June 12 – 28, 2001
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:
- Needlework Schools and Victorian Flower Symbolism — A researcher looking into 1850s needlework schools opens a wider discussion of the Victorian “language of flowers” and its influence on decorative-arts imagery, including quilting.
- What Counts as “Domestic” Fabric — Members compare regional and generational terms for unbleached muslin, working out how “domestic,” “calico,” and similar fabric names were actually used.
- Crayon Quilts as a Documented Technique — Two members describe crayon-colored quilts in their own collections, adding period examples to the discussion of this less-common coloring method.
- Vermont Quilt Festival Planning and the Amish Exhibit — Attendees coordinate meetup plans for the Vermont Quilt Festival and discuss the Esprit collection’s Amish quilts and crib quilts on display.
- Quilt Documentation Groups by Region — Members ask after the status of Canadian and Washington State quilt documentation projects, part of a broader thread on seven- and nine-pointed star quilts.
Date: Tue, 12 Jun 2001 21:38:29 EDT | From: MLEDevine@
Dear QHL: Does anyone know of sources for information on needlework schools in the 1850s? I am doing research to back up a statement that I made in a course. I made a rash statement in regard to the use of symbolism and women’s needlearts. I stated that certainly women knew and understood what they were= doing when they used symbols to create mourning prints, quilts, and other types of needlework. I am now working to prove this statement. I am aware that women made quilts for specific circumstances, such as Album Quilts, political statements, fund raising, and in at least one instance satirical, as in the spinster quilt. These quilts have been discussed by man= y quilters as evident in the hundreds if not thousands of quilt books on the market. I also know that men like Thomas Jefferson utilized specific symbols from Greek and Roman history in the design of American structures which could compete with the great works found in Europe. It seems that the men had definite design inspirations which they used to express a specific idea. I find it difficult to believe that women did not draw inspiration from simila= r sources, and perhaps even elaborate in a new format. What did these women use as textbooks? Were they readily available through the needle art schools? Was the language of symbolism known and purposefully= utilized by women? I suggest they did. After all look at the wonderful Baltimore Album Quilts. But there must be more to all of this.
Date: Tue, 12 Jun 2001 18:59:07 -0700 | From: “Julia D. Zgliniec” <rzglini1@>
Dear MLEDevine and QHL, Two books which I refer to many times when looking for information on historic needlework are: Beck, Thomasina, (1995). The Embroiderer’s Story Needlework form the Renaissance to the Present Day. A David and Charles Book. Brunel House. Newton Abbott. Devon ISBN 0-7153-0238-8 Ring, Betty,. c.1984. Needlework An Historical Survey A new and expanded edition. Main Street Press. Pittstown, NJ ISBN 0-915590-56-5 Regards, Julia Zgliniec
Date: Wed, 13 Jun 2001 14:18:40 -0500 | From: “Karen S Bush” <birdsong@>
I’ve been working like crazy, so, that’s why I’ve been a little quiet. Enjoy…doesn’t happen TOO often! haha.. I just put my new website up with the new gallery…go check it out if you’ve got the time and if there’s any problems with it, just let me know! 🙂 http://www.karenbushquilts.com/gallery.htm www.karenbushquilts.com – Online hand quilting classes Member of TAS-The Applique Society Richmond/Ray County History Site- member of AHGP & ALHN http://www.@/richmond64085/Myhistory.htm Think Big thoughts, but cherish small pleasures
Date: Thu, 14 Jun 2001 09:14:53 -0400 | From: Newbie Richardson <pastcrafts@>
The symbolism used in the decorative arts of the mid and late 19th c. did not come out of any needlework school per se. It was “in the air’ through the other arts. Elly Sienkiewicz’s book: Spoken Without a Word has a selected bibliography that includes: – Burke, ML Ed.: the Language of the Flowers, Price, Stern, Sloan, Los Angeles 1965 – Dreyfus, Henry: The Symbol Source Book, McGraw Hill, NY 1972 – Lehner, Ernest: Folklore and symbolism of Flowers, Plants, and Trees, Tudor Pub.Ny. 1960 Any research needs to look into the histroy of Victorian decorative Arts – not needlework. this is part of the greater picture of Art history. Also, there was a post asking about the social history of political quilts. Probably the best, most concise study can be found in the book Hearts and Hands: Women, Quilts and American Society, Hedges, Ferrero, Silber. Ruthledge Hill Press, Nashville, Tenn. They chronicle how by rejecting the 19th c. passion for needlework, the Sufferage movement “lost”(ie. took forever to gain momentum) while the Temperance movement, by embracing it, won. Newbie Richardson
Date: Thu, 14 Jun 2001 12:28:48 -0500 (EST) | From: Teri Klassen <teresak@>
