Date Sat, 27 May 2000 084432 +0200

From Ady Hirsch <adamroni@netvision.net.il>

Hi, everyone

Just to clear up a few things -

Monika, why not discuss "insovable" issues? I doubt anyone here presumes to

settle any issues once and for all, and see no harm in airing (different)

views. Isn't that what the list is all about?

My main gripe was not the existence of quick-made quilts, but rather the

fact that they've become the norm, and are pushing aside the more

traditional quilts, at least in major shows and magazines. I'm not denying

quick quilts have their uses and their place. However, the newer

generations of quilters are educated (if that's the correct term) to regard

speed and so-called "creativity" (being "artistic") as the be all and end

all of quilting, and in most cases this comes at the expense of a solid

backgroud in technique. Even the great Picasso (and do forgive the

presumptuous analogy) mastered the classical techniques of painting before

venturing farther afield...

I think the main problem is that due to the substantial cash prizes in

major quilt shows, a lot of people are making quilts designed specifically

to win competitions, rather than as a means of personal expression.

Magazines also tend to encourage this typs of quiltmaking, since they have

to produce a new issue every 4-8 weeks, and are in constant need of new

projects and photographs to fiil the requisite no. of pages.

I personaly enjoy making quilts for the sake of making quilts, will never

win any competitions (for the simple reason that my quilts are made to

please me, not cater to the taste of some judge, and certainly not to

promote a new line by some fabric manufacturer) and am content with that.

For perspective, all you have to do is look at the magazines from the 70ies

- whatever was cutting-edge, state of the art then, is now pathetic at

best. The only quilts that have withstood the test of time are technically

superior, well made, "invested" ones.

I was amazed to see a quilt by the Dutch quilter who won 1st prize in Quilt

Expo II in the Hague (1992, I think). THAT quilt was a masterpiece, both

technically and design-wise - you may remeber it, a blue and white applique

of an urn with birds and flowers, inspired by Dutch Delft tiles. What she

had this year was the epitome of the above phenomenin - a mishmash of

fabrics quickly put together and machine quilted for the Bernina Award

competition. Realy sad, when you consider this woman is a superb quilter.

And this is what modern quilters are taught quilting is all about. ....

Happy quilting

Ady

>Ady

------------------------------

Date Sat, 27 May 2000 075344 -0400

From List Mom <qrs@albany.net>

Doreen's daughter, Megan, posted a note on our bulletin board that she is

auctioning some of her moms fabric. She is auctioning under the name Meganspeck.

Kris

------------------------------

Date Sat, 27 May 2000 114342 EDT

From AlineMcK@aol.com

Saw this on ebay... A historian's question would you have picked out all

the papers the way she did? The result is interesting, but still... (I know

the answer to the second thing she did....NO polycotton!)

Aline

I bought this quilt in the northern English town of Cockermouth, in the English Lake District, in the mid-1980s. I liked the design immediately—small hexagons of fabric painstakingly put together to make a vividly floral impression—and I was impressed by the amount of work this must have entailed.  Click on the thumbnails to see larger pictures.  But what was really interesting about this quilt was that it was unfinished. The front was as it appears today, but the back still had the hexagonal paper templates installed that had been used in the sewing. We debated what to do. It wasn’t really very useable as it was, though it might well be of interest to a museum. Finally I persuaded my mother, who was trained in embroidery, to take on the project. A QUILT—AND A TIME CAPSULE. Painstakingly, as she removed all the templates, what emerged was a fragmentary paper time capsule of late Victorian English life—in hundreds of hexagons about 1.25" across. My mother became so interested in the project that she sorted them all out into categories, and mounted some of them in a loose leaf book. There are pieces from advertisements, illustrations, promotions for patent medicines, letters, accounts, envelopes, sheet music, and pieces from children’s exercise books written in the elegant handwriting of the period. Perhaps most interesting are the postmarks and Victorian stamps—two purple one penny stamps are pretty much whole. From evidence of the postmarks, the quilt was made between April 4th, 1886 and January 5th, 1887, perhaps (to judge by some of the handwriting) by a girl of 14 or 15. The family may have been called Bellingham, perhaps with a girl called Emmeline, and a Charles or a Charlotte. If you know a family from the north of England with this name, email this auction to them! The name of the towns of Hexham and Allerwick also appear repeatedly, as does Newcastle. (Cockermouth is not too far from these towns.) The family may well have run a store—a haberdashery or a pharmacy. With a little time, you could probably piece together more. Why the quilt was abandoned, we don’t know. Perhaps it was just too difficult, or perhaps something happened to the maker or the family. Certainly, it has never been used—even by me! The size is very slightly irregular, 73" long, and 66.5" on one side, 70.5" on the other. It just nicely covers a queen size bed, and looks very pretty. The backing is beige polycotton, and it’s stitched only at the edges. It was deliberately left unquilted, but it could be finished, if you have the time. There are small holes in three or four of the hexagons, and some need a few stitches to sew them together. The fabric looks 1820s to 1860s, with some pieces glazed. There are over 500 hexagonal "flowers".

