January 20 – 27, 1999
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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:
- Hidden in Plain View Reactions — More members finish the book and share enthusiastic reviews alongside Wilene Smith’s Amazon review, while Laura Hobby Syler urges caution about accepting any quilt history claims uncritically.
- Orlofsky’s Quilts in America Critique — Laura Hobby Syler warns that the landmark Orlofsky reference contains outdated claims now known to be romanticized, prompting a newcomer to ask for specifics.
- Quilting Stitch Traditions by Region — Members compare Midwestern, Southern, and international hand-piecing and quilting stitch practices, including single vs. double thread and backstitching norms.
- Lace Crazy Quilts — Judy Grow discovers bedcovers assembled from mixed lace scraps in an antique shop and asks about their origin, technique, and time period; Terri Ellis identifies the craft. (see the article on Victorian crazy quilts)
- Kantha & Indian Quilting Traditions — Jenny Whitehead in South Africa recalls exhibiting Indian-made cotton quilts pieced from saris and quilted in concentric rectangles, sparking interest in kantha.
- Asian Fabrics & Textile Sources — R & L Carroll share information on Asian fabric sources in the Los Angeles area and offer sampler conservation referrals.
- Charlottesville Museum Appraisal Request — Lynn Lancaster Gorges seeks a quilt appraiser in the Charlottesville, Virginia area to help a small museum evaluate quilts and children’s clothing from 1880-1940. (see the article on quilt appraisers)
Date: Wed, 20 Jan 1999 09:18:44 -0800 | From: “R & L Carroll” <Robert.J.Carroll [at] GTE [dot] net>
Hello Alan. re:your question on the sampler. Faye Walcher is a conservator of fine fabrics in our area. 12812 Philadelphia St. Whittier, Ca. 90601. Telephone # (562) 945-2669. She cleaned and framed a sampler for a friend of mine who seemed happy with the results.
Laurette
Date: Wed, 20 Jan 1999 12:20:23 EST | From: SudaNim [at] aol [dot] com
American Science and Surplus has finger cots for about $2 per 100-144….And they’re so wonderful in their assortment of completely random electronics, crafts suipplies and machinery that I highly recommend them. Don’t have the number with me, but they have a web site. (www.sciplus.com). Their descrptions are half the fun They’re also a magnificent source for small vials, bottles, plastic boxes.(Current stock includes those tiny, shimmeryGerman glass beads that you glue on, for about $1 per oz.)
Date: Wed, 20 Jan 1999 11:33:24 -0600 | From: Maury Bynum <maurybynum [at] textileconservators [dot] com>
An additional bit to this topic:
Sally was Jefferson’s wife’s 1/2 sister. After Jefferson’s wife’s mother died, her father fathered children with a slave–probably one reason Jefferson was so charitable to these offsprings. Dumas Malone’s Jefferson Bio (6 Volumes!) is a great read!!
Maury Bynum
Date: Wed, 20 Jan 1999 12:52:04 -0500 | From: “Judy Grow” <Judygrow [at] blast [dot] net>
Yesterday DH and I went to the huge Armory Antiques Show in NYC . No danger of us spending any money there! None whatsoever! I doubt if anything there was under 4 figures for sale. But we go every year to see what the swells are buying.
America Hurrah, which closed their shop in NYC last year was there, with a wonderful selection of at least 10 quilts. They were the only dealers there with quilts.
Only one was hung, but it was a beauty.
A red and green quilt, probably Ohio, 9 blocks with vine border. The thing that made it really special was the addition of blue birds in the corner of each block. It was pristine.
The one I would have killed for was folded over a rack. It was also a red and green quilt, well worn on the red and green, but clean, with applique blocks alternating with plain blocks, all on point. All the plain areas were quilted with
DIFFERENT quilting designs, stitched at least 14 stitches to the inch, and then trapuntoed. The work was mind-boggling. When I was chatting with Mrs. Kopf (sp?) about how they were able to accomplish such minute stitches she said it was because of the quality of their needles and the fineness of their thread.
Personally I think it was because they had compulsive behaviour disorders. But, we have never discussed the tools of the nineteenth century quilters. Were their needles and threads that much better than ours? They didn’t have Ott lights, or magnifying glasses attached to lights. Did they use beeswax on their threads? Those ladies in western Pa, and Ohio didn’t have the luxury of spending years on a quilt — they mostly needed them for bed coverings. They didn’t have good lighting so they could work at night, and their days were filled with other chores that we have tools and appliances to make short shrift of. They didn’t have lightboxes, or even sliding glass doors with large panes of glass.How did they get it all done — and so well, too!
Most surprising to me was all the native American things at the show, and the prices attached to them! Gorgeous coiled baskets were especially appealing.
