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

Date: Sat, 27 May 2000 21:51:05 -0500

From: "Karen S. Bush" <Birdsong@worldnet.att.net>

The reason I posted the questions, and ponder today's 'quilt world' , or, a

part of it, is, as follows.

I've finally gotten to the point that I retired last year from the

quilting frame, and NO, it was NOT relaxing...it was a 'career' and 26 years

was enough of hand quilting...but, Now, I'm into making the quilts, learning

the piecing, by machine (something ELSE I said I'd "NEVER " do) and hand

applique, which,...I LOVE doing.

I have a friend who is JUST starting quilting, the piecing part. She's

an artist by profession and wants to create,design, mix mediums, textures,

has Lots of ideas. So, at 5l, she's gotten a new machine and taking classes.

Baby steps. But...

the shops for the classes are always wanting her to sign up for

challenges, and swaps, and Round Robins, etc. I know there' s alot of that

out there, and people love them, but, ....the TIME limit is CRUNICHING! I

just wondered....why.

If it's a group of friends wanting to do projects like this, it should

be relaxing and stress-free, so it'll also be Rewarding! Satisfaction is the

goal, not speed and getting 43 quilts a month out. (exaggeration there,

slightly)...She's also been told "THIS is the way...not Your way...that

won't work"(needless to say, I told her My view on the subject)

I'm having the time of my life, finally getting to work with all the

fabrics I've collected just WAITING for 'retirement' and all the NEW fabrics

out there, just AWESOME...to work with.

I'm just looking at it in a new light, now. I was ALWAYS under the gun,

7 days a week, 70 hour weeks, to meet publication deadlines, etc...and

didn't have time to even SEE the quilts, or Want to see the quilts after I

was finished. I tried hard to come up with new quilting designs to reflect

the style of the quilt, not easy when your mind is mush, but,...quilts

didn't leave this house unless they were done the Best I could, and,

hopefully...Unique quilting designs ....I managed to get 3 full size out a

month, most of the time....geeze, wonder Now how I did that! haha..

Now, it's FUN time, and just wish the 'word' would get out to some of

the frustrated beginners,...that's the KEY...you have to enjoy/have fun

or....why bother? Ok...just fell off my soapbox, so, I guess it's time to

shut up for now :) kb

Oh, and if you're wanting to see what's going on in MY neck of the

woods, here's a page of the sky over my house last night...THREE tornados in

one night...ughhhhhh...Good 'ole Springtime in Missouri...:/

http://www.geocities.com/busherwoman/Astorm.html

http://members.ebay.com/aboutme/karenbush

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

Date: Sat, 27 May 2000 23:05:14 -0400

From: Barb Garrett <bgarrett@fast.net>

Janet wrote --

> Maybe we should organize a 'historic methods' show somewhere & only allow

> completely hand made quilt to be entered

Hi Janet and others --

I'm catching up on some of my reading and while I agree with most of what you said in your post about mass production of quilts for shows, etc, I'm concerned about the above statement. You seem to be stating that "historical methods" and "completely handmade" are synonymous. This just isn't true. While PA Amish quilts circa 1890 are fabulously hand quilted, they are machine pieced and the binding is usually machine applied. And late 1800s machine quilted quilts can be truly fabulous. One of the best applique quilts I've ever seen -- except Baltimore album and some red and greens, which are both in a class by themselves -- was an 1880 PA German 4 block floral -- all machine appliqued in the tiniest stitches, every edge turned under, and then machine quilted. Definitely not a quilt in a day project, but doesn't fit the handmade description.

Just my thoughts on "old historical methods".

Barb in southeastern PA

<bgarrett@fast.net>

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

Date: Sat, 27 May 2000 21:52:06 -0600

From: "Dale Potter" <dpquilts@telusplanet.net>

Hi everyone!

I am mostly a lurker, but I do love the conversations that go on on this

list.

I am un-lurking to ask a question......

A couple friends and I make Friendship Quilts (Charity quilts) for the local

seniors - delivered 28 to the Extended Care Unit of the hospital on May 9th

and now are working on lap quilts for the 35 residents at the local Seniors

Lodge....we made the local newspaper when we delivered the ones on May 9th

and we asked for donations of time, fabric, batting, etc.....

Well, yesterday we received 4 LARGE boxes and 2 smaller boxes of goodies.

