98328 - 98329

DateWed, 11 Nov 1998 081232 EST

FromHarr32@aol.com

ToQHL@cuenet.com

Dear Folks,

Normally I am an avid lurker who can't get through the day without reading my

mail from QHL. I do quilt, and have a few quilts that are becoming old(

depression era) and several made in the late 70's early 80's by

grandmothers...they are wonderful!

Yesterday I had a wonderful experience.....a friend of a friend had 4 quilts

she wants to unload so she can buy more stuff she likes (limited edition

collector plates.....yuck!).

I volunteer to take them to my quilt guild to help them find homes. Three of

them are wonderfully hand-pieced quilts made mostly of feedsacks....a wedding

ring, a dresden plate, and a delightful goose tracks with flying geese sashing

in a riot of colors. But the fourth one is already mine!!!!

It's a red, white, and green design. Each square is 6" with a green quarter

circle in one corner (like a drunkard's path). On top of the green quarter

circle is a curved "saw edge" of alternating red and white triangles no bigger

than 1 inch tall. Each square has about TWENTY ONE rows of hand quilting in

it! In the fan pattern echoing the quarter circle.

Green binding. The closest thing I can find for a name is a Variation of

Circluar Saw.

I think it's much older than the other three. I'd say late 1800's. That

would make it the second oldest quilt I own!

Any other ideas for a pattern name?

Oh.....I paid $200. Merry Christmas to me!

Dana

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

DateWed, 11 Nov 1998 072132 -0600

FromShirleySpencer <ShirleySpencer@prodigy.net>

ToQHL <QHL@cuenet.com>

I posted recently about a problem with Antibacterial Dawn detergent

removing the color from my grandaughters garments. My daughter called

yesterday and said she decided to wash them prior to bleaching all the

color out. After washing in Dreft, all the color returned to the baby's

garments! I think there is definitely a chemical reaction going on

here. I hope to call Dawn and Dreft 800 numbers if I can find them.

Just thought you should be warned about this.

Shirley

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

DateWed, 11 Nov 1998 085612 EST

Dana,

Wow! Sounds like a beauty! Your description sounded just like a pattern I saw

in a leaflet I just bought. The pattern is called Broken Saw, and it was

published in THe Farmer's Wife publications of 1932. It too, is a 6" block.

I'm glad you got such a find! I'm envious!

Liz in *very* windy Michigan, where schools are closed & shingles and trees

are down

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

DateWed, 11 Nov 1998 092212 -0500

FromTh Schott Family <fschott@ix.netcom.com>

Was that you Jane on simply quilts yesterday? I am telling myself,

"probably," because how many Janes in love with feedsacks could there

be?

Anyway, the show was very interesting and made me want to run right out

and find some. Any chance of finding feedsacks in CT? Somehow in my

mind I figure to find them in the midwest where all the grain is/was.

Are they still made? Does the feedsack club have a catalog of fabric to

buy?

I have some scraps of old fabric I have picked up at misc. quilt shows,

etc. Is there a way to tell if something is from a feedsack? I have

noticed that some are coarser with a looser weave than others.

Nancy Schott

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

DateWed, 11 Nov 1998 112253 EST

FromQuiltFixer@aol.com

Another really good source for this type of patterns is Aunt Effie's

Heirlooms. You can get more information from aunteffie@ibm.net. Toni B.

QuiltFixer@aol.com

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

DateWed, 11 Nov 1998 112410 EST

FromJQuilt@aol.com

jane was really great on the show and what a wonderful pattern for all those

little scrap/squares...

jean

P.S

is there anyway to see that broken saw pattern?

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

DateWed, 11 Nov 1998 110413 -0600

From"Brian/Jen Schmidt" <brian_jen@prodigy.net>

To<qhl@cuenet.com>

Jane, you should know that your demo of the many triangles block inspired someone on

the y2k quilts list to make her Year 2000 quilt with the same pattern. I would have

sent this to you privately, but I don't know your email address.

Jennifer

brian_jen@prodigy.net

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

DateWed, 11 Nov 1998 122910 -0500

From"Kelchner, Alan" <Alan.Kelchner@stdreg.com>

Well, outside of the fact I can't stand to bind, I have to agree with Laura

about Anthony's quilt. If this is your quilt, you have to do what feels

right. Personally, I find rebinding preferable to wrapping with crepeline,

except when the fabric is too unusual.

