June 14 - June 28, 2003

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Fabric Identification, Oral History & Documentation, Quilt Block History, Restoration & Conservation

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:

Fireproofing & Fire-Retardant Treatments for Quilts — Members trade methods and commercial products for flame-retarding quilts and textiles used at shows and in display settings.
Pennsylvania/Mennonite Sampler Quilt Dating — A member asks for help dating a sampler quilt in the Pennsylvania Mennonite style, prompting a discussion of related published examples. (see the article on dating quilts)
New Quilt History Book Releases — Members share news of newly published quilt history titles, including “Wild by Design” and “Beyond the River,” with notes on availability and content.
Sara Miller Amish Crib Quilt Collection — Discussion of the University of Nebraska’s touring exhibit and companion book covering the Sara Miller collection of Amish crib quilts.
QHL List Server Changeover — List owner Kris Driessen announces the QHL list’s move from the cuenet server to the Lyris server and troubleshoots subscriber confusion during the transition.
Calico and Chintz Smithsonian Exhibit — Members discuss the traveling Smithsonian American Art Museum exhibition of early American pieced and whole-cloth quilts.
The Lincoln Quilt Pattern History — A multi-message thread traces different quilts known as the “Lincoln Quilt,” comparing versions and their published sources.
Honeycomb (Mosaic) Quilt Pattern History — Members discuss the history and regional naming of the Honeycomb, or mosaic, quilt pattern, including a related museum exhibit.
Underground Railroad Quilt Lore — A review of the book “Beyond the River” leads into a broader discussion of Underground Railroad history as it relates to quilt folklore. (see the article on Underground Railroad quilts)
Theft of a Private Quilt Collection — A member reports the theft of a fellow collector’s entire showcase quilt collection and asks the list for help.

Date: [date unknown] | From: Gaye Ingram

Judy,

Since all of us don’t have all the books/calendars you listed for quilts by and like Salina Rupp quilt, do you think you could use that new digital camera and post pics to list?

These are so exciting. But not insane at all. Now, that British-looking quilt struck me as heading toward schizophrenia, but not these. What beauties!

Wishing I lived in Pennsylvania for a while, Gaye

Date: [date unknown] | From: Slnquilts@

Judy, Do you own one of those sampler quilts too? Sharon Newman

Date: [date unknown] | From: Kittencat3@

Further info on the quilt conference at Historic Deerfield in Massachusetts is now available:

Dates – September 12-14

Cost – $340 for members, $365 for non-members

Agenda – currently includes workshops on corded quilting, trapunto, 18th century paper piecing, as well as twelve lectures on subjects including Renaissance armor, Indo-Portuguese coverlets, Italian stuffed and corded work from the 17th century, and 18th century imported petticoats.

Extras: tented banquet, special viewing of the Deerfield quilt collection led by Lynne Bassett, and a reception at the Smith College Museum of Art in Northampton, Massachusetts.

Contact info: Edward Maeder, Chair of the Curatorial Department and Curator of Textiles at 413/775-7202, or maeder@.

Early registration is strongly encouraged.

I’m going – please e-mail me privately if you’re interested so the QHLers could potentially get together. I’m local and can provide crash space on my sofabed, or give advice on local accommodations.

Hope to see some of you there – this one sounds great!

Lisa Evans Easthampton, MA

Date: [date unknown] | From: “judygrow”

Sharon,

I don’t know if I do or don’t. Yes, I own the quilt I am sending along as an attachment. I was told it was made in Lebanon Pa — close to the northern area of Lancaster county where the Bucher, Snyder and Rupp quilts were made.

I am hoping to find out more and am in conversation with Trish Herr who is putting me in touch with Clark Hess, a direct descendant of the makers of the Bucher and Snyder quilts and the man who wrote the book on “Mennonite Arts.” He’s the expert.

As you can see, my quilt is quite different in that it has no sashing. But, some of the blocks and block styles are remarkably similar to the attributed quilts. I think mine was made in the late ’70’s, and uses some much earlier fabrics along with the ubiquitous Pa. German colored fabrics.

Warmest regards,

Judy in Ringoes, NJ judygrow@

Date: [date unknown] | From: “judygrow”

Sorry about that. My last was supposed to be a private response, and not go to the list. I know that attachments are forbidden on the list.

I not ready to publish this image. I know that Liz Lois bought the rights to the photo of the Salinda Rupp quilt in order to self-publish her book of patterns based on that quilt. Someone else owns the actual quilt. I am not quite sure how that works, but I am not ready to have someone else reproduce the quilt designs before I do, if I do.

The digital camera and Electric Quilt (or drawing programs) are wonderful tools for reproducing complexquilt patterns, even from photographs. I am gaining intimate knowledge of how they work.

By the way, I bought Liz Lois’s book and am impressed with both her patterns and her reproduction quilt. Excellent job.

Judy in Ringoes, NJ judygrow@

Date: [date unknown] | From: Meredit300@

Thanks for letting me know about next March. If there is a list, please put me on it. I had such a great time in 2002. I am in Texas right now but not out and looking at quilts quite yet. I clumsily fell down steps and broke neck…..surgery is fine, recovering nicely;hate neck brace I wear 24 hours a day but that’s life.