Some are the famous fortrel quilt tops (ready to be finished) some fortrel

blocks ready to be sewn together and then the BEST of all, completed blocks,

partial completed blocks and cut squares of 1930's and 40's fabrics....We

are thinking these are too valuable and/or fragile to make into quilts for

the seniors (all their possessions are washed by the hospital staff, etc. -

high temps. etc.).

Our questions - do we make them into completed quilts and sell them for

supplies for our Friendship Quilts or do we offer them for sale as they are?

I am NOT an expert at dating yet and I think these are feedsack type

fabrics. I have a scanner and can send a jpeg to someone who can help me

date them.

HELP - we want to know what to do with them??!!

Dale Anne

Red Barn Inc.,Quilting & Tea Room

P.O. Box 36

OYEN, Alberta T0J 2J0 Canada

(403) 664 - 3274

dpquilts@telusplanet.net

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

Date: Sun, 28 May 2000 06:00:52 +0000

From: Bobbie Aug <qwltpro@uswest.net>

Cinda,

We were never really successful with silk worms in this country. Wherever it

was tried (Eastern/Southern part of US), it was the wrong climate. I have a

silk shawl that was imported from China in the early 1880's for the Maytag

family (washing machines). By that time, we had a healthy import business with China.

Bobbie Aug

John Cawley wrote:

> 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: Sun, 28 May 2000 10:10:53 -0400

From: Lesters <jeanntom@utkux.utcc.utk.edu>

I personally enjoy an energetic discussion of different opinions. It

makes life and the list much more fun. Just so it doesn't get

personal. Let's face it, we probably wouldn't agree on what to wear,

why should we agree on quilt designs or techniques. I always learn

more from disagreements than agreements.

Love these lively interactions!

Jean

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

Date: Sun, 28 May 2000 11:33:28 -0500

From: Shirley McElderry <tigersoup@lisco.com>

In researching mail order remnant companies a few years back, I found

some information about silk companies. According to "Lamb's Textile

Industries of the US" there were 67 establishments in the US

manufacturing silk goods in 1850, and by 1911 the second country in the

world in the production of woven silk materials.

A "Child Life" booklet copyright 1913 has the "Story of Silk" and tells

of the silk culture starting in America in 1622. It tells of the life

cycle of silkworms (you may not want to go there) and of the manufacture

of silk goods.

The Northhampton Silk Co. in Florence, Mass (Corticelli) dates back to

1838. The Heminway & Sons silk factory was founded in 1849. Belding

Brothers was a relative newcomer; established in 1857. All the above

mentioned silk companies merged with Brainerd & Armstrong; but that is a

whole 'nother story. Whether these companies produced "broad silk"

(dress goods) or silk threads, only, is another article for speculation,

and another good research subject.

Shirley Mc from Iowa

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

Date: Sun, 28 May 2000 12:50:19 -0700

From: "anne datko" <datkoa@erols.com>

For members in the Washington, DC-Baltimore area,

Patchwork Quilt Guild invites you to a book signing with Kathryn

Berenson, a leading expert on antique French textiles, and author of

"Quilts of Provence" and "Piques de Provence."20

Ms. Berenson will speak about French quilted needlework and quilting

motifs in French Provencal quilts, illustrated with slides. She will

sign copies of her books, which will be available for purchase.20

More information about Ms. Berenson can be found at:

www.kathrynberenson.com

Thursday, June 15, 2000 - 7 PM, Chevy Chase Community Center,

Connecticut Ave. NW and McKinley St. (two blocks south of Chevy Chase

Circle).20

If you plan to attend, or for more information, please call

202-363-2650.

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

Date: Mon, 29 May 2000 00:55:48 -0700

From: Lou Ann Schlichter <hartwrmr@west.net>

To: QHL@cuenet.com

I mostly lurk and learn but find the "Quick quilt" thread very

interesting. I am a quilt shop owner, Heartwarmers Mercantile in Ojai,

CA, and deal with both old and new quilts daily, Mostly 20-40's quilts

are coming from under the beds, but sometimes we get an older treat. I

appreciate all that I learn from this group and quote you on a regular

basis.

