March 8 - 22, 2003 - QuiltHistory

Oral History & Documentation, Quilt Block History, Regional Quilt History

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:

Researching Vintage and Antique Rattlesnake Quilts — A certified quilt appraiser researching rattlesnake-pattern quilts asks whether other members have seen or owned one, and where the design originated.
A Ten-Day Hawaiian Quilting Tour — Hawaiian quilting teacher Mary Haunani Cesar organizes a ten-day tour connecting Hawaiian quilting traditions with their history.
Ruby Short McKim’s Bible History Quilt Series — Members research McKim’s vintage Bible History quilt block series and connect with her granddaughter, who still fields questions about the patterns.
Blue Star Service Flags Made into Quilts — A discussion of blue-star and gold-star service banners repurposed as quilts, with members tracing the tradition back to World War I.
The Garfield Memorial “Monument” Quilt Pattern — Members debate whether a “monument” quilt pattern associated with President Garfield’s assassination actually predates that event.

Date: Sat, 8 Mar 2003 21:37:48 -0600 | From: “Kelly Robinson” <ksrobinson@>

Carolyn,

If your pattern does turn out to be associated with Marion Whiteside Newton, one of her descendants is now re-printing some of her story book patterns. They were applique and ranged from “Little Women”, “Pinocchio” to “Hansel and Gretel” and many more. The patterns are not cheap ($20-$35) but she says that they have been pricy to reproduce. If your are interested e-mail me and I will send you her address.

Kelly in North Texas

Date: Tue, 11 Mar 2003 22:32:54 -0500 | From: “Cinda Cawley” <lrcawley@>

I hope everybody has read Hazel Carter’s article in the new
Blanket
Statements about The Garden quilt. I’ve just had a great time
rounding up
the illustrations of the quilts Hazel refers to which were inspired
by the
1857 original. As a result, I’ve had a wonderful review of 20th
century
quilts and a serious attack of regret over the demise of the Quilt
Engagement Calendar. If you don’t already belong to AQSG you should!
Cinda on the Eastern Shore

Date: Wed, 12 Mar 2003 06:28:20 -0600 | From: Ann Hubbard <ahubbard001@

What interesting historical information. Thank you very much. ann

Date: Wed, 12 Mar 2003 10:21:33 EST | From: Midnitelaptop@

don’t forget to celebrate National quilting day..on saturday, mar
15……
and if you live in the area or plan to visit…the weekend of march
22,23
is
the bi- annual quilt show at amherst college in amherst mass.it’s a
wonderful
show…

i bought some batting that is fusible on both sides, at joanns(it was
on
sale) and it’s great..made by june tailor of richfield
wisconsin…it’s
very
lightweight and repositionable…can be used for hand and machine
quilting…

jeanL

Date: Wed, 12 Mar 2003 14:58:32 CST | From: jocelynm@

Didn’t Brackman say it was also called Kansas Sunflower? There are
quite
a few towns in Kansas that are settled by Russian immigrants. The
name
might have been used to differentiate the sort of sunflowers made by
the
Russian immigrants from the sunflowers made by Kansans of other
ethnic
backgrounds.
Jocelyn

Date: Wed, 12 Mar 2003 16:31:57 -0500 | From: Barb Garrett <bgarrett@

I will be at a conference in Boise Idaho from July 5 to July 9 at the
University. My husband is willing to consider staying an extra day
if
there are antique quilts for me to see — at a museum, historical
society, the University, or some such place. Does anybody live in
Boise and can help me? He wants to make the plane reservations
soon.
I’d love to be able to see vintage western quilts if that’s feasible.
Thanks very much for any help.

Barb in southeastern PA
bgarrett@

Laurie Woodard <lwoodard@ To: QHL-DIGEST <QHL@ Subject:

If you’re not familiar with the Queen’s Quilt, also referred to as the Imprisonment Quilt, there’s a photo of it in a recent Honolulu Star-Bulletin article online at http://starbulletin.com/2003/03/10/features/index1.html

This is the crazy quilt attributed to Hawaii’s last Queen, Liliuokalani, and her Ladies-in-waiting. The details of the article are accurate (mostly), from my point of view at least. I hope the Palace is successful in raising the balance of the money to publish the booklet which will have close-up views of each of the nine blocks. The embroidery is exquisite and the multiple messages it communicates is fascinating. — Laurie Woodard Hawaiian Quilt Research Project http://openstudio.hawaii.edu/hqrp/index.htm

