AN OLD FASHIONED PHASE OF NEEDLEWORK REVIVED
Two Effective but Simple Designs of the Real Old Time Order – Directions For Finishing Off Lining and Quilting These Bright Bedcovers.
The old fashioned patchwork can never become entirely obsolete while there are in the majority of households little fingers just learning to hold the needle or failing eyes that require some simple occupation or pastime. The result of the hours pleasantly spent over the bright colored fragments is always acceptable to the good house mother, for these pieced quilts are light, warm, durable and easily cleansed. Of late months everything which could be recognized as old fashioned is the new fashion, and this is as truly the case in needlework as in sleeves or furniture. The decree has gone forth that a revival of patchwork quilts is at hand, and dainty fingers whose owners have known only patches and patchwork from family description are busy placing the blocks together in new and artistic patterns as well as in the real old time order. With an effort to aid prospective quiltmakers in avoiding the rock of ugliness and the whirlpool of intricacy a writer for The Ladies’ Home Journal gives illustrated descriptions of a number of pleasing designs, among which are the following: A quilt of red and white is made of turkey red and white cotton. The center square is 10 ½ inches. The surrounding strip is 2 inches wide. It is perhaps the most easily made and effective pattern that can be given. The quilt is made oblong by adding a strip at top and bottom and can be made larger or smaller by altering the size of the center square. Great care must of course be taken that all the patches are cut evenly and well. A very simple and at the same time effective pattern is one that has been known as the album quilt unfortunately, which may prejudice some against the neat little squares that look so pretty either in blue and white or pink and white. Having made the patchwork of the desired dimensions comes the finishing by tacking two layers of wadding on the inner side. Then make a lining of soft white cotton exactly the same size and baste it very carefully upon the wadded patchwork. Be lavish with your basting thread, running it around the edges diagonally from corner to corner and across again after the fashion of the union jack. Give it some additional lines until the patchwork and lining are smoothly and firmly fastened together and ready for the final process of quilting. The old fashioned quilting bars, into which the work is now ready to be fastened, insure the most perfect results. The lines that are to be followed with a light running are marked with colored chalk in diamonds or squares of any angle or size preferred. A quilting bee is the merriest and quickest way of finishing the quilt after all these preliminary preparations have been made. If the quilting bars and the bee are not attainable, the work may be spread upon a bed, and with a little extra care and trouble may be quilted in that way. The worst way of all is to use the sewing machine for the purpose, and the best is to find some skillful, old fashioned sewing woman who will take your dainty, bright patchwork, line it, quilt it in delicate, fine tracery and bind it for a moderate sum. A well made quilt will last in constant use for many years and can be renovated by recovering when worn or faded.
Date: January 15, 2004 | From: Judy White <jawhiteinfionline.net>
Well Charlie, since you brought up the subject of a cat named Golliwog – that’s a pretty good name for a cat and I have 3 cats with pretty ordinary names, but in the paper this morning in the comic strip “Get Fuzzy” (I know all of you don’t get that strip) there was a cat named Chubby Huggs. He was fat and hugged everybody. I just love that name! Now, figure out how to work that into quilt history.
Judy White in New England’s ice box
Date: January 15, 2004 | From: “ChrisA” <chrisa@>
Sure Barb, the book is available at Quilt Emporium, which is their website too, .com. They are near me in CA.
Kimberly Wulfert, PhD www.antiquequiltdating.com Email: quiltdating@
—– Original Message —– From: “Barb D” <barbdclarityconnect.com> To: “Quilt History List” <qhl@> Sent: Wednesday, January 14, 2004 2:13 PM Subject: [qhl] Re: World War II quilts
Amazon isn’t cooperating with me finding this book. sigh Any ideas? Barb D
——-Original Message——-
From: Quilt History List Date: Wednesday, January 14, 2004 16:30:08 To: Quilt History List Subject: [qhl] Re: World War II quilts
You may know this Sue, but I’ll post it for the list:
There is a terrific new book out on exactly this topic. It’s called “Women of Grace and Charm- A Quilting Tribute to the Women who served in WWII” by Barb Adams and Alma Allen. It has pictures of the women and their individual story, plus history of times during WWII, and then a quilt or block is designed and made in honor of each, which is pictured in color with instructions.