I often hear " this isn't a real quilt because it isn't hand quilted"

and I enjoy showing them a quilt on display dated 1880 and made in

Kansas with top stitched applique. I do point out that the quilter only

machine appliqued the straight pieces and then hand appliqued the curved

pieces. She was a master hand quilter. I also share that sewing

machines were pretty new and she may have been 1st on the block to have

one and that she may have been banished from her guild. #:>

As a retailer, I need to be open to all types of quilting and am quite

aware of the time crunch everyone experiences and that includes the

retired people. My main objective is to keep people quilting, not to

just pay my rent, but to continue the craft.

I find many customers do not have "quilt history" in their families and

I love to introduce any form of quilting to them, whatever suits them.

Many of them get interested because they have purchased or been given a

"dreaded import quilt". They love them and begin to think maybe they

can quilt too.

My feeling is that hand quilting is top of the line and other

techniques have value too. It depends on the use of the finished

product. If I felt I had to hand quilt every sample for the store, I

wouldn't have many samples and might intimidate many future quilters. I

often machine quilt in the ditch and hand quilt where it shows. I

always encourage enjoyment of the process and remind them this is a

blanket and no one I know has ever given back a quilt because the points

don't match! Infact, you would be hard pressed to get a gift quilt

back regardless of the technique or quality.

I will return to lurkdom and enjoy the discussions....all of them.

Remember, we will have no historical quilts in the next century if we

set too many rules. When I see a quilt top from Kentucky made in the

20's from tiny hand pieced scraps of feed sacks, I love it for what it

is.....an unfinished blanket made the best they could with what was

available to them and a chance today, to view history in their social

context.

Warmly.....very hot in Ojai the last few days

Lou Ann Schlichter, Proprietress

Heartwarmers Mercantile

-

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

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

Date: Mon, 29 May 2000 08:28:50 EDT

From: QuiltFixer@aol.com

Thanks for posting Xenia's answer to the list. The thing I find most

frustrating about the list (and other lists) is that people will ask really

good questions that I want to know the answers to and everyone writes back only to the originator of the question. Not what I think of for the list -- but that's a personal thing. Thanks for sharing with the list.

Barb Garrett >>

Hi Barb, finally getting caught up with some of my E-mail. I agree with you,

I think we need to follow through and post up to the list if we get a good

answer to a question posted there. Some people are shy about posting to the list because they think the "experts" will jump on them if they don't agree with their comments and unfortunately that does happen, but the whole idea of the list is to share thoughts and opinions and bits of information. Sometimes we have to agree to disagree. :) Sometimes I find the most interesting facts out by getting an answer that is close to the question but not quite there. This is really true in my question and answer period after my Redwork Lecture. Sometime a picture emerges after hearing almost the same story over and over of memories or stories told by Grandmothers, etc. Fascinating!

Provable? Probably not, but usually some sense to it. A great feeling that

there is a regard for the past and how women worked and lived. Lets keep

looking for those answers, sharing the possibilities, and most important keep

an open mind and a happy and caring heart. :) Toni B.

QuiltFixer@aol.com

The Redwork Lady

redworkldy@aol

www.redworklady.com

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

Date: Mon, 29 May 2000 08:43:31 EDT

From: QuiltFixer@aol.com

In a message dated 5/24/00 5:44:24 AM Pacific Daylight Time,

xecord@netusa1.net writes:

<<

Toni, don't want to rain on your parade, but here's a thought: a

company that marked its muslins with a blue stamp such as you (and I)

describe would probably have done so over a long period of time, so

isn't it true that the best you could hope for is the LATEST date on

which they would have done so? (The year the company closed, for

instance).

Xenia >>

Wanted to share Xenia's advice about this subject. I agree with her, but the

mystery is intriguing and somehow I will find the time to try to determine

when the company closed or stopped using that stamp. If any of you come

across this small bit of information while looking for something else, please

let me know. Many thanks to Xenia for sharing her information, I know she is

a very, very busy lady and additionally a very nice person too! It important

to treasure those nice people you meet along the way. Toni B.

QuiltFixer@aol.com

The Redwork Lady

redworkldy@aol

www.redworklady.com

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

Date: Tue, 30 May 2000 01:35:54 EDT

From: EllynLK@aol.com

... or at least I HOPE it is!

First off, one of the things I love about this list is how many incredibly

talented experts in the fields of textiles and quilts daily share such a

wealth of knowledge here! I have learned so much from you all!!