One booth had 4 kimono/robes, 2 done by the Ainu of Japan, 2 done by NA Indians. Only one of the 4 was in cotton material as the base fabric. Two were in elm fibers — a gorgeous warm tan naturally, and not twisted. The decoration on all the robes was applique around the shoulder and back in undulating and overlapping motifs, the applique strips usually 1″ wide, and not always cut on the bias. Often they were overembroidered in a chain stitch down the middle. They were either late 19th century, or early 20th century. The motifs and techniques were remarkably similar from Japan to west coast U.S.
There were also hooded parkas from the Alaskan Indians made of marine mammal intestine — only about 3″ wide — sewn up one length above the other as topstitching with dark sinew, and then embroidered in tiny tufts of dyed fur in very bright (aniline) colors. The material was bright white, and they were beautiful.
Darwin, Mrs. Kopf and I chatted about the upcoming Philly show, and AH will not be there. She said to say hello to you when next we chatted.
Judy in Ringoes, NJ judygrow [at] blast [dot] net
Date: Wed, 20 Jan 1999 16:49:11 -0500 | From: Jean Ann <quiltmag [at] mindspring [dot] com>
Well way back, (let’s just say way back) when I was taking fashion design, pattern making, tailoring, fine french hand sewing, in college….we had to do a whole repertoire of hand sewing techniques. Each example went on a little index card and I still have those card and have used them for doing various fine hand sewing techniques over the many years since. The most simple was back stitching. In the days before sewing machines (no it wasn’t that far back! LOL) backing stitching was routinely done with each new “needle-full” of stitches to simple add strength to a seam. A seamstress would gather up ten or more tiny stitches, in and out, in and out, on her needle; slide the needle through… then….take a little backstitch to add strength to the seam as you load your needle up one more time. Ten stitches, backstitch, ten stitches, backstitch and so on throughout all the seams in the garment. Even if the seam started to rip, it would only rip to the nearest backstitch and thereby not rip out the whole seam of a garment. Backstitching can also add strength to seams that hold quilt patches together especially if you think that quilt will get a lot of use and wear.
Jean Ann Eitel, Editor
QUILT magazine site: http://www.quiltmag.com – IRC chat site:
http://www.quilttalk.com
Personal web site: http://www.mindspring.com/~quiltmag/jeanann/jaeindex.html
Date: Wed, 20 Jan 1999 17:35:26 EST | From: QLTKAREN [at] aol [dot] com
I am coming out of lurkdom to ask a favor. I have a friend who lives in Gaithersburg, Maryland who would like to have some quilts appraised. Is there someone in the nearby vicinity who can help with this?
Thanks, Karen
QLTKAREN [at] aol [dot] com
Date: Wed, 20 Jan 1999 19:52:38 EST | From: KirkColl [at] aol [dot] com
I saw the author on Oprah two days ago — they were showing quilts with a voice over about slave quilts, but the ones they were showing were all reproductions — apparently by the author. I saw lots of reproduction fabrics in them.
I don’t think they were trying to deceive, but it certainly wasn’t clear. Gave a speech last night to an officer’s wives group at Offutt AFB. One of the black women told about hearing similar stories about quilt patterns used as signals from her grandmother.
On the other hand, my mom has been researching the underground railroad for years, and according to her sources, almost all travel was at night, and all markers of the “stations” were unmoveable objects — two oak trees by the front porch — things that couldn’t be changed or mistaken. It will be wonderful if we can ever get definitive proof.
Nancy Kirk
The Kirk Collection
Antique & Reproduction Fabrics
Antique Quilts
www.kirkcollection.com
Date: Wed, 20 Jan 1999 21:09:19 EST | From: Kittencat3 [at] aol [dot] com
I’m originally from Pennsylvania, learned to hand sew from my mother at age 7, and started quilting when I lived in Boston in 1982. I always used a running stitch to hand piece and a stab stitch to quilt when I’m not doing one of my medieval-style pieces (then I use the backstitch for the quilting). The only time I ever used backstitch before using it for medieval style quilting was when I did a piece of pseudo- Jacobean embroidery for a Girl Scout badge 🙂
Lisa Evans
Easthampton, MA
Date: Wed, 20 Jan 1999 21:27:29 EST | From: Kittencat3 [at] aol [dot] com
<<
Someone refresh my memory please – was it Marie Webster’s Quilts, Their Story and How to Make Them that perpetuated the myth of Colonial Quilting?
Did she also refer to naming quilts?
I think you’re right, Kris. Marie Webster was a pioneer, but she created/perpetuated a *lot* of misunderstandings. If you’re interested in medieval quilting, check out Averil Colby’s “Quilting.” Thoroughly documented and very, very interesting.