Date: Wed, 12 Mar 2003 17:35:41 -1000 | From: Laurie Woodard <lwoodard@

Mary Haunani Cesar, a local Hawaiian quilter and quilting teacher has organized a ten-day tour from Hawaii to Osaka, Japan to coincide with the opening of a Hawaiian quilt exhibit at Matsuzakaya department store. The exhibit, organized by the Honolulu Academy of Arts for Kokusai Art, Japan, will include fifty-some Hawaiian quilts. There will be 22 “historic” quilts from Bishop Museum, the Academy, and Mission Houses Museum (which Mary doesn’t mention on her web site). The contemporary quiltmakers, whose work makes up the balance, include: traditionalists Gussie Bento, and Margo Morgan. “Cross-over” quilters are Mary Cesar, Patricia Lei Murray, and Lincoln Okita. Kathy Nakajima, Maui born, Japan raised, also is included.

There also will be a catalog. Anyway, if you’re interested visiting Japan to see Hawaiian quilts <G, and to see Patricia dance the hula, check out Mary’s web site at: http://www.marystreasures.com/japan_2003.htm — Laurie Woodard Hawaiian Quilt Research Project http://openstudio.hawaii.edu/hqrp/index.htm

Date: Thu, 13 Mar 2003 23:22:59 +1100 | From: “Ruth in the Blue Mtns”

Hi all,

I was asked the other day about when the first thirties reproduction fabrics appeared – the lines we call twenties/thirties and that are still in shops. My best off-the-cuff guess was about ten years, since the Aunt Grace line is celebrating its tenth anniversary and I think it was among the earliest ranges. I’d be glad to have any additional information to pass on, if you have more/more detailed info. I remember an article about the Butterfly Hope line that was in the RJR update several years ago, but while the RJR website shows archives for the update, they don’t go back very far as yet.

TIA

Cheers Ruth

Ruth in the Blue Mountains, NSW Australia ***—***—*** Quilt Writer & Designer Moderator/Owner of Yearquiltscq est. 2000

Date: Thu, 13 Mar 2003 08:29:20 EST | From: VILLAGMERC@

Has anyone had the experience of opening a piece of leftover batting that had been put aside from a project, only to find holes all over it? What does moth residue look like? We’re trying to figure out if this is what has happened to a customer’s batt. She is afraid to use wool batting now, but the Hobbs package says that after quilting between cotton layers that it is resistant to moths. Experience please!

Betty The Village Mercantile 123 S. 2nd St. Boonville, IN 47601 812-897-5687 Tues, Wed, Fri 10-5 Thurs 10-8 Sat 10-4

Date: Thu, 13 Mar 2003 06:54:50 -0800 | From: Judi Fibush <judi@

Depending upon where you live and it is winter, those holes maybe silverfish insects which actually cause more damage than moths. I’d chuck the batt at this point especially if it is silverfish as they are almost impossible to catch.

Judi Fibush

Date: Thu, 13 Mar 2003 11:36:34 CST | From: jocelynm@

On Thu, 13 Mar 2003 08:29:20 EST VILLAGMERC@ wrote:

Has anyone had the experience of opening a piece of leftover batting that had been put aside from a project, only to find holes all over it? What does moth residue look like?

On wool, moths leave a ‘moth-eaten’ appearance- if you’re familiar with the idiom, you know what I mean; if not, it looks as if little mouths have gnawed away at the fabric, not necessarily gnawing all the way through, but enough to create a two-layer effect.

Mice, OTOH, do tend to cut holes all the way through. The holes look exactly like the sort of holes you’d expect to have been made by sharp, pointy teeth. There’s also a good likelihood that you’ll find mouse droppings nearby.

Jocelyn

Date: Thu, 13 Mar 2003 16:02:34 -0500 (EST) | From: Teri Klassen

My quilting grandmother was a Russian Mennonite whose family had migrated to South Dakota in 1874. Then she married and went to live in Kansas in 1911, and my aunt tells me she hated sunflowers. I guess they grew like weeds, tall and rough, and made it hard to keep order in a civilized farm yard. My aunt told me she would arm herself and the children with sickles and go out on missions to destroy them, where they grew around the farm. I don’t know if these were Russian sunflowers. I doubt she would have made a quilt honoring them though (-: . Teri

Date: Thu, 13 Mar 2003 16:05:03 -0800 | From: “Laurette Carroll”

What do antique quilt collectors think about how an old crazy quilt should be finished or preserved?

