May 4 – 16, 2002
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:
- Nylon Tulle for Quilt Restoration — A conservator shares a 1997 textile-conservators’-list post questioning nylon’s long-term stability, sparking debate over nylon vs. polyester fiber for protecting fragile quilts. (see the article on quilt restoration)
- Quilt Display and Storage Methods — Members compare frames, Velcro-compatible fabric (Veltex), and bridal-illusion netting for rotating and protecting quilts on display. (see the article on caring for antique quilts)
- Museum and Exhibition Roundup — Members share current and upcoming quilt exhibitions and museums to visit, including the Gunn Historical Museum, Rocky Mountain Quilt Museum, and Historic Deerfield. (see the article on quilt museums)
- The ‘Gold Standard’ Charm Quilt Debate — A long-running discussion resurfaces over why some 19th-century charm quilts include a single gold-colored patch, weighing political-symbolism theories against a simpler ‘fad’ explanation.
- Quilting Style Terminology — Members work out the terminology for flat quilting, corded/Italian quilting, and stuffed work (trapunto/boutis) prompted by a museum guide’s description. (see the article on cotton and textile terms)
Date: Sat, 04 May 2002 23:49:36 -0400 | From: “Jan Drechsler”
After numerous e-mail inquiries about Memere’s quilt which had been mistreated and needed restoration and the memories of the fabric scraps from her mother’s dresses, I couldn’t wait to open the package when it arrived. I knew that it needed rebinding, had many smallish holes and smelled faintly like gasoline cause the man of the house used it under the car when he changed the oil. I expected a thirties scrap quilt, perhaps French-Canadian?
But no…Totally Tacky Teddy (TTT) would love this quilt was my immediate thought! Wild, vivid, turquoise, purple, blue, pinks, checks, stripes, greens, maroons all in double knits. TTT, if this quilt were mine, I would repair it and lovingly present it to you since you have sung the praises of these quilts and their everlasting colors. I can even picture it waving gaily on the clothesline, outside of your studio. Tourists stopping to take pictures. Children pointing.
But alas, it is not mine to give. If someday I do find a similar treasure, in a yard sale or thrift shop, I will snap it up and send it to you. Perhaps we should all do that. Boxes arriving daily, polyester quilts in rickety ten foot stacks on the lawn. And someday, Teddy will have this spectacular quilt show and laugh, as she sells each one for $100,00, and I will be the fool!!!
This is my first real encounter with double knit, at least I think that’s what it is. A heavy polyester knit on top with a slip-like fabric underneath, in a matching color? Were they originally bonded together? If not, how would one possibly sew with them? It would be a nightmare. My late 60’s-70’s attire missed the knit and poly trend, which was not cool for an aspiring hippy/earth mother look, and I couldn’t even look at my mother’s wardrobe so I need to learn about these ‘miracle’ fabrics. I think. Thanks to Sue Reich and Teddy for telling us about Paducah and I hope to hear more about the show from other QHLers. Jan — Jan Drechsler in Vermont where the black flies are just beginning Quilt Restoration; Quilting teacher www.@/~bobmills
Date: Sun, 05 May 2002 09:27:58 -0400 | From: Newbie Richardson
Dear All, I have a client with a collection of quilts which she wants to rotate on a regular basis. We have built a frame and are now searching for a fabric that will act like the “gripper” of velcro to cover the whole frame with. Each of the quilts already have velcro attached. The object of this frame is to serve as a permanent – yet attractive – hanging space for the variously sized quilts. The frame is on a slant so we are not dealing with complete vertical gravity pull. The frame is 97″ wide so I need a wide fabric ( I do not mind seeing 2 seams, but do not want more). So far I am thinking of using upholstery weight cotton velvet. I have used it before and liked it – but it has been for one quilt that has been stitched, not for several with velcro strips. I had thought of fabric for stage curtains – but I think it has fire proofing and is not archival! Anyone have a better idea? Please post to the list as well as to me, as I think that many of us would be interested. Thanks Newbie Richardson
Date: Sun, 5 May 2002 19:32:31 -0400 | From: “judygrow”
Newbie — Remember — I am a picture framer. All my moulding samples are hung on a vertical wall covered in loop pile carpeting, probably the same way as your local picture framer. Needless to say, the hook part of the velcro is on the sample itself. Besides industrial carpeting, which really looks good, there is a flannel like fabric that comes with some of my twirling display pieces. All the manufacturers and distributors use it to cover the walls on their booths at all the trade shows. I have seen the adverts for the stuff in my trade magazines. I’ll get back to you before the end of the week on this. Judy in Ringoes, NJ judygrow@
Date: Sun, 5 May 2002 19:47:38 -0400 | From: “judygrow”
That was a fast week. Here’s the info on the Velcro compatible fabric, 60″ wide, called Veltex. http://inventors.about.com/library/weekly/aa091297.htm how Velcro was invented http://www.textol.com/products/display.htm lots of colors of veltex http://www.riptie.com/NewFiles/hook&loop.html Veltex display fabric, 60″ wide, $12.00 – 15.00/yard Judy in Ringoes, NJ judygrow@
Date: Sun, 5 May 2002 20:58:57 EDT | From: Trimble4@
In a message dated 5/3/02 10:59:19 PM Eastern Daylight Time, xenia@ writes: << Those of you who met Teddy probably won’t agree with her “trailer trash” <Vbg> description of herself. Take it from someone who knows and greatly admires Teddy – she is lovely in person, delightful in personality, extremely talented in quiltmaking, and very gracious. (OK, Teddy, you can stop blushing and take your bow!) >> Hear, hear! I MUST second this opinion. I, too, have had the joy of spending a little time with The Grand Miss Teddy Herself, and she is a doll!! OK, now, really, Teddy, you MUST stop taking up all this space! Get your big hair out to your studio and make something. 🙂 I am so jealous of all who were able to make it to Paducah. The reports help bring it alive for those of us who had to stay home! Lori in already sultry So. Fla.