Meredith Rials

Date: [date unknown] | From: solo57@

“Wild by Design “Two Hundred Years of Innovation and Artistry in American Quilts” Edited by Janet Catherine Berlo andPatricia Cox Crews withcontributions by Carolyn Ducey, Jonathan Holstein and Michael James is out. Need I say more? Wow. I love the format. A dialogue accompanies each large plate of these ‘off beat’ quilts. What a wonderful treatment. I know it’s available on the Quilt History page at QuiltWeb. http://www.quilthistory.com (click on books.)

Anita Grossman Solomon/NYC

Date: [date unknown] | From: “Michael J Sedgley”

Hello Everyone,

My name is Carole Sedgley and I am 59 years young and am very passionate about anything to do with Patchwork & Quilting. I have 5 children and 9 grandchildren with 2 on there way. I am at present doing Art & Design & Patchwork & Quilting City & Guilds at the Royal Duchy College at Cornwall.

I am very interested in the History of Quilts and decided that I would very much like to study this subject could you please give me some pointers on how best to begin.

I live in a little village in Cornwall called Kilkhampton which has two old country style pubs a fish & chip shop with a small bakery, butchers and two small grocery stores.

My husband is called Mike and he is very useful as if my sewing machine goes wrong he can fix it. He also takes an interest in any work either I or my friends do.

Well thats enough of me for now.

Look forward to hearing from you soon

Carole Sedgleh

Date: [date unknown] | From: “Sally Ward”

Hi Carole

Since you are in the UK, if you are interested in UK history you might like to join the Brit Based list BQHL at Yahoo groups. Also, the British Quilt Study Group has published four useful journals of papers presented at their annual conference whcih are available from the Quilters Guild. To join the group you have to be a member of the Quilters Guild, which makes it quite expensive. Books to start you off about the UK tradition would be the Guild’s book ‘Quilt Treasures’ and Jan Rae’s ‘Quilts of the British Isles‘. Your local library might have any of Averil Colby’s or Dorothy Osler’s books. The former are quite old now, but nothing better has been published recently. And start digging….do the rounds of your local museums and see what they’ve got in the way of textiles. They are unlikely to be ondisplay, but they often like volunteers to help with the ‘housekeeping’ ofre-folding quilts etc. The best way to learn is to handle as many quilts as possible.

Sally W (in Yorkshire)

Date: [date unknown] | From: “Carolyn K Ducey”

Dear Anita,

Thanks so much for your lovely comments on our new book “Wild by Design.”We are so pleased with it, and I think the format is much more interestingthan others we’ve used in the past. The dialogue style gave us an opportunity to explore so many more aspects of each quilt. And Janet Berlowrote such a fascinating essay. I was so fortunate to have been a part of such a stellar group!

We all really appreciate your positive comments. (Click on the book cover to order.)

Carolyn

Curator International Quilt Study Center HE 234, Univ. of Nebraska Lincoln, NE 68583-0838 402/472-6301

Date: [date unknown] | From: Trimble4@

In a message dated 5/22/03 8:03:03 AM Eastern Daylight Time, jgkane84@ writes:

<< I have no experience of fire proofing quilts, but recently bought an expensive, new, mattress! It smelt dreadful when unpacked from its plastic packaging, and continued to reek for days. When contacted, the manufacturers said this was the fire retardent and the smell “would wear off”. I hate to think what the chemicals have done to the mattress, and our lungs.The mattress is,however, insured and is a ‘thing’ . I hate to think of quilt treasures receiving the same treatment. Jill >>

Hi Jill,

Just a couple of questions…what brand of mattress is it? And what state do you live in?

My DH is in the bedding industry, actually the machines that put together mattresses, and we were just discussing the difference in fireproofing laws.

Hope you don’t mind me being nosy. 🙂 Thanks, Lori

Date: [date unknown] | From: Trimble4@

Just a quick note to let you know that I have come back (for good, I hope) from the “hourglass hell” of an extremely temperamental computer.

To those of you who assumed that I had just blown you off (think of lint on the dryer here)…may I say that you are mistaken? I was just unable to correspond with you.

So please, please, please forgive me, dear friends. I’ve missed you! And now, I must go try to catch up (turned this on to find HUNDREDS of waiting emails)…

Lori Florida

Date: [date unknown] | From: Trimble4@

Hi Maureen,

I am a little late getting to your post, but wonder if you still have any of your books available? If so, please let me know how much you want for them?

Thanks, Lori

Date: [date unknown] | From: Anne Copeland

We just had a discussion on this on another list, and someone recommenced a substance that can be purchased commercially for fire proofing of textiles. Now I cannot remember the name of it, but I think if you look up fire proofing of textiles, it will come up. If not, I will try to find out again. it was not borax., but seemed to me that it had a “B” name. Peace and blessings, Annie

http://www.artquiltconsultant.com http://www.fiberartsconnsocal.org

Date: [date unknown] | From: Anne Copeland

Hi Folks, This is Annie here. Today I just listed some of mine on Amazon.com but I also have some that will not sell there, and if I were to sell any, I could just unlist them on Amazon. I have many of the state books, and some that are out of print, and I have American Quilts by Elizabeth Wells Robertson. This is a very hard-to-get book.

Anyway, if anyone is looking for a particular book, or if you would like to write me privately, I will let you know what I have available.