If the crazy quilt is made with silk fabrics, chances are the fabrics are very fragile. Care should be taken to handle them as little as possible. I think it strengthens a fragile top to have a backing of some kind, and to have the edges finished.

Most crazy quilts of the 19th C were not quilted, but tacked. (no ties showing) This can be done using thread, in a color that blends with the back, and working from the back, just catching the seams of the front, to hold it together. Batting was very seldom used, and that would be when the crazy quilt was quilted. Occasionally the cotton crazies were quilted.

Any fabrics added for borders, bindings, backing, should be similar to the ones in the quilt top. Silk satins and velvets used with a silk satin and velvet top for instance. Some crazy quilts have bindings, some just have the front and back meet in a knife edge. Sometimes the back is brought around to the front or vice versa. Sometimes a ribbon or braid was used for the binding edge.

HTHs, Laurette

Date: Sun, 16 Mar 2003 10:02:41 -0000 | From: “Sally Ward” <sallytatters@

There is an exhibition opening in London on 17th March of ‘Artists Textiles in Britain, 1945 – 1970’ and scanning through the online catalogue I have been struck in several cases by resonances from early British and American quilt design. What goes around comes around……<G

http://www.faslondon.com/pages/information/catalogue/22.html

Sally Ward Yorkshire, UK

Date: Sun, 16 Mar 2003 14:24:51 -0600 | From: “Lisa Erlandson” <quilter@

I am looking for some info about Ruby Short McKim’s Bible History Quilt series. I know that it was published in the 1930’s, but I would love to know how many blocks were in the series, etc. Thanks for any help, Lisa

Date: Sun, 16 Mar 2003 13:08:18 -0800 | From: Judi Fibush <judi@

Lisa

Contact Jill Sutton Filo who is repoducing all of Ruby’s patterns in booket form. She will probably have the answer. You can reach her at 330-666-4563 (Ohio) or email at CharPress@

Judi

Date: Sun, 16 Mar 2003 16:47:35 EST | From: Hazelmacc@

McKim’s granddaughter would be happy to hear from you regarding the McKim patterns. Her name is Chris Jones and her e-mail is Chj29er@.

Hazel Carter

Date: Mon, 17 Mar 2003 00:53:28 EST | From: WileneSmth@

There is the most GORGEOUS Memory Bouquet quilt on eBay right now — the No. 1 or No. 2 best example I’ve seen of Eveline Foland’s series that ran in the KCStar in 1930 in the nearly 25 years I’ve been involved with old quilts in the midwest. I keep going back to the pictures and browsing through them again and again. Just gorgeous! –Wilene

Date: Mon, 17 Mar 2003 07:07:24 -0500 | From: Debby Kratovil <kratovil@

I have the photocopied versions of these patterns as they were compiled by Harold and DorothyMae Groves. There are 24 patterns in the series and were published in 1927 (according to my records). Evidentally, the Kansas City Star believes they have precedence over the McKim family for republication of these patterns, tho I surely am grateful for the email address of Ruby’s granddaughter. I have been redrafting these and hundreds of other patterns – applique, pieced, redwork-type – by computer – and I want to make sure that credit where credit is due is given. — Debby (with a “y” and not “ie”) Kratovil http://www.quilterbydesign.com

Date: Mon, 17 Mar 2003 04:30:43 -0800 | From: Judi Fibush <judi@

That is wonderful. The seller is Julie Silber who is a top notch quilt authority and only sells the best. the top bidder is g-best-Donna from the East Coast

WileneSmth@ wrote:

Date: Mon, 17 Mar 2003 13:03:01 -0500 | From: “pepper cory” <pepcory@

Hello friends-Recently there’ve been some posts regarding pricing of out-of-print quilt books. Fact is, our craft now has enough years of written history that some out-of-print books, particularly those on specialized subjects, command a high price. They have entered the realm of ‘collectible’ rather than the practical world of the how-to text. Recently in skimming ebay, I came upon a “vintage quilt book-Quilting Designs from the Amish written by Pepper Cory.” Vintage indeed! The auction actually ended with the book going for about $50 but the seller must have been disappointed because she cited that Amazon.com quoted this ‘rare’ book as being worth $750! I have no idea where or how Amazon prices its out-of-print titles but this pricing resource may be creating a false sense of value regarding these books. or maybe I’m just grouchy because I no longer have the book myself and wish I had some stashed to put up on Amazon.com myself! Word to writers–stash a couple of cases and bring them out in about 20 years! Pepper Cory

