March 29 – 31, 1999
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:
- Crazy Quilt Backings and Construction — Extended thread on how crazy quilts were backed and finished, with members sharing conservation and repair experience. (see the article on Victorian crazy quilts)
- Quilt Appraisal Methods — Discussion of how quilt appraisals account for condition, provenance, and market vs. insurance value. (see the article on quilt appraisers)
- Mourning and Black Fabrics — Whether Queen Victoria’s mourning customs influenced black fabric use in crazy quilts, with differing historical views. (see the article on Victorian mourning customs)
- Dallas Quilt Show Reports — Members share finds and impressions from the Dallas/Fort Worth quilt events.
- Simply Quilts TV Appearance — A member is congratulated on her appearance on the HGTV show Simply Quilts.
- Sioux Gift Quilt Inquiry — A request for information and valuation on a Native American gift quilt.
Date: Mon, 29 Mar 1999 22:00:38 EST | From: QuiltEvals@
In a message dated 3/29/99 65243 PM Pacific Standard Time, QHL-Digest- request@ writes << Has anyone ever seen one of these cheater cloth sacks made into a quilt? >>
Yes – have one, would you like a photo…don’t have one, but could take one.
Deb
Date: Mon, 29 Mar 1999 21:14:15 -0600 | From: Mary Waller mswaller@
For the appraisers here, would you please comment on how the value is affected when the quilt being appraised is a Native American Morning Star (Lone Star) quilt being given or received as an honoring quilt? I know there are no quick and easy formulas, but I may be asked to appraise one soon.
Respond privately if you wish. Thanks.
Mary Waller, Vermillion, South Dakota
Date: Mon, 29 Mar 1999 23:03:19 -0600 | From: KAREN BUSH Birdsong@
> well, now *I* have a question. More of a “poll”…I’m getting some classes set up to teach for this summer, and I’ve been asked by a few people, when I’m at the quilt shop, if they could bring in their tops to help them choose quilting desings for them.
> Well, I don’t know if this would be a good ‘class’ or not. The shop owner seems to think it would be, but, I’m putting myself in THEIR place…
> Would You pay for a class to help with the quilting design for your tops, and if so, how much would you be willing to Pay and for how long of a class/lesson?? I can’t imagine having one for over an hour, and that would have others in the class asking questions,too. I’ve thought about a ‘private’ consultation, but, I live in boonie town, 40 miles from the quilt shop, so, I can’t see people coming HERE for that…?? you can e-mail me privately if you have any ideas on this, if you like…kb
Date: Tue, 30 Mar 1999 01:39:46 -0500 | From: “Judy Grow” Judygrow@
Use regular Crayola crayons .
First stabilize your fabric squares with freezer paper.
Have the kids do their drawings right on the fabric with the crayons. Iron off the excess wax onto virgin newsprint.
Make up into your quilt.
The colors will be very pastel, rather than vibrant, but I am told they will be permanent. I think there is a book out on the subject now. I have never done it, but one of our local quilt shops is running a class in doing quilts this way.
Judy in Ringoes, NJ judygrow@
>I would like to do a memory quilt project with these 10 yr. old 4th graders to present to her sometime before school ends June 18th. I want them to plan most of it, do the artwork (a square a piece done in fabric crayons, fabric paint, or ?) plan (measure and plot) the border and backing and put it all together.
Date: Tue, 30 Mar 1999 01:53:28 -0500 | From: “Judy Grow” Judygrow@
Just got back from my bi-annual Texas visit, and am catching up on my mail, quite late Monday night. I’ll post more tomorrow, but …
Before I hit the sack, I just wanted to mention a laundry tool I just found out about. It is called Dye Magnet, by Carbona. It looks like a typical white washcloth bordered with blue serging. But, throw it in the washer, every load, and any excess dye, in anything you are washing, clothes or just new yardage, will fix itself to the Dye Magnet, not to anything else in the load. Friends of mine have said they have stopped using Retayne and/or Synthrapol since finding this $4.99 tool at their local supermarket, or K-Mart. The neat thing is that you can reuse it for about 3 months, 3 or so loads a week. The cloth turns a really grungy color after its first contact with loose dye, but it still keeps working. I bought one, and now everyone in the houshold has instructions to make sure it is included in every washload.