I am selling them because I live in a mobile home and basically don’t have room for them anymore. I am also unemployed, so this will help me.

All my books are in very good to excellent condition. Peace and blessings, Annie

http://www.artquiltconsultant.com http://www.fiberartsconnsocal.org

Date: [date unknown] | From: Gloria Hanrahan

Anne, I kept those posts from the artquilt list. Here are the different suggestion. I hadn’t realized someone was asking the question on a different list. They all run together after seeing so many familiar names or I would have posted. Sorry to whom ever posted the original question.

“Check with a local drapery company. They are required to fireproof all drapery that goes in commercial buildings. They have both sprays and dips that fireproof fabrics, linings, etc. Benton Bros Drapery in Birmingham, AL is an example of one of these.”

“A few months ago while I was the administrative sub at an elementary school during the principal’s surgery/recovery, the school had an inspection by the state fire marshal. Several early childhood teachers had valences, fabric pillows in rockers, etc. and there were window curtains in the cafeteria. The items either had to be removed or fireproofed. I was given a list of acceptable products, but, chose Flamex because it was highly recommended for schools, nursing homes, etc. It was easily applied with regular spray bottles and didn’t harm the fabrics which, of course, were washable.. http://www.natfire.com/flame.retardant_fx.htm”

“Try Testfabrics Inc. http://www.testfabri/ I’ve used them to flame retard drapery fabric for commercial buildings.”

“You can’t really fireproof fabric; you can retard or resist fire. (That’s the old commercial property underwriter in me coming out!).

When you do Quilt Market or Festival you have to have your drapes and table covers fire-resistant. Some people use a home-made formula: 3 ounces boric acid, 7 ounces borax, 2 quarts hot water. Another formula I read was 2 parts borax to 1 part boric acid. Another 9 ounces borax, 5 ounces of boric acid and 1 gallon of hot water. All about the same proportions. That last recipe came from someone’s fire department. Boric acid is available in the pharmacy, borax at the grocery. For washable fabrics, dip in the solutionand wring damp dry and then hang on the line to dry. For non washable (and this could be a finished quilt) spray until the surface is slightly dampened. Each time the item is cleaned it needs to be repeated. You can feel the difference in the fabric. The retardant fabric is a bit stiffer.

You can also purchase a coating product. I have Inspecta-Shield manufactured by NY Fire-Shield Inc. (no web site on the bottle) and the label notes that it meets California standards. This quart bottle cost me $20 and I bought it from the convention services decorating company at the Chicago Festival. When I did Market in Portland, they had a similar product that cost $80 a quart. I would try looking in the yellow pages underConvention Services and call some to see if they have a retarding product for sale. But call around, since as my example points out prices vary widely.”

Gloria in Alaska

Darwin

============================

In less than 48 hours on the weekend of June 7, I acquired a new grandson and a new son-in-law thanks to two different children. Definitely one of of the most exciting two days in my life. In the brief window of opportunity between visiting the hospital and dressing for the wedding, John and I stopped in an antique shop. I found a completed (except for a bit of embroidery) quilt top. It’s American Beauty, Progress No. 1366. T.S.& G. Inc., N.Y.C. is also stamped on it. Size is 81″ x 99″. Xenia, or anybody, how about a hint on the date? It was John’s idea that I quilt it for baby Jimmy’s wedding which we probably will not be around to attend (we are pretty old already, after all). You gotta love a guy who thinks that way! Now, about Vermont: I’ll be at Shelburne on Friday, the VQF on Saturday and Deerfield on Sunday. Who else will be sweltering along with me? Cinda finally back on the Eastern Shore but only until Wednesday a.m.

============================

Cinda, I am filing this along with other of your mailings that go in the file “INTREPID”! It includes the weekend you and your group navigated around a load of missiles in order to get to a meeting of FFV. What a woman!

I vote for assigning the quilt to the baby, though, you know, it might also have been an omen for the happy couple?

Gaye

P.S. Do you include the quilt find as a reason for this being “definitely one of the most exciting two days in my life”? >g>

Date: [date unknown] | From: Kris Driessen

Just a quick note – I noticed that the Calico and Chintz exhibition sponsored by the Smithsonian is going to be traveling. (The URL is http://160.111.24.8/mainhighlights/main.cfm?id=CC if you can get through. Try Netscape, they seem to have optimized for it.) Here is the press release:

Touring Exhibition Highlights Early American Quilts

“Calico and Chintz: Early American Quilts from the Smithsonian American Art Museum” features 22 rare pieced and whole-cloth American quilts made before 1850. This exhibition opens at the Speed Art Museum (Louisville, Ky.) on Dec. 16, 2003.

[From Kris: It will tour to Dec. 16, 2003-March 14, 2004 The Speed Art Museum (Louisville, Kentucky), April 7-June 7, 2004, Portland Museum of Art (Portland, Maine) and Sep. 19-Nov. 21, 2004 Butler Institution of American Art (Youngstown, Ohio)]

These quilts are selected from the collection donated to the museum in 1999 by Patricia Smith Melton, a Washington playwright and quilt historian.

“These spectacular quilts enrich our knowledge of early America, and I am honored to introduce these seldom seen treasures to the nation,” said Elizabeth Broun, the Margaret and Terry Stent Director of the Smithsonian American Art Museum.