Lisa Evans
Date: Wed, 20 Jan 1999 22:03:04 +0400 | From: Xenia Cord <xecord [at] netusa1 [dot] net
Judy raised the question of 19th century quiltmaking tools, following her visit to the America Hurrah booth of Kate and Joel Kopp at the Armory Antique Show. Her questions provoked some thoughts in my own mind:
1. Did those quilters wax their threads? When I joined this list we were discussing the possibility that quilters used to use ear wax to wax their threads, and you don’t want to go there! But they did use bee’s wax to keep their threads from fraying. See Jenny Yearous’s wonderful article on thread development in the 1998 issue of Uncoverings (AQSG). 2. How did they quilt so finely, given the light and the equipment? Well, most of them had years on us in terms of familiarity with a needle, and you know yourself that the longer you quilt, even day by day, the better your stitching gets. Also, they were not limited by pre-sized batting with a regular but predetermined thickness. They had “wadding.” which was loose and was carded into thin layers by the quilter herself. The thinner the batting, the smaller the stitches can be, right?
3. Judy asks how they had time during the day, as their days were filled with other tasks for which we have labor-saving appliances. Well, our labor-saving stuff often makes us work longer and harder at what we do, and much more is often expected of us. And IMHO, one reason women did quilting was because it was a pleasurable task that allowed them to sit down! Think how many of the jobs they did required them to stand, or stoop, or walk; maybe only milking and churning and spinning flax (not wool) let them sit down?
Well – grist for the discussion mill, maybe –
Xenia
Date: Wed, 20 Jan 1999 22:23:11 +0400 | From: Xenia Cord <xecord [at] netusa1 [dot] net>
<< Someone refresh my memory please – was it Marie Webster’s Quilts, Their Story and How to Make Them that perpetuated the myth of Colonial Quilting? Did she also refer to naming quilts? >> Not Webster, but Ruth Finley, in Old Patchwork Quilts and the Women Who Made Them. She has a chapter on the origin of quilt names, and on on quilts in early America (colonial America). She even says 1880 marks the end of quiltmaking as an art (she says this in 1929!) . “As a universal medium of feminine expression, quilt-making ceased to exist. It vanished in the general night, as it were, of hideousness.” (page 197). This she lays at the various doors of Victorian excessiveness in decoration, Queen Victoria’s raising of mourning to an art form, cultural scar tissue caused by the Civil War, increased electric and steam mechanization, colleges for women, and women’s equality in the economic scheme of things.
Anyone writing before us <G> has made errors in understanding and interpretation of our quilt history. We still have misunderstandings and controversies about our quilt past (the UGRR and quilts, for instance!). But Finley’s pronouncements are often creative, excessive, and unfortunately still taken as gospel.
Xenia
Date: Wed, 20 Jan 1999 09:37:36 -0500 | From: Miklos Lukacs <mlukacs [at] webbernet [dot] net>
Hi, I am from the Midwest, Michigan, I started quilting about 7 years ago. Took lessons from local quilt shop, Gerweck’s. Was taught the backstitch. Use it whenever handpeicing. Hugs to all, Connie L.
Monroe, MI
Date: Thu, 21 Jan 1999 05:35:38 +0000 | From: Steve and Jean Loken <sandjloken [at] worldnet [dot] att [dot] net
I’d never heard of big stitch before it was raised here, but I guess the Bible was right, “There’s nothing new under the sun.” I was privileged to see a c. 1930s quilt today, which was done in all big stitch. The blocks were embroidered, small floral bouquets on white blocks, with wide sashing in mustard yellow, also a wide mustard border. The big stitch was in a pretty diagonal grid, with many crossings, cable-like, in yellow #3 ? perle cotton. No apparent stamping to indicate a kit. The turned in edges were blanket stitched in same perle cotton, and the filler appeared to be flannel. This was from a Minnesota estate, must have been a summer cover <g>. It was most charming. Lucky buyer!
Jean in snowy Minn. (And I helped document 3300 quilts from our state search, and no big stitch that I remember there)
Date: Wed, 20 Jan 1999 22:35:52 -0600 | From: “Gail Richter” <richter2 [at] frontiernet [dot] net>
> 2. How did they quilt so finely, given the light and the equipment?
We used to have kerosene lanterns at the cabin before electric reached us. A good kerosene lamp throws a lot of light. A lot of Amish still don’t use electric.
> 3. Judy asks how they had time during the day, as their days were filled with other tasks for which we have labor-saving appliances.
Think how many of the jobs they did required them to
> stand, or stoop, or walk; maybe only milking and churning and
spinning
> flax (not wool) let them sit down?
Don’t forget–not everyone lived on the farm. My ancestors were city people & somebody else did the milking, curning, spinning & butchering. Household chores were another matter of course.
Gail R in Wis.
