March 1 – 3, 2003
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:
- A New Book on Indian Star Quilts — Nancy Tucker’s book on the history and contemporary making of Native American star quilts prompts discussion among members.
- Polyester vs. Nylon Conservation Tulle — A member restoring a velvet-and-silk quilt asks for advice on conservation-grade tulle, with nylon recommended over polyester. (see the article on repair, restore, or conserve)
- The eBay “Nazi Quilt,” Revisited Again — The controversial swastika-patterned listing resurfaces, with members noting the winning bidder appears to have backed out and then reconsidered.
- English Veiling as a Conservation Material — A follow-up on sourcing English veiling fabric for textile conservation, noting the lack of an American distributor. (see the article on quilting in Europe)
Date: Sat, 01 Mar 2003 13:13:36 -0600 | From: Mary Waller <mswaller@>
I just purchased an interesting book, INDIAN STAR QUILTS, by Nancy Tucker, on the history and contemporary making and use of star quilts. Published in 1999, ISBN 0-9671124-0-0.
Dr. Tucker taught Native American Studies at Montana State. She died unexpectedly in 1995.
Copies are available from Jim Doyle <doylej@> for $20, plus $4 shipping.
Mary Waller Vermillion SD USA
Date: Sat, 1 Mar 2003 19:35:17 -0000 | From: “Sally Ward” <sallytatters@>
Can anyone give me some information about polyester conservation tulle? I went to look at a velvet and silk quilt this week which has been conserved (quite recently, 1998) with a full covering of fine polyester tulle. I was told the brand name, which I recognised, but have forgotten it already (anno domini!).
Two things bothered me: First, although it was not a particularly large quilt there were two seams in the tulle, which had been left with pretty raggy-looking raw edges on the inside of the conservation covering. This is pretty unsightly, but I also wondered whether these raw fibres would be doing the surface of the quilt any harm by abrasion? Second, there are areas where the tulle itelf seems to be deteriorating. Its hard to describe, but its like the fibres have been pulled and distorted as if pulled tight over a corner, although of course it hasn’t and is laying flat.
I’m a rank amateur, so I don’t know if either of these things are bad news or not, but they bothered me. Any advice would be appreciated.
Sally Ward in Yorkshire, UK
Date: Sat, 01 Mar 2003 15:32:35 -0500 | From: Joan Kiplinger <jkip@>
Sally — I’ve not heard of using poly tulle. Some conservationists recommend nylon tulle, washed at least 3 times to soften it, but the prevailing thought now is that it’s still too abrasive. There is a silk fabric called crepeline, a softer version of organza, that is now recommended and that I’ve heard many museums and quilters are using for overall preservation and in restored areas. I’m not sure where it is obtained but probably companies which sell archival products like Hollingers and Gaylords stock it.
Date: Sat, 01 Mar 2003 16:44:16 -0500 | From: “Judy Kelius (judysue)” <judysue@>
Looks like the bidder on that “Nazi quilt” must have realized his mistake since it’s back! All the email he got about it apparently sunk in, but he has inflated ideas about what it’s worth. http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item2512567548&category2221
<img alt=”rwquilt.jpg (42663 bytes)” border=”2″ height=”75″ src=”./03052_files/rwquilt_small.jpg” width=”100″/> click on the thumbnail
Date: Mon, 03 Mar 2003 08:32:38 +0800 | From: “Roberta Geanangel”
WOW!!! I have one of these quilts…anyone want to offer me $2000? Inflated is right! —– Original Message —– From: “Judy Kelius (judysue)” <judysue@> Date: Sat, 01 Mar 2003 16:44:16 -0500 To: QHL@ Subject: QHL: The Nazi Quilt is back!!!