These heirloom quilts, dating from about 1810 to 1850, preserve a notable era in textile and quiltmaking artistry. Before the United States developed a textile industry in the 1840s, colonists and citizens imported quality printed cottons from Britain or France. These fabrics were used by affluent quiltmakers along the Eastern Seaboard and on Southern plantations for the sumptuous bedcovers that were an important decorative element in prosperous homes.

“These rare and beautiful quilts will come as a revelation to all quilt lovers,” said Kenneth Trapp, curator-in-charge of the Smithsonian American Art Museum’s Renwick Gallery. “The pre-1850’s textiles demonstrate this earlier society’s embrace of vivid color, rich pattern and exuberant beauty.”

The cotton fabric used in these early American quilts incorporated vegetable and mineral colors-chemical aniline dyes did not arrive until the 1850s-and represented high standards of woodblock, copperplate and roller printing. The term “calico” comes from Calicut, a port on the Malabar Coast of India where European traders in the 17th century bought the colorful cottons that revolutionized Western taste in textiles. “Chintz” is derived from “chints,” a phonetic transliteration of the Hindi word meaning variegated. While the terms calico and chintz were used interchangeably to describe colorful cottons, calico properly describes unglazed fabric printed with repeat patterns of small floral or abstract shapes. Chintz refers to fine glazed cotton printed with prominent flowers, birds and other representational motifs. The exhibition also includes fragments of the kinds of imported period textiles used to construct the quilts in the collection.

Some of the quilts in this exhibition are the most intricate and complex of their kind. “Pieced Bedcover (Honeycomb),” about 1825, is composed of template-formed hexagons-each measuring only 5/8 inch-for a total of 442 rosettes of colorful cotton. Others are quite bold and expressionistic including “Pieced Quilt (Nine Patch on Point),” about 1845. This New York quilt would have been appropriate with the interior decor of a middle-class bedroom of the early 1840s.

Made for a child’s bed, “Pieced Quilt (Honeycomb),” about 1830, is a rare survivor of a type of pre-hexagon quilt constructed with a broad whole-cloth border of glazed chintz. The realism of the blooms printed on the tea-colored backgrounds of the English chintz border contrasts sharply with the abstracted “flowers” pieced from both block- and roller-printed calicoes spanning the period from 1800 through 1825. In the shape and colors chosen, the quiltmaker creates an exciting rhythmic vitality.

The textile fragment, “English Pillar Print Chintz,” about 1825-1835, demonstrates an extremely popular design in the United States. Pillar prints depicted classical columns garlanded with ribbons, birds or wicker fruit baskets. This design was often used on America’s highest quality quilts as borders, as long stripes in bar-patterned designs and as tops for whole-cloth bedcovers.

Smith Melton has collected American pre-1850 whole-cloth, pieced and appliqued bedcovers for more than 20 years. She built the collection with the intent to have them viewed in their entirety as an educational experience and has taught classes on the history of quilts and quilt textiles.

A catalog to accompany “Calico and Chintz: Early American Quilts from the Smithsonian American Art Museum” with an essay by Jeremy Adamson, curator of prints and drawings at the Library of Congress, is available.

“Calico and Chintz: Early American Quilts from the Smithsonian American Art Museum” is one of five exhibitions featuring the museum’s collections that are touring the nation through 2005. The tour is supported in part by the Smithsonian Special Exhibitions Fund.

More information and full itineraries for each exhibition in the tour “Highlights from the Smithsonian American Art Museum” can be found on the museum’s Web site at AmericanArt.si.edu/highlights.

The Smithsonian American Art Museum collection began with gifts of art donated to the federal government in 1829 and has evolved into the world’s most important American art holdings with approximately 40,000 artworks in all media spanning more than three centuries.

While the renovation of the museum’s historic building continues, American Art offers a full program of exhibitions at its Renwick Gallery (Pennsylvania Avenue at 17th Street N.W.). For information about Renwick Gallery activities, call (202) 357-2700 or visit the museum’s award-winning Web site at AmericanArt.si.edu.

Date: Mon, 23 Jun 2003 09:00:29 -0500 | From: “Carol Butzke”

Hi Everyone, I’m back–See you all Tuesday

Carol

Gardening Rule: When weeding, the best way to make sure you are removing a weed and not a valuable plant is to pull on it. If it comes out of the ground easily, it is a valuable plant. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The easiest way to find something lost around the house is to buy a replacement. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Never take life seriously. Nobody gets out alive anyway. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

There are two kinds of pedestrians — the quick and the dead. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Life is sexually transmitted. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

An unbreakable toy is useful for breaking other toys. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

If quitters never win, and winners never quit, then who is the fool who said, “Quit while you’re ahead?” ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Health is merely the slowest possible rate at which one can die. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The only difference between a rut and a grave is the depth. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Get the last word in: Apologize. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Give a person a fish and you feed them for a day; teach that person to use the Internet and they won’t bother you for weeks. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Some people are like Slinkies . . . not really good for anything, but you still can’t help but smile when you see one tumble down the stairs. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Health nuts are going to feel stupid someday, lying in hospitals dying of nothing. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Have you noticed since everyone has a camcorder these days no one talks about seeing UFOs like they use to? ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Whenever I feel blue, I start breathing again. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