Date: Mon, 6 May 2002 08:11:30 -0400 | From: “Brenda & Roger Applegate”
A while back on TV, someone was showing a type of bridal illusion that was used to cover fraying silk in a quilt to protect it. Is bridal illusion okay, to use, or is there something more preferred. Thank you. Western Pa Brenda
Date: Mon, 6 May 2002 11:00:39 -0400 | From: “Candace Perry”
Brenda, I have an idea what you’re referring to, and it’s a very fine silk that’s used by textile conservators. It is a special product, I think, and is available through the conservation suppliers TALAS in NYC. I have used it and have not found a “storebought” item that was quite like it. Also, they may have been using silk net that was used in the early 20th century for conservation. I have seen CW battle flags encased in this stuff that were worn away, not completely from their age, but partially because of the abrasion from the net. That may have been a special situation, I don’t know what would happen in every circumstance. The TALAS fabric is much softer than the net. Candace Perry
Date: Mon, 6 May 2002 12:10:21 -0700 (PDT) | From: Ark Quilts
The discussion on Amish quilts was interesting. I know several Old Order Amish quilters in Ohio who have advised me over the years that antique dealers have approached them and asked them to make new quilts the “antique way” with woven flannel or muslin liners so that they look ultra thin like antique quilts. They were also asked to make them with cotton so they would fade–the OOA quilters were appalled because they much prefer the cotton/polyester blend fabrics because they don’t fade. Many of the quilters just refused the offer after the dealers did not want the quilts signed and dated………….some of the dealers wanted just an older look to their quilts, some may have had other reasons, but my Amish quilting friends did not want much to do with these offers because they knew the quilted items could have easily been passed off as antiques when they weren’t. It’s best to know the who, what, where, and when about a quilt before you buy and in the case of Amish quilts, don’t pay the big bucks unless the provenance can be verified. ArkQuilts
Date: Sat, 11 May 2002 02:25:24 +0000 | From: “Anne Copeland” <anneappraiser@>
Thank you very much, Tracy. I too only use this technique for quilts that are only for display. It is not like they are going to have constant movement and the nylon will not cause any abraision just sitting there. Now quilts that are used for the bed are generally mended in different manners altogether. When you can show me a quilt that has suffered abraision to the point of damaging it from nylon tulle, I will absolutely believe it. I think many of these things going around are things that have been in our group knowledge for many years, and we are not even certain where they came from. I have really been questioning things we learned back in the 70s or the 80s, because to tell you the truth, everything was new in the way of information. There wasn’t even very much information out there, and we all held whatever tidbits we learned from any source with the utmost reverence.
Now mind you, there is nothing truly wrong with some of this information, but technology has changed, and in some senses our body of knowledge has changed. But in some senses, we are still relying on those things we learned from long ago that we just sort of took for granted as truth. I know because I sure preached some of those things I learned too. Now, I question everything, and I always look at alternatives. Yes, there are many types of tulle, and there is some that feels like sandpaper OK, and also some that feels as soft as tissue. We always use good judgement when we decide what exactly to use. Perhaps we need to distinguish again what we would do to a museum quality quilt–a quilt that had a good chance of ending up in a museum, or was already in a museum from the everyday nice quilt, or the better than nice quilt, but a quilt that needs work.
These past years I have come across quilts that have been stored in plastic zipper bags in dry to fairly dry geographic locations, and all of them have been in excellent condition as far as showing no mold, etc. I think there certainly is a potential for mildew where there is heavy moisture, but again, to me, there is no well-documented evidence that it is true that every single quilt that goes into a plastic bag suffers from mildew. I certainly don’t recommend that people put their quilts in plastic bags, but again, we need to start questioning some of these things we have learned, and perhaps not make such sweeping conclusions about them. Some things work in some situations clearly, and some do not. So if we try to remain open until we see clear documented evidence over time showing some of the things we “think” might harm quilts actually harming them. Love and light and happy Mom’s day to all the moms and grandmoms out there, Annie
Date: Sat, 11 May 2002 00:26:20 -0400 | From: “judygrow” <judygrow@>
Annie and others, Here is a post from the textile conservators list from 5 years ago. Even way back then nylon was suspect. The writer has his bona fides I and I don’t believe this is whispering down the lane. I believe there has been real research and much observation here. The writer is —–
Geoffrey I. Brown Curator of Conservation Kelsey Museum University of Michigan Ann Arbor, MI 48109-1390 Subject: Re: Nylon From: Geoffrey I Brown
Date: Wed, 3 Dec 1997 10:58:18 -0500 (EST)
—- In my experience (going back prior to 1970) nylon *fiber* is extremely unstable, exhibiting very poor ageing characteristics, particularly in acidic urban environments. Most nylons (those that do not incorporate a UV inhibitor) are highly sensitive to UV, as well. The effective life of nylon nets and other sheers can be less than two years, even when stored in darkness. One wholesaler once related to me how they had to discard thousands of yards of nylon marquisette which had been stored for two years and during that time had lost virtually all its strength. Since one rarely knows how long a product has been stored by the manufacturer or vendor prior to purchase, it is possible to buy “new” material that is already well along in its deterioration progression.
Objects made of solid nylon resin deteriorate from the same conditions as fiber, but solid nylon objects have only a tiny fraction of the surface area (relative to volume) presented by fiber products. The deterioration of solid nylon is thereby much slower and gradual, without the catastrophic loss of strength evidenced by fiber products. Unfortunately, nylon fabrics have been used rather ubiquitously in conservation treatments. As a consequence, it is common to find that the nylon support (usually net or another sheer) has deteriorated far more than the primary textile it is supposed to be supporting! Removal of decomposed and shredding nylon netting is not only very tedious but can be quite risky to the artifact.