Second, I also love the fact that this list ends up in so many corners of the

quilt-loving globe... Australia, France, Canada, England, the U.S. and

Israel. This broadens everyone's perspective as to what may be going on

beyond our own fences. If there are more countries represented, I wish

people would speak up and say hello and tell us where they are from.

I love reading about archaelogical finds and in most books, whether spoken or

not, you get the feeling that there is one particular item the archaeologist

would love to find-- the "grail" of their profession, a find that would stun

the world.

Just a silly hypothetical-- what, to all of the resident experts-- would be

THE historical find in Quilt-dom? What would be the greatest, most

instructive or historically fascinating thing that could be found that

relates to quilts? Is there a "missing" quilt that has been written about

but never seen? Or is there some "missing link" that would tie something

ancient to modern quilting? Would it be a cache of quilts by some historical

quilter? Or remnants of a quilt that dated back a couple thousand years--

so we could SEE it and KNOW our ancestors were likewise employed as are we?

I have been reading about historical finds of ancient beads-- and being that

quilts are perishable, textiles disintegrate and the chances are not good

that anything would ever be found-- but I wondered what you all thought

would be THE find to just throw the world of quilting on its ear?

(It's obvious that my crazy TV schedule is lightening up-- I know have time

to THINK about pleasurable things that may be utterly frivolous!!)

And-- as ever, thanks to EVERYONE from EVERYWHERE for their valuable

contributions to this list!!!

Best,

Lauri Klobas

Pacific Palisades, California where baby birds have hatched outside my window

and peep like crazy for their supper!

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

Date: Tue, 30 May 2000 16:53:33 +1000

From: Lorraine Olsson <sven@pnc.com.au>

Please take this with the humour that is meant!!!

Wouldn't it be great to find that REAL UGR quilt .........

Bug smiles from Snowy Australia

Lorraine in Oz

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

Date: Tue, 30 May 2000 05:36:48 -0400

From: Debby Kratovil <kratovil@his.com>

"

visiting the home of my daughter's friend (who is about 26), I noticed (of

course) a beautiful quilt on her couch. I recognized the patterns but also

knew immediately it was "new". It took a few seconds to realize it was the

Harriet Powers Bible Quilt, which was redone by the Smithsonian a few years

back. It was so much fun to look at this close up (since we can't touch the

real one). I told her a little about it and that I would get the

information about each of the 11 (?) panels, ie, the Biblical reference in

each. I found a picture of it in one of my quilting books, but no

explanation of each panel. Anyone on this list direct me to where I can

find this?

Also, she immediately saw that I might have some information about two

Double Wedding Ring quilts she inherited from her grandmother. They were

lovely, mostly composed of feedsack fabrics. I was amazed at one of them -

I had never seen such fat batting used in such an old quilt. And the

grandmother HAND QUILTED through all of that. The other one used a thin

batt. The fat quilt was already draped over her second couch, and when she

ran to get the other one, she came into the living room carrying one of

those zippered PLASTIC blanket protectors!! I told her how that is a big No

No, and that if she wants to store that quilt (which is very worn), a large

cotton pillowcase is the way to go. (Please don't lecture me on archival

tissue paper, etc - this is not heirloom quality, etc)

It was fun to see this young woman so excited to know a little about those

quilts and her love for them and her desire to actually use them in her

home. This is my approach to common type quilts: use them, enjoy them.

Having them out in your home brings constant memories of the loved one.

Debby Kratovil

Paper Piecing Patterns & More!

http://www.his.com/queenb

mailto:kratovil@his.com

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

Date: Tue, 30 May 2000 08:48:29 EDT

From: Chyral@aol.com

In a message dated 5/30/00 5:33:57 AM Eastern Daylight Time, kratovil@his.com

writes:

> visiting the home of my daughter's friend (who is about 26), I noticed (of

> course) a beautiful quilt on her couch. I recognized the patterns but also

> knew immediately it was "new". It took a few seconds to realize it was the

> Harriet Powers Bible Quilt, which was redone by the Smithsonian a few years

> back. It was so much fun to look at this close up (since we can't touch the

> real one). I told her a little about it and that I would get the

> information about each of the 11 (?) panels, ie, the Biblical reference in

> each. I found a picture of it in one of my quilting books, but no

> explanation of each panel. Anyone on this list direct me to where I can

> find this?