Judy in Ringoes, NJ judygrow@
Date: Tue, 30 Mar 1999 07:51:04 EST | From: Baglady111@
I want to thank Kris for her nice words re” my appearance on SIMPLY QUILTS..it was a great experience and I also deeply appreciate Kris noticing that I promoted my members..they are the ones who makes it all possible. yes, feedsacks come in cheater’s cloth..I am working on a wallhanging now and POSSIBLY will bring it with me to our conference in LANCASTER, APRIL 8-9-10..
I have several pieces of cheaters,,they don’t stay in my inventory too long..we think something is ‘NEW’ and find out..IT WAS DONE BEFORE..what is that saying, NOTHING IS NEW EXCEPT TOMORROW.. I would like to mention also, MARY ENGELBGREIT’s HOME COMPANION had a small article about THE FEEDSACK CLUB and the mail HAS BEEN OVERWHELMING!! I spend ALOT of time shipping now.. This is the first mag that is not solely for quilters & I find I am launched into being a kitchen decorator..they featured a kitchen scene in the article..curtains, table cloth, napkins, etc…check it out at your news stand..Young woman holding small child on cover..thanx again, Kris..
Now…to find the kitchen!! Which room would that be???? Jane http://members.aol.com/baglady111/ http://members.aol.com/lscms/feedsackclub/page1.html
Date: Tue, 30 Mar 1999 08:19:47 -0600 | From: Phil & Lee Spanner philspan@
Hello, I am coming out of lurkdom to ask a question of the quilt historians among us.
I am currently trying to reasearch victorian crazy quilting. I have been able to find info regarding the types of fabrics used for the tops. The threads and examples of the types of embroidery stitches used. I have also been able to learn that these quilts were usually not quilted. They were tied, and did not have a layer of batting in the middle. However, I have not been able to find out what kind of fabrics were used for the backs of these quilts. Would also like to know how close to tie, and should the knot be on the top of the quilt or the back. Also, is it ok to use embroidery floss, or should another thread be used?
I would appreciate any help I could get. I have a small top I would like to finish, and would like to make it authentic (even though the top is not an antique).
Sincerely, Lee “^)
Date: Tue, 30 Mar 1999 08:09:36 -0600 | From: Laura Hobby Syler texas_quilt.co@
My father did a project like this when he was 5 or 6 years old. We still have it framed and on the wall. (he’s 74 now!) Back in another life, before I started quilting I taught first grade. We did several projects with this method and believe me, it *is* permanent.
Laura At 0139 AM 3/30/99 -0500, you wrote
>Use regular Crayola crayons .
Date: Tue, 30 Mar 1999 07:22:09 -0600 | From: Laura Hobby Syler texas_quilt.co@
Karen, Assisting your students decide what is an appropriate design to quilt has always been one of the main time blocks in my hand quilting class. I always invite my students to drag in the tops and projects that they cant decide what to do with and we sort through all my stencils and designs that I’ve collected over the past 20 years. I always go to the shops stencil wall first (trying to make a sale for the shop owner who has graciously permitted me to teach my class in his/her facility<G>) then I allow the students to go though all my design collections. ( I had one sutdent recently estimate that with all the stencils and patterns that I’ve transfered to template plastic I have over 5,000 designs!) I also allow them to copy anything that is no longer available on the open market. There are some students that have taken the class 3-4 times and stitch for only 15 minutes (just for me to see their method and offer comments) then they spend the rest of the time digging through my designs. My class is an all day…..start to finish , tools, batting, marking,stitch and binding. We work on a 3/4 yd piece of muslin or * a project in progress* if it’s a guild. that way those who don’t need another UFO don’t have to create one. My classes usually max out at the shops capacity. I’ve done it for guilds and had as many as 45!!! Great fun, and I do get to see some wonderful tops during our consultation time!