All of us could take a lesson from the weather. It pays no attention to criticism. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Why does a slight tax increase cost you two hundred dollars and a substantial tax cut saves you thirty cents? ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

In the 60’s, people took acid to make the world weird. Now the world is weird and people take Prozac to make it normal. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Politics is supposed to be the second oldest profession. I have come to realize that it bears a very close resemblance to the first. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

How is it one careless match can start a forest fire, but it takes a whole box to start a campfire? ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

AND THE # 1 THOUGHT FOR THE DAY: You read about all these terrorists — most of them came here legally, but they hung around on these expired visas, some for as long as 10 -15 years. Now, compare that to Blockbuster; you are two days late with a video and those people are all over you. Let’s put Blockbuster in charge of immigration.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Date: [date unknown] | From: “Edith L. Taylor”

Hi all!

First of all, thanks to Carol Butzke for sending her “thoughts for the day” to the wrong list. I definitely enjoyed it!

Since everyone’s talking about new books, I thought I’d mention Amish Crib Quilts from the Midwest: The Sara Miller Collection by Janneken Smucker, Patricia Co Crews, and Linda Welters (2003, Good Books, Intercourse, PA, 108 pp., paperback, ISBN 1-56148-389-3, www.goodbks.com; I paid $19.95). (click on the title to order)This is the catalog from the exhibit in Lincoln, Nebraska, sponsored by the International Quilt Study Center at U. Nebraska. They are rotating the entire collection of 90 quilts, so I only got to see ~a quarter of them last weekend when I was there, but they were beautiful! The exhibit continues (with different rotations) until Feb. 15, 2004 at the Great Plains Art Collection, UNL. The book, however, covers the whole Sara Miller Collection and I see on the goodbooks web site that it is cheaper than what I paid! (no affiliation)

Best,

Date: Tue, | From: Bluecrookedtooth@

if anyone is in Kuntztown Pa this coming week..have to check out the quilts..and the sassparilla dn real root beer….just make sure you have a hotel before you go there, it will be a busy weekend….

Date: Tue, 24 Jun 2003 15:25:19 -0400 | From:

One word to describe it – BREATHTAKING!!!! We are so lucky to see these amazing quilts once again. Thanks, Kris, for the fyi. sue reich

Date: Tue, | From: Barb Garrett

Hi Kris –

I just got back from a trip to Virginia — which did include the quilt museum — yay!!! <grin> — and found your check waiting for me — thanks. Still need to learn scheduling details about Rabiit’s conference, but am leaning toward it — and your wonderful offer of a spot on your floor for my pallet. I’m going to Vermont with 3 other people this weekend, so the summer is rather quilt filled — but I’m not complaining <grin>. Thanks again for the order. Barb

Date: [date unknown] | From: Barb Garrett

Sorry about the private note I sent to Kris, that I sent to the list — I’m changing servers and had too many things to check. I’m sorry.

Barb in southeastern PA

Date: [date unknown] | From: “Candace Perry”

Barb, well, at least you didn’t say anything naughty…I received an email from the museum list I belong to that included some — shall we say — intimate details of a fellow’s romantic life! He didn’t check the recipient of the email, and gave us boring museum folk quite a chuckle (and cause to wonder why he is having such an exciting life!) Candace

Date: [date unknown] | From: Barb Garrett

For those of you in the east who are too far from Nebraska to view the University exhibit of Sarah Miller’s Amish Crib quilts (like me), you can see part of the collection at the Quilt Museum in Intercourse, PA. It’s a great exhibit, and they will be changing the crib quilts sometime in August — so you can visit twice and see more quilts. In addition to the crib quilts are some excellent full size Mennonite quilts.

Barb in southeastern PA

Date: [date unknown] | From: Gaye Ingram

> > Sorry about the private note I sent to Kris, that I sent to the list — I’m > changing servers and had too many things to > check. I’m sorry. > > Barb in southeastern PA

Barb,

One of my favorite stories is of a newly famous writer (Nat’l Book Award, Pulitzer, etc) who,early in a three-week summer writing conference, grew smitten by another writer. Both were married. It was one of those conferences where only the brightest lights get faculty status, and admission is selective. So everyone, students and faculty knows one another.

One morning a young (male) friend opened his voice mail to hear a woman’s voice describing his sexual prowess in the most detailed and enthusiastic manner imaginable, ending with an ardent and breathy “More!”

Being male, he desperately wanted to believe the call was for him, but the lady specifically referred to “last night.” Could it be early onset of Altzheimer’s? he hopefully queried himself, since he could not attribute forgetting such an obviously memorable evening to drunkenness. He had spent the preceding evening with recovering alcohlic friends and hadn’t touched anything stronger than mineral water.

Then he recognized the woman’s voice. He was shocked because the two had never been seen together. They ate at separate tables, taught in separate buildings, and in groups were very formal with one another. But there was no mistaking the voice, and so he made a vow to avoid the loving pair for the two weeks that remained. That morning at breakfast, of course, the woman came and sat at his table. So much for good intentions.

At the evening meal, another presenter asked if anyone had gotten a somewhat “bizarre” voice mail. Then everyone confessed to having gotten that same call.