Kimberly Wulfert, PhD www.antiquequiltdating.com Email: quiltdating@
Date: January 15, 2004 | From: Donald Beld <donbeld@>
Great pattern in McCall’s; however, they “mislabelled” it as a Rose of Sharon. The pattern is probably? from the 20’s or 30’s and is an example of what I was saying about published patterns in the 20th Century being called Rose of Sharon rather than Whig Rose. The reason for this, of course, is that there were no Whigs in the 1920 or 230’s but were folks who like Biblical References. (The reference is in Song of Solomon 2:1 and is talking about the plains on the sea coast in Israel–did I say that already? It’s hell getting old.)
I forgot to attribute my comments about the Red Rose of Sharon 1840-50’s pattern and the change in the Twentieth Century to Cuesta Benberry. Always best to blame an expert; although Cuesta would tell you that her comments were from memory as her research material all went to the American Folk Art Museum in New York City.
Anyway, fun patterns and more interesting ways that 19th Century women showed their political leaning when they were not allowed to vote.–what was the difference between a married Caucasian women in 1840 and a slave? Not much that I can see. Don Beld
Date: January 15, 2004 | From: Palampore@
Nancy and I decided at the AQSG Conference in Dallas that there needed to be a depository of some sort for information found on signature quilts. That is a quilt with several signatures—-one used to tell a friend good-bye, a wedding quilt, a church fund raiser, etc. You get the gist….. Send to me or Nancy a photo of the quilt, history of the quilt, information about the construction of the quilt, and most important the names that you can read on the quilt and geographical info. that you have. If you would like to send it to me via the US mail look at my site and get my address—-www.textilepreservation.com, or you may email it. Just don’t send the photo with a monster size file. We are in the process of talking with a group who might like to “store” this info. for future research by people. We think it could be a great way to study signature/friendship quilts by states, by regions, by time periods, popular patterns,etc. If you need more info. let me know. Sorry my post had so much “junk” in it. Not sure what is going on. Hope this one is normal. I spoke with a jewelry dealer at the CW show last weekend and she had problems with the jewelry in Cold Mountain. Such a shame they didn’t do a better job with their costumes, but for the “untrained” eye it looks great. It just bothered me that Nicole had such wonderfully clean looking hair all the time. You know it would have been slicked down with just plain old dirt and oil after the life they lived….not so fluffy and bouncy….Oh well, my CW expert husband and I still enjoyed the movie a great deal. I do plan to see it again. I still question Rudy’s patchwork skirt. I need to see that a 2nd time. Off to do paperwork. Lynn Lancaster Gorges Historic Textiles Studio New Bern, NC palampore@ textilepreservation.com civilwarshop.com
Date: January 15, 2004 | From: “Nancy Gibbs” <izannah1@>
<<information found on signature quilts. That is a quilt with several signatures—-one used to tell a friend good-bye, a wedding quilt, a church fund raiser, etc>>
OK, I see–the one I have does not fall into that category. It was simply signed and dated by the maker of the quilt. It’s white stitching on white background, so it’s a bit hard to read, but it’s definitely 1860. Thanks for the clarification. Nancy G. ——=_NextPart_000_00F3_01C3DBAD.345337C0–
Date: January 16, 2004 | From: “Sally Ward” <sallytatters@>
Since we returned briefly to the subject, I thought this example of ‘wog’ as a derogatory term might be of interest to the wordsmiths amongst you <G>. There is an enquiry going on at the moment into some financial shenanigans in the late 70s involving the Bank of England and an independent banking outfit set up by a Pakistani financier. My newspaper this morning thought it worth headlining an article on this with the information that the abusive term was used by a Bank of England official in 1978 when referring to Indian bankofficials. I know that to many Golliwogs are charmingly innocent, and that the origin of ‘wog’ was not from ‘golliwog’, but in the area of outer London where I grew up we had a large immigrant Pakistani population and the two had become unpleasantly interchangeable at that time.
http://news.independent.co.uk/business/news/story.jsp?story=481719
Sally W in the UK
Date: January 16, 2004 | From: “Judy Lyons” <judy.lyonscogeco.ca>
Traditional British Quilts I’m looking to purchase the above subject book, by Dorothy Osler.ISBN0713447613. I cannot find a source of this British book. Can anyone help me?