I know there was extensive symbolism related to flowers. There were books written in the first half of the 1800s about The Language of Flowers, i.e. if you gave someone a certain flower it conveyed a certain message. it lasted on into the early 1900s, and turns up on postcards ca. 1910. Teri in Indiana
Date: Thu, 14 Jun 2001 19:24:45 EDT | From: DDBSTUFF@
Hi All; Does anyone know when the quilting hoop came into use? Thanks, Darwin
Date: Sat, 16 Jun 2001 10:03:05 -0700 | From: Denise Clausen <nadyne@>
I don’t know about needlework schools, but Sandi Fox’s book, Wrapped in Glory- Figurative Quilts and Bedcovers 1700-1900, talks a lot about the sources of the images appliques on the quilts in that book. Also check out the bibliography in her book Small Endearments. Denise Clausen Sandlake, Oregon
Date: Mon, 18 Jun 2001 16:48:55 -0700 | From: Julie Silber <quiltcomplex@>
Hi, Julie Silber here. I’m back on after a few months’ hiatus to finish some work. Please pass the word to anyone who wants to see a great collection of Lancaster Co., PA Amish quilts from the “Esprit Collection.” Twenty four museum quality examples (1890-1940) will be on display at the Vermont Quilt Festival in Northfield, VT from June 29 to July 1, 2001. This is very likely THE LAST time these quilts will be displayed. For more information on the Vermont Quilt Festival, check their web site is www.vqf.org E-mails regarding the Festival can be sent to Richard Cleveland at vqf@. For more information on the exhibit of Esprit Amish quilts, you can contact me, Julie Silber, at quiltcomplex@ Thanks, Julie Silber
Date: Tue, 19 Jun 2001 22:29:26 -0400 | From: Kris Driessen <krisdriessen@>
This came to me, but she addressed it to the list. Please answer both her and the list, I am sure we would all be interested. Kris
>From: “J. Glen” <jglen@> > >I purchased a kit at an estate sale that was missing the directions, bias >for stems and embroidery floss. I have been appliquing it bet would like to >know it’s name and perhaps a little about it. >Yvonne Jones did a presentation on red and green quilts at our quilt guild >and suggested I write you about my question. >The applique pieces identify the quilt as no 7228. It has a center section >and two side panels. The poppies are each three shades, red,orange and >burgundy with a yellow center and black embroidered stamins.There are also >embroidery lines on each petal. Some have a two-toned bud as well as the >open flower. They do not form a wreath per se. The side panels have two >poppies each. The leaves are two shades of green on each leaf. The quilt is >supposed to have a scalloped edge. Short of a picture of what I have done so >far, that is the best description I can give. >I hope you can help identify it. Also, do you know where I might find bias >of the quilt’s vintage? Otherwise I will have to use a darker green cotton >and make some as it was missing from the package as was the original >packaging. >Sue Glen jglen@
Date: Wed, 20 Jun 2001 15:52:20 -0500 | From: Bettina Havig <bettinaqc@>
To In addition to the Amish quilts from the Esprit collection there will also be 25 Amish crib quilts from Sara Miller’s private collection and also a gallery talk at the Vermont Quilt Festival. Sara is a Mennonite woman from Iowa. She grew up Amish and reamined so until about ten years ago. She has collected these quilts over the past 15 or so years. The bulk of her collection was acquired last fall for the International Quilt Study Center in Lincoln, NE. Bettina Havig
Date: Fri, 22 Jun 2001 01:07:50 +1000 | From: “Ruth in the Blue Mountains” <rathgarr@>
I’m aware of various terms for fabrics that are used in different ways – calico, for example, is used here in Oz for the plain cream fabric that’s about the cheapest plainest cream you can buy, not for patterned fabrics. In looking around eBay, I’ve seen the term ‘domestic’ used in descriptions of quilts, eg. “These blocks are pieced alternately with squares of domestic”. I can make an assumption from the quilt and the context, but would anyone care to share a definition of this noun/type of fabric? (The only use I’ve heard before of ‘domestic’ as a noun is ‘someone who cleans your house’, and I doubt it would be wise to cut them into squares, however important the quilt!!!!!!!). The Quilters’ Guild show in Sydney (Australia) is on at the end of next week for four days. The guild website is at http://members.ozemail.com.au/~quiltgld/ and I’m told results in the various categories will be up on the site at the end of next week. 2001 marks the centenary of federation in Australia, so there are several categories celebrating Australia. (If you want a quick historic moment, before 1901 Australia was not an independent nation, and each of what are now the states functioned independently as a British colony.) http://www.centenary.gov.au/ is the official govt website on the various celebrations – there have been several quilt-related ones.