Date: Thu, 21 Jan 1999 07:35:46 EST | From: [from unknown – From: field missing in source]
when I use my apple corer…i hold the wooden handle in my left hand and lay the corer down lengthwise on the quilt with the serrated edge up in the air….then put the sharp point of the pin as it comes out of the quilt.. in the teeth and bring the head of the pin down to the point and close it…just the way you would use that $6 closing tool…it works so well and it doesn’t put a strain on your hands at all.
try it you’ll like it…
jean
Date: Thu, 21 Jan 1999 06:33:36 -0600 | From: “Gail Richter” <richter2 [at] frontiernet [dot] net
> I’d never heard of big stitch before it was raised here
Hi,
I’ve only seen the big stitch once before. Where can I learn about the technique?
Gail R.
Up in the sticks in WIs.
Date: Thu, 21 Jan 1999 07:59:54 -0500 (EST) | From: [from unknown – From: field missing in source]
On 20-JAN-1999 00:20:24.5 oldquilt said to JOCELYNM
> Dobard is less sure about other instructions in the code, such as the need= to
> “exchange double wedding rings.” He believes that might refer to breaking= both the mental and physical bonds of slavery.
Kris,
I always thought that the double wedding ring pattern was a 20th century pattern!
Has it even been established that Monkey Wrench or Bear’s Paw were the names used at that time, in the South, for those patterns?
Jocelyn
Date: Thu, 21 Jan 1999 08:02:24 -0500 | From: Alan Kelchner <quiltfix [at] mail [dot] jax [dot] bellsouth [dot] net>
In the bit that was kindly written onto the list, there was mention of “breaking (?) the double wedding ring”. I don’t recall having seen a double wedding ring made before 1900. I know, I know, there are the variations (pickle dish, etc), but if they weren’t doing the DWR, why would they refer to the others as such? Guess I’m going to have to go get the book.
Alan
Date: Thu, 21 Jan 1999 07:38:23 -0600 | From: “Sehoy L. Welshofer” <sw4quilt [at] bellsouth [dot] net>
Date: Thu, 21 Jan 1999 07:38:21 -0600 | From: “Sehoy L. Welshofer” <sw4quilt [at] bellsouth [dot] net>
Karen – I’m a Carla Hassel fan (author of ‘You Can Be a Super Quilter’), and learned early on to take 3 or 4 stitches, pull the needle through, then start the next needle full with a backstitch. This is what she refers to as the “piecing stitch” as compared to a simple “running stitch”. This makes a really secure seam, and if there’s a break in the thread some years from now, the seam will only open for about 1/2″ and stop.
Sehoy in Tennessee, where the “piecing stitch” is alive and well! <G>
Date: Thu, 21 Jan 1999 09:56:55 -0700 | From: Eileen Trestain <ejtrestain [at] earthlink [dot] net
I learned to quilt from my grandmother, who was from southern Illinois. I lived in Michigan, Texas, and Arizona. In Texas and Arizona, I have taught using the backstitch. I piece with a millinier’s needle, and I fill the needle with stitches, pull through, and begin the next gathering of stitches with a backstitch. Ideally, one should hardly be able to tell from the top if a backstitch is used. I knot my thread at the beginning and end of seams.
I collect lots of tops and blocks. On many of the quilt tops from the 1860-70’s, I have found backstitching in use. In quilts from the turn of the century, I remember finding less, but have not made any sort of scientific study (may have to do that just to see from my own collection. What I HAVE noticed is that almost all challis fabrics used in blocks and tops have the edges overcast by hand, piece by piece, as do some silks. If cottons and challis are used in the same quilt, often the challis will be overcast, but not the cotton, so I thoought it was a specific thing to note.
Eileen
Date: Thu, 21 Jan 1999 09:08:55 -0700 | From: Elaine Baglo <elainb [at] pinc [dot] com>
I just had to comment that I recieved my copy of this from Amazon yesterday and spent most of the evening with my nose stuck in it. My review so far, considering I’ve only read the forewards from various people and a few of the chapters, is that it’s a very well written book and once you start reading it you’ll find it hard to put down again. The story is the words of a black woman from Charleston, who is reciting what was passed down to her about the underground railroad and how the slaves were told to ‘read’ the quilts to get to safety. I don’t know a lot about the history of all of this, other than I find it fascinating (I’m a huge fan of movies like Gone With the Wind and North and South). Being a Canadian, we were never taught anything about American History, so I find that books like this are fascinating and really make one think about all the hardships that went on in the south during the civil war period. If I were to rate a book, I’d give this one ‘two thumbs up’ and I think you’ll all enjoy reading it. One thing that I found interesting was reading through the bibliography – I had no idea there were so many books written about the underground railroad – makes me want to go out and find more.
Enjoy!
Elaine elainb [at] pinc [dot] com
Date: Thu, 21 Jan 1999 12:21:35 -0500 | From: “Peggy O’Connor” <mnoc [at] brinet [dot] com>
“Vivien Lee Sayre” <vsayre [at] nesa [dot] com>
I took a quiltmaking class in the Atlanta area in 1997 and learned the “piecing” stitch that Sehoy described. I think, however, that the instructor was originally from Ohio, so I don’t know if the stitch is common practice in the South.