Date: Fri, 14 Mar 2003 09:38:12 -0600 | From: “Marcia Kaylakie” <>

HI All, I am currently researching vintage and antique rattlesnake quilts. I do have 4 books, including John Rice Irwin’s, and own one myself. I would like to know if anyone in the group has seen or owns one and where, if possible, the quilt originated. Also, if anyone knows where I can reach Mr. Irwin, it would be greatly appreciated. Please reply in private and I will summarize to the list if there is interest. Thanks in advance for your help, I can always count on the group!! Marcia

Marcia Kaylakie, AQS Certified Appraiser Austin, Texas 512/502-0383 www.texasquiltappraiser.com

Date: Tue, 18 Mar 2003 06:07:37 -0500 | From: Debby Kratovil <kratovil@>

What a gorgeous quilt on eBay. Thanks to Wilene for the link. The pics are gorgeous. I can’t afford to buy the quilt so I decided to make one! Some of you may remember my requests last spring for a picture of one of these quilts as I had begun redrafting the blocks on my computer. I have permission from the KCStar to publish these on CD for those who want to make the applique blocks. I had guild members reproduce the blocks using Darlene Zimmermans solid fabrics in her Chanteclaire fabric line. I just finished putting the binding on the quilt yesterday and it will be professionally photographed on Monday for Quilt Magazine. Then we will offer it up for a raffle quilt and hope to raise money off of it for some charity that benefits women’s health issues. You can see renditions of my blocks using the link below: http://www.quilterbydesign.com/Memory_Bouquet.html — Debby (with a “y” and not “ie”) Kratovil http://www.quilterbydesign.com

Date: Tue, 18 Mar 2003 06:39:01 -0500 | From: Joan Kiplinger <jkip@>

Julie — Lawnfield, Garfield’s home and which is a tour place now, is 2 minutes literally from me. I will check with information and gift center as soon as home opens today to see if there is any information which may be of use to you.

Date: Tue, 18 Mar 2003 09:27:46 -0500 | From: Joan Kiplinger <jkip@>

qhl

Julie — Lawnfield is only open on weekends so cannot get you any potential information until then. However, you may be able to learn something on its website http://www.wrhs.org or http://www.nps.gov/jaga

Date: Tue, 18 Mar 2003 11:11:00 -0500 | From: Palampore@

I did a dating thing for my guild this weekend for National Quilt Day. I came across 2 things I have never seen. 1) A wonderful crazy quilt was brought. (I don’t say that lightly. I normally don’t like crazy quilts that much.) It was superb crafts-womanship. On it was a picture of a man. It looked as if it was a photograph that had been transfered on to silk. And it was picture perfect quality. I know that experimenting was being done at the turn of the century. I have seen quilts with pictures, but they were the inside labels of hats and such. Comments? (The woman is now excitedly doing research within her family to try to find this man. There were initials embroidered in another area of the quilt) 2) A woman brought in a chintz quilt that she knows a relative of her’s made. It was 9 sashed 22 inch blocks. The sashing was 3 1 in. stripes of red,yellow,red. In the corner of each block was a small 9 patch of the red/yellow. Each block was the same. A vase of flowers set on a diagonal. Around each vase was a cut out of flowers in 4 evenly placed areas and 4 paisley (what is that shape? brain dead) shapes cut from flowers in each corner of the block. The vase had an island scene on it….water with mountains in the background. The colors of the chintz were rose, blues, green. The flowers were cosmos, peonies, carnations, etc. And yes, the fabric looked very pre-1840. The flowers weren’t fussy cut, but they were stitched on with a tiny tiny buttonhole stitch. The quilt was quilted with diagonal lines that were double. I have been through ALL of my quilt books and have yet to find anything that looks like this. Yes, I did find that sort of sashing for that period, but never with a chintz. And the chintz blocks are very different from anything in my books. Comments? She sold another one very similar to it to a dealer in NY 5 yrs. ago. So there is another one out there sort of like it. I do love doing those dating things. Wonderful things often turn up in the most unexpected places. I am doing another tomorrow. Will let you know if it turns up cool stuff. Lynn Lancaster Gorges Historic Textiles Studio New Bern, NC