Date: Fri, 22 Jun 2001 01:10:05 +1000 | From: “Ruth in the Blue Mountains” <rathgarr@>
They will be up on Thursday afternoon, Sydney time (which is ahead of US time) and the direct link to the page is http://members.ozemail.com.au/~quiltgld/winners.html There’s nothing there yet, of course.
Cheers Ruth Ruth in the Blue Mountains (World Heritage Area) west of Sydney, NSW, Australia
Date: Thu, 21 Jun 2001 10:43:19 -0500 | From: Laura Hobby Syler <texas_quilt.co@>
Hi Ruth, My grandmother always refers to what we (in the US) now call “unbleached muslin” as “domestic”…bleached or unbleached. It was the utility fabric around the house. Pillowcases, aprons, what ever else she needed to whip up in a hurry, and was cheap and not a fancy fabric. Whether the cheese-clothy loose weave, or almost a twill. Pillow ticking was the stuff with the pretty blue or pink stripes or floral stripes, even though the weight and hand were similar to the cotton twill. Hope this helps a little. Laura Hobby Syler In Steamy N. Texas Ruth in the Blue Mountains wrote: > > I’m aware of various terms for fabrics that are used in different ways – > calico, for example, is used here in Oz for the plain cream fabric that’s > about the cheapest plainest cream you can buy, not for patterned fabrics. > >
Date: Thu, 21 Jun 2001 11:44:38 -0500 | From: Gail Ingram <GIngram@>
Ruth, “Domestic” is muslin, a lightweight square-weave fabric . I grew up hearing and using the term in the late 40’s and 50’s, and since then have heard it in common use across the South. When I made curtains for my first home in 1970, I purchased probably hundreds of yards of this fabric from our local Penny’s store. I still hear the term used locally. There are/were variations in quality and price based mainly on two things–the number of threads/inch and whether the fabric had been bleached. The highest quality was a closely woven fabric that had been bleached, resulting in a supple, creamy colored material, “Yellow domestic” was the term often applied to the unbleached fabric, though its color was more in the line of a light tan color with just a touch of yellow. Its popularity was, I imagine, based both on its usefulness for a variety of household needs (aprons, kitchen curtains, tea towels, various linings, quilt backing, quilt piecing) and even more on its inexpensiveness. Even in 1970, some stores sold it at $1.00/3-4 yards. I used bleached domestic for backings/linings of quilts and as bases for appliques in the first three quilts I made, and I believe that prior to the quilt revival of the mid-70’s, most people in our part of the country used domestic to back quilts. Even the lowest quality domestic could be “squared” or pulled “straight” when washed, another advantage for quilting and sewing projects. One quality the seamstress had to take into account with all varieties of this fabric was shrinkage, which was fairly considerable. As a young housekeeper, I would purchase good quality unbleached domestic, then wash it with bleach, thereby shrinking and bleaching it at the same time. My mother routinely bought yardage of this fabric to keep on hand for general household use. I have continued to do the same thing. One can find it in any general purpose fabric shop, including those like Wal-Mart. In our part of the country, the term “domestic” was never applied to cheesecloth or to twill or heavy weaves. I’ve always assumed the term was originally an adjective, not a noun, referring to goods produced in America—i.e., domestic goods. The root of “domestic” is the Latin word for “home,” and we still hear the term used this way–e.g., “domestic production of oil and gas” as opposed to foreign production. Probably at some point, the term also implied lesser quality than finer, imported cottons. From North Louisiana, where sweltering summer has set in, Gail Ingram > From: “Ruth in the Blue Mountains” <rathgarr@> > Date: Fri, 22 Jun 2001 01:07:50 +1000 > To: “qhl” <QHL@> > Subject: QHL: ‘domestic’ + Sydney Show > > I’m aware of various terms for fabrics that are used in different ways – > calico, for example, is used here in Oz for the plain cream fabric that’s > about the cheapest plainest cream you can buy, not for patterned fabrics. > > In looking around eBay, I’ve seen the term ‘domestic’ used in descriptions > of quilts, eg. “These blocks are pieced alternately with squares of > domestic”. I can make an assumption from the quilt and the context, but > would anyone care to share a definition of this noun/type of fabric? (The > only use I’ve heard before of ‘domestic’ as a noun is ‘someone who cleans > your house’, and I doubt it would be wise to cut them into squares, however > important the quilt!!!!!!!).