Debby mentioned something about a source for cotton tulle. Never heard of

such an animal. I would much prefer to have a cotton alternative. Please,

tell us all ... it's not fair to tease us like that!

And now to decide what to do over the latest crazy to enter my life.

Gorgeously overdone, but of course, some silk rot. Client wants me to do

what I can, even sent period silk ribbon for restoration. Unfortunately,

four of the five ribbons (how beautiful they are) also have rot, therefore

too weak. Now if I could figure out how to slip replacement fabrics

underneath the original embroidery! <G>

Alan

Alan

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

DateWed, 11 Nov 1998 121850 -0600

FromRussell-Hill <russhill@ctesc.net>

Hi every one,

I am sorry I did not mean to tease. I will be glad to send the info on

getting cotton tulle. We used it this summer in an 1860's bonnet class.

That was the first time I ever heard of it. The ladies would use it to line

the curtains of their bonnets ( ruffles at the back by the neck). It is

very soft and I would think would not cause friction. I saw an original

bonnet with a good deal of it still in tact and that was after years of

wear.

I am going to give you two places to check. The first is listed as having

netting but the second one also has veiling.

Greenberg and Hammer Inc.

24 W. 57th St.

NY, NY 10019

212-246-2835

Milliner's Supply

911 Elm St.

Dallas, TX 75202-3199

214-742-8284

I hope you find this to be helpful.

Debbie

russhill@ctesc.net

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

DateWed, 11 Nov 1998 145838 EST

FromLalalawyr@aol.com

In a message dated 98-11-10 205421 EST, quiltsnbears@webtv.net writes

<< Paducah is April 22-25. good luck getting a room/camping space, etc! Try

some of the motels outside of town NOW! >>

This reminds me of a funny story.

My home town is Cape Girardeau, Missouri, which is about 90 minutes from

Paducah. A few years ago, one of my mom's best friends decided she would go

down and see the quilt show, so she called a Paducah tourism number (perhaps

the one you gave) for help with a motel reservation.

After being left on hold for quite a while, the tourism person came back on

the line and said "We don't have anything available in Paducah - but I can get

you a room not too far away - in a town called Cape Girardeau...."

Needless to say, my mom's friend did not take the motel room. ;-)

When you call the 800 number, you might also ask them about rooms near

Kentucky Lake - which is much closer than Cape (or Sikeston or any of the

other towns they might suggest). ;-)

Melissa

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

DateWed, 11 Nov 1998 235105 -0000

From"Audrey Cameron" <audrey.cameron@virgin.net>

Hi Everyone,

The best information about Charm Quilts is in Jinny Beyer's book "The

Scrap Look"(Publisher EPM Publications 1985). It has a wonderful chapter

that explains it all. I don't know if the book is still in print. Try

Amazon.

There were 2 articles in back issues of Quilters Newsletter

No. 120 March 1980Benberry, Cuesta "Charm Quilts"

No. 198 & 199 Jan & Feb 1988 Benberry, Cuesta "Charm Quilts" Revisited.

Someone asked a few days ago what The Quilt Digest was. They are a series

of 5 high quality books published by the Quilt Digest Press from 1983-87.

Each contain a series of articles on various aspects of our field including

personal accounts as well as factual articles such as the one in Volume 5

on tobacco silks.

teWed, 11 Nov 1998 222928 -0500

FromAnthony Jones <ajones2@tampabay.rr.com>

Don't know if this is true, but this story was told to me by an older quilter many years

back. For me, the story has a certain charm (stop me before I pun again) so I repeat it

every chance I get.

Here goes... All the patches were different except one. And in the days before TV,

visiting children would be entertained for hours looking for the duplicated patch.

The quilts were said to "charm" the children, hence the name.

If this story isn't true, please don't tell me.

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

DateWed, 11 Nov 1998 220858 -0800

From"Mary Cross" <mbcquilt@web-ster.com>

Tuesday night at the Springfield, OR Museum gallery talk, a lurker from

QHL introduced herself and said she had read the posting on the list of the

event and decided to attend. It was neat to make such an electronic

connection so quickly.