Go for it!
Laura In drizzly damp N. Texas where it is supposed to be 84 on Thurs!!!
At 1103 PM 3/29/99 -0600, KAREN BUSH wrote
>> well, now *I* have a question. More of a “poll”…I’m getting some classes set up to teach for this summer, and I’ve been asked by a few people, when I’m at the quilt shop, if they could bring in their tops to help them choose quilting desings for them.
>> Well, I don’t know if this would be a good ‘class’ or not. The shop owner seems to think it would be, but, I’m putting myself in THEIR place…
>> Would You pay for a class to help with the quilting design for your tops, and if so, how much would you be willing to Pay and for how long of a class/lesson?? I can’t imagine having one for over an hour, and that would have others in the class asking questions,too. I’ve thought about a ‘private’ consultation, but, I live in boonie town, 40 miles from the quilt shop, so, I can’t see people coming HERE for that…??
>> you can e-mail me privately if you have any ideas on this, if you
Date: Tue, 30 Mar 1999 17:44:07 -0500 | From: “Judy Grow” Judygrow@
I returned from Dallas/FortWorth at midnight, last night, after a wonderful 4/5 days. I didn’t get to spend near enought time with my quiling friends in Texas, but the few minutes we had to get together were just wonderful. A quick huggy moment with Laura wan’t near enough time. One of the reasons we couldn’t spend more time together was because of the Texas shopping experience! We had to borrow a small suitcase from dear Mama to haul home the books and textiles we just happened to pick up . I just wish that the Texas Sales Tax was our low NJ 6%!
One thing I didn’t pick up, and wished I had had the courage (and $$$ for)
was a red and green applique quilt top. We saw this at the Antique Colony at 7200 Camp Bowie Blvd,Fort Worth, 817-731-7252. Laura Syler, if you have not gotten to this antique mall since our antiqueing trip to the Montgomery Mall in July, you MUST make the effort this time!
This was only a top, but it was in primo condition except for one stain off toward one edge that looked to me like ink that had leaked from a pen. It had no other age spots that I could see. The urns and flowers were really well drawn, unique I think, and the stuffed berries (lots of them!) were perfect! The red was quite brilliant, still. I might have tried to bargain the $600.00 price down if it hadn’t had one “little” problem — this red and green on white quilt was in fact — red and cream on white!
The green had so totally vanished it was really hard to see that there had ever been green. It wasn’t even tan! It had gone way beyond that! It just made my heart weep, for the design and workmanship were finest quality.
Anyway, if you want to go see it, and weep with me, go to the Antique Colony Antique Mall at the end of Camp Bowie in Fort Worth, on the circle. As you walk in, the check-out counter is on your left. Turn left just past it, go about 2 or three aisles, turn right and walk towards the back of the mall.
The booth that owns the quilt top is on the left side of one of those aisles . The quilt is sem-folded, tied with a ribbon, and hanging at eye level.
Take your camera and a friend, or some tracing paper, neither of which I had, and get a photo of the quilt top, and a tracing of the design, and send both to me as my finder’s fee! Please! How I hope that someone I know, who really loves this stuff, will wind up owning it!
We did the Montgomery Antique Mall too, and saw nothing there but the usual badly made, or shabby, or lumpy 30’s quilts for way too much money. The Antique Colony has lots and lots of booths with decent quilts, but one other in particular , towards the front to the right of the door, has a terrific 1870 Log Cabin from Pa. Again, almost unused condition — for $600.00.
This lady gets all her stock back in Pa. If you go, also look for the booth with the two glorious Japanese Obi. The one I really wanted to take home was — ta dah– $600.00! Needless to say, it is still there!
We were directed to another Antique Mall, just down the road, at 9250 Hwy.
377 South, Benbrook, TX (817-249-0844). It is on the right side as you go south, in what used to be a WalMart (never heard of one of those closeing!)