Date: Thu, 21 Jun 2001 14:00:02 -0700 (PDT) | From: Cindy Brick <brickworksinc@>
Hi all, I am still heavily researching the history of hankerchiefs…for instance, did you know that gentleman in the 17th century often carried hankerchiefs with maps printed on them? That way, they could know exactly where they were going while riding the coaches…I believe this was primarily an English sort of thing. Do you have any unusual hankies or hankie-related history you can share? I would really appreciate it. Gratefully, Cindy __________________________________________________
Date: Thu, 21 Jun 2001 16:55:09 -0400 | From: Newbie Richardson <pastcrafts@>
Run, do not walk to the Maryland Historic Society’s Baltimore Album Show. It is wonderfully displayed and exhibited. A true study in :Good, Better, Best. Also, Nancy Davis, the curator has posited the connection between the invention (and subsequent rage for) the kaledoscope in 1819 and some of the early patchwork star designs. Sumpter Priddy, an acknowledged authority on early southern Dec. Arts, has written a book on the same subject which will be published by Abrams next Spring (‘O2). Additionally, Dr. Davis has done a wonderful job of incorporating interactive children’s activities: make a block out of colored foam cut outs, a treasure hunt for 19thc. iconography, ect. I am told that the show is on line at the maryland Historic Society web site. Kudos. Newbie Richardson Newbie
Date: Thu, 21 Jun 2001 22:22:47 EDT | From: Palampore@
I recently bought a very lovely book titled LE COTON et la MODE 1000ans d/aventures, Musee Galliera. It is 100% in French so I just look at the pictures. I hope to get a translator soon for there is a great deal in it about palampores. There are even 2 pictures of palampores similar to the one I own. Very exciting……. The textiles are mostly textiles from the 1600 and 1700’s. There is only one patchwork quilt and it is dated 1800. Good night to all, Lynn Lancaster Gorges, Historic Textiles Studio, New Bern, NC
Date: Thu, 21 Jun 2001 22:49:51 -0400 | From: “Pam Weeks Worthen” <pamworthen@>
Hi all, first topic–I never saw a list of people who are attending VQF–did a list happen, or were there no responses? I am taking the Sunday AM July 1 class/lecture on old quilts with Bonnie Aug, and I believe one other of us list members is too…anyone for lunch on Sunday? second–I have fallen head over teakettle in love with cheater fabrics. Any definitive works on the subject? anyone willing to part with their collection, or pieces there of? How about a swatch swap? Pam in NH where the weather can’t decide whether it’s spring, summer , fall or monsoon, and the solstice lights-out initiative was a bust in this house, as I had to sew during the 7-10PM suggested blackout. I hate it when I HAVE to sew!
Date: Fri, 22 Jun 2001 19:27:04 -0700 | From: Julie Silber <quiltcomplex@>
<!doctype html public “-//w3c//dtd html 4.0 transitional//en”> <html> Hi. Julie Silber here. <p><i>Pam wrote: I never saw a list of people who are attending VQF–did a list happen, or were there no responses?</i><i></i> <p>I will be there — in three hats: Curating the show of Esprit Amish quilts, Giving three gallery talks on the Amish quilts, and Vending booth with antique quilts, tops, blocks and fabrics. We’re called The Quilt Complex, and would love to see/meet any of you. <br> <br>Hope to see you there, <br>Julie Silber and Jean Demeter <br> <br> </html>
Date: Sat, 23 Jun 2001 11:27:40 -0400 | From: Sandi or Mike Hardy <
Hi Everyone and Pam, I will be at VQF for just about the full week. I am able to go down early and help with hanging the contest quilts and assist the judges. Then I am taking a full day class on Thursday with Jo Diggs and the Sunday morning class with Bobbie Aug and Sharon Newman. It will be nice to meet you Pam. I am not sure about scheduling a lunch for Sunday as I am also meeting at some point with the Dear Jane quilters. But I can be somewhat flexible. I am looking forward to the Antique quilt commentary class and seeing what everyone brings to share. I plan to bring two quilts with me – one is a family quilt and the other is a friend’s garage sale find. There have been a few messages from others on the list that will be at VQF but I have not seen a list of them. I hope to meet some of you at the festival. I will be wearing my QHL pin along with my Dear Jane pin, although if you are all like me there is so much to see that I forget to look for pins. See you at VQF, Sandi in Vermont
Date: Sat, 23 Jun 2001 15:35:50 -0400 | From: “Jan Drechsler” <quiltdoc@>