Nylon fiber products also exhibit enormous cold flow (creep) and stretch over time. This is certainly inappropriate for support of most textiles, especially brittle and fragile textiles which do not behave this way – or more to the point – should not be allowed to stretch at all. Nylons also absorb large amounts of moisture, up to 6% by weight, a characteristic that contributes to swelling, stretching, and other distortions. Prior list discussions have raised the issue of dye stability in nylon hook-and-loop materials. Although some of these products appear to be stable and non-staining, several observers indicated that they have noted problems from certain versions. Perhaps some of the differences may be due to whether the nylon is dyed as a molten resin or dyed after extrusion of the fiber, but some of the dye instability may reflect breakdown of the resin and consequent release of the dye molecules.
My experience with polyester fiber materials over a similar span of time has been much more positive. Polyesters absorb very little moisture, are highly resistant to acidic and mildly alkaline environments (although not to highly alkaline conditions), and have very limited stretch and cold flow. Consequently, polyester fiber tends to remain stable for indefinite periods, as long as it is shielded from high levels of UV (which I hope would be the case for any valued textile that might be supported by a polyester fiber product!). Most of us are familiar with the stability and inertness of polyester films such as Mylar, which have a fairly high ratio of surface area relative to their volume, although certainly not as high as fiber products such as yarns and fabrics. The stability of these films, however, gives us at least a hint about the stability of related fiber products. Polyesters are quite difficult to dye as yarn or fabric, so they can present problems if a custom color is needed. Although I have not noticed any stability problems with commercially dyed polyester fiber products, I will welcome others’ observations. Geoffrey I. Brown Curator of Conservation Kelsey Museum University of Michigan Ann Arbor, MI 48109-1390
Date: Sat, 11 May 2002 09:07:43 EDT | From: Midnitelaptop@
put a visit to the Rocky Mountain Quilt museum, on your list.. visit the website and see what the present exhibit is: http://www.rmqm.org/ jeanL
Date: Sat, 11 May 2002 11:00:57 EDT | From: Trimble4@
In a message dated 5/10/02 9:03:29 PM Eastern Daylight Time, lrcawley@ writes:
<< My rule is if I smell eucalyptus I leave. >> TOO funny, but you’re right! Eucalyptus or that cinnamon potpourri! Sadly, though, if I truly followed this rule, I’d have missed some of my best buys. There is one “antique mall” near where my mother lives that is split down the middle, so you can choose which side you want. It was there that I found my 1933 World’s Fair quilt. Go figure! Lori
Date: Sat, 11 May 2002 18:36:26 -0400 | From: mreich@
“Dreams Beneath Design: An Exhibition of Quilts” is on display at The Gunn Historical Museum, Washington, CT. from May 1 to November 1, 2002. There are approximately 20 quilts in the Museum and 2 displayed in The Gunn Library next store.
If you want to see some early nineteenth century quilts, this is the place to visit during your New England summer or autumn vacation. You’ll see pillar prints, roller prints, block prints, stuffed work and chintz galore. The quilt patterns are so typical of the early Connecticut quilts; flying geese, four patch, nine patch, one patch, strip and 2 album signature quilts. The most complex pattern is a feathered star. The rest of the quilts have big pieces of fabric which best display the beauty of the print. There is one awesome, folksy appliqué in red, green and white. There is also a mint Marseilles quilt.
Of the 22 quilts only 4 are third and fourth quarter nineteenth-century, the rest are first and second quarter. The display is a quilt historian’s dream. The quilts are displayed in such a way that you can really see the fabric up close. Samplers, thimbles and other sewing-related items are also displayed. In addition, the Museum will be offering many quilt-related activities, demonstrations, a gallery tour, a quilt critique day and a “Quilting-on-the-Green.” Area quilters are invited to bring a quilt and portable quilt frame, set up on the Green and quilt to heir heart’s content.
The Meetinghouse Quilters will be having their quilt show in the Meetinghouse across the road on August 10, 2002. All this is very grass roots and small town with not much glitz but I think you’ll like it. The brochures will be ready next week. If you would like one, send me an email privately. Also, I took some decent digital photos of the quilts if you would like to be further tempted to make a visit. Or if there is no way for you to come this summer and you are dying to see the quilts, I’ll share what I have with you, just send me an email privately. The Museum is just 30 minutes off I-84, north of Danbury, CT. in the western part of the state. There is also a show in Brookfield, CT. at the Brookfield Historical Society about 5 minutes off I-84. When I get to see it, I’ll send a little report. From Connecticut where quilting is alive and well! sue reich
Alan Date: Sat, 11 May 2002 21:22:19 -0500
Laura and I both heard the same theory as Xenia from Jill Sutton Filo in Omaha at a QRS conference. I too have a 1870’s era charm quilt with all browns, blacks, and the regular colors from the time period with a single block of solid chrome orange. I too use the “story” when I give lectures, but haven’t had many responses of people who have a similar quilt. I hope that more research can give some insight into this “myth” – but as Xenia indicated, just because we can’t find written, factual information to back up something doesn’t mean anything except that “her story” missed getting recorded by the historians. Prom is over – now we just do all the other graduate things, finish the sewing room addition, train the new secretary, move her into the new office, then collapse into the floor!! Lisa
Date: Sun, 12 May 2002 02:21:23 +0000 | From: “Anne Copeland” <anneappraiser@>
Thank you so much for your educated discourse on nylon tulle, Geoffrey. I have restored a number of quilts back around 1993 – 1994, and I checked with the owners to see how their quilts are holding up. They are still fine, and there has been no deterioration of the tulle whatsoever. So perhaps different types have different reactions. I always use a neutral color (not white) but generall a cream color or very pale gray, and black on really dark pieces. They have all held up to the present quite well. Some are on crazy quilts and some are on 30s type quilts. I also have nylon tulle that I have kept for about this long that I intended to use for future restorations, but simply use it for classes instead as an illustration of what to use.