Not much to be seen there, except at least 90 – 100 6″square Trip around the World blocks made up of 1/2″ squares! I saw them in a case, with a tag on top that said $50.00. I wouldn’t have bargained at all, just grabbed them, given them my money, and run! Except that when they were taken out of the case for me, they were marked $50.00 for 4, and that’s the way they were pinned together — in groups of 4! OK, figure there were 100 (it would have made a very small top with the number that were there.) That would have given the dealer $1250, if she had sold them all! This was no mistake ’cause it was the dealer herself that opened the case for me. It was all I could do to keep from laughing in her face! Want to go see them? Go to the left side wall, walk to the back, and halfway down the row on the right look in a low glass case.
In another booth the same dealer leases, way in the back, is a Featherweight with a case (looks to be in good condition) for $395.00 — in case anyone is interested.
We did find a piece of furniture there. It was marked as a lecturn, but DH and I both knew it was a Southern paymaster’s stand-up desk, Hepplewhite, circa 1820-30, of Cuban Mahogany. It had a few problems, but nothing that DH can’t fix perfectly. They called the dealer at home, and she reduced the price by 50%. How satisfying to find something valuable when the dealer is totally ignorant of it’s worth. Everyone in the mall kept calling it a lecturn, asked us what we ould preach from it, and we just nodded in agreement or made jokes.
DH virtually turned it inside-out, and upside down, using his ever-present tiny Mag-Light, steel tape, and my fold-up brush with mirror in the handle.
When he was satisfied it was what WE thought it was, we paid our money, hustled it into the huge trunk of my Mom’s 84 Chevy and giggled all the way back to the “home”! (We stay at Mother’s retirement building in a special apt. they set aside for visiting relatives.) Next morning, Monday, we took it over to “Pack and Ship”, and we should see it again, here in NJ, by Monday.
Other wonderful stuff happened, too, but I won’t bore you with that. So, all in all, it was a very exciting and gratifying trip.
Oh, yes! One other thing! Remember the posts about the quilt that I had bought from Rocky Mountain Quilts a couple of months ago? Sharon Newman kindly squeezed us in for an appraisal at the Quilt Show on Saturday, and completely eased my mind. It is what it is, what I thought it was from the start, with no problems, and was a good value for my money. DH was adamant about not hauling it all the way to Texas just for an appraisal, to wait until we could get to an appraiser by car, ’cause I never told him about everyone’s concerns until I had to, to get him to let me pack it.
Sharon, you’ve saved my marriage!
Judy in Ringoes, NJ judygrow@
Date: Tue, 30 Mar 1999 22:15:39 EST | From: MiamiQuilt@
In a message dated 3/30/99 95246 PM Eastern Standard Time, QHL-Digest- request@ writes << <mswaller@> >> A quilt made for presentation has a number of factors that can be added in to the equation. Would like to respond privately. Email me at your convenience.
Pam
Date: Wed, 31 Mar 1999 00:03:08 EST | From: SAERoy@
Message-ID<d1706348.3701ac8c@>
Content-typetext/plain; charset=US-ASCII Content-transfer-encoding7bit << It is called Dye Magnet, by Carbona. It looks like a typical white washcloth bordered with blue serging. But, throw it in the washer, every load, and any excess dye, in anything you are washing, clothes or just new yardage, will fix itself to the Dye Magnet, not to anything else in the load.
I’ve never seen the dye magnet but it sounds like a similar idea that was given in a workshop that I attended on dyeing fabric. The woman dyes a lot of fabric and sells them at quilt shows in the Dallas-Ft. Worth metroplex. She just throws in an old nylon brassiere in the final wash of the dyeing process.
Evidently the nylon attracts any excess dye. She showed the brassiere to the guild and it was that same grungy color that you described. She did note that she doesn’t wear that bra any more!
Sharon Ft. Worth, TX
Date: Wed, 31 Mar 1999 08:01:12 EST | From: Pennstudd@
In a message dated 3/30/99 95340 PM Eastern Standard Time, QHL-Digest- request@ writes <<
To: QHL@ >>
The question concerning Crazy Quilts. From the books that I have read, black silk was generally the choice of backing fabrics. They also used black taffeta and black velvet. It seems the reason they used an awlful lot of black is because it was Queen Victoria’s favorite color.