Re: Looks like the bidder on that “Nazi quilt” must have realized his mistake Re: since it’s back! All the email he got about it apparently sunk in, but he Re: has inflated ideas about what it’s worth. Re: http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item2512567548&category2221 Re:
Ragamuffins are for loving! >^..^< Blessed Be! Roberta in Florida
Date: Sat, 01 Mar 2003 19:15:56 -0800 | From: Newbie Richardson <pastcrafts@>
QHL:
Sally and list, A superior tulle used by many museums and private conservators both in Europe and in the US, is a low heat set monofilament nylon illusion veiling which is knitted on the original 19th c. machines in England. It has an exceptionally fine hand. If you look at bridal veiling under the scope, you will see hard plactic beads at each thread intersection. This is the product that Winterthur uses on all fabrics and upholstery. The Smithsonian Institution has allowed me to use it on some artifacts in the costume collection at National Museum of American History. It has some nice bias action for any 3D needs. Although it is nylon, it is fairly stable if kept out of direct sunlight. Nothing is perfect – yet. Crepeline is fine for some applications, but it degrades also. Stabletex is also good – but too opaque for most quilt applications. This comes in off white or black. It is 60″ wide. Not cheap – about $50 a meter – but that goes along way! Dukeries Textiles & Fancy Goods/ Melbourne Road 15A/ West Bridgeford, Nottingham,/England Tel: +44 115 981 6330 (no internet anything – but does have a fax and takes credit cards) Newbie Richardson in DC where we still have LOTS of snow on the ground! At this time of year I am usually trying to hold Spring back, not this year!
: “Cinda Cawley” <lrcawley@> To: <Palampore@>, “Quilt Heritage List”
I don’t think that color combination was a national thing. When I see it I do think North Carolina. Does Karen Alexander see it in Shenandoah Valley quilts? Cinda on the Eastern Shore
Date: Sun, 02 Mar 2003 08:35:52 -0500 | From: Joan Kiplinger <jkip@>
> Newbie — thanx for this information on English veiling. Too > bad there is no American distributor to make obtaining a little easier. > However, for Sally this is a perfect location on her side of the ocean!
Two years ago I did make enquiries and get a sample of the Winterthur filament, on behalf of a friend in the US, and it is not as hard for you to obtain as you might think. This is the information I sent to her at the time:
<I phoned the netting manufacturer today. Very nice young man, told me about the machine – which dates from the 19th century, the only one in the world, everyone buys it from them. Its available from stock, scoured heat set and suitable for conservation. The reason the machine is unique is because it makes the stuff 5metres 40cm wide
Which means that per linear metre it costs UKP50. (gulp)
They are quite used to supplying people overseas, and he said that if you were to fax an order they would despatch it with an invoice (‘the people who use this stuff are an honest lot’, he said <G>) with instructions on how you could pay at a US bank in dollars.>
As you’ll see, the ‘rub’ is that because it is manufactured in the 5.4 metre run, it is very expensive per linear metre (and that’s a two-year-old price).
I have no doubt that this is the stuff which should have been used on the quilt I saw recently, because the tulle which has been used does very much obscure the quilt. And my big concern is whether the way the conservation has been done, with the rough seams of tulle on the surface of the quilt, and the deterioration of the tulle itself, are going to damage the quilt. Although made of silks, the deterioration of the silks is not shattering due to weighting, but a shearing, or striation, of the fibres.
Thanks to everyone who has sent me information.
Sally W Yorkshire, UK, where today it feels like spring.
Date: Sun, 2 Mar 2003 21:16:24 -0500 | From: “Teddy Pruett” <aprayzer@>
In answer to Lynn’s question about the quilts she sees that are teal-y green, brown, white and cheddar – I see these a lot on my appraisal table, and when they come out of the pillowcases I just automatically ask the client if their family is from Georgia or the Carolinas. They always say “yes”. Especially if there is a three-piece sashing, usually 3″ wide, of a dark/light/dark strips, many times with the nine-patch cornerstone. These are all solid colors, and many appear to be home-dyed. Are these the ones to which you refer? If so, then YES they are southern. There are similar quilts in the Mississippi state documentation book, too, which sorta ticked me off, because I was certain I had pegged these things to a more specific area. I even thought I might have discovered these similarities all by my little self, and it had even crossed my mind to research them, but I took an aspirin and rested till that thought went away.