Also, I often find vintage garments including wedding gowns and evening gowns, and sometimes they have nylon tulle netting. They all seem to be in really good condition, so while this research seems very well supported with research, in my own experience, I have not encountered this problem. Could it be certain brands, certain dyes, or certain storage conditions? The wedding gowns and evening gowns seem to date from around the 50s. I had a great vintage evening gown from the 50s years ago (less than 10 years) and it was a lovely shade of an almost chartreuse green. I wore it for some special occasions, and then stored it in the dark in the closet. The only thing that happened to it was that I outgrew it (oops)!
So while I am not doubting this research, and certainly appreciate your sharing the information, I am not finding this situation in the tulle I use and have used, at least not up to this present date. But as I said, fabrics tend to be like research that is done with such things as “the pill,” where for a long time when it first came on the scene, people were sure that it caused cancer, etc. Perhaps it did in some situations, even many situations, but there were perhaps many other factors involved. I have been on the pill since I was 35 for hormone replacement, and I am now 60, and have never had a problem from it. I certainly would not go so far as to say there are no problems, but as I have noted, there may be many other factors involved. Just good to keep in mind.
Also, if we are restoring museum quality quilts, as I noted before, I think we do need to use the best material available that has a track record in the field. For my clients, the cost of such things is prohibitive–30s quilts (most of the ones I have restored) and even the crazy quilts, which are often not very outstanding, but have more emotional value to the owners, seem to work fine with these methods. The nylon tulle is not used in large areas at all; in fact, more frequently there are but a few pieces that are covered, and it is loosely applied, with just stitching around the edge to hold it in place.
It is better if a quilt is restored in some manner (as long as the materials used are time appropriate or barely noticeable such as the nylon tulle) than left in rags, which many of them are. Again, these quilts are not used on beds, but frequently displayed on a rack, or put in a cupboard, or other typical display methods people in regular homes use. They are probably more likely to die of their exposure to light and dust than they are from the few pieces of tulle that have been used. Thank you again for sharing this good info. Love and light always, Annie
Date: Sun, 12 May 2002 02:33:54 +0000 | From: “Anne Copeland” <anneappraiser@>
I am surprised that this type of information is cropping up again so close on the tails of the HIPV controversy. There seems to be a societal need to embue bits and pieces of our historical artifacts with some sort of additional meaning. I can think of a similar time back in I believe the late 60s or early 70s when Von Danekan (I hope I have spelled his name correctly) wrote about the fact that many types of animal bones were found together and these would not have been animals that lived together in the same time or space.
Once he was on television in an interview and when asked why he wrote these things, he came right out and noted that man had a need to believe. If man couldn’t believe in God, he still needed to believe in something. Perhaps this idea has been written down somewhere, but I think it is really going out on a limb to postulate that things that were done on very normal quilts such as making one patch of a particular color (in this case the chromium yellow) had some special meaning. Perhaps we are looking at another book of how quilts with a block in this color meant that there was some sort of women’s conspiracy so to speak to come together in support of the gold standard.
Well, it would make good reading, and probably be quite popular too. Yes, I will agree there are some quilts with special symbols on them such as the Eastern Star, and also the Oddfellows, and other symbols as well. There are also pictorial; quilts such as the coffin quilt, and the quilt made by the woman in the assylum and a number of other well documented examples, but postulating that putting a block of a single color into a quilt had some sort of special meaning. I have seen many quilts, esp. the one patch type and 9-patch quilts, etc. that had a single color patch. But to contend that it has any special meaning is to give a lot of weight to the idea that women had conspiracies in communications. I think if that were true, women would have had the vote a long time before 1920.
This isn’t intended to be mean to anyone who really believes this, but I am just having difficulty accepting ideas like this for which there is so little evidence. If such were true, it would have been well documented long before now. I have a degree in Archaeology and worked in the field for awhile. Von Danekan’s book could be well disputed by archaeological evidence aside from the fact that he came right out and admitted his real purpose himself. Remember, “Who’d a Thought It?,” a book that purported that there was a distinct Afro-American style quilt, and that this style was identified by quilts that “broke the rules” so to speak. These quilts all were somewhat primitive in workmanship and also in design, though they were certainly graphic and wonderful. Even Cuesta Benberry came out and said at the time that Afro-American quilters had no specific “style,” and that they had made every type of quilt that had been made by anyone else, which has certainly been found to be true from documented quilts that have turned up over time.
Also, it turned out the author was paying Afro-American women to make or complete quilt tops and quilts he would find, etc. He is gone from the scene now, at least from the quilt scene. I still have the book, and I still remember him speaking at my guild many years ago. It was very interesting stuff at the time, but a case of someone making his theory fit the situation. Well, enough for now. I will stand by my view until I see the real proof of the pudding. In archaeology, many people have theories. And many of them seem very interesting. I have come up with a few in my own time. But I sure don’t have any supporting evidence, and neither do they. It is very entertaining and challenging reading though. Love and light always, Annie
Date: Sun, 12 May 2002 13:12:48 -0400 | From: Newbie Richardson <pastcrafts@>
Sally, et al, In the 18th and 19th c (before standardized measurements were universal) fabric measurements were calculated in fractions of a “yard” 36″ ( he average length from a woman’s nose to the tip of her outstretched fingers) so a “quarter” was 1/4 of a yard or 9″, a “nail” was 2 1/4 inches. As to the width, it varied depending on the end use of the fabric. Fabric was woven for specific purposes so as to avoid any waste. Also, it was woven to fit the size of the rollers which would be used to print the designs in the late 18th and early 19th c. The width on most of the cotton chemises, men’s shirts, and other 18th and 19th c clothing I have studied is anywhere from 22″ to 40″. 28″/32″ seems to be average. But that is an annecdotal, not scholarly, observation. Newbie
Date: Sun, 12 May 2002 13:27:04 -0400 | From: Newbie Richardson <pastcrafts@>
Dear all, On the subject of choices for conservation fabrics, we who perform conservation services for private clients need to clarify what the client wants and advise the client as to all the pros and cons – including expense – of various treatment options. Nylon tulle may be an option, depending on the will of the client.