Date: Tue, 18 Mar 2003 11:40:04 -0500 | From: “Candace Perry” <candace@>

I am fairly certain that I have seen these photos on silk in my travels. I’m fairly certain that many different kind of surfaces could be prepared for photographic images…so it may actually be a real photo, as opposed to some kind of a print. Candace Perry Schwenkfelder Library & Heritage Center

Date: Tue, 18 Mar 2003 12:35:21 -0500 | From: “pepper cory” <pepcory@>

Hello all-I think that the monument pattern may have been around before Garfield’s assassination. The initial popularity of the pattern might have been fueled by the many GAR and Daughters of the Confederacy monuments then being erected to Civil War soldiers. And the monument theme fits the aura of sentimentality that Victorians loved. But the Garfield assassination did shock the nation and Garfield’s monument does resemble the patchwork pattern. Where Lincoln’s death was in wartime and many people were affected by such casualties, Garfield’s murderer was by an unknown person for his own twisted reasons. The assassin was Charles Guiteau and he believed he’d been called by God to ‘remove’ President Garfield after his application for a political appointment job was ignored. The real reason the memory of Garfield so affected the American people is that the poor man lingered from July to September suffering from the wound. It was the biggest story of the day. Imagine newspaper headlines every morning detailing yet another gruesome account of the man’s decline! Many people say the inadequate and unsanitary ministrations of teams of doctors really killed him and in a bizarre twist, even Alexander Graham Bell got into the act with a newfangled magnetic device that was supposed to disclose where the bullet had lodged in the president’s body. Unfortunately the device went haywire and probably was ‘locating’ the boxsprings of the bed! Garfield was operated on a number of times and eventually went to his Maker three months after being shot. Guiteau was executed even though he argued the doctors, not his bullet, killed Garfield. More than you wanted to know- Pepper Cory from the windy Carolina coast

–

Date: Tue, 18 Mar 2003 14:56:29 -0800 | From: “jajb” <anne_j@>

I’ve been researching the blue star flag or banner that is sometimes made as a quilt or window hanging. I’ve found this information from the American Legion and also a couple of patterns. http://www.legion.org/attack/docs/bluebannerfact.htm

I’m wondering if anyone here has ever seen one used during WWWI or II? Does anyone remember family talking about them? I’d like to learn mroe about their history. I get the impression they were more widely seen during WWWI & II though some families of service men and women did hang them in windows during more recent wars.

Anne

Date: Tue, 18 Mar 2003 18:18:39 EST | From: Laurajbr@

Anne,

Interestingly enough, I had a note from one of our local quilt shops about making Blue Star Banners. Here it is, just for your info.

Laura in Tampa

There is a tradition that dates back to World War I for families who have a loved one away at war.=A0 It is customary to hang a banner with a blue star on it in the front window until the loved one returns.=A0 If a family has two members away at war then the banner would bear two stars.=A0 If a loved one was killed, the banner would have a gold star.

Date: Tue, 18 Mar 2003 16:03:19 -0800 | From: Judi Fibush <judi@>

jajb

I remember them well during WWI I had two uncles killed on Pearl Harbor. My grandmother took down her 2 blue stars and 2 gold stars remained in her window for the entire war. I would love to have that piece of history but it disappeared after she passed away. The gold star flags had a group called “The Gold Star Mothers”.

Judi

jajb wrote:

Date: Tue, 18 Mar 2003 19:17:08 -0500 | From: Joan Kiplinger <jkip@>

jajb

Anne — blue stars hung in windows for those who had relatives serving in the military; a gold star denoted that a relative[s] had died in the service of their country. I remember most of the houses on my street had one or both in their windows — ours had a gold star for my uncle killed at the outset of war. We were patriotic children, mostly elementary school age, and saluted those homes when we passed them and were always in awe of our friends whose relatives were in the service and looked forward to letters they sent. We in turn wrote them notes of good cheer. There were also organizations called Blue Star Mothers and Gold Star Mothers; local chapters met monthly and were active in making afghans, clothing and cookies to send to the troops overseas, writing letters and to help the war effort in whatever was required. Anyone was invited to participate in helping these guilds. Sometimes the blues and golds were combined if chapters were small. I cannot say when these stars originated; always imagined they were of WWII origin but I cannot verify that. Hope this helps you a little.