Hi Pam & Diane & Cinda, There wasn’t a ‘list’ of folks going to VT, but Cinda and friends are going, arriving Saturday, I am going, probably on Fri just for the day. Diane is coming from Montreal and I would like to meet her for lunch or a chat on Friday. And all of the wonderful staff instructors who are also on QHL will be there, but scheduled. Kyra Hicks of QHL has a quilt in the exhibit, but can’t come so we must tell her about the show. Anyone else? Let’s put QHL on our nametags in LARGE letters. — Jan Drechsler in Vermont Quilt Restoration; Quilting teacher
Date: Sun, 24 Jun 2001 10:05:54 EDT | From: QuiltFixer@
Hi guys, yes, I am still alive and breathing! I am seeking information, copies of vintage pictures, magazine articles, etc., on coloring quilts and other projects with crayons and then heat setting. I am teaching a class for children and want to develop a history and examples of using this way to color combined with simple embroidery. Can any of you help me? This might be an interesting subject for the members of the list. By the way, where are all the “plank owners” (Original members) of the QHL list. I miss seeing you in print. Let me hear from you that all is well with you. Toni B. The Redwork Lady redworkldy@ www.redworklady.com
Date: Sun, 24 Jun 2001 09:26:18 -0600 | From: Xenia Cord <xecord@>
Nice to see ToniB back with us! Beverly Dunivent wrote an article called “Tinted & Colored: The Use of Pre-Tinted and Crayon-Colored Images in Early Twentiety Century Quilts,” American Quilter XVI, 4 (Winter 2000), 36-39. Anyone interested in this subject will find the article a good read, with great color illustrations. Xenia
Date: Sun, 24 Jun 2001 10:04:28 -0500 | From: Laura Hobby Syler <texas_quilt.co@>
Hi everyone, I’m looking for contacts with guilds and shops in the following cities in Florida… Gainesville, Tallahassee, Jacksonville, Ft. Walton Peach and Pensacola. Please email me privately if you know how to get intouch with guild presidents or workshop chairs, or shop owners in any of these cities. Many thanks, Laura Hobby Syler
Date: Sun, 24 Jun 2001 11:14:59 -0400 | From: Kris Driessen <
Among my many hats is that of webmistress for http://www.quiltguilds.com. Laura, I would suggest checking that site, but the information is only as good as what is given me. If anyone on the list knows of any corrections, please hit the Add/Amend button at the top of the page and send me the changes. Thank you kindly! Kris At 10:04 AM 6/24/2001 -0500, Laura Hobby Syler wrote: >Hi everyone, >I’m looking for contacts with guilds and shops in the following cities >in Florida… >Gainesville, Tallahassee, Jacksonville, Ft. Walton Peach and Pensacola. >Please email me privately if you know how to get intouch with guild >presidents or workshop chairs, or shop owners in any of these cities. >Many thanks, >Laura Hobby Syler
Date: Sun, 24 Jun 2001 10:29:12 -0500 | From: Laura Hobby Syler <texas_quilt.co@>
Hi again! I have another question. I have a quilt in for cleaning and restoration. At first it appears to be a typical depression era kit Lone Star, oranges, greens, blues, yellows, peaches, red…reverse repeat color sequence…orange border… Except that it has 9 points!!! Lays flat as a pancake! beautifully pieced and hand quilted. Can anyone shed any light on this? I’ve had a couple of people tell me they have seen one, but nothing else. Could it have been a kit? Really funny shape for a bed… Thanks for any information you can shed on this. Laura Hobby Syler Certified Appraiser of Quilted Textiles Quilt Restoration Specialist Contributing Editor for Harris Publishing – QUILT, APPLIQUÉ QUILTS, etc.
Date: Sun, 24 Jun 2001 11:44:07 -0400 | From: “Judy Kelius (judysue)” <judysue@>
I’ve had quilts with seven-pointed stars, but not a nine-pointed star. In both cases, my hunch is that it was a “happenstance” when there was either too much or not enough fullness for the usual eight points! At 11:29 AM 6/24/01, Laura Hobby Syler wrote: >Hi again! >I have another question. I have a quilt in for cleaning and restoration. >At first it appears to be a typical depression era kit Lone Star, >oranges, greens, blues, yellows, peaches, red…reverse repeat color >sequence…orange border… >Except that it has 9 points!!! Lays flat as a pancake! beautifully >pieced and hand quilted. >Can anyone shed any light on this? I’ve had a couple of people tell me >they have seen one, but nothing else. Could it have been a kit? Really >funny shape for a bed… >Thanks for any information you can shed on this. >Laura Hobby Syler >Certified Appraiser of Quilted Textiles >Quilt Restoration Specialist >Contributing Editor for Harris Publishing – QUILT, APPLIQUÉ QUILTS, etc.