Judy Lyons AQS Certified Canadian Quilt Appraiser judy.lyonscogeco.ca
Date: January 16, 2004 | From: aol.com
Try either amazon.co.uk or blackwells.co.uk. I just checked the Blackwell’s site and saw that they offer this title via their book search feature.
I know Dorothy is on this list (and recently sold me a gorgeous book on North Country quilts – I love it!), so perhaps she has some suggestions. Good luck!
Karen Evans Easthampton, Massachusetts morning temperature: -9 f.
Date: January 16, 2004 | From: KareQuilt@
Judy, Judy, Judy. So sorry about that new creation of a last name for you. I think I told you when I met you face to face for the first time at AQSG meeting in Williamsburg that I can’t seem get the idea out of my head that your last name is not Ringo! Maybe I should name you Judy Inringoes. <vbg> It must have something to do with the way you sign your name at the end of your posts. Or maybe I just like to be reminded of Ringo of Beatles fame by the name. <g>
Karen Alexander
Date: January 16, 2004 | From: “J. G. Row”
Karen,
No need to apologize. I have adopted the name as my “aka” and have incorporated it into my signature. I love it! I hear the music from the TV series in my head every time I do — as though it was written just for me!
Ringoes NJ was named for John Ringoe, a tavern keeper in the late 18th century. His tavern is gone but the tavern belonging to his only competitor, his brother, still stands. It is said that John hid a cache of gold in a field somewhere in the area. I’ve been thinking about getting a metal detector………………
Judy “Ringo” in Ringoes, NJ judygrow@
Date: January 16, 2004 | From: aol.com
Actually, “Judy Ringo” sounds like a singer in a honky-town bar on the outskirts of town. Maybe this could be your alter ego when you want a little walk on the wild side?
*wide-eyed innocent stare*
Karen Evans in the deep freeze they call Massachusetts
Date: January 16, 2004 | From: Gail Ingram <gingram@>
I did not know who had first hit upon the name Judy Ringo, and Karen, I’m glad to know it was you. As a young child, my daughter was a Platonist (now she’s an investment banker and I suspect Plato has gone by the wayside). She believed in the world of the Ideal and that every creature and, indeed, every physical thing had a name. The job of human beings was to discover the name for each thing. Then harmony would reign. It was, she once told me, like Noah: he divined the names of all the creatures. “Could you imagine,” she asked at age four, “a giraffe named ‘rat’?”
For instance, my class of gifted students once gave me a highly ungifted dog. Many might have called him stupid, in fact. No one in our family could really find a name that “felt” right for this animal. Oh, we came upon lots of names, but not a single one that fit. Then one afternoon, Kathryn walked in with a concerned look on her face. “Mama,” she said, “I hate to tell you this, but I think I know the pup’s name——Pete.” We just looked at each other,separated by 31 years but united in knowing we owned a dog named Pete and that no good could come of that. She was right and Pete was a wayward creature who once went into a frenzy and dashed about Kathryn’s room marking everything in sight—the dust ruffle to her bed, her basket of dolls, her teddy bears. All got a squirt, despite her cries and the pillows she heaved from the safety of her high mattress. We never really housebroke him, he came when called only if we were his original destination, and he bit the hand that fed him. As a finale, he went up on the highway and ran into a truck on the afternoon of our big Christmas party, thereby dulling the mirth of the evening. For even if one is a Pete and wayward, when you’ve had him since his infancy, you have tender feelings for him.
Well, Karen, what I think you did was discover the “real” name of our Judith Kaman Grow. And you should be proud of yourself, not sorrowful. Back to Plato—this is our Ms. Grow’s “real” name. And I can tell you she is proud of it.
And Karen, were it not so cold in Massachusetts that people are not fully “at” themselves, I bet you would have recognized the name is not that of “a singer in a honky-town bar on the outskirts of tow,” though that would certainly be a desirable identity.
But think of it: Judy Ringoe. This is the name of the leader of Western gang, a fast-riding, daring, desperado who could shoot like Annie Oakley and who, when she walked into a saloon or bank or a quilt shop, has the way automatically and silently open before her. It is a name whispered in awe (a hushed “Jake said Judy Ringo is in Parker’s Gulch” and the room falls into hush).