Date: Tue, 18 Mar 2003 20:46:20 -0500 | From: mreich@

I guess that makes me a Blue Star Mother. These small flags are about 6″ wide and 10″ long. The blue star does represent a family member who has been deployed to a war situation. They are to be proudly hung in a window for all to see. Our American Legion has them available in either a silky cloth or paper. The silky cloth ones have a gold fringe across the bottom. My flag has been proudly displayed twice in the past twelve months. My son had two deployments to Afghanistan. Fortunately for our family, he is at the moment back in the states. One of the nurses I work with was called up today. He does medical evacuation. I’ll be taking my Blue Star Flag into work tomorrow. sue reich

: “Cinda Cawley” <lrcawley@> To: “QHL” <QHL@>, “BQHL”

On Saturday John and I went to Hagerstown in western Maryland to see an exhibit of PA German textiles. An accident on the Bay Bridge which stopped all traffic for 40 minutes reminded me that living on the Eastern Shore is, in some ways, like living on an island, it can be hard to get off. That was the only hitch in a wonderful day. The Washington County Art Museum is showing a private collection of PA German goodies: samplers, housewives, potholders, pincushions, privy bags, show towels, handkerchiefs all with the extravagant touches beloved by the PA Germans–fabulous color, exquisite needlework! The signage in the exhibit was excellent. I learned a lot. For instance, what I’ve always called “show towels” are actually door panels. They were hung where they could be seen and admired by visitors (the guestroom door or the door between the living room and kitchen). Interior doors were usually painted a vibrant color (red or blue preferred) and the color of the door added another design element to the cut- or drawnwork of the panel. Such panels are still used by the conservative Nebraska Amish of Miflin Co., PA The panels probably filled the role of the English (non-German) samplers which were framed and hung. German samplers were kept in the sewing basket, added to as new designs were collected and kept as a reference. The motifs are often not arranged in any particular order. The woman’s name is usually found on the sampler which is known as a “Namentuch,” name cloth. The oldest piece in the exhibit is an exquisite wedding handkerchief dated 1768. It is embroidered in blues and greens with initials, trees and stylized flowers. There is a most unusual quilt block: an applique version of the typical quilted feathered wreath. There’s a 12″ square Pinwheel doll quilt with the most minuscule binding (1/16″) and double rodded quilting. The show-stoppers are the pieced pillowcases. There are probably more in that room than I’ve seen, total, in my entire life! The pairs include: President’s Wreath, bolsters with rows of half-square triangles, Rolling Stone in green, orange, yellow and double pink, Delectable Mountains of a turkey red stripe on an orange background, Variable Star (each case has 35 21/2″stars), Log Cabin in red, green, navy, pink and orange with chrome yellow borders (do your teeth ache yet?), Fleur de Lis. There’s only one quilt in the exhibit, but what a quilt it is! Sarah Jane Bower’s bridal quilt was made in Carroll Co., MD. Sarah married in 1881, but the quilt clearly shows the influence of the Baltimore style. It is a sampler of appliqued wreaths. The workmanship is wonderful, but some of the designs work better than others. The border is perfection: a grapevine and grapes, all in one green fabric. One of the wreaths mimics the border; another grapevine wreath has clusters of grapes built up from French knots. Some of the blocks are graceful, but an equal number are ungainly and some are just plain ugly. One wreath actually looks like it’s composed of crabs (now,living on the Eastern Shore, I should be able to identify, but trust me it just doesn’t work). There are lots of stuffed birds (great looking birds) and two stuffed morning glory wreaths that look very stiff and unpleasant. It’s a great quilt; I haven’t checked the books to see if it’s been published. I have a Hagerstown story that I think offers a real insight into the westward movement of our pioneer ancestors. Around 1830 my 3rd great-grandfather left Maryland with his three little daughters and their new stepmother for Muskingum Co., Ohio. The family did not prosper; they were plagued by sickness and misfortune. My g-g-grandmother Lucinda Jane told her children that the family were so discouraged they decided to go back to Hagerstown. They packed up everything in the wagon, but when they went to harness the horse they found him dead in the pasture. How many of our forebears stuck it out because “the horse died”? Cinda on the Eastern shore