It turns out that student participants who also manned the telephone service at the small campus where the conference was held had caught on to the romance early (They always catch on faster than adults). One was devoted to the wife of the Big Writer and wanted to put a quietus on the budding affair. So he had sent the voice mail to every single telephone on campus—-EXCEPT to those of the bringer of joy and his ecstatic paramour.

So everyone spent the remaining two weeks watching the two avoid one another in public and barely able to observe the man, whose anatomy had been described so completely.

Two or three years later, it appeared neither had learned of the joke.

MORAL: IT COULD HAVE BEEN BAD. LOTS BADDER. And WATCH OUT FOR STUDENTS: THEY ARE ALWAYS AT LEAST ONE STEP AHEAD OF ADULTS.

Gaye

Date: [date unknown] | From: Kris Driessen

Doesn’t that sound like a great title for a mystery?

I’m glad I paid Barb’s bill on time:-)) For those of you who don’t know, she is the designer of a line of patterns called “With a Mother’s Love” based on antique quilts. You can see them at http://www.quiltbus.com/patterns.htm

Any other designers on this list?

I spoke to Rabbit today about the conference. The workshops are up on her website now, http://www.rabbitgoody.com . THere are two more yet to go up – her classes on textile identification, which are offered on Thursday and Friday afternoon. Those of you that have never taken it, and can make the conference, really need this class. She talks a lot about the various properties of threads, (including how well they take dye and several other tangential subjects) and also shows how to identify them under the microscope. I took it many years ago and think I will take it again.

The conference is held in Cooperstown and, yes, anyone is welcome to stay with me as long as they don’t mind the 45 minute drive. We will be in the new house by then – in fact, that brings me to another subject.

The house we are renting has been sold, so we have to move very, very soon. We are going to move into the new house, (whether or not it is done!) so I may be off line for a while depending on how much they can get done before we get there. They got the last of the windows in today, and hopefully tomorrow they will do the front door. The kitchen is in, and I think the water is going to be turned on tomorrow. Now all we need is a toilet, stairs to the second floor and power!

If you need list help while I am gone, please be patient. I promise I will get back up and running ASAP.

Kris

Date: [date unknown] | From: “Jean Carlton”

Just a word to those of you who are not able to see the quilts but wish to buy the book. Be warned. The photos in the book are completely different colors than the actual quilts. One gray ocean waves appears downright purple in the book. I had my money in hand as I flipped through it and noticed this. I spoke to the man at the gallery in Lincoln about it and he said others had commented on that too. I didn’t buy the book because I thought the publishers would HAVE to re-do it to be accurate or that there was another ‘batch’ somewhere that was better. ( I doubt it now) He felt it was a printing, rather than photography, issue but it’s very disappointing. I felt if I bought the book to have photos of the rest of the collection that I wouldn’t really be seeing it in the correct colors. Jean Carlton

Bettina Havig authored a book “Amish Kinder Komforts” � 1996 American Quilters Society, with photos of the Sara Miller collection and patterns for some of the quilts. I am curious if the new book (Amish Crib Quilts from the Midwest: The Sara Miller Collection by Janneken Smucker, Patricia Cox Crews, and Linda Welters, 2003, Good Books, Intercourse, PA) is all new material or a repeat of the earlier book. That publisher has combined material from previous books into “new” books before (which really annoys me!)… but this is a different situation with different authors and publishers. Just curious if anyone has both books… Karan

Date: Wed, 25 Jun | From: jocelynm@

On Tue, 24 Jun 2003 16:10:37 -0400 “Candace Perry” wrote:

Candace, I once got an email at my work address (which was my first initial and my last name) from a girl thanking some guy for an amazing night, and suggesting they do it again soon.

I wrote her back and suggested that before she had another amazing night, she might want to make sure the guy wasn’t giving her a fake email….

Jocelyn

Date: Wed, 25 Jun | From: Joan Kiplinger

1,000 pardons if I am way behind on this; have a funny feeling that I am. In the lastest issue of Smithsonian is a short book review of BEYOND THE RIVER: the Untold Story of the Heroes of the Underground Railroad by Ann Hagedorn. It chronicles the safe house system several decades prior to the Civil War with most of the activity taking place in Ripley, near Cincinnati, Ohio. I recall Ripley as one of the locations featured in a recent HGTV special on quilt codes and showing its most famous house displaying a repro quilt for re-enactment purposes. As these book reviews usually follow much later than actual book publication, I wonder if anyone this list has read this book and can offer any opinions. Apologies again if I’m dredging up an old topic.

Date: Thu, 26 | From: Joan Kiplinger

I really just want to make sure that the news of my new website gets circulated, so many people have been asking if I have one. As I can’t get up to the Vermont festival, I thought this might be a good way to spread the news.

I will send you separately a press release announcing publication of – yes- a QUILT CALENDAR – at long last. I put it together for Barnes & Noble, along with Stella Rubin, inspired in part by all the inquiries to QHL as to where they could find a 2002, then 2003 calendar. I knew we needed one, and B&N was the first publishing nibble that came through.

Hopefull it will be an annual publication, of course that decision depends on sales of the calendar. So we hope everyone on the list will get one, and they’ll tell two friends, and they’ll tell two friends, and………

I should have the release to you early next week.