Peggy, now in NC
Date: Thu, 21 Jan 1999 12:28:43 -0500 | From: Jean Ann <quiltmag [at] mindspring [dot] com>
Elaine if reading Hidden In Plain View makes you want to go out and learn more about the Underground Railway then it was worth the printing. I am still waiting for my copy from Amazon. I ordered and have gotten orders but not that book. I wanted to take it to England with me next week to give to a friend. Sure hope it gets here.
I live in a town that was the actual site of the last big battle before Sherman took Atlanta. 10,000 yankee soldiers died here and when I drive through the battlefield (which is a national park) I can almost feel their blood crying out from the ground. It is a most eerie feeling. So much sadness and tragedy because men couldnt sit and down and talk out their differences to a peacable solution. We do need women in politics I am convinced. I live walking distance from the battleground and all around me are houses older than mine that housed occupation yankee troups after they took over the town.
People sometimes laugh at southerners who don’t let the war go. But if you live in a town where the battle was THERE, you understand that the tragedy of war goes down from generation to generation.
Jean Ann Eitel, Editor
Date: Thu, 21 Jan 1999 11:34:55 -0700 | From: “Jeanne.Fetzer” <Jeanne.Fetzer [at] integrityonline3 [dot] com>
Read through Lynne Bassett’s NORTHERN COMFORT exhibit catalog. She discusses the seasons of quilting. The long daylight hours meant more quilting was done between May and November, with May and October being the busiest quilting seasons. (In addition to daylight, I imagine that some quilting was done outside to accommodate larger pieces and more women and neighbors. Their rooms weren’t very large.)
When I visited with her in December she told me she is working on further research about the seasons of quilting. She also noted that she sees a change between the early 1800’s and later in the 19th century as to what time of year women quilted. More to come from Lynne!
Jeanne Fetzer
Date: Thu, 21 Jan 1999 14:21:56 -0500 | From: Vivien Lee Sayre <vsayre [at] nesa [dot] com
Hi…….Alan, do you have ” The Romance of the Double Wedding Ring Quilts” by Robert Bishop ? He stated the earliest documented textile In the DWR design to surface , is an embroidered candlewick bedspread dated June 1897.
Many Quilt scholars believe the pattern emerged after the Civil War, but again no real proof ( unless there is other info I’m not aware off)
I’ve never made a DWR, but this book has some of the nicest Quilts from that pattern.
Monika Jones monikaj [at] cdsnet [dot] net
Date: Thu, 21 Jan 1999 16:59:15 EST | From: Baglady111 [at] aol [dot] com
<<
I think you’re right, Kris. Marie Webster was a pioneer, but she created/perpetuated a *lot* of misunderstandings. If you’re interested in medieval quilting, check out Averil Colby’s “Quilting.” Thoroughly documented and very, very interesting.
Lisa Evans
Date: Thu, 21 Jan 1999 16:35:24 -0600 | From: Laura Hobby Syler <texas_quilt.co [at] mail [dot] airmail [dot] net>
Monika, When Lisa and I did our research for the Vintage Quilt and Textile Society article we found that the design appears in all forms- from tiles to jewlery to stitchery, but it does not appear in the textile form that “we” know as the DWR until early in the 20th Century….and is believed to have been drafted by either Hall/Kretsinger or McKimm Studios. In my collection of KCS patterns, it appears at least 3 times in different sizes but only in the ’30’s. (which stands to reason since we have an over abundance of them in the Texas area from the depression era) Now, that is according to my original clippings. Someone with the appendix or the collection of patterns from the Oklahoma Guild may be able to offer more exact dates.
Laura
01:32 PM 1/21/99 +0000, Monika Jones wrote:
>Hi…….Alan, do you have ” The Romance of the Double Wedding Ring Quilts” by Robert Bishop ? He stated the earliest documented textile In the DWR design to surface , is an embroidered candlewick bedspread dated June 1897.
>Many Quilt scholars believe the pattern emerged after the Civil War, but again no real proof ( unless there is other info I’m not aware off)
>I’ve never made a DWR, but this book has some of the nicest Quilts from that pattern.
>Monika Jones monikaj [at] cdsnet [dot] net
Date: Thu, 21 Jan 1999 18:44:32 EST | From: Kathi2174 [at] aol [dot] com
Hello Everyone,
My dear neighbor is as addicted to toys as I am to textiles. I went to my first antique toy show last weekend. I was amazed at the high number of doll and juvenile quilts as well as miniature quilts for dollhouse use. Anyway, much to my surprise and delight, I found and purchased a Kantha Quilt, full- size, not toy.