And I personally feel I have been led, via QHL and AQSG, to this powerful gang leader (“The Ringo Gang” —roll that over your tongue on this cold night in MA). Aside from having my mother toss my Sky King Spy Ring when I left home for college, the great disappointment of my youth was never getting a cowgirl outfit. I yearned for leather fringe, matching skirt and cowgirl boots (after all, I was a southern cowgirl—matching mattered), holstered, horn-handled pistols and a dead-on Stetson with a feather from an exotic bird in its band. The kind of hat where one merely had to nod her head to get action. Yearned desperately—Christmas in and Christmas out for years. In the blue crackling cold of childhood Christmas mornings, I would rip into a box just knowing it held my wished-for cowgirl outfit. And it would instead hold a set of play pots and pans or a tea set over which my mother would ooh and ahhh but which I knew would give me no status in the daily games of cowboys and Indians played by all my cousins.
And now, after all these years, hope flickers again—-there’s a chance I might get admitted to the infamous Judy Ringo gang. The mere thought evokes the fragrance of buckskin and the sound of boots walking slowly and deliberately across a wooden floor. So what if I had to move to a colder clime? The pleasure of being able to walk up to some wide-eyed innocent toting a bag of quilts and say, “Gimme that bag, lady!” in a truly Jane Wayne voice that dropped the bag from her hands without another word———well, how can one describe it?
Tombstone Territory had its famous names. So did places now fallen into ruin. But to be in the Judy Ringo gang (AQSG/QHL)—well, them’s no small potatoes.
So, Karen, I personally am grateful that you “discovered” Judy Ringo. Consider yourself a medium of the cosmos.
And that’s why this Louisianian, about to go for a walk in 60-degree temperature under the clearest, starriest sky imaginable, is thinking of a Palamino. And in the soft sound of walking-shoe rubber on pavement, I’ll be hearing the thunder of horses’ hooves,
Still lost in Louisiana, Gail
Date: January 17, 2004 | From: “Jan Drechsler” <quiltdoc@>
Gail, I be in da ringo gang long time. Whats dis buckskin stuff? We ain’t ina da woods, some farms. New York isa hour away. Ya mean leather jackets? Leather Pants? We leave our harley’s home & drive da car to bring all da quilts to da studio study group so we dont wear no leathers. we dress up in jeans and sweaters and some special ladies wear dresses except for the guys dont.
> So what if I had to move to a colder >clime? The pleasure of being able to walk up to some wide-eyed innocent >toting a bag of quilts and say, “Gimme that bag, lady!” in a truly Jane >Wayne voice that dropped the bag from her hands without another >word– Dere’s some problems hear. First, your teeth aint useta reel cold and they chatter chatter. many new jersians aint useta pretty southren talk and we listen listen but dont get it so we go uh huh umm and nod nod and smile smile and walk away. So you go chatter chatter accent accent we go listen listen nod smile and you don’t get no quilts.
Da bag of quilts is like the cub and the hand holdin it mama bear. keep away cause mama dont give up her baby without a tussle. Ain’t buckskin just deer an bear dont run from deer cause they afraid, right.
you come up to a studio study group sometime when I can a hop ona my Subaru an drive south to Judy Ringo. If it be winter I wear my polartec and down no leather. didja know dat da gang just took an oath to cover our bodies with tatoos of quilts? but it ok cause you choose your favorite antique quilts so we all look different.
Jan
4 degrees this morning. Hoorah, it’s a warming trend. Was minus 17 at 8 a.m. last Friday, going to a Mass Quilt Documention at a Historical Society. Brr
P.S. It is really hard to write with such poor spelling and incorrect grammar. How do those kids do it so well? — Jan Drechsler in Vermont Quilt Restoration; Quilting teacher www.@/~bobmills
Date: January 17, 2004 | From: aol.com
In a message dated 1/17/04 10:52:07 AM Eastern Standard Time, quiltdoc@ writes:
> > P.S. It is really hard to write with such poor spelling and incorrect > grammar. How do those kids do it so well? >
Practice, I guess. Me, I’ve always wondered how they walk around with their jeans hanging off their butts without tripping and falling flat on their faces…..