>

I know of two books about the Powers Quilts.

"Stitching Stars, The Story Quilts of Harriet Powers", by Mary Lyons, is a

well-illustrated children's book which emphasizes biographical information

and the larger context of the 19th century rural Southern African-American

experience. There are explanations of some, but not all, of the blocks from

each of the Bible Quilts.

The better of the two is "Harriet Powers's Bible Quilts", by Regenia Perry,

a large format book with *wonderful* close-up photographs of most of the

blocks and the text of Powers' own explanation of the blocks, with some

editorial elaboration. This book is out of print, unfortunately.

Some other sources of information are:

"Wrapped in Glory: Figurative Quilts & Bedcovers. 1700-1900" by Sandi Fox, has four or five pages of information about the Bible Quilts, including the transcribed explanations of the blocks as given by Harriet Powers.

The last chapter of Gladys-Marie Fry's "Stitched from the Soul" links the

images in several blocks of the quilts to verifiable events.

And to tie this all into another recent topic, both of the Powers quilts are

constructed using machine applique. Discuss amongst yourselves...... :)

-Cheryl

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

Date: 30 May 2000 15:09:59 +0200

From: Audrey Cameron <janedeane@altavista.co.uk>

Hi All,

Does anyone know the author, price, & where it can be obtained - the book Australian Quilts - A Directory of Patchwork Treasures reviewed a couple of issue back? TIA Jane

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

Date: Tue, 30 May 2000 09:59:12 EDT

From: Chyral@aol.com

There was an interesting article in yesterday's New York Times, the gist of

which is that publishers of both serious academic and trade books are moving toward eliminating bibliographies and other supporting documentation from the actual printed volume, in favor of providing that information for a limited time, on the Internet. The reasons for doing so seem to boil down to "paper costs money, and bytes are cheap" and, "No one reads that stuff, anyway".

Anyway, a quote by one author interviewed for the piece:

"If what's on the Internet doesn't last forever, then we've lost power," she

said. "If the academic apparatus disappears, then we're moving back to an

earlier period when authors weren't citing sources and could just say

whatever they wanted. We're coming out of an industrial-oriented society that

wanted everything to be added up and quantified into a virtual society where

that's less valuable."

really resonated with me, since that "earlier period when authors weren't

citing sources and could just say whatever they wanted" is something the

field of quilt history is still struggling to overcome.

(The text of the full article is online at

<http://search3.nytimes.com/search/daily/bin/fastweb?getdoc+site+site+25244+0+

wAAA+bibliography> You may have to register with the site to access it....)

-Cheryl

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

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

Date: Tue, 30 May 2000 14:30:05 +0400

From: Xenia Cord <xecord@netusa1.net>

I don't know how others approach scholarly writings, but one of the

first things I do is to check the resources. I am often looking for

certain citations that I feel should be included in a work of the sort I

am reading, and if they are absent, I tend to be somewhat less accepting

of the writing. The other reason I check is to look for additional

sources so that I can follow the writer's documentation back to the

original myself. Since most citations are brief, I figure there will be

more material pertinent to the subject in the original writing -

material that the present writer didn't or couldn't include for various

reasons. And in footnotes or endnotes there is often more specific

substance than in the sentence bearing the notation number.

If this material is now to be posted temporarily on the internet, what

will happen to scholars who years from now delve into those writings for

an understanding of our time? They will be resourceless (is that a

word?). I see this rumored move as a dangerous one for scholarship.

Xenia

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

Date: Tue, 30 May 2000 15:33:07 -0700

From: Kathleen Reyes <kwiltlvr@earthlink.net>

Hello List,

In some not too distant future, people may only type instead of write, never

hold a book in their hands and get all their learning from computers. That

time is not quite yet. Some of us have access to the info highway, many do

not. Listing sources only on the net assumes that everyone has a chance to

see the information. It disregards a huge population. And I completely agree

with Xenia, the curious minds of the future will be most frustrated.

Kathi in Calif.

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

Date: Wed, 31 May 2000 07:35:41 EDT

From: Bethquilt5@aol.com

Dear All,

The Holy Grail of Quilts?

The missing Underground Railroad Quilts if they exist!