Date: Wed, 31 Mar 1999 14:51:23 +0100 | From: “Sally Ward” sward@
A number of crazy quilts I have seen in British museums have very boring = backings – something like heavy muslin, or sateens, or cottons in dull = colours. I would have thought that using velvet or taffeta on the back = would be a) an expensive waste because it would not be seen and b) = impractical because it would make the quilt slide off the table, chair = back, or whatever – which is where they were usually seen rather than = beds. A lot of those I have seen have rotted fabric in the top because = of the mineral salt treatments on taffetas etc, but their backs – being = ‘cheaper’ fabric – are still intact. =20 BTW. The crazy tops were often pieced onto a lightweight foundation and = then the backing applied afterwards with minimal attachment to the top. = I haven’t seen any ‘tied’ in the way we associate with ‘utility’ ties, = i.e. trailing threads on the top.
Disclaimer Only an amateur opinion!
Sally in UK
Date: Wed, 31 Mar 1999 08:40:42 -0700 | From: Eileen Trestain ejtrestain@
I am pecking around for information/values on a Souix gift quilt, myself. The one I am looking at is very pretty, made in all solid fabrics. It has an eagle in the center, machine topstitch appliqued. But this quilt was made in the 1920’s, is in the original recipients family, I have not found too many like it to compare. It looks new, spotless, though it is over 70 years old.
WHile I am at it, has anyone seen a civil War era quilt with a regimental flag in the center? I’ve got one of those I am researching, too.
Eileen
Date: Wed, 31 Mar 1999 11:14:02 -0800 | From: “pepper cory” pepcory@
To<QHL@>
Thanks to the many people who emailed about The Signature Quilt, Susan’s and my opus on quilts with writing. It’s still available and here’s the email to prove it.
Pepper Cory ———-
> FromSusan McKelvey <smckelvey@>
> Topepper cory <pepcory@>
> SubjectReSignature book “ad” for QHL
> DateTuesday, March 30, 1999 628 PM
> Dear Pepper,
> Just a note to tell you that I sell The Signature Quilt on my web site www.susanmckelvey.com, and I would be delighted to have you let your friends on QHL know that we carry it. We show a big picture and list all the details on the book. It is listed for $29.95 plus 4.00 shipping, but for any friends who order between now and May 15 and who mention your name, I will send it for $30 including shipping. And, of course, I will throw in my autograph!
> Love, Susan
> Pepper,
> Hope the above is about right. Should I run out and order books tomorrow? Hope so. The thanks from both of us is great! Let me know if there is a reaction. Also, I” have to tune in.
> More Soon, Susan
> —–Original Message—–
> Frompepper cory <pepcory@>
> >Here’s how to do it Susan
> >I’ll say “Just got this post from my writing partner Susan McKelvey and she sells The Signature Quilt through her business. Ask her to autograph your copy and when you see me in person I’ll do the same.
> >( enter your web site address, book info including # pages, ISBN #, price etc. )
> >I’ll end with “Many many thank-you’s for all the inquiries about The Signature Quilt from both Susan and I.”.
> >And then I’ll post it to the QHL list. That’s a list you may want to subscribe to. They’re quilt history nuts and inquiries about signatures come up fairly often.
> >Leslie’s upcoming wedding sounds wonderful! Did you get the silver for her on ebay? Good for you on the bluebird book! If C&T doesn’t snatch it up, go to Quilt Digest Press. I have resisted buying you bluebird things because you were uncomfortable with gifts but I see them so often! You might want to check with Xenia Cord on whether there were any kit quilts from the 20’s or ’30’s with bluebirds–she’s the most knowledgeable person on kits I know.
> >Better get back to work-
> >Hi to Doug and all members of your menagerie.