Karen Evans
Date: January 17, 2004 | From: KareQuilt@
I somehow inadvertently hit “reply” to the Digest! I assume it sent the whole digest back to be posted!! Yikes. I have never done that before. My apologies to the list. Karen A.
Date: January 17, 2004 | From: Gail Ingram
Jan and Kittencat and all,
Yes, yes, I know all about J. G. Row’s quilt study group—have seen pictures, discovered Judysue Kelius is not a Doris Day lookalike (whew!), and so on.
But that was before Karen A. discovered Judy Ringo.
It’s a whole nother world now.
Imagine those guys in that cave of Plato—the ones who had been locked in place looking at a cave wall with a nice warm fire to their backsides and thinking the shadows they saw on that wall before them were the real deals. And then one day, totally unexpected, along comes someone like Karen Alexader and unchains them and they discover the shadows are just that—shadows. And they see Truth, not shadows.
That’s it. That’s the way it is. Cold and ice, warm and natural–it makes no diff: a vision like that lifts us to new heights, new places in the cosmos.
It might take a minute or so to adjust, but we are never the same.
So I’m thinking Judy Ringo is also thinking Palaminos and leather fringe and living bigger than when she was only J. G. Row (even though being a former Miss Atlantic City aint no small potatoes and being the owner of a quilt like that red-and-green fandango quilt certainly aint nothing either). Do not be surprised if she opens the next gathering of your fine group with a big “yee-haw!” Don’t say a humble suthern gull didn’t warn you. Be prepared.
And as for regional differences, so eloquenly discussed by the Connecticut Kid last fall in Dallas, in this case I think they don’t apply. I wouldn’t REALLY come to New Joisey to stay. Just to hitch up with the infamous Judy Ringo and head into the world. Think of Roy Rogers and Lance LaRue and all the tougher, rougher “good” gangs—they didn’t live in places like Ringoes, NJ. They lived beyond place and clime. And so, I think, did the less good gangs, the ones who robbed banks and lived tough. And so, I think, will the Ringo gang. That’s where Plato comes in.
Oh, and while I do not mean to suggest that you folks living in the frigid climes of New York and New Jersey don’t know hardship, please understand that anybody who has survived Southern summers and dealt with mosquitoes the size of alligators, a host of venomous reptiles, and southern children (who come from the womb talking smart) would be daunted by a mere mama bear or her human equivalent. Folks like me, who live not 25 miles from where the infamous Bonnie and Clyde operated and were felled, are tuff.
You chilly folks have the right and no doubt also the reason to think close thoughts. Me, I’m from Louisiana where folks think hardly at all but recognize Truth when it suddenly appears before them in a starburst sent by someone so wise as Karen A. And we live close enough to Texas to know there really are boots and palaminos and fringed leather and land, lotsa land neath the starry skies above.
Everyone has to follow her own vision. But me, I’m going to go with the sound of boots on a plank walk and the sweet sweet dream of buckskin and Stetsons. Oh, and spurs, like Chaucer’s Wyf of Bath, who wore the finest red cloth from Flanders with her spurs, I just know there will be southerners in the Ringo gang and that we will add to its fame and, of course, infamy.
Folks with spurs, all might note, hardly evah fall over their jeans— it is fine leather belts that keep our jeans on our sweet bodies down here, of course, but falling on one’s spurs would also provide a certain incentive, I think. That and our relative unconcern for spelling and grammar and Plato is how we’re going to be ready to ride up to some wide-eyed innocent and say, “Drop them quilts, lady!”
—and then, with a quick swoop and a spurred Palamino, ride off into the sunset with who-knows-what bounty/plunder.
With apologies for off-topicness, promises of no more on this topic, and warnings to wide-eyed innocents across the world, gi, an applicant for the Ringo Gang.
Date: January 17, 2004 | From: “Maurice Northen”
Oh, Gail, this is better than Scarlett and Rhett anytime!
Date: January 17, 2004 | From: “Mary Persyn”
And don’t forget that she can spot and purchase at a discount a New England chintz quilt in a Texas “antique” shop that was missed by hordes of Northern quilt experts.