Bibliographies not in the book-I don't read every book from cover to cover

when I buy them. Many of my quilt history books sit on my shelf until I need

information on that specific topic. If I don't look at the book for over a

year I'm sure I wouldn't be able to find the footnotes on the internet

because quilt history books go out of print so fast! Keep bibliographies with

the text!!!!

Beth Donaldson

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

Date: Wed, 31 May 2000 08:14:23 -0500

From: "Jeff Lesh" <jefflesh@netins.net>

Also about the bibliography thread. Can't believe that the academic world

would tolerate that. I really hope that the publishes rethink that. It

seems to me to be a very shortsighted decision with a very negative impact

on the future writings. We have a hard enough time now determining whether

something is accurate, case in point being, UGR thread. At least you knew

where they got some of their resources whether you agreed with their

conclusions or not.

My humble opinion,

Sheri

Jeff/Sheri Lesh

jefflesh@netins.net

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

Date: Wed, 31 May 2000 11:10:18 EDT

From: KareQuilt@aol.com

Xenia wrote: << If this material is now to be posted temporarily on the

internet, what

will happen to scholars who years from now delve into those writings for an

understanding of our time? They will be resourceless (is that a word?). I

see this rumored move as a dangerous one for scholarship.>>

I echo Kathi and Xenia. IMHO, this is a very serious issue and I think all

concerned scholars should be writing the publishers and voicing their

opinions. Or write the NY Times and let them pass the letters on to the

publishers. Imagine buying a used book for research and not being able to

access the author's sources!!! Imagine not having a computer and doing

research (some don't!). Would libraries carry digital bibliographies

indefinitely? Would we be able to plug into those from home? This truly is

a huge concern! I hope scholars all over the country write the publishers and

raise a holy ruckus!

Karen Alexander

Northern VA

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

Date: Wed, 31 May 2000 11:59:47 EDT

From: KareQuilt@aol.com

For those of you wanting to know more about the issues extant within the

ongoing discussion of possible African influences in American crafts (quilts

or others), I encourage you to read Vol. 11 No. 2 (1994) of the International

Review of African American Art. I am sure the bibliographies in these

articles will lead you to other sources as well.

Here is a run down of the articles covered in this particular issue. Under

the heading History and Theory: (1) A Celebration of the African American

Legacy in the Visual Art, (2) Spiritualizing Craft: The African American

Craft Art Legacy; (3) Mediating the Natural: Craft Art and African American

Cultural Expression; (4) African Retention's in African American Quilts and

Artifacts (the Harriet Powers quilt is included in the discussion); and (5)

Quilts as Communal Emblems and Personal Icons (Powers quilt also discussed at

length). Under the heading Applications And Practice: (1) Living in a Glass

House, Passing through Glass: the Art of Therman Statom, James Watkins and

John Dowell, Jr., (2) Bridges and Temples, (3) Journey into Art, (4)

Traditions: Ipetumodu, (5) The Ashe Effect: African Retentions and

Adaptations in the "Afro-Raku" Pottery of Curtis Tucker and Yvonne E. Tucker,

(6) An African American Designer Model Home, (7) Reflections of African

Craft Artist, (8) Slurry, Shell and Spruce: The Nitty Gritty Satisfactions of

the Lost Wax Process, (9) Protecting the Integrity of Art and Crafts.

Contact: IRAAA, Hampton University Museum, Hampton, VA 23668. (804) 727-5308.

Karen Alexander

Northern Vir

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

Date: Wed, 31 May 2000 12:56:43 -0500

From: "Gail E. Hurn" <hghurn@satx.rr.com>

I don't know if this qualifies as an archeological discovery, but it

certainly amazed me!

I just returned from a tour of Europe that included the Sistine Chapel at

the Vatican. While everyone else was looking at the ceiling, I was

fascinated by the floor. It is marble laid in the FOURTEENTH CENTURY in

geometric shapes that we know as quilt patterns--square within a square,

circular flying geese, Ohio star, etc.

Does anyone have information concerning this? Would love to find a picture

of the floor since we were not allowed to take a photo inside. If anyone

has one, please contact me.

Also, found similar stone work on the outside of the church at Pisa, Italy.

I do have a photo of it.