Even though this is not quilt related, I am posting here in the event some of you may be doll lovers. Or experts. I am seeking information about values for three dolls that a friend has. They are hand-made dolls, “Rosa’s Character Dolls” from Clairborne Parish. LA (Gaye? Are you there?) Made by ROsa Wilder Blackman, they depict slaves named Uncle Bill Cornelius, Lee Annie, and Southern Mammy. They are small, about 6″ or 7″, cloth bodies and carved hands and heads. Painted features, including hair. My friend has been told they are extremely valuable, but we have been unable to find info on the normal computer searches. If anyone has any idea where we can go to verify value, I would appreciate hearing from you. Thanks – Teddy, whose little nanny goat had twins last night in the middle of a torrential downpour, and they are so adorable and I am so happy to be a goat-granny again.
KareQuilt@ To: QHL@ Subject: RE: Gorges & teal blue Message-ID: ontent-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit
Cinda, I personally have not seen the teal/cheddar/brown combination in the Shenandoah Valley like you all are saying you see in NC, though cheddar itself does seem to have been popular in the last quarter of the 19th century. I have seen it mixed with everything. However, I have been focusing on only three counties in the Valley (Page, Shenandoah and Rockingham), and even at that, I feel my exposure to the vast number of quilts there is still very limited. Oh for more hours in the day and days in the week!
Karen Alexander DC / Virginia where the snow piles are finally beginning to melt!
Date: Mon, 03 Mar 2003 08:01:14 -0500 | From: Joan Kiplinger <jkip@>
QHL
Teddy — I am not familiar with these particular dolls but you can pick up doll value guides at most books stores. One is by Jan Foulkes and the other is by Pat whose last name I cannot remember as she changed her name. But these are the only two recognized price guides of their type. Both books feature photos; prices are usually based on auction figures and run around $14 if you buy; free if you browse. Have you also searched Ebay? If dolls are of recent origin, there may not be sufficient data to estimate a value. Hope this helps you. I will check with my doll dealer friends to see if they know anything.
Teddy Pruett wrote:
> Even though this is not quilt related, I am posting here in the event > some of you may be doll lovers. Or experts. I am seeking information > about values for three dolls that a friend has. They are hand-made > dolls, “Rosa’s Character Dolls” from Clairborne Parish. LA (Gaye? > Are you there?) Made by ROsa Wilder Blackman, they depict slaves > named Uncle Bill Cornelius, Lee Annie, and Southern Mammy. They are > small, about 6″ or 7″, cloth bodies and carved hands and heads. > Painted features, including hair. My friend has been told they are > extremely valuable, but we have been unable to find info on the normal > computer searches. If anyone has any idea where we can go to verify > value, I would appreciate hearing from you.
Date: Mon, 3 Mar 2003 08:25:59 EST | From: Midnitelaptop@
i went to this site and thought you might get some info here… http://ftp.rootsweb.com/pub/usgenweb/la/claiborne/history/hiscl62.txt
evidently sue hefley is a writer who wrote a book about rosa wilder blackman… Rosa Wilder Blackman, Historian, by Sue Hefley jeanL
Date: Mon, 03 Mar 2003 08:52:22 -0500 | From: Joan Kiplinger <jkip@>
Teddy — author of the other doll book is Pat Moyer; however several doll dealers checked their guides [they are issued about every 18 months] and couldn’t locate doll nor have they heard of it. Maybe site below from Jean will be a big help.
Midnitelaptop@ wrote:
>i went to this site and thought you might get some info here… >http://ftp.rootsweb.com/pub/usgenweb/la/claiborne/history/hiscl62.txt > >evidently sue hefley is a writer who wrote a book about rosa wilder >blackman… >Rosa Wilder Blackman, Historian, by Sue Hefley > jeanL > > > > >
Date: Mon, 3 Mar 2003 10:32:56 EST | From: KareQuilt@
If anyone is tracking the HIPV story, here is another siting. Karen Alexander
Secret Codes to Freedom Date: February 8, 2003 to March 29, 2003 Monday,Tuesday,Wednesday,Thursday,Friday,Saturday,Sunday,
Location: Virginia War Museum Address: 9285 Warwick Blvd Newport News VA 23607 More info: (757)247-8523 www.warmuseum.com An exhibit of quilts and textiles by Valeria Hundley. Quilts and textiles contain “hidden” codes and messages used by African Americans in their flight to freedom via the Underground Railroad.