Date: Sun, 24 Jun 2001 16:52:52 -0400 | From: mreich@
I am going to be at the Festival from Wednesday night for the opening reception through Friday afternoon and taking the Quilt Appraisal class on Thursday and Friday. Just in case there isn’t a long lunch break is each day does anyone have plans for dinner? I am staying at the Inn at Montpelier with a quilting friend. If there are any get-togethers, count us in. Sue Reich
Date: Sun, 24 Jun 2001 23:41:27 -0400 | From: “Jan Drechsler” <
Hi Julie, The VQF website doesn’t list dates, times or meeting point for your Amish quilt discussions. Would you please let us all know? That could also be a good place to meet up with other QHL folks. For me, it could also be a deciding factor of what day to attend! Regards, Jan- who someday will find another copy of ‘Hearts and Hands,’ which I will not loan out again… — Jan Drechsler in Vermont Quilt Restoration; Quilting teacher www.@/~bobmills
Date: Mon, 25 Jun 2001 11:07:12 -0500 | From: “Avalon” <malthaus@>
I used a black cotton fabric from “my stash” that was probably purchased ~1990. I cut several lengths of bias to use around the neckline and sleeves of a blouse that I made. After sewing it on by machine, I flipped it, and was in the process of hand sewing it in place. The first few stitches “pulled out” and I initially thought that I had not caught the edge of the fabric, as I was doing it in the evening. Then much to my surprise, I found that the fabric was shredding at the spots that I was hand stitching through. I gave a little tug on the folded edge of the bias and indeed it did shred. This morning, I checked the remaining yardage and in some areas, it shreds to a slight pull and in other areas it does not. I have heard “via the grapevine” that some people were having trouble with some of the blacks, but I had thought that maybe those fabrics in question were not the better “grade” fabrics that quilt shops carry or this was “urban legend” information. I am pretty sure that the black that I was using was purchased in a quilt shop. It has been stored in a “pile of solid colored fabric”, in the middle of that grouping, in an wardrobe, behind closed doors. Have any of you appraisers run into quilts made during this timeframe, that used black fabric, and are experiencing similar “shredding” problems? Mary in Wisconsin
Date: Mon, 25 Jun 2001 13:03:31 EDT | From: @aol.com
I sure did have problems with black cotton about 5-6 years ago. I bought several yards of plain black to make a blouse, washed it to get the sizing out, and threw it in the dryer. And when the dryer beeped, I reached inside and pulled out several yards of…black cotton *shreds*. The entire piece had basically disintegrated. I immediately informed the fabric store, which pulled the offending bolt and gave me credit for what I’d bought. I have no idea what was going on, but I’d wager it was a batch of bad mordant. Black is very difficult to fix on cloth and a lot of the mordants are pretty corrosive. I’d replace the black fabric entirely and warn the fabric store. Good luck! Karen Evans
Date: Mon, 25 Jun 2001 13:56:57 -0400 | From: “Pam Weeks Worthen” <
Well, I have no historically based information on this topic, just an anecdote. I taught a quilting class in my studio last fall and had a small but lively group. One of the quilters, named Becky, brought her first quilt in for the first class show and tell, and it was GORGEOUS, as well as interesting. Becky was stationed in Burma when she took her first how to quilt class and this sampler wall hanging is made of “longhi” fabrics, used for men’s loose fitting trousers. Heavy but not bulky, probably cotton and cotton blends, lots of loose and overshot weaves. Smack in the middle of her wall hanging is a 9 pointed star, and when I asked her about it, she answered by saying she had 9 fabrics that she wanted to use, and when she realized that 360 degrees is as easy to divide by 9 as most other numbers, she drafted the pattern. Simple as that to a beginner quilter. WHY DIDN’T I THINK OF THAT???? _________________________________________________________________ Get your FREE download of MSN Explorer at http://explorer.@
Date: Mon, 25 Jun 2001 14:43:57 -0400 | From: “Cinda Cawley” <
I’ve been quiet, but not idle lately. Moving farther south on the Eastern Shore has complicated my life a bit, but I’ll cope. The day after the move we left all the boxes and went to Philadelphia for a couple of days. In spite of W.C. Fields, I always enjoy the City of Brotherly Love. I found two wonderful quilts. The Phila. Museum of Art (one of the world’s greats) has a tiny textile gallery tucked away in a far corner behind the Asian galleries. The space is small, but there’s always something special to see. On exhibit through Fall 2001 is “Needlework from the Nineteenth Century.” Lots of lovely things from embroidered muslin dresses, a la Jane Austen, to needlepoint slippers from the 1880s. And a fabulous Baltimore Album Quilt, c. 1845. composed of 12″ blocks of extraordinarily realistic flowers. A number of the blocks have braided baskets filled with flowers. The center is a 36″ medallion with a definite oriental cast and realism abandoned. here is a picture of the quilt in the Museum’s Bulletin Fall 1989 which is a catalogue of an exhibit of applique quilts. My other discovery was at the Arch Street Meeting House where a friendship quilt made in 1844 is on display (all the time). The quilt was made by members of the Female Society of Philadelphia for the Relief and Employment of the Poor as a gift for the retiring matron. The society was established by the Quakers after the terrible yellow fever epidemic of the 1790s. The quilt is a mix of cut-out chintz applique and complex pieced blocks that I associate with early Quaker friendship quilts. See Forget Me Not by Jane Bentley Kolter of a picture of the Primitive Hall quilt top which epitomizes that style. The Arch Street quilt is noteworthy for a lengthy and detailed printed inscription of dedication. At M. Finkel and Daughter (dealers in samplers) they confirmed that it was common practice to have inscriptions set in type by the local printer for inclusion on schoolgirl embroideries.