Mary Who has really been enjoying this slightly off-topic discussion
Mary G. Persyn Law Librarian School of Law Library Valparaiso University Valparaiso, IN 46383 219-465-7830 FAX 219-465-7917
Date: January 17, 2004 | From: “J. G. Row”
http://www.johnnyringo.net/ THE TV SERIES
http://www.johnnyringo.com/ THE HISTORICAL JOHNNY RINGO
Xenia might know decendants.
http://www.patriotresource.com/tombstone/factfict/ringo.html More on the historical Ringgold. Which is it I wonder — Ringo or Ringgold?
Date: January 17, 2004 | From: Dana Balsamo
Hey Judy, those pics are weird…there’s no color! Hugs, Dana, 33 Years young in 2 weeks
J. G. Row <JudyGrow@> wrote: http://www.johnnyringo.net/ THE TV SERIES
http://www.johnnyringo.com/ THE HISTORICAL JOHNNY RINGO
Xenia might know decendants.
http://www.patriotresource.com/tombstone/factfict/ringo.html More on the historical Ringgold. Which is it I wonder — Ringo or Ringgold?
Date: January 17, 2004 | From: Joan Kiplinger <jkip@>
Oh my goodness, see where this varmint died on July 13! Not a good omen for us born on that day. Enjoying this 3-ringo circus. Thanx for fun mixed with history, Judy and Gail.
This fashion article was published exactly 86 years ago today. It goes into great detail about the new and fashionable quilted hats. In addition, the description of bathing suits for spring or winter resort wear are rather humorous by today’s standards. sue
The Elyria Telegram Elyria, Ohio January 18, 1918
QUILTS FOR THE HEAD ARE TO BE POPULAR By Margaret Mason (Written for the United Press)
He put his head beneath the quilt Because his nose was nearly friz. She put a quilt upon her head Because the latest style it is.
New York. Jan. 18 – This is just the freezing season of the year when folks all want to keep under cover and draw the quilt well up over the heads. Quilts have doubtless been worn over the head in this fashion ever since the first quilting bee. No doubt the comfort derived from such a procedure inspired our ancestresses of Revolutionary days to evolve the snug and close fitting quilted hoods and bonnets that they tied beneath their dimple chin on days of frosty chill. Madame La Mode, ever on the lookout for novel ideas, has pounced on this old quilt head covering and as a result all the feminine swell heads at Palm Beach, Coronade and the other winter resorts, are to be worn under quilts this season. Behold then the quilted hat, the evolution of our grand dames quilted bonnet.
All the Fifth avenue windows dressed in their Palm Beach clothes have a quilted hat or two as their crowning glory. The quilted hats come in all forms and shapes and fancies. If you choose a close fitting cocky little chapeau, it is yours all hand quilted over the top of the crow and bring in taffeta or cotton material in any desirable hue. If perforce you think a picturesque floppy hot suits better your type of beauty, the variety brimmed common or garden variety is yours for the buying either quilted over the top or straw on top with the brim faced underneath in shell pink silk, hand quilted. Indeed there are great possibilities and unlimited fascination in the quilted hats and rare will be the woman averse to sticking her head under a quilt like one of these. For sheer originality and audacity a little hat of tourquoise taffeta has the quilted novelties almost in a state of collapse. Its trimming consists of a half-finished knitted band of tourquoise wool part way around the crown, while in front the black topped ivory knitting needles are thrust across each other through the net of the ball of yarn at a rakish poise and angle. The only way I see for the quilted hats to beat this novel trimming is to try a festoon of quilting bees around the crowns’.
The showing of winter resort frocks and suits in the windows offers nothing so startlingly ingenious or new as the hats do. In fact in one shop whose windows are all adorned with miniature orange trees to set off the summary styles, you can’t help but notice quite a few lemons among the oranges, although no doubt when donned by some Palm Beach peach or pippin these sorry and sour looking frocks will take on a much more fruit-flavor. Just as velvet was the material of the winter styles so now silk as presaged by these early resort fashions promise to be the material de lux of spring. Straight lines and much hand embroidery in contrasting colors or in bright tints on white are leading notes both on dresses and suits.