However, looking at all grades of nylon tulle under the microscope will show the hard plastic beads at the intersection of the fibers. The abrasion caused by these beads are indeed minimized by lack of “use”. However, it still abrades. I used to work in a bridal shop and have had the opportunity to examine at least 6 different types of veiling. Under the microscope, they all look like sandpaper – even if they feel “soft”. If we are performing conservation services for pieces in the custody of a museum, then ethically, we should NOT use nylon.
The fact is, the assumption must be made that the piece must be preserved for the centuries, not just a generation – and any threatment which (knowingly) compromises the longevity of the piece can not be used. The common knowledge of the abrasiveness of tulle is fairly recent. The Textile Group of the American Institute of Conservators has been revaluating some treatments. Many of the accepted treatments of 25 years ago, (one generation) are proving to be injurious to the long term existance of the textiles. As always, treatments are subjective. Let’s face it, there are an awful lot of quilts out there, not every one of them requires the care that the Star Spangled Banner does! Newbie Richardson
Date: Sun, 12 May 2002 16:08:28 EDT | From: PatKoerner@
I thoroughly enjoyed all 6 hours of Frontier House despite the import quilts and the whining. I would probably whine too if you put me into 1883. So lucky to have been born in the 20th century although going back in time is sure a romantic notion. Thanks to Judy Schmendler’s post reminding us of what PBS offers us all year long and that we were not looking at a home movie of 1883 but how 2001 people dealt with 1883. I appreciate all the hard work of the producers and participants in bringing us such a intriguing look back to 1883 and the hardships the homesteaders faced. A wonder a quilt was ever made.
I intend to order the book so that I will have a better picture of what went into the making of this production. It is sad some were so dissa ppointed in the autheticity that they couldn’t enjoy what was offered. Cinda, lots to see and do in Denver and I will see you get VIP treatment at Rocky Mountain Quilt Museum when you are in Denver and a tour of Primedia. email me privately. Pat Moore
Date: Sun, 12 May 2002 14:24:44 -0700 | From: chrisa@
Thanks for your input Merikay. It is very clearly ABC Chicago USA Copyrighted and stamped on the margin is No 4258 Quilt Block 18″, Pond Lily. So that does make one wonder why it is unknown that ABC made patterns in Kits, doesn’t it? If you saw the typestyle on the selvedge, would that help? Maybe Rainbow and ABC joined forces momentarily and put out a few kits? The dates you show for Rainbow don’t seem unreasonable to me, the kit is solid blues and green on a light gd. Lilly pond type flower designs were popular motifs in that era too, and earlier. Kim Wulfert <<Could the printed trademark be: TB&Co Inc. Chicago? I own stamped pattern sheets for embroidered quilt blocks with numbers ranging from #4200 to #6631. Their dates are 1923-1928 though. Although . . . The 18-inch size, the pond lily design, and the fact that it’s stamped on cloth makes me think it’s a Rainbow Quilt Block–but that was manufactured and printed in Cleveland, OH. Hmmm–a mystery. Merikay Waldvogel
Date: Sun, 12 May 2002 18:14:44 -0400 | From: Monica A MacDonald <monicamacdonald@>
I was visiting my sister in CT this weekend and she took me to Historic Deerfield in MA. This was my first visit – what an afternoon! I think I could easily spend a whole week there. I wish we could have gotten to the Textile Museum but we simply ran out of time. My next visit, I guess. There was a wholecloth quilt on a bed in the Williams house (from the Federal period). The quilt was just the top layer of fabric and bottom layer of fabric, no batting. There was some stuffed work in some of the quilting. The guide told us that although it looks like trapunto, because there was no batting, it is not called trapunto, there is another word for it. She couldn’t remember what the word was. I’ve looked through all the books I have but I can’t find very much information on the history of trapunto and stuffed work. Does anyone know what the guide was talking about? Is there really another word for stuffed work on a quilt without batting? Monica MacDonald
Date: Sun, 12 May 2002 15:45:21 -0700 | From: “Julia D. Zgliniec” <rzglini1@>
Dear Monica and QHL, You can read about three forms of quilting in Averil Colby’s book Quilting. She describes three styles as flat, corded, and stuffed. Flat quilting has no wadding ( batting), corded has a cord inserted in channels formed by close lines of quilting and stuffed work has extra batting or wadding inserted to create raised areas of the design. Perhaps the guide was trying to think of the term “flat Quilting” Julia Zgliniec – Poway,CA Date:
Mon, 13 May 2002 15:09:11 -0400 From: “pepper cory” <pepcory@>
Hello all-Recently at Quilt Expo in Barcelona I took a class with Francine Nicolle on traditional French corded quilting. (boutis). All the dimension is added by drawing cotton yarn through channels or stuffing the yarn, several times over, into already quilted motifs. There is no layer of batting involved. She said the test of a ‘real” French corded quilt was to hold it to the light. There you’d see only the corded areas as dark and no extra batting. That was a real “boutis.”