Date: Tue, 18 Mar 2003 22:31:20 -0500 | From: “Teddy Pruett” <aprayzer@>

<<Guiteau was executed even though he argued the doctors, not his bullet, killed Garfield. More than you wanted to know- Pepper Cory from the windy Carolina coast>>

You are kidding, right?? There is NEVER too much info for this list! Teddy Pruett

Date: Tue, 18 Mar 2003 21:43:49 -0600 | From: “Karan Flanscha” <sadierose@>

Cath McGinn has kits for service flags at the following website:

http://www.makequilts.com/index.html?token=1201513171-842933841-1601458857&A =63&B=Service%20Flag

If this gets cut off, you can go to www.makequilts.com and scroll down to the Service flag picture and click on it. There is history & also links to other sites with historical info.

Date: Wed, 19 Mar 2003 11:31:48 -0500 | From: “anne” <datkoa@>

Brown Message-ID: <

Before the ‘teal, brown and cheddar’ line is completely forgotten, I’d like to add that I also have one of these. It is from my mother’s family (surname Huggin) in Gaffney, SC. Date is probably between 1870 and 1890. It is teal, brown (more a rust color than dark brown), and creamy white, in a four block format with appliqued pineapples. Questions were asked about the teal color- how do you recognize it? Well, it’s not green and it’s not blue, but in between. Is it the result of fading? Fabric inside seams on mine indicates that it was always this color. A picture, plate 3-19, p 87, in North Carolina Quilts, E. F. Eanes et al., 1988 North Carolina Quilt Project, is a pretty good representation of the color. This particular quilt (from Alamance County, NC, date unknown but quilter died in 1906) appears to be teal and cheddar and it is stated that the color combination is unusual.

Is Lynn keeping a record of the answers to her question? I’m writing a description of my quilt and would be happy to send it to interested persons when it is finished.

AnneD

Date: Wed, 19 Mar 2003 11:09:09 -0800 | From: “ChrisA” <chrisa@>

Hi, In case anyone is interested in reproducing a quilt with teal , Anita Schakelford’s line new of reproduction fabrics includes a solid teal. It’s in the PA Plain & Fancy line by P&B. She has a website with pictures of blocks using this line at www.thimbleworks.com.

May I just say that I hope everyone on the list (and their loved ones) stay safe as the world takes this next step. I am finding it hard to focus on writing or reading and have a need to stay physically busy. (I have done more weeding and cleaning in these past two days 🙂 ) But I also picked up a waiting quilting project, re-using old bluework blocks. I am so grateful to have this passion to turn to right now. I can’t help but think of how women have used quilting in this manner through troubled times before. Yet, they may have been alone sewing. I am grateful for this list and others, for the cyber friendships of like-minded quilt and fabric nuts they bring into my home! At least some things never change, and right now, that’s unique.

Piece and Peace to you and those you quilt with- Kim

Kimberly Wulfert, PhD www.antiquequiltdating.com Email: quiltdating@

Date: Wed, 19 Mar 2003 11:19:53 -0800 | From: Judi Fibush <judi@>

ChrisA

Kim,

My sentiments as well for all. My hubby left yesterday for 10 days in Geneva. Although that is a relatively safe place to be, I really didn’t want him to leave so I wait and pray for all also.

I also found a new project (although there are dozens awaiting :-)) and it is keeping me occupied for bit.

Blessing to all

I also remember waiting for news during Nam from a hubby overseas. At that time letters were 2 weeks old when they arrived at either end. Thank goodness for all with email and more phone access in the world.

Judi

ChrisA wrote:

Date: Wed, 19 Mar 2003 14:47:47 -0500 | From: “Cinda Cawley” <lrcawley@>

The blue-gold star banner was around during WWI. I recently saw a photo of Theodore Roosevelt and his family with their banner (its gold star commemorating Quentin, the youngest child who was shot down over France in July of 1918). Cinda on the Eastern Shore

Date: Wed, 19 Mar 2003 15:29:42 -0500 | From: “Cinda Cawley” <lrcawley@>

Wow, Anita Shakelford’s website is amazing. No wonder I never get anything done with all the great stuff you people are telling me to look at (VBG). Please don’t stop. Cinda on the Eastern Shore

Date: Thu, 20 Mar 2003 03:13:45 +0000 | From: “Karen Bush”

Prayers to all and to the families and their loved ones. kb

http://www.karenbushquilts.com Hand Quilting Services http://www.karenbushquilts.com/HISTORY/home.htm