> >Pepper
> >PS-tell Leslie we finally separated the pampas grass by the red shed. It made three enormous plants. We have a good start on our ‘green wall’ between the backyard and the chained dogs on the other side. we also found out the strange vine up the little back fence is a kiwi plant! It used to have a mate but it died (kiwis have sexes and won’t fruit without both male and female). We are planting two more kiwis to keep it company and hoping fro fruit in three years. I found the owner before Leslie (Owen) on the web–he’s in Australia and has been a wealth of information on planting in the yard.
Date: Wed, 31 Mar 1999 11:37:29 -0600 (CST) | From: Nancy Evans nevans@
At 0251 PM 3/31/99 +0100, you wrote
>A number of crazy quilts I have seen in British museums have very boring
backings – something like heavy muslin, or sateens, or cottons in dull colours.
I’ve not been following the crazy backings posts very closely, but I thought I’d throw one inI have a c. 1905 crazy quilt – non embroidered in dark wools and plaids that has a backing that is an old SKIRT!! At least I’m pretty sure that’s what it is – it is cadet blue with a little cream print design (like a calico), and the skirt was not even dismantled before use. They just got it as flat as they could – pieced it some (although some of the original gussets are still in place), and tied the crazy top to the skirt. Wierdest darn thing! Garage sale, $25 or so, and worth every cent (of course), just for the fun of having it!
Nancy Evans Nebraska Quilter
Date: Wed, 31 Mar 1999 10:36:09 PST | From: “Kim Heger” kheger@
Content-typetext/plain *****Could this pic possibly be put up on the Quilt History site like a previous one was??? I’d be interested in viewing it, too, as I’m sure lots of people are!
<< Has anyone ever seen one of these cheater cloth sacks made into a quilt? >>
Yes – have one, would you like a photo…don’t have one, but could take one.
Deb Get Your Private, Free Email at http://www.hotmail.com
Date: Wed, 31 Mar 1999 15:04:39 EST | From: QuiltFixer@
I am not an expert on crazy quilt backings, but I sure have done repair and conservation work on many. Every one I did had a different type of backing or none at all! The last one I did had a silk backing that must not have been soaked in the salt solution and probably was added at a later time. The one before that had a beautiful silk back that appeared to be French and it was so shattered it fell apart as you looked at it. Most that I have seen that are “tacked” have been done with silk embroidery thread and not the tied method we know today. These were dated in the l800s. Toni Baumgard QuiltFixer@
Date: Wed, 31 Mar 1999 15:09:59 EST | From: AlineMcK@
I’ll post on behalf of a lurker who told me about a crazy quilt she has that used indigo-dyed (presumably cotton) fabric as a foundation. Even though the top itself was badly rotted, the foundation had stayed intact, preserving at least the embroidery. (And hey, speak up, S…you know who you are!).
Date: Wed, 31 Mar 1999 15:55:18 -0600 | From: KAREN BUSH Birdsong@
I can’t BELIEVE all the responses I’ve gotten from my question on the quilt design class!!! And,…ALL for the “YES” answers for my ‘poll’!
Seems like there’s a real demand out there for help with design! I guess it’s like everything else, we all have been working our craft for so long, we (well *I*) have forgotten there are BASICS to learn and designs that beginners or even experienced quilters want to learn. ugh…hit ME over the head!
I just wanted to send a “Blanket” (pardon the pun) THANK YOU for all your help and suggestions!!!! I printed out THIRTY FOUR PAGES of e-mails out to study!!! I had over 80 of them! Now, to the ‘research’ part of this, and get some kind of ‘plan’ …there were so Many suggestions, but, most along the same lines as far as how to structure the one-on-one versus classes…again..THANK YOU…This list is GREAT! ))) kb —
Date: Wed, 31 Mar 1999 16:48:04 -0600 | From: “Lisa Erlandson” erland@
Just a little noteBlack may or may not have been Queen Victoria’s “favorite” color, but it was the color of mourning – she mourned her beloved Albert from the time of his death throughout the rest of her life never appearing in any other color, even at her daughter’s wedding – elevating mourning to an elaborate art form. The people in the Victorian time period (much like the present times) loved to copy the “rich and famous”. Victoria didn’t invent mourning, but she sure did a lot to publicize it!
Lisa E.