Happy Fourth, and can’t want to read reviews of the VQF.

Dear Joan, I have have read the book BEYOND THE RIVER and highly recommend it. IT HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH QUILTS/UGRR SYMBOLS, QUILT SYMBOLS, or anything in the controversy surrounding HIPV.

bEYOND THE RIVER documents the beginnings of the abolistist movement in Ripley, Ohio, primarily by the Rankin family, a family of Presbyterian ministers who were driven out of Tenn, then Kentucky for their abolistist beliefs in the 1810’s.

The term Underground Railroad began with a story in Ripley recounted in this book. There is also a mention of “The Drinking Gourd Song” and chilling accounts of the suffereing and torture slaves and abolisionists suffered in the early 1800’s.

It is MUST reading for people interested in the important part of American history.

I know nothing about a quilt in Rankin house, there is no mentions of any such quilt in the book–it probably was put there recently to “attract” those interested in the HIPV story.

(P.S.–one of the stories in Uncle Tom’s Cabin also is from Ripley and is documented in this book–it has to do with a female slave who swims across the Ohio River in the dead of winter carrying her baby and dodging ice flows.) P.P.S. I am a Presbyterian and it makes me proud to know these people are part of the history of my church. Don Beld

Date: [date unknown] | From: Donald Beld

Hi, I am looking for some general information or references regarding the history of the Honeycomb quilt pattern. I was recently priviledged to see a family quilt top that the accompanying mid 19th Century family letter (from a niece of the maker) states was made in New York in the 1820’s by a seamstress. The quilt is a top–never been backed–and is really quite remarkable. It is approximately 72 inches square and probably has around 15,000 3/4 inchhexagons that make up both the honeycomb (done in white linen) and the individual cells, which are fussy cut from dress materials.

I have never seen anything like it. Each hexagon is individually based on a piece of scrap paper on which you can see the faint writing of someone’s letters(?) in a pale brown ink (probably originally black). The top has only four or five deteriorated hexagons and no color fading as it has never seen the light of day. It does has two or three water stains in the linen. It is also hemmed (probably originally was a complete hexagon pattern, bu due to fraying, was hemmed straight with a small 1/8 inch underturn. The individual hexagons are not sewn together in a quilting pieced stitch, but a small (and I mean tiny) hemming stitch.

The owner would like to put it on public display, but doesn’t know who to contact or how to do it. She saved it from a current family desire to cut it into four piece so “everyone in the family” could have part!

My research says honeycomb is a very early pattern–probably from England during the Colonial period. Can anyone give us directions for further research and about conserving this fascinating texitle and showing it? Thanks, Don Beld

Date: Thu, 26 | From: Joan Kiplinger

Don — that was quite a review and testimonial. As I recall the HGTV program, a repro quilt with black symbols was slung over upper balcony of one of the houses to simulate how these symbols were coded directions to guide the runaways — theoretically, that is. Thanx for taking the time to share this information.

Date: [date unknown] | From: Debby Kratovil

Last summer I petitioned this ListServe for information about The Memory Bouquet Quilt which first appeared in the Kansas City Star newspaper in the 1930s. I found several quilters and sources to help me with some real quilts. I drafted all of the patterns for today’s quilter, received permission from the Star to reproduce, create patterns and to sell the set. I have enjoyed this all along the way. If you would like to see the finished quilt go quilt. My local quilt guild, The Material Girls of Tucker/Atlanta, Georgia assisted me in making all the blocks. Darlene Zimmerman and Chanteclaire fabrics generously donated the reproduction solids and it was machine quilted by Silvia Davis of Douglas, Georgia. This quilt will eventually be donated to a worthy charity for a fundraiser. But it will do a little traveling (hopefully prominently displayed at the Houston Quilt Market and Show in November). It currently is showcased in the latest issue of Appliqu Quilts (http://www.quiltmag.com). Go see it and if you are interested in a full set of patterns on CD, follow those links, too. — Debby (with a “y” and not “ie”) Kratovil http://www.quilterbydesign.com

Date: [date unknown] | From: “Laura Fisher”

Hi – thanks so much for posting news of my new website. Unfortunately, I gave an incorrect email address. It is LFAntiqueQuilts@

If someone want to reach me privately, it’s laurafisher@

Please be patient, it takes a while to add on; our aim is to add five or six new items in quilts weekly, then later to add hooked rugs, folk art, etc. Sometimes you may see a description and caption only first, the photos follow when my web Mstress does the technical stuff. Thanks for your support. Laura

Date: [date unknown] | From: “Candace Perry”

Don, I guess I’ll try this one. I’m assuming “public display” means a museum…therein lies a problem already. She can alert the local historical society or museum where the top was produced to the fact that she owns it, and if she’s not interested in donating, she’ll have to wait until the museum has an exhibit that it would fit. I would get on the internet and locate the closest historical museum in the area where it was produced. The museum would have guidelines on how they display their quilts…it varies according to space and finances! She should expect that the museum would not accept a long term loan of the top, most likely they would want it for a temporary exhibit at some point. If this still seems a might daunting, let me know the location in NY where it was made and I’ll see if I can scare up a resource. She may not like this option if she doesn’t live in NY — but I would say most history museums have a mission to exhibit objects from their own interpetive area. Candace Perry Schwenkfelder Library & Heritage Center