Date: Mon, 25 Jun 2001 16:43:17 -0400 | From: “Cinda Cawley” <lrcawley@>
I want to add my endorsement to Newbie and Nancy’s comments about the exhibit at the Maryland Historical Society. It is wonderful and the staff keep telling us that these quilts will not be shown again for a very, very long time. Don’t miss it if you can possibly get to Baltimore before Sept. 9. The catalogue is great (the title is in the subject line). ISBN 0-938420-70-4. I got my copy from Amazon. Cinda on the Eastern Shore
Date: Tue, 26 Jun 2001 05:23:03 -0700 (PDT) | From: Kris Driessen <krisdriessen@>
I think this note was sent to me by accident, but since QuiltBus is part of the Mall Crawl, I thought I forward it to the group. The URL is : https://www.quiltindex.com/MallCrawl/welcome.asp Kris http://www.QuiltBus.com
Date: Tue, 26 Jun 2001 08:05:23 -0700 | From: Denise Clausen <
Hi Toni The Tillamook County Quilters are making a Noah’s Ark quilt for the Latimer Quilt and Textile Center’s “Dolly Quilt Auction” for their Holiday High Tea. We are using redwork newspaper patterns. The ladies embroidered the animals in any color they liked then colored them with crayons. I have the joy of setting them together for a quilt and will test them for color fastness also. The Center has a painted quilt, but no crayon quilts in the collection. Best of luck Toni. Denise Clausen In Sunny Sandlake, Oregon
Date: Tue, 26 Jun 2001 13:05:42 -0700 | From: “Cleon Claassen” <cclaassen@>
Is there a Washington Sate quilt documentation project? I would like to get in touch with anyone involved. Elizabeth in the desert (yes Washington State has its dry side.)
Date: Wed, 27 Jun 2001 11:40:20 -0400 | From: Beth Donaldson <quilts@>
We have a crayon quilt in our collection (FAD# 6119.16). It was made in 1931 by Detroit quilter Laura May Clarke and quilted by her mother Bozena Clarke in 1932. It is called “Flower Garden” and was designed by Ruby McKim. The pattern was probably seen in a Detroit News quilting column and then ordered by one of the Clarke’s. It is 70″ x 83″ and predominately purple and green. The flowers were colored on muslingfabric with crayons and then pressed with a hot iron to heat set them. They appear to be outlined and detailed with some kind of black ink. The blocks are set on point and alternating blocks are turqoise, yellow and lavender print on muslin. The quilting is done with large, even stitches with green pearl cotton. The binding is a narrow, green bias and the corners are gently curved. This is just one of over 40 quilts, tops and pieces that were donated by Dr. Harriet Clarke, granddaughter of Bozena Clarke. It is a great collection of 1930s quilts. To learn more about our collection, check out our new book Great Lakes, Great Quilts, from C&T Publishing arriving this fall!