Many French quilts, professionally made in the 18th cent/early 19th cent. workshops of Marseilles, are probably in this country and by virtue of their antiquity, thought of as early American work. I discovered a French boutis right in my own backyard here in Beaufort! Most of the time these were white but sometimes a brilliant blue, yellow, or raspberry was used. See Ms. Nicolle book (now available in English with the title “The Embroidery of Boutis–The Art and Technique of a Provencal Treasure) for a better explanation. >From the windy Carolina coast- Pepper Cory
Date: Mon, 13 May 2002 14:20:18 -0500 | From: “Evans, Joanna” <joanevan@>
I wonder if the word the guide at Historic Deerfield was looking for was “boutis.” This is a style of stuffed work like trapunto that originated in France. Joanna
Date: Mon, 13 May 2002 16:11:58 -0700 | From: Judy Knorr <jknorr@>
In addition to the Rocky Mountain Quilt Museum which is located in Golden, just outside of Denver, you can also visit the offices of Quilter’s Newsletter Magazine. They have a small gallery with a changing quilt display, often of quilts featured in their magazine. They are very friendly and allowed me to photograph the quilts. These two places are only a couple of miles apart. Not difficult to see both in a morning or an afternoon as both are small. Judy
Date: Tue, 14 May 2002 09:45:31 EDT | From: Midnitelaptop@
if there is going to be a quilt show or a festival in your area this summer..i’d love it, if you posted the place and
Dates on this list. thanks jeanL
Date: Tue, 14 May 2002 10:02:07 -0400 | From: “gb best” <vitale@>
I thought the list might be interested and can help! God Bless! Hello my name is Betty Nielsen the organizer of Freedom Quilts. I’m the lady that is trying so very hard to get everyone to help me make enough quilts for the 9/11 victims’ families. I’ve been on America 01 and Good Morning America trying to get others to see the importance of this project. I have already taken to New York and distributed 1554 quilts and I need more before I go back to New York. I need at least 2500 quilts or more. The quilts will go to all the families that have lost someone dear to them on the 9/11.
I need you to please help me make this happen by spreading the word. This is so important because it shows that this great country of ours is united, that no one can tear us apart. These quilts that we make for the families are comforting and show love to the families. Some of the quilters that have help me, have received letters or phone calls from the families who received a quilt. I have made this my main focus to the point that I’m lucky ! if I get two to three hours of sleep. Please join me and help by making quilts and spreading the word to others, so I can get some sleep and take better care of myself because I need to continue this project. I don’t want to tell the families I don’t have enough quilts. Please help me bring love and comfort to the families that have lost so much. You can contact me and you can send your quilts, material and all donations at the address below. Thank You Sincerely, Betty Nielsen 13637 550th St. Fonda, Ia. 50540 debeniel@ www.FreedomQuilts.net
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Date: Tue, 14 May 2002 09:57:00 EDT | From: Midnitelaptop@
i just read that starch and glue are food magnets for bugs like silver fish …and i was wondering… about all of the quilts with fusible applique/glue…do you think they are a potential banquet/magnet for these insects? and what about storing rolls of fusible web? jeanL
Date: Tue, 14 May 2002 15:00:58 +0100 | From: “Sally Ward” <Sally.D.Ward@>
For anyone who will be in the UK, the Quilters Guild of the British Isles is holding its 8th National Exhibition of Members’ Work entitled ‘Transforming Tradition’ from 6th July to 29th September 2002 at the Dean Clough Mill Centre, Halifax, West Yorkshire. This is a juried exhibition, an event held every 2-3 years (I think). On Thursdays during the period of the exhibition there will be a small exhibition in the Guild’s Resource Centre, also at Halifax, featuring ‘Gems from the Heritage Collection’. Sally W, UK
Date: Tue, 14 May 2002 10:04:22 -0400 | From: Newbie Richardson <pastcrafts@>
Dear all, As I am constantly impressed with the wealth of textile knowledge on this list, I have an inquiry from a fine arts appraiser I sent a client to. The work is by a “well known” modernist style textile artist from Hungary who worked in this country in the 1st half of the 20th c : Marifka Karasz b1898, d1960. (not to be confused with her sister, also a fiber/textile artist) She was a textile artist whose work is now represented in the collections of the Art Institute of Chicago, and several art museums in NY, etc. Hence the fact that I referred the client to a fine arts person. Appearantly, this artist has a track record in the early art quilt movement. The pieces in question are 4 panels – stitched, that are murals. I have not seen them (yet) but they have been referred to as “quilts”. This is one of those grey areas of where to fit a piece: the medium is fabric, but is it fine art – or is this “craft”, ie folk art? If anyone can give me some insight into the artist, I’d be grateful. thanks, Newbie Richardson pastcrafts@
Date: Tue, 14 May 2002 11:59:52 -0400 | From: “Jan Drechsler” <quiltdoc@>
A quilt teachers list to which I subscribe is having a wonderful discussion on fun in-house guild programs. If anyone wishes to send me a good suggestion for a program, PRIVATELY since it is off-topic, I will share it with that group and compile their suggestions and send it back to you privately. Regards, Jan — Jan Drechsler in Vermont Quilt Restoration; Quilting teacher www.@/~bobmills
Date: Tue, 14 May 2002 13:36:28 -0500 | From: “Steve and Jean Loken” <sandjloken@> To: “Qiultnet” <QHL@>
Virginia, via central IL, IN and OH, the week after Memorial Weekend. What might I want to see quilt-wise? I plan to visit both state capitols, as that is a hobby of ours. We’ll be driving fairly directly, as we need to get there in 3 days and back as well. Our oldest niece is graduating high school in the upper Shenandoah Valley area. I’ve seen the VA quilt museum in Harrisonburg and it’s great, but will probably skip it this time unless during the weekend we go down that way. Is the museum in Marie Webster’s home open for visitors and is it on that route? TIA Jean in MN, finally spring!