Date Sat, 27 May 2000 132615 -0400

From "Nancy Roberts" <robertsn@norwich.net>

Karen's heartfelt comments caused me to do some thinking about "quilt

history in the making," so thank you for that, Karen. I'll offer my thoughts

as follows.

Karen wrote I don't know how many times I've gone to the quilt shop and

have seen

models on the walls for the new classes, and people lining up for ONLY that

fabric that's in the model. ????? I know a lot of people need help with

color and putting it together,

but,...who made the "Rules" of color?

Possibly the 'why' lies in personal style. In a way it's similar to cooking.

I usually follow a recipe while I know many others who improvise with

whatever is on hand in the kitchen. Both approaches have advantages and

neither is "wrong." In quiltmaking, a shop model is the magnet, drawing

people to a particular pattern. That's cause for celebration from a pattern

designer's point of view! Making one just like the model is a safe avenue

for many quilters--after all it's the fabric and use of color that drew them

to the pattern in the first place. Often quilting teachers like to encourage

creativity in their students, but just as often the student says she wants

to make quilts just like the teacher's. I believe it's less about rules, and

more about goals.

K.B.-But, what' s the Hurry on getting

the quilt made and on the bed or ...in the show..??

Again, differing priorities and lifestyles may be the answer. Time is a

precious resource and quilters need need to pick and choose their

priorities. Mothers with limited time for quilting, the desire to make a

personal gift and a deadline for completing it, more projects underway than

there is time to complete.... the scenarios for desiring quick results are

limitless.

K.B.- It's supposed to be a relaxing, creative out-let for the artist in All

of us. Isn't it?

Maybe not always. There can be times when the relaxation part is enough.

That's when many quilters may find it convenient to use fabric collections

from one manufacturer in a quilt--something that has not always been an

option. The hum of a sewing machine is often music to the ears. It's

relaxing no matter what the project I'm working on. I don't see that

quilters are creatively intimidated by rules, either. My view is that it's

simply about the wide range of options available to today's quiltmakers. I

find that replicating a vintage quilt using today's fabrics is both relaxing

and creative even though I'm not the artist who came up with the design.

Today's "flavor-of-the-month" may not be so different from quiltmaking

"crazes" of the past. We use those trends to date quilts and styles, and

future quilt historians may do the same (except we're a lot more aware of

the need for documenting quilts, so their research won't be as

challenging!).

And in another department, if you don't mind reading an example of "the beat

goes on" regarding messages in quilts, here's one from a Florida newspaper.

It's from a business interview with an entrepreneur who offers machine

quilting in a small shop

"Stitches and theads tell stories--stories of love and stories of

freedom. Quilts were used in dowries for yourng girls when they got married.

Quilts were hung on the line to let slaves who had escaped know which houses

were safehourses. So they have been used as more than a way to have warmth."

Have a nice weekend all. nancy

------------------------------

Date Sat, 27 May 2000 133840 -0400

From Alan Kelchner <quiltfix@mail.jax.bellsouth.net>

You cannot, repeat *cannot* dismiss an entire segment of quilting purely on the qualities found in particular quilts. The lumping of all quilts under a quick-quilting schlock umbrella is as offensive to me as any racial stereotype. This discussion only highlights that people have preferences in what they view. Quilting is as diverse as it has ever been, even more. And that diversity includes quality and speed. One only needs to watch eBay to realize that for every finely crafted vintage quilt, there are dozens of coarsely crafted vintage quilts - the equivalent of today's quick-quilting. 

People have always wanted a faster way to make quilts. And maybe these quilts done in a faster time frame doesn't suit one's expectations. Yet to dismiss another's work because of the time it takes is being very narrow in viewing the quilt world. I have a very odd take on quilting overall. I'm male, which skews my view when compared to the general quilting population (everyone else is usually female). I collect antique quilts that I find attractive, no matter the quality of the workmanship. It's the quilt itself that counts. I study quilts and quilters, being very interested in why the quilter made the quilt. I restore quilts, needing the ability to repair conservatively and appropriately. And I make quilts - art quilts. Wild screaming work that would make my grandmother faint. Currently I make small quilts with naked humans on them. "Paintings", as the form is the main subject.

Because of this view, I am very aware that the quilt world as a whole has this double-standard stereotype that drives me nuts. On one hand are the traditionalists who demand fine hand piecing and quilting in traditional patterns and tasteful colors. They cannot fathom why anyone would make something quickly, much less quilt with a machine. On the other hand are the art/contemporary quilters who can't imagine why you would bother consuming your time with all that handwork, limit yourself to those dull and boring colors, or follow the fine-craftsmanship rules. And the two sides are fairly rabid about the other. One bad-mouths the other constantly and it drives me nuts!