I’m truly intrigued with the techniques shown on this treasure. The inner ground is a form of stipple/echo. The outer rows of straight lines around the borders are graduated in width and stitch length, achieved by using multiple threads to quilt with instead of one. I fished out the copy of “Piecework” with the article on Kanthas, Jan./Feb. 1994, pages 26 – 32, by Linda Lynton. It was the only reference I could recall. Then I remembered the recent QHL thread. Could someone share sources for learning about this type of quilt. Mine is not as elaborate as those illustrated in Lynton’s article.
Hope I haven’t typed too much here.
Thanks,
Kathi in Calif.
Date: Thu, 21 Jan 1999 19:54:14 -0500 (EST) | From: quiltsnbears [at] webtv [dot] net (Roberta Geanangel)
On the subject of earlier quilters: 1.)many of those fancier quilts were done when the women were young. I watched the young Chinese girls embroider in China under conditions that would have driven me mad! Poor light, poor ventilation,poor tools,etc But they were 16-25 and not many of them worked at this job beyond that age. 2.) Xenia’s correct…handwork was a reason to sit 3) our labor saving devices have stolen our “free” time. My grandmother did laundry once a week, I do it 3-4 times! She baked bread once a week…I do it 3 times. She baked a cake or pie on ‘bake day”, I bake one whenever the urge hits me..(well, not any more). My grandmother didn’t go to a spa or have a personal trainer..unless you count her 7 kids!!! It goes on and on…and on top of all this we work outside of the home as well!!
Now…if I’d get offline (computers are a definite “labor saving device”,right???) I could go sew! <grin>
Roberta
Date: Thu, 21 Jan 1999 19:58:24 EST | From: JBQUILTOK [at] aol [dot] com
I got out my index that Central Oklahoma Quilters Guild published for the Kansas City Star patterns & thought I was going nuts. Couldn’t find Double Wedding Ring. Then I found it as Wedding Ring. It was the 7th pattern published in 1928 and then was published again as numbers 54, 328, 885, 744, and 969.
In 1939, it was #508 named Small Wedding Ring and it was Little Wedding Ring as number 706 in 1945 with reprints as numbers 822 and 938. Hope that gives some help in dating.
My mother-in-law had told me once that her family had lost one from around the time of the Civil War in a fire (the fire was in the early 1900’s). I’ve never considered her statement proof of the age of the fire, because she has been known to exagerate if it helps the story line.
Janet
Date: Thu, 21 Jan 1999 21:24:36 -0600 | From: KAREN BUSH <Birdsong [at] worldnet [dot] att [dot] net>
To: QHL [at] cuenet [dot] com
Subject: QHL: Big Stitch
Message-ID: <36A7EF74.3E7B [at] worldnet [dot] att [dot] net> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii
Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit
Gail- when the ‘big stitch’ craze came out a few years ago, I had to laugh,..they were even giving Classes on it. Well, egg on my face Again…I LOVE it. I don’t do the stitch for customers, as they want ‘fine’ quilting mostly, but the Big Stitch is also called the utility stitch, for every day quilts.
Another type is Sashisko(sp) a Japanese technique, using the heavy (perle) cotton. It’s more of a ‘surface’ stitch to me, although, I assume it does go through to the back, the heavy cotton stitches ‘sit’ on the top of the fabric more than a finer thread. So,….ya live and learn, I DID! 🙂 kb
Hi,
I’ve only seen the big stitch once before. Where can I learn about the technique?
Gail R.
Up in the sticks in WIs
—
~:*:~:*:~:*:~:*:~:*:~:*:~:*:~:*:~:*:~:*:~:*:~:*:~:*:~:*:~:*:~~:*:~:*:
–
Karen Bush/kb-http://www.idahoquilt.com
-“QUILT AS DESIRED” THE “TELL ALL BOOK” of hand quilting!!!!
–
Also, Visit me for HAND QUILTING SERVICES
Date: Thu, 21 Jan 1999 22:45:31 -0500 | From: “Judy Grow” <Judygrow [at] blast [dot] net>
OK, what is a Kantha quilt? I’ve never heard those letters put together in that way in the English language before.
Judy in Ringoes, NJ judygrow [at] blast [dot] net
Date: Fri, 22 Jan 1999 01:40:47 EST | From: Kathi2174 [at] aol [dot] com
Joanna,
Thanks for the websites about the Phila. exhibit and the other letter. Kantha quilts are made in Bangladesh, from recycled clothing and old saris. Apparently, thread for the quilting and embroidery is raveled from the saris. The one I just got is 56″ wide by 66 1/2″ long. There is a center rectangle with 4
3 1/2″ diameter circular embroidered balls of alternating colors, black, orange and red. These are surrounded by 6 petal flowers like daisies in the same colors. The stitch is long and short in rows in each petal. The ground is a loose weave muslin filled with echo quilting around these motifs, averaging 8 stitches per inch, the rows about 1/8″ apart. These quilting stitches are white/ecru, unbleached muslin color. There is a 21 inch area at each end of the piece with more 6 petal daisies, a band of 3 petal tulip shaped flowers and a zigzag row of chain stitch. The ground in this area is quilted with red, black and orange floss in sequential rows,i.e. 4 red, 2 black 8 white, 2 orange.