The question came up, of course, about the Log Cabin Quilt being an

American icon and where in America it was most common to be found. My

answer was I had wondered the same thing and thought to request information

from all of you. It's agreed among most the contemporary quilt artists in

the exhibit that they chose to make the log cabin block because they like

the simple repetitive motion of machine stitching straight seams of strips

of fabrics. They also like the opportunity to use so many different fabrics

in one quilt.

So, I got to wondering if that wasn't probably true of many earlier

quiltmakers who used multiple fabrics to create their blocks in the late

19th century.

Then, I got to thinking about the wonderful section of piecing 1 1/2"

squares of all different fabrics stitched together by my New England

great,great-grandmother. She lived in Keene,New Hampshire until the early

1870s. Her diary says almost daily "Went to the street" - shopping we

think. Anyway, it is a wonderful inventory of fabrics that would have been

available to her locally. I saw a similar complete quilt top at the Great

American Quilt Festival in NYC in 1986.

So, I'm curious if there are documented log cabin quilts from New England

and the Mid-Atlantic states PA, NJ, DE, NY made by quiltmakers who lived

there in the last half of the 19th century. A few references would be

great.

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

DateWed, 11 Nov 1998 222603 -0800

From"Mary Cross" <mbcquilt@web-ster.com>

This topic has been a concern of mine for awhile. I had offered to host a

roundtable at AQSG on the subject of "the future of independent scholarhip"

because I wonder where the support is going to be coming from in the years

ahead. I withdrew the topic because I felt people who could share their

experiences were already hosting tables or had signed on for other topics.

There are so many changes in the marketplace in the last five years.

I do not believe that the idea of "if you print or manufacture it, they

will buy" fits anymore in today's society. One example is my Treasures in

the Trunk book. It has and continues to be very popular in sales with

people generally buying it for themselves. The Mormon book, on the

contrary, has not done as well. LDS Church members who are buying it, do so

for gifts for friends or a family member - one copy at a time.

Speaking of the book industry, I note with interested curiosity the fact

that Barnes and Noble purchased Ingram, a major book distributor. Now

publishers' sales personnel could have one less contact to make in hopes of

selling their products. Serious ramifications for all of us - authors and

readers.

One of the exciting things I find is the unusual audiences who I am asked

to show Luanne Bole-Becker's video to - from Christian educators to local

metropolitan planning agencies to occupational therapists associations.

WOW!

Plus, today I had an audience of 50+ students at Willamette University in

Salem for a "convocation" presentation. I was really pleased to see so many

young men and women students in the audience. I didn't even have to ask how

many owned a quilt or were quiltmakers. They even took notes!!! It was

great fun.

Mary

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

DateThu, 12 Nov 1998 105156 -0500

From"Dee Stark" <dee@nf2g.com>

To<QHL@cuenet.com>

Greetings, all! I recently acquired a whole cloth quilt that was

never finished. It looks like it was made from a kit with the design

printed on muslin. They quilted the muslin with a hot pink satin -)

It is twin sized and there is a matching quilted pillow sham.

The only whole cloth quilts I've ever seen had a nice backing

material, usually the same as the front. Because you can still see

the printing of the design on the muslin, I'm thinking this needs

different backing and perhaps a decorative binding.

Anyone have suggestions? I'm reluctant to back it with satin, as my

experience with satin sheets has left heaps of textiles on the floor

beside the bed. hehehehehe

If I back it, then do I tie it? Or add a little bit of quilting to

the design?

Suggestions appreciated!

dee

mailtodee@nf2g.com

Victorian Handcrafts

http//www.nf2g.com/vh

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

DateThu, 12 Nov 1998 113941 -0700

FromSharon Harleman Tandy <harleman@micron.net>

Anthony and QHLers,

My view is that it doesn't matter if it is true or not. After

studying folklore and related subjects, when people practice a 'belief',

it becomes true. Now that does not say that I believe in the origins of

the 'black centered Log Cabin', 'humility block', etc. but if we do them

(how many intentional mistakes do you see?) then they are part of the

culture.