Embroidered panels falling from the waist line over the hips half way or all the way of the skirts are popular skirt touches and the embroidered panels hanging the entire front of the gown from the neck line to the hem is a distinct new feature of oyster ad ivory pongee, tussor and the rough weave Japanese and Chinese silke are the cool looking suit with loose fitting coats sash girdled with tasseled ends. Gay plaid, striped and polka-dotted parasols and vivid hued Oriental necklaces and strings of barbari beads add the desired touches of color to these white costumes with which of course smart white pumps and hose and a perky white quilted hat are to be worn. High collared long sleeved bathing suits to be worn with face veil so that no portion of the timid wearer’s anatomy may suffer from over exposure to a too ardent sun are among the many sensational innovations to be oered up on the sands or the summer seas but a far more dashing and daring confection is a white satin suit striped vertically and widely in black on the very short skirt and widely and horizontally on the very low necked and sleeveless bodice. There it is in plain black and white – but not too plain – in a Fifth avenue window for some to see ere it goes to a summer sea for some more to see.
Date: January 17, 2004 | From: “Brenda & Roger Applegate”
There was a recent discussion on 18th century women’s list regarding quilts in the 1700’s. I have cut and pasted the information to transfer it to the quilt history list for anyone who is interested. If anyone would like to add comments I will gladly forward it onto to the 18th century list. This group of re-enactors is very careful to do research and present living history as correct as they possibly can. What a great group to introduce the public to quilting. Brenda rbappleg1@
Through my genealogy and living history research I (Tim writing) have ran across many probate inventories. Out of curiosity I did a quick search regarding quilts and came up with the following information some of you may be interested in. Sorry if it’s rather dry reading but it is, after all, from probate inventories <BG>.
Out of 150 inventories I looked through there were a total of 199 objects listed as quilts. Of the 150 households there were 43 that did not list any quilts. There were also 15 households that listed quilting frames.
Only 46 quilts had any further description (other than old, small, large etc.). To keep this from getting too boring or long I’ll just mention the quilts that caught my attention. There were:
9 silk quilts 1 silk “patch work” (1759) 1 “real Mersailles” 1 “Mersails” 1 patch callico 1 “new patchworked” (1763) 1 pc. “patched work for bed quilt” (1775) 3 cotton quilts
11 “silk” 27 “callico” including 1 “patch callico” 1 green 1 blue 1 red and white 2 drk. cotton 2 lined with woolen 1 with blue lining 4 chintz 5 listed as part or not finished quilts
On average they were evenly spread throughout the time frame 1740-1790.
The earliest reference was in 1742 with one household have 4 quilts (no further description). The information is from the Maryland/Virginia/south east Pennsylvania area.
The earliest quilting frame mentioned was in 1752 and the rest are pretty evenly spread through 1790.
The quilt references themselves appeared mostly associated with bedding, ie: with blankets, sheets (a lot of which are listed as cotton), bedsteads etc.
Sorry I forgot about the value of the quilts. They ranged in value from 2 shillings (for an old, small quilt, much worn) to 1 pound. Average is around 12 shillings.
The inventories themselves are from a variety of “social classes” from rather poor to the upper class. Something I’ve found is that the variety of goods throughout the social structure is pretty much the same. The differance is more in the quantity of goods and to a lesser degree in there value.
Because Tim is a very modest and very nice man, he did not fully extol the virtues of his site at Jerusalem Mill. Some of the absolutely nicest people in the world operate the site…which is a beautiful and quickly growing “village” just north of Baltimore, on the banks of the Gunpowder River in Gunpowder Falls State Park. And do they ever have good stuff in the works!!! If those folks are able to accomplish even just 50% of what they plan, it will be
soooooooo absolutely incredible! Great people, great site…and…..October of every single year is the Colonial Craftsman Weekend – and every body should come!!! (Right, Tim???? You can now respond to all the inquiries about it!!!!)
I believe some of Tim’s research has been on the Gunston Hall website. If you’re not familiar, Gunston (Laurie Kittle, if you’re on here chime in) has taken a large number of Maryland and Va. inventories from 3 different social classes and done fabulous things with them. You can sort every which way, you can single out objects…it is simply an incredible resource. Just access their website. Tim has the address at the end of his note…it is: www.gunstonhall.org