These rows echo the flowers. The binding is frayed, one inch wide of a thinner gauzy muslin. I do not see any sari-like fabric at all. There are no pictorial motifs like in the Piecework article. There are 3 old mends. The colored quilting shows on the back. I do not have a photo yet. I also have no clue about the (relative) value or rarity of this type of textile.
Thanks for letting me ramble on here. What a pleasure to have textile folks to connect with. All input welcome!
Kathi in Calif.
Date: Sat, 23 Jan 1999 08:15:27 -0500 | From: “jawhite [at] courant [dot] infi [dot] net”
Hi Martha. I only use a single strand of thread when I hand piece. Quilting thread is stronger than you think and two thicknesses is ‘really’ thick to pull through the fabric. I had a student in one of my beginning quilt classes who insisted on using a double thread to hand piece and it was slow going for her to pull that double thread through two pieces of fabric. However, I have found double threads in old quilt tops and old blocks. I have one quilt top that I restored that was put together with four different colors or thread, each a different weight. One of the threads was embroidery thread, bright blue, and one was like a button hole twist.
Judy White
Date: Sat, 23 Jan 1999 12:36:49 -0500 | From: “Phyllis Twigg” <ptwigg [at] radix [dot] net>
The Williamsburg show which is called the “Mid-Atlantic Quilt Festival” and is part of “Williamsburg Festival Week” will be held February 25 – 28th. The number for information is (215) 862-5852. The show which Kris is thinking of was the “Century of Quiltmaking” BelleGrove Plantation) in Winchester, VA which is no longer held.
For a listing of dates of upcoming shows and events in the Mid-Atlantic region check out the website of the Annapolis Quilt Guild at http://members.xoom.com/AQG_Home/ and click on the “calendar.”
Phyllis Twigg
Date: Sun, 24 Jan 1999 14:08:23 EST | From: Kittencat3 [at] aol [dot] com
When I hand piece, I use two strands of ordinary thread. I’ll sometimes back stitch the very first stitch if the knot is small, as extra insurance, but normally I don’t. I always heard that quilting thread was for the quilting and ordinary thread for the piecing…..
Lisa Evans
Date: Sun, 24 Jan 1999 16:55:38 EST | From: Wilene Smith
I just finished reading the book (it was difficult to put down), and posted the following review on Amazon.com which won’t appear for several days: Hidden in Plain View : The Secret Story of Quilts and the Underground Railroad by Jacqueline Tobin, et al
A reader from Kansas, USA
A MUST for every quilt history and black history library.
Powerful. Riveting. Compelling. A Wake-Up Call to All Researchers and Historians Everywhere. –Wilene Smith, quilt historian
Date: Sun, 24 Jan 1999 22:30:18 -0500 | From: Th Schott Family <fschott [at] ix [dot] netcom [dot] com>
I just finished this book this afternoon. When I reached the end, I simply said, “Wow!”. Those of you who have finished it will probably understand.
I found it simply fascinating. True, there was a lot of admitted conjecture, but I am sure getting all of this out in the open will cause other stories, long hidden, to come to light. Much of it makes just so much sense. Long ago I did some studies of African tribal cultures – communication patterns, symbolism, etc. It is logical that captured peoples would bring their cultures with them and make every effort to perpetuate them in a new world – especially one where reading and writing were forbidden to them and where families were often split apart. And the geometric patterns and symbols of quilt blocks easily overlap with similar patterns from the own lands.
I am looking forward to new information which will undoubtedly be forthcoming.
I have already taken my book over to my neighbor who was waiting with bated breath.
Nancy Schott
Date: Wed, 27 Jan 1999 14:02:55 -0800 | From: palampore [at] aol [dot] com (Lynn Lancaster Gorges)
Hi, would someone in the Charlottesville,Va area who feels comfortable appraising quilts from 1880-1940 please drop me a line privately. They also have children’s clothing from that time period which needs evaluation re: cleaning. This is a small museum which needs assistance. I was contacted and told them I would assist in finding them a person in that area.