Date: Fri, 27 | From: Donald Beld

Hi, I am making a quilt based upon the “Lincoln Quilt” as found in Brackman’s ENCYCLOPIA OF PIECED QUILT PATTERNS, page 452 which she attributes to Anne Orr. I know that I have seen a picture of a quilt made of this pattern–it was blue and white–but I can’t remembe where. Does anyone out there know what I am talking about? How about reading or references on the pattern–it date? I know it probably was in Good Housekeeping in the early 1900’s, but would like more information. Thanks, Don Beld

Date: Sat, 28 Jun 2003 15:57:09 +0200 | From: Ady Hirsch

> >Hi, I am making a quilt based upon the “Lincoln Quilt” as found in Brackman’s ENCYCLOPIA OF PIECED QUILT PATTERNS, page 452 which she attributes to Anne Orr. I know that I have seen a picture of a quilt made of this pattern–it was blue and white–but I can’t remembe where. Does anyone out there know what I am talking about? How about reading or references on the pattern–it date? I know it probably was in Good Housekeeping in the early 1900’s, but would like more information. Thanks, Don Beld > A pink and white Lincoln’s Quilt was published in BHG’s Creative American Quilting (1989), pp. 148, 158-160. Ady in Israel

Date: Sat, 28 Jun 2003 08:22:55 -0500 | From: “Susan Wildemuth”

Good Morning,

There is another “Lincoln Quilt” attributed to Anne Orr by Merikay Waldvogel other than the one mentioned in Brackman’s book. Lockport Cotton Batting Company, Lockport, New York had their “version” of the Lincoln quilt, but it looks different than the one in Brackman’s book. I have a flier which features an example of Lockport’s Lincoln quilt with 7 other quilts. . Uncoverings-1990 – “The Marketing of Anne Orr Quilts” – MeriKay Waldvogel p.20 — “Lockport Batting Company published Anne Orr’s Lincoln Quilt patterns without giving her credit. Two other Lockport patterns, The McGill Cherry and the Cross Stitch Bouquet, may have been inspired by Anne Orr quilts.” If you’d like me to I will scan my flier and send it to you e-mail in an attachment or make a good two-sided copy of it at our local copy shop and send it to you snail mail. I have a vintage quilt in the Cross Stitch Bouquet design in my collection and I was just putting the finishing touches of writing up it’s background information to go with it when I saw your e-mail.

Sue in Illinois

Date: [date unknown] | From: “Susan Wildemuth”

The picture of the Lincoln quilt at the site Jean sent is more like the picture of the Lincolin quilt in Brackman’s book. In the Lockport Batting flier there are some differences as to placement of stars (Lockport Batting flier – Stars are on point versus corners) and border finishing (Lockport Batting flier – sashing, curved edge, etc) , but basically the same quilt — a quilt artist’s interpretation of the one found in the Lockport Batting Flier.

Sue in Illinois

Date: [date unknown] | From: “jajb”

We are traveling so I can’t check my books but wasn’t there a whole section on Anne Orr in “Soft Covers for Hard Times“? Check it anyway in case the picture is there.

Date: Sat, 28 Jun | From: Hazelmacc@

Last year the Charleston Museum, (S.C.) had an exhibit on this style of quilts but they referred to them as “mosaics”. They have a book called “Mosaic Quilts: Paper Template Piecing in the South Carolina Lowcountry”. Laurel Horton wrote a chapter and it begins “Mosaic patchwork, also called English template piecing….” The last chapter is a “how-to”. To my knowledge this is the first major printed info on the subject in America so it is most interesting to now have a quilt of this style made in New York.

Hazel Carter NO. VA

Date: [date unknown] | From: Joan Kiplinger

Some unpleasant news to share. This past Thursday the entire showcase collection of Jane’s [Clark Stapel] was stolen from her garage locker. The contents are irreplaceable, clothing, quilts and other items made of feedsacks, unusual feedsacks and toys made from printed feedsacks, mostly from the 1930s-40s. Each had a personal story connected to it and many were lovelingly given to Jane along the way. They served as props for her story-telling to show audiences the many ways feedsacks were used. One was a pair of men’s undershorts with the feedsack logo still showing on the back side; another was a pocket or slip bonnet with a removable cardboard brim for washing, another was rompers with appliqued figures, another were stuffed dolls and so on. Of course police have been notified as well as several second-hand stores in the area. But it is most likely the contents will not be recovered in full or even in part, and probably will turn up on Ebay or flea markets and antique stores that are out of the area and state. However, one can be hopeful for miracles and let’s hope that happens.

Jane has several shows coming up beginning in August. While she has some feedsacks to show, what she is lacking is the heart of her talks. It’s important to get this fine person back on the road with her much-in-demand demonstration. If you would like to send, loan or sell Jane any feedsack items, please call or email but give her a couple days as she is still adjusting from the shock. baglady@ or 412 766-3996 [Pittsburgh].

Date: Sat, 28 | From: Midnitelaptop@

* i looked in my copy of “soft covers for hard times” and sure enough there’s a sectionon anne orr and a beautiful full page picture of the lincoln quilt on page 45… it was made by inez ward it won prizes and was exhibited at the 1933 world’s fair in chicago… jeanL