My then-7 year old grandson, Michael, and I cut out 6 1/2" blocks last

holidays, he had chosen many of the fabrics from our trips to fabric

stores and from my stash. When we had cut out all we had, we needed one

more. I explained what a 'charm quilt' was and told him he has the

reverse. All fabrics are repeated _except_ one and he should challenge

his friends to find it. Now, do we have a new quilting myth? Maybe, if

others do it.

My understanding of the original charm quilts came from an article

(where did I see it? Piecework?) when women began collecting

one-of-each of many things, for instance they'd string buttons, being

very careful not to repeat any and that doing so would create a

good-luck charm.

As for the 999 + 1 concept, I think it would depend on the size of the

patch chosen. For instance the one I plan to make will require over

1600 pieces. Anyway, fun topic, Sharon.

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

DateThu, 12 Nov 1998 162406 EST

FromBrickWks1@aol.com

Quilt Digest Press's address/phone is

Quilt Digest Press

Division of NTC/Contemporary Publishing Group

Anne Knudsen, Executive Editor

4255 West Touhy Ave.

Lincolnwood, IL 60646-1975

Phone orders(800) 323-4900 or

(847) 679-5500

FAX orders(800) 998-3103 or

(847) 679-2494

E-mail orderntcpub@tribune.com

However, I haven't seen any news that they are reprinting the Digests

mentioned before. Other books, like Remember Me, yes.

Regarding charm quiltsthere does seem to be a resurgence of this style in

the 40s. I have seen several tops from this period, sometimes in squares and

large rectangles, but often in smaller rectangles approx. the size of an old-

fashioned postcard. Consider that Terry Thompson shows a collection of

conversation print fabrics, all cut using a postcard for a template, in her

article in KANSAS QUILTS AND QUILTERS. I believe these charmers were called

'postcard' quilts, but don't know where I picked that part up from.

I do own a top like this. It's a great catalog of 40s and (I believe) 50s

prints!

Cindy

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

DateThu, 12 Nov 1998 150712 -0600

FromRussell-Hill <russhill@ctesc.net>

Hi everyone,

I think it was yesterday I was reading were someone mentioned seeing Jane of

the Feedsacks Club on Simply Quilts. Well you all saw a different show than

I did because Debbie Mumm was the guest and she did a Fall Wall Hanging. I

watched today and it was a Christmas show. I didn't get to see the whole

thing because I got an important phone call. Some times I swear someone out

there has it fiqured that when there is something important on tv (and that

is not all that often) that I want to see I get a phone call. I wish that

spy would find someone else to spy on. Anyway I just had to say I am sorry

that not all Simply Quilts are the same. We get HGTV on Primestar. Maybe

different

carries air the shows differently yet if it is coming from the station I

don't know how they can change it. I should say I watch SQ in the

afternoon.

Well I hope what I missed comes to the time period I watch cause I would

like to

get to see our very on Jane also.

Debbie

russhill@ctesc.net

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

DateThu, 12 Nov 1998 170233 -0500

FromLonnie Foley <redloon@mindspring.com>

ToQuilting Hert list <qhl@cuenet.com>

SubjectQHLUnderground Railroad Quilts

Message-Id<3.0.1.32.19981112170233.007e8390@mindspring.com>

Content-Typetext/plain; charset"us-ascii"

Hi All,

A while back there was a discussion about the Underground Railroad and

whether quilts showed the way or not for the men and women who travelled

along those paths. Living in Augusta GA I approached the curator for the

Lucy Laney Walker Museum in town to see if she knew what "the code" was.

She advised that she didn't however that there was someone coming from

South Carolina who would probably know.

Lo and behold I got a phone call from a friend advising me to watch

Oprah's Show. As I turned it on there was a gentleman describing

Underground Railroad quilts and all I got was that Flying Geese were one of

the patterns as was the North Star.

So. Did anyone else see this program this afternoon and could they

elaborate on what was said.

Thanks all....

Just want to mention that of all the lists I am on, I have found this one

to be the most informative and helpful. Thanks again.

Lonnie

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

DateThu, 12 Nov 1998 171721 -0500

FromDebby Kratovil <kratovil@his.com>

ToLonnie