Thanks, Lynn Lancaster Gorges, New Bern, NC palampore [at] aol [dot] com
Date: Mon, 25 Jan 1999 13:11:42 EST | From: Baglady111 [at] aol [dot] com
My publisher and I are working on a new web site that will incorporate the sites I have now, plus more. If you are interested in being linked to the forth coming site, please browse the ones listed below, then contact LINDA CAMELO at
Date: Mon, 25 Jan 1999 13:11:42 EST | From: Jeanne.Fetzer [at] integrityonline [dot] com
As a newcomer to the relative newcomer to quilt history books, and since I just bought the Orlofsky Quilts in America at a used bookstore, please share your misgivings (did I interpret your comment correctly?) or concerns about the book as a source of information. Thanks. Once again, I am so glad to be learning from all of you!
Jeanne.Fetzer [at] integrityonline [dot] com
Date: Mon, 25 Jan 1999 18:49:17 -0600 | From: Terri Ellis <tquilts [at] cyberramp [dot] net>
Judy, there is a name for this kind of assembly of laces, and it escapes me right now, but I have seen quite a bit of it. A design was drawn on paper, and bits and pieces of lace were “appliqued” onto the design, and sewn together invisibly. Then the paper was removed, and the maker had a nice tablecloth, or whatever she wanted. It really is a beautiful way to put pieces together, and people would search out really nice pieces and save them for a project. I am lucky enough to have a piece of the paper with a design started, and a bag of the lace she was going to use. As soon as the name comes to me, I will pass it on (probably in the middle of the night tonight!) Terri Ellis
Date: Mon, 25 Jan 1999 18:55:20 -0500 | From: “Judy Grow” <Judygrow [at] blast [dot] net>
DH and I went into a couple of antique stores today. One dealer had lots of lovely linens, beautifully displayed on hangers. In her booth I saw 2 bedcovers, or tablecloths, made from scraps of different lace — lots of different lace. These are not backed with anything, but I bet you were supposed to put a colored cloth down under them when in use. I know I’ve seen them before, but I’ve never really looked at them. (there is a difference between seeing and looking.) This time I want to know. Are they manufactured or are they home-made? What was the time frame that these were made? Has anyone ever seen instructions for them?
They are really quite fragile, but the ones she had were in perfect condition.
I know they are not “quilt” in the true sense of the word, but they are put together the same way a crazy quilt of silks would have been — random patches within a set framework.
All the laces had the same color — as though they were all tea-dyed.
Judy in Ringoes, NJ judygrow [at] blast [dot] net
Date: Mon, 25 Jan 1999 16:45:57 -0800 | From: “Jenny & John Whitehead” <jaysqh [at] iafrica [dot] com>
Was most interested to read this post. In 1986 when we launched our first regional Quilt Show I asked, through the media, for any “old” quilts so that we could exhibit these as well. An Indian pupil of mine quietly mentioned during class that she had three quilts which her Granny in India had made for her. These had been given as a wedding gift to my pupil, and she had them carefully stored away. They were made of 100% cotton – bright colours and simple designs. All the designs were geometric made with triangles. Apparently no templates were used, the old lady just sat on the floor and cut as she wished. She must have had very good eyesight as the piecing was pretty accurate. They were pieced front and back and old, worn saris were used for the filling. They were quilted with a fairly heavy cotton thread, in large stitches – like the “big” stitch recently discussed. The quilting started in the centre of the quilt with a small rectangle shape and then went out in ever increasing rectangles, about 1/2 in apart. The final effect looked rather like seersucker fabric. Its a long time ago and I can’t remember any further info. The quilts were all single bed size and hung fairly straight!! I can’t remember from which part of India they were made, but I seem to remember being told that these quilts were traditionally made for weddings. The older generation spent happy hours making them from scraps of cotton. I would hazard a guess that in 1986 these quilts would have been about 15 years old.
Jenny in South Africa, where it is very hot and humid!!
Date: Mon, 25 Jan 1999 16:43:37 -0600 | From: Laura Hobby Syler <texas_quilt.co [at] mail [dot] airmail [dot] net>
Well, not to go into particulars at this moment, but, there are *many* things that Patsy and Myron thought to be *fact* back in the ’70’s when they were writing the book that we now know now not to be so..just more romanticism that was “treated” as fact.
Case in point……”patchwork” quilts evolved from the “repair” of the finer quilts brought from “the Motherland” and pieced quilts were almost always made from old clothes. That’s why they fell apart after years of use, washing, beating on the clothes line………While we now recognize that these statements have a degree of fact back when I started quilting in the ’70’s these statements were accepted as gospel fact and regurgitated by every beginning quilting teacher across the country. We also had a small thread going a few days ago about the “colonial quilting movement” fostered by Marie Webster ( do I remember that correctly?). If you go back and read QIA, Quilts, Romance you will see that there are many things, albeit they small in nature, but added up they create vast gourges in the mis-information/knowledge of quilt history….especially when it comes from an “oral” source. Some of them are kinda humerous now…..like that black centered log cabin
I’ll do a little research and get back to you with some specifics..
anyone else wanna jump in here with their examples?
Laura