Date: Thu, 20 Mar 2003 14:30:19 -0500 | From: “Gibson, Nancy” <ngibson@>

This Fall the DAR Museum is mounting an exhibition of maps from Colonial Williamsburg. In conjunction with the exhibition, I am hoping to display “Map Quilts.” The definition of a map quilt is very broad! If anyone knows of an example of such a quilt or related textile please contact me at: (202) 879-3238 or by email. Nancy Gibson

Date: Thu, 20 Mar 2003 16:19:00 -0500 | From: mreich@

Nancy and all, I have been wanting to start a discussion on map quilts or as Richard Clevelend calls them geography quilts for some time. Both the Connecticut and Vermont documentation projects found these quilts and have them featured in their books. They also appear in other state documentation books. The two from Vermont and Connecticut date to the mid-1880s. There are others from the first decade of the twentieth-century. Historically, Richard and I have questioned what event might have initiated these geography/map quilts. Maps have been around forever, but quilt maps, what inspired quiltmakers to make them? During the 1880s and 90s, and into the first decade of the twentieth century, exhibitions, expositions and world fairs were very popular. The quilt made here in Connecticut was made by Emma Gold for a Grange Fair. Emma was very involved in Grange activities on a local and statewide basis. She is one of the only women featured in a early history of Connecticut granges. Emma and her husband, Theodore began an agricultural school in Cornwall, CT. Her quilt is a beauty! Plus, her family is very good about sharing it for historical purposes. In my spare time, I hope to peruse the state documentation books to find more of these geography quilts. sue reich

Date: Tue, 18 Mar 2003 22:39:24 -0800 | From: “jajb” <anne_j@>

I’m a bit late with this response but could the photograph have been a cigarette silk?

Anne Johnson

> > I did a dating thing for my guild this weekend for National Quilt Day. I came across 2 things I have never seen. > 1) A wonderful crazy quilt was brought. (I don’t say that lightly. I normally don’t like crazy quilts that much.) It was superb crafts-womanship. On it was a picture of a man. It looked as if it was a photograph that had been transfered on to silk. And it was picture perfect quality. I know that experimenting was being done at the turn of the century. I have seen quilts with pictures, but they were the inside labels of hats and such. Comments? (The woman is now excitedly doing research within her family to try to find this man. There were initials embroidered in another area of the quilt)

Date: Fri, 21 Mar 2003 14:56:40 -0800 (PST) | From: Judy Schwender

I am curious: what exactly are the Nebraska Amish of Mifflin Co., PA??? Cinda Cawley <lrcawley@> wrote:Such panels are still used by the conservative Nebraska Amish of Miflin Co., PA

Date: Fri, 21 Mar 2003 20:24:23 -0500 | From: “Cinda Cawley” <lrcawley@>

Mifflin County is in almost the exact center of PA. There is a good explanation of the Nebraska Amish in Eve Wheatcroft Grannick’s book The Amish Quilt; I’ll give you some of that info. The Nebraska Amish are the most tradtional and conservative group of all the Amish in North America. In the 1880s the Amish settlement in Mifflin County’s Big Valley was disturbed by differences over perceived liberalization. A bishop from Nebraska was brought in to resolve the differences. He was not successful and a group which separated to maintain a stricter church became known as the Nebraska Amish.

Their quilts are limited in color and design. Four- and Nine-Patch variations are the only patterns permitted and colors are limited to “natural” colors: blue, brown, dark purple, black, dark green, etc.Purchasing goods for making quilts (eg. setting blocks) was questionable. Nebraska Amish women relied heavily on scraps from clothing. If a woman ran out of scraps of one color while making a quilt she would simply substitute another color.

Cinda on the Eastern Shore

Date: Sat, 22 Mar 2003 10:36:28 -0500 | From: “Glenn Hardy” <hardy@>

Hi,

I was recently at the Rose Bowl flea market in Pasadena, Ca, and saw a ‘Harriet Powers’ quilt for sale. It had the bible applique blocks, was made mostly of solids, used lots of cheddar, and was roughly stitched. The dealer said it was a very early copy of the originals and used the cheddar as a reason for old age. What I can’t remember is if the Harriet Powers quilt is one of the quilts that the Smithsonian copied. I need someone to jog my memory.

Julianne, in Maryland where spring is peeking from the ground.