Date: Wed, 15 May 2002 10:05:40 +0000 | From: “Karen Bush” <karenbush11@>
I just popped in to ask if anyone knows about taking cameras to Spring Market? This will be my FIRST market and would love to have pix of it. I’m thinking, it’s probably not allowed?? kb ebay seller name- karenbush http://www.karenbushquilts.com http://www.@/richmond64085/Myhistory.htm Richmond/Ray County History Site- member of AHGP & ALHN Karen Bush MAKE PEACE WITH DUST BUNNIES
Date: Wed, 15 May 2002 07:00:06 -0600 | From: Xenia Cord <xenia@>
Playing devil’s advocate here, if women supporting the gold standard put a single piece of bright gold solid in their quilts, did women supporting free coinage of silver do the same with a light gray or other “silver” fabric? Hmmm… Xenia
Date: Wed, 15 May 2002 11:25:02 -0500 | From: “Jennifer Van Haaften”
I will be traveling the north of England, some of Scotland (staying outside of Edinburgh) and the Midlands. Anything going on at that time of year, or any quilt exhibits I should see. I am very interested in seeing contemporary as well as historic work. The hard part will be convincing my husband to come with. 😉 Jennifer V. Illinois, USA
Date: Wed, 15 May 2002 18:47:57 +0000 | From: deedadik@
Hi all, There is an art quilt exhibit at the Columbus Museum of Art until July 28. It is a jurried show by the participants of Quilt/Surface Design Symposium. It is located on E. Broad St. in downtown Columbus. The show info is on the web site: www.qsds.com/show.html Hope this helps those traveling through this summer. Dee
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Date: Wed, 15 May 2002 14:19:01 -0500 (Central Daylight Time) | From: Mary Persyn <Mary.Persyn@>
There were two requests on last night’s digest – one about quilt shows and the other about things to see in Indianapolis. Here are two responses. 1) June 1-2 String-A-Long Quilt Show at the Porter County Expo Center in Valparaiso Indiana. We have 230 items in the show, plus a merchants mall, quilt appraisal, “dressed” doll bed exhibit, silent auction, fashion show, and demonstrations. Valpo is about 50 miles SE of Chicago. The show hours are 9-5 Sat. and 10-4 Sunday. Contact me for more information. 2) On the request about things to see while driving through Central Indiana. Marie Webster’s home is NE of Indy a ways in Marion IN, and is not open on a regular basis that I know of.
However, there are two exhibits of interest in downtown Indianapolis this summer. a) From May 22 to July 7 the Indiana State Museum (www.IN.gov/ism) is having an exhibit of Amish quilts. I am assuming that they are from the Pottinger collection although I don’t know for sure. (ISM obtained the collection [book – David Pottinger, Quilts of the Indiana Amish] several years ago). It’s a brand new museum located at 650 W. Washington, a few blocks west of the State Capitol. See web site for more info.
b) The Indiana Historical Society (www.indianahistory.org)has an exhibit on until September called “A Working Life”. One of the three people honored in the exhibit is Marie Webster. IHS is just North of the State Capitol at 450 W. Ohio Street. I have not seen either of the exhibits, but I must get to Indianapolis before July 7. (It’s only 140 miles from Valpo, but somehow I never get there except for business meetings). The quilt show will be very good, and I say that even though I am the show chair. String-A-Long has a lot of wonderful quilters for a small town guild of about 80 members. Mary
Date: Wed, 15 May 2002 17:01:17 EDT | From: KareQuilt@
Traveling to Indiana this summer? The Quilters Hall of Fame has three days of special events in mid July. July 18-21, 2002, in addition to the induction of Ruby Short McKim as the 32nd Honoree, the Marie Webster House is celebrating its 100th anniversary by holding a Centennial Party featuring exhibits of Marie’s clothing and the history of The Quilters Hall of Fame. On July 18 quilt historian Jill Sutton Filo of Akron, OH, will present a workshop “Ruby McKim Quilt Patterns,” and Bunnie Jordon of Vienna, VA, will present a luncheon lecture “The Doctor Who Prescribed Quilting,” a lecture on QHF Honoree Dr. William Rush Dunton of Baltimore, MD, followed by a Show & Tell that evening.
On July 19 Bunnie will present a workshop on Jinny Beyer’s “Tessellating Tabbies,” followed by the afternoon party at the Marie Webster House. The video “A Century of Quilts: America in Cloth” featuring many Hall of Fame Honorees will concurrently be shown at the Marion Public Library. On Saturday July 20 Jill Sutton Filo and Chris Jones (granddaughter of Ruby McKim) will do a walk-through of the special Ruby McKim Quilt display at the library, followed by Rosalind Webster Perry’s lecture, “My Grandmother’s Garden Quilts” (also at the library) and Hall of Fame founder Hazel Carter’s workshop “Barn in the USA.” There is much more! Quilt contest with cash prizes, quilt shows, “Quilt Walk” (merchants are featuring quilt display’s in their windows) on Marion’s historic downtown square, and a Vendor’s Mall! Write for the information at QHF, P.O. Box 681, Marion, Indiana 46952; or call (765-664-9333); or email your request to quilters@ or the website at http://www.quiltershalloffame.org. Karen Alexander QHF Board member
Date: Thu, 16 May 2002 03:41:57 +0000 | From: “Anne Copeland”
THANK YOU, Xenia!!! I appreciate your thinking too. And would the use of one red, black, blue, green, etc. patch also have some sort of special significance? Now I could believe that women had little fabric exchanges, and that perhaps women ended up with one square of a color and used that in their quilts. Have any of the owners of these quilts with the one gold patch looked to see if there are any single patches of other colors? Love and light always, Annie
Date: Thu, 16 May 2002 07:28:20 -0400 | From: “Judy Kelius (judysue)”
The discussion about the gold standard has been interesting. My question is whether any of the quilts with just one gold patch that people have noticed have NOT been charm quilts? Most charm quilts and tops from the 19th century have just one cheddar (“gold”) patch . . . I don’t put any special significance in this – rather, the maker probably had only one shade of cheddar in her scrapbag. Occasionally, I have seen a charm quilt where the maker has arranged the various solid fabrics in the center where you can easily see that although they are similar, the colors are slightly different.