Beth Donaldson Quilt Collections Assistant Managing Editor, Great Lakes Quilting Newsletter 201 Central Services, MSU Museum East Lansing, Michigan 48824-1045 quilt line: 517-432-3800 quilts@ http://museum.msu.edu/s-program/MQulit/index.html
Date: Wed, 27 Jun 2001 11:12:06 -0500 | From: Marilyn Woodin <
I have a “crayon quilt” top that I am quite in love with. I bought it quite a few years ago at an AQSG auction. It is of the comic strip characters of he 30′ and 40’s, maybe one or two in the 50’s. The characters are great–Maggie and Jiggs, Orphan Annie and Sandy,Blondie, Wimpy (this block says on it “Introducint J. Wellington Wimpy ‘the Moocher’ ” Mickey Mouse and more. I have shown this top at lectures and in our local quilt museum and everyone gets a lot of joy out of seeing it. It too was colored and then covered with wax paper and ironed. I think this would be the type of thing educators could use in making quilts and studying them in school. Just thought I’d tell you all about one of my favorite quilt tops——I understand why they didn’t quilt it. Marilyn Woodin Kalona Iowa
Date: Wed, 27 Jun 2001 23:27:32 +0100 | From: “Sally Ward” <Sally.D.Ward@>
I’ve been searching for a website or email contact for this group without success. Does anyone know if it still exists, and if so how I might make contact and/or find out about their published study papers. Thanks Sally Ward in Yorkshire, UK
Date: Wed, 27 Jun 2001 19:41:56 -0400 | From: “Pam Weeks Worthen” <pamworthen@>
My day job is director of ABC Quilts (www.abcquilts.org…..anyone want to be on the board of directors?) Our national organization makes 35K quilts per year for at-risk babies, but best of all, we have a quilt-making based prevention education program that’s designed to reinforce the lessons the kids have already had about making the best choices concerning sex and drugs. About 10% of the quilts come through the Home Office, and many of the ones made by kids are decorated with fabric markers or crayons. In fact, we’ve had 2 crayon quilts this week. one is very faded adn not very interesting, but the other is marvelous. It was made in a fourth grade class, and each of the 24 blocks features some thing about NH history, which is required curriculum in that grade. Our guidelines don’t say anything about surface decoration beyond “no puff paints” and appliques should be rugged, so i don’t have any data about how they wash, except if they weren’t durable, the Founders would have outlawed crayons. Any one any where NH in August should pop by our quilt-a-thon at the League of NH Annual Craftsmen’s Fair. We sew like crazy and have a blast at one of the best fine craftshows in the country. “ping” me for details if you want to come play! Pam in NH where it is too d%*& hot for June!!!
Date: Thu, 28 Jun 2001 22:48:13 +1000 | From: nomad1@
Hi Toni and All, Thought I will say ” Hi ” as I number as one of the ” plank owners” as you say, when QHL first started! I still keep in touch with what is happening on QHL and will contribute when I have something to add! Life here in Australia is wonderful as ever, though we are in the middle of Winter. I am finding waking up early to go to work etc is such a bore! 🙁 However……..am not really complaining, am thankful for jobs etc. Also Lorraine and Ruth up in the Blue Mountains would be way colder, so I cannae complain! : ) Quilt wise the Darling Harbour Quilt Show is on at present and it is always a great joy. I am also eagerly looking forward to the visit of Melissa ( who is also a ” plank owner ” ) and son Charlie from Houston on their first trip to Oz! : ) Needless to say I just cannot wait for their arrival. : ) We plan to get some serious quilting done, amidst sightseeing and shopping and blobbing out! So that’s a quick update Toni. Thanks for asking! Smiles to all, Hiranya Loder from Sydney, Australia : ) QuiltFixer@ wrote: >
Date: Thu, 28 Jun 2001 08:14:56 -0700 | From: “nms” <nms@>
Hi Sally, I believe the Canadian Quilt Study Group is no longer operating. I sent a membership application to someone as far back as maybe one and one half years ago and it was returned by one of the board members stating the group was no longer active. If you are in need of a contact for the person I received information from, please email me privately. Regards, Nance Searle International Society of Appraisers
Date: Thu, 28 Jun 2001 13:02:53 -0400 | From: “Jan Drechsler” <quiltdoc@>
Hello Julie and VT quilt show attendees. Just called VQS and was given the times for Julie’s lecture/tour of the Amish quilts at Shapiro. Fri 1 p.m. Sat. 1 p.m. Sun. 10 a.m. I will not miss this and would love to meet other QHLers on Friday at 1pm at Julie’s session. Also, I will be hanging around the food tent at noon on Friday and will be wearing a blue/purple sleeveless short dress and a white sun visor. Love to have a lunch companion-or ten! — Jan Drechsler in Vermont Quilt Restoration; Quilting teacher www.@/~bobmills
Date: Thu, 28 Jun 2001 16:17:52 -0500 (EST) | From: Teri Klassen <teresak@>
Laura, a friend of mine got a Lone Star quilt with 9 points at an antique show in a Bloomington Indiana shopping mall some years ago, all solid colors but not exactly coordinated in concentric rings. it doesn’t look like a kit, more like a scrap quilt, and not finely made. maybe Depression era or ’40s. But it couldn’t have been easy to lay out. I imagined the number 9 might have had some significance for the maker, i.e. number of siblings, or children or grandchildren or something. Please let us know if you find out any more. Teri in Indiana
Date: Thu, 28 Jun 2001 22:07:09 EDT | From: Edwaquilt@
I believe the 7 point star may have some significant in the Cherokee Nation. Seven tribes. I have a paper somewhere at home about this. I also have a friend that cut out an 8 point star quilt some years ago and started piecing and and had one diamond left. It fit perfectly. So sometime I guess it is an accident. But I’ll look up the Cherokee connections to the 7 point. Holice