We have to understand that - no matter what quilting has been - at this point in time the quilt world has changed tremendously. We aren't going back, but at the same time we cannot ignore where the craft came from. I have the strangest experiences at shows. If you follow me, you can find me drooling over that Best Handquilting Award quilt. But at the same time, I'll stop dead for art quilts like "Petroglyph", an major winner at AQS recently. This woman's machine work is incredible, along with her vision.

And art quilts are just about one thing. Art. They are not made for the bed. They are the physical manifestation of someone's artistic expression.  Their value as a quilt doesn't lie in the craft of vintage quilts and the need of the bedcovering to last, but in the reality of their modern viewpoint. Quite often artists are not concerned with the life-expectancy of their work. And frequently they aren't concerned with the rules. 

Many make the mistake of ignoring the rules as a reason to not learn them, which I don't advocate. A local artist is making this mistake, and she isn't going to get far unless she learns her craft. I also really don't think that traditional quilt shows are the proper venue for artwork. But don't assume, because the workmanship isn't what you do, that it is inappropriate. It's just different. You don't have to like it, that's all. Personally, I believe in fine craftsmanship, no matter what you make or the techniques you use. And I still handquilt. And I've been doing it with #5 pearle cotton lately. In bright rainbows of colors. With big-honking needles.

Quick quilts have their place. But don't lump modern work all under this. Don't forget artists like Michael James and Nancy Crow, whose work is part of the Smithsonian's collection of quilts. There's a reason they were *selected*. Rather than hold all quilts to an old standard, we must hold the divisions to standards appropriate to their category.

"The Art Quilt", by Robert Shaw, is a must for any self-respecting quilt historian. Heck, the book's to die for. But if you want to learn the history of art/quilts, gain access to it. When you look at the work, remember to suspend your ideas of what a quilt "should" be, and enjoy them for what they are. Sheesh, if making quick quilts is bad, what then about the quilt at Strasbourg that was designed by Christian LaCroix, but made by others? <laughing>

Alan

------------------------------

Date Sat, 27 May 2000 153446 -0400

From "John Cawley" <cawley@goeaston.net>

I just read an article by Anita Peck in the Metropolitan Museum Journal

#33 (1998) about The Adeline Harris Sears Autograph Quilt. Adeline

collected signatures (360 of them) from everybody who was anybody in the

1855-1865 period and created a quilt of silk Baby Blocks. Peck writes,

"...during the 1850s there were no American mills capable of producing the

fancy silks found in the quilt." My question is When did American mills

begin producing silk?

Cinda on the Eastern Shore

------------------------------

Date Sat, 27 May 2000 151312 +0400

From Xenia Cord <xecord@netusa1.net>

In 1810 Rodney and Horatio Hanks of Mansfield, CT, operated a very small

business manufacturing silk thread - the first silk manufacturing

business in America. It survived only briefly. But in 1829 the

Mansfield Silk Company was established and operated for 10 years, making

yardages and fringes of silk.

About the same time Gamaliel Gay of Poughkeepsie invented a power loom

for silk weaving, and it was used by the Rhode Island Silk Co. in

Providence; by 1815 silk manufacturing was also being done in

Philadelphia. The most successful manufactory of silk was in Paterson,

NJ, and was begun in 1838 by Christopher Colt, of the pistol mfg.

family, in one of their factories. In 1840 it was purchased by a

company from New York, and the business remained successful into the

1850s, manufacturing first piece goods and then sewing silks. Also

during this time there was considerable speculation in mulberry trees;

like all hot commodities, this one went bust when it was realized that

the country had neither the climate nor the temperament for raising

silkworms. (excerpted from Early American Textiles, by Frances Little,

NY 1931.)

Xenia (it's raining in Indiana, so I didn't have anything else to do!)

------------------------------

Date Sat, 27 May 2000 165153 -0400

From "pepper cory" <pepcory@bmd.clis.com>

Lots of folks had a go at silk manufacturing in the 1800's. One such

operation that went bust was in Belding, Michigan. Anyone remember seeing

Belding/Corticelli on an old wooden spool? The mulberry trees couldn't

survive the Michigan winters (neither could I-). Then the Shakers, ever the

innovators, tried their collective hand at silk manufacturing and managed to

produce a few silk items at (I think-) the Pleasant Hill community in

Kentucky. There are a few extant silk plaid handkerchiefs in Shaker

collections and these were rare enough even then that they were given as

'love gifts' between members of the community.

Pepper Cory

PS-the absolute best crazy quilts I've seen are often from New Jersey.

Living near silk mills gave quiltmakers in NJ unusual access to lovely

fabrics.

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