Date: Thu, 16 May 2002 06:52:16 -0500 | From: Laura Hobby Syler
The quilt that I own is a Cupid’s Arrow quilt and is not a charm quilt…but does have one “gold” piece….. This has been an interesting topic. Does anyone know if Jill Filo Sutton is still on this list.I know she is/was on the road a lot doing research…and if she has had any further results with her original research of several years ago? Laura “
Date: Thu, 16 May 2002 08:28:21 -0600 | From: Xenia Cord
More on the Gold Standard – I had my tops out last night and looked at them: One is a One Patch in indigoes, browns, and reds, many repeating fabrics, the gold square a jarring note near one border. The second is made in triangles set together to form concentric squares in a “Trip Around the World” configuration, with the rotations alternating light and dark, and each rotation conforming to a single colorway, again with repeating fabrics. The gold triangle is near the outside edge. (This top, by the way, proved unquiltable, with tremendous bias problems!). The third top is made of large Tumbling Block units in red prints and indigo prints, set on the diagonal. The one gold piece in this one is glaringly obvious. None of these tops is a “charm” top. None has any other “single” color represented. On with the discussion… Xenia Julia Z. said she had a conforming piece; could we have a description, please?
Date: Thu, 16 May 2002 08:50:23 -0500 | From: “Ann G. Hubbard”
I had wanted to say that I watched the frontier house. I enjoyed it very much. I do feel that anyone watching this has to watch all 3 episodes before passing judgment on the series. Life on the prairie was difficult enough for those willing to make the trek west, but to go from our age of electricity into the past has to be a mind jolting experience. There are very few people in this country now living who have not had electricity, telephones, cars for most of their life. And watching someone else chop the wood, plant the garden, try to wash dishes and clothes is not the same as actually struggling to do this. Truly amazes me the amount of beautiful handwork of all kinds done prior to what we consider necessary modern conveniences. The people who created and worked on the series have moved on with their lives, but I’m willing to bet that all of them have a different viewpoint than they started out with at the beginning of the show. The show should give us a better appreciation of antique quilts. That is just one person’s humble opinion. Ann from rainy Lake of the Ozarks, MO.
Date: Thu, 16 May 2002 06:58:15 -0700 (PDT) | From: Kris Driessen
I am forwarding this note from Cindy: Hi all, If you’re headed to Quilt Market this week in Kansas City, stop by and see me at the Marcus Brothers booth….I’ll be the one with the goofy corsage, introducing my new fabric line, “Language of Love.” It’s inspired by the Victorian (and before) idea that flowers have a special meaning both to the giver and the recipient…like ‘true love’ for red roses (but not yellow — that means ‘sneaky!’), ‘thoughts’ for pansies, and so on. Each of the florals has a selvage with the meaning printed right on. (Pictures will be on my website (http://www.cindybrick.com)after I get home the beginning of next week.) Please swing by and say ‘hi!’ Cindy Brick Cindy Brick BRICKWORKS http://www.cindybrick.com
Date: Thu, 16 May 2002 09:12:16 -0700 | From: “Julia D. Zgliniec”
Dear Xenia and QHL, I am sorry, I forgot to include a description of my quilt. It IS a Charm and it DOES have other solids used as well – a red and several rich browns and a green I think. The solids are scattered over the surface. The shapes are elongated hexagons in a rich mix of c 1880s prints and it is from PA. I have always been curious about the orange patch because while the surface is quilted with a simple overall diagonal, this one orange patch has a pair of touching not quite round circles. I have always thought of them as ponce-nez glasses. Someone at a lecture one time speculated that they were sunglasses and were on that hexagon because it was too bright. (???) Well this makes a funny story but who knows?
Sunglasses or “smoked” glasses were used by the Chinese in the 15th century so in 1880s this is possible. Is there perhaps some other interpretation of the touching circles? Julia Z
Date: Thu, 16 May 2002 09:13:02 -0700 | From: “Julia D. Zgliniec”
Dear QHL, I got curious about when the gold standard debate was going on. A little “search” produced this web page. http://www.micheloud.com/FXM/MH/Gold_Stand.htm Julia
Date: Thu, 16 May 2002 10:28:00 CST | From: jocelynm@
Perhaps we are looking at another book of how quilts with a block in this color meant that there was some sort of women’s conspiracy so to speak to come together in support of the gold standard. I think it would be a stretch to assume that it was a conspiracy, or secret, or anything like that. Right now we use color codes that are readable by the initiated but not by others. A prime example is team colors- if you know the colors of the teams, you can tell at a glance which team a fan supports. It certainly isn’t a conspiracy to get like-minded people sitting together; it’s an overt statement of opinion.
I recently tried to read a book from 1910. It was absolutely incomprehensible in parts, because the author used idioms or ‘secret’ meanings that apparently were quite familiar to the ladies of that era, but which have since dropped out of the vernacular. We need to remember that just as we wouldn’t record the ‘meaning’ of everyday events in our diaries, ladies of the past might not have thought that some day in the future, the meaning of one gold piece would be obscure. I think it’s entirely possible that women made gold standard quilts not as any sort of ‘secret’ communication, but instead because it was the fad of the day to express your political opinions that way (sort of how some Republican women collect elephants).
Jocelyn