Gail Hurn

Amish Quilt Connection

http://www.amishquiltconnection.com

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

Date: Wed, 31 May 2000 13:48:45 -0600

From: Terri Ellis <tquilts@airmail.net>

Hi Gail and all,

I also was fascinated with the tile floors in Italy, and other

European countries. I think it was Ami Simms who wrote a book a few

years ago about quilt patterns from the old Italian floors, but I can't

remember the name of it.

Sharon Tandy, good to hear from you! I hope you have a speedy and

complete recovery, and who needs that old gall bladder anyway!

Terri Ellis

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

Date: Wed, 31 May 2000 16:57:08 -0400

From: "Deborah R. Grayson" <deborahg@mindspring.com>

Thanks Karen for reminding me of this issue of IRAAA. I have another

suggestion for folks interested in this topic. Please see Uncommon Beauty

in Common Objects: The Legacy of African American Craft Art. The book was

put out by the National Afro-American Museum and Cultural Center in

Wilberforce, Ohio. It is getting more and more difficult to find but is

still available. I did a search on bibliofind to get it.

Now I've got a question. In researching African American women's quilting

traditions I often find that I get a little more than annoyed with the

insistance by some scholars that there is a direct influence/ connection

between African and African American quilting/textile traditions. THis

gets talked about to the detriment of other cultural/artistic/political

influences. WHile I won't deny that there may be some influence I am

wondering if the connection is one that is overstated. Could it also be

that AA quilters are doing something different in their works beyond, other

than, in addition to African influences?

Deborah in GA

Date: Wed, 31 May 2000 20:24:37 -0700 (PDT)

From: Cindy Brick <brickworksinc@yahoo.com>

RE: Xenia's comments on scholarly writing:

I have been on the other side, and it is most

difficult. Even when you cover as much territory as

possible, you're well aware that 1)you probably missed

something, and 2)years from now, some new information

is going to come out that you should have known about

NOW. Either way, you're going to come out of it

looking not quite as intelligent as you would like to

be thought of...

So what's to be done?

The logical answer is, of course, DO YOUR HOMEWORK

and research, research, research before you write any

kind of authoritative comment on anything. Keep your

mind open to alternative possibilities. And NEVER be

so dogmatic that you are not willing to consider those

possibilities. (You may not agree with them, but you

MUST consider them.)

Another question you must also ask, when reading

older books, is what access those authors had. Yup,

check their bibliographies, for one thing. But also

ask what quilts they may have been seeing that we

don't! For example, Florence Peto's wonderful book

(now very rare) is larded with 18th and 19th century

pieces that we can generally only dream about.

Xenia, I know you're not disagreeing with what I'm

saying here...I guess I had to put in my two cents

worth. This issue has been particularly important to

me probably because of my research in Crazy quilts --

there are so many assumptions about their origins,

styles, etc. that are taken as gospel truth, WITHOUT

knowing why, that it could drive you stark buggy

crazy. Figuratively speaking, of course!

Cindy Brick

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

Date: Thu, 01 Jun 2000 13:58:22 +1000

From: Lorraine Olsson <sven@pnc.com.au>

Hi All,

This notice has just appeared on the Southern Cross Quilters group list.

Maybe there will be visitors coming to Australia that might be

interested.

I know I will certainly be visiting!!

Lorraine in Oz

Historic Australian Quilt Exhibition

> A show of Historic Australian Quilts, presented by the National Trust

> of

> Australia (NSW) and curated by Dr Annette Gero, will be held from

> 5 June to 22 August , 2000 at Old Government House and Experiment

> Farm

> Cottage, Parramatta in Sydney, Australia.

>

> Old Government House, Parramatta, Sydney (which was the first

> residence

> of the Governors of the Colony of Australia), will house about 60

> historic

> quilts, all with Australian histories or associations. Although there

> were

> far fewer quilts made in Australian than in the USA, quilting and

> patchwork was an integral part of women's needlecraft in early

> Australia.

> As a British colony it offered little scope for decorative arts for

> the

> convict women transported to Australia, but there were also women who

> were

> wives of government officials, emancipists, immigrant free settlers

> and, by

> the 1830s when the community had evolved into a wealthy society,

> these

> women of the colony had the time and means for patchwork decorative

> art.

> Like the USA, quilts were continued to be made till the early 20th

> century

> with many exhibited in National Fairs and celebrating local

> events.Many of

> the fine early quilts quilts reflect our British origins.

>

> The quilts exhibited will range from one quilt made by a convict

> women, to

> quilts made by early Governors wives such as Lady Fitzroy, (who left

> behind an unfinished quilt in her work bag when she died when her

> carriage

> crashed into a tree in the grounds of Old Government House in 1847...

> rumour has it that she was eloping!! ).Many early quilts contain

> chintz

> from the 18th century , similar to the early English and East Coast

> American quilts appliqued with broderie perse. There are also

> Australian

> crazy quilts, showing life as it was on the land in Australia in

> 1880-1890's with cicadas, kangaroos and emus and many place names .

> The

> exhibition includes many late 19th century silk quilts in graphic

> patterns

> and also felt nursery rhyme quilts of the 1940's .Some quilts were

> made by

> Australian men during the during WWI and II. One remarkable quilt was

> made

> with toothbrush handles as needles in a Prisoner of War camp in the

> 1940,

> another made for a cricket match in 1896 in Hobart, Tasmania. There

> are

> also waggas, more utilitarian quilts made out of necessity during the

> world

> wars or the depression, which include socks and worn out clothes,

> often

> covered with pretty cretone. Some wonderfully graphic utilitarian

> quilts

> are made from old flannel pyjamas. Something for everyone.

>

> Put the dates in your diary. An exhibition not to be missed, June 5

> to 22

> August, 2000.

>

> The exhibition will be open 7 days a week from 5 June to 22 August

> from 10

> am -4pm. Admission $10 (Aust ) to both houses. Concession $8

>

> A beautifull 96 page publication of the quilts in the exhibition

> with

> full colour photos of the quilts and lots of detail of the fabrics

> (full

> page details) and photos of the makers will be available, published in

>

> conjunction with the exhibition .price $22..

>

> For exhibition enquires contact Old Government House Phone 02

> 9635-8149

>

> Annette Gero can be contacted by e mail; A.Gero@unsw.edu.au

>

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

Date: Wed, 31 May 2000 22:54:23 -0500

From: Valerie Davis <vpse@globaldialog.com>

Dear Gail,

According to an art history book on my shelf, the Sistine Chapel is late 15th

c. (begun in 1475) and mentions briefly the colored marble inlaid floor. The

geometrical patterns of the floor actually come from a long tradition among

Roman marble workers. The differences in the patterns were very practical, they

were to divide the church space into specific uses. (i.e.. presbytery, altar,

space for the faithful to sit etc.) I have one picture which only poorly shows

the patterns from a distance. Anybody else have a better picture they could

scan? Valerie

Gail E. Hurn wrote:

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

Date: Wed, 31 May 2000 22:04:46 -0600

From: "Dale Potter" <dpquilts@telusplanet.net>

>Hi everyone!

>I am mostly a lurker, but I do love the conversations that go on on this

>list.

>I am un-lurking to ask a question......

>A couple friends and I make Friendship Quilts (Charity quilts) for the

local

>seniors - delivered 28 to the Extended Care Unit of the hospital on May 9th

>and now are working on lap quilts for the 35 residents at the local Seniors

>Lodge....we made the local newspaper when we delivered the ones on May 9th

>and we asked for donations of time, fabric, batting, etc.....

>Well, yesterday we received 4 LARGE boxes and 2 smaller boxes of goodies.

>Some are the famous fortrel quilt tops (ready to be finished) some fortrel

>blocks ready to be sewn together and then the BEST of all, completed

blocks,

>partial completed blocks and cut squares of 1930's and 40's fabrics....We

>are thinking these are too valuable and/or fragile to make into quilts for

>the seniors (all their possessions are washed by the hospital staff, etc. -

>high temps. etc.).

>Our questions - do we make them into completed quilts and sell them for

>supplies for our Friendship Quilts or do we offer them for sale as they

are?

>I am NOT an expert at dating yet and I think these are feedsack type

>fabrics. I have a scanner and can send a jpeg to someone who can help me

>date them.

>HELP - we want to know what to do with them??!!

>Dale Anne

>Red Barn Inc.,Quilting & Tea Room

>P.O. Box 36

>OYEN, Alberta T0J 2J0 Canada

>(403) 664 - 3274

>dpquilts@telusplanet.net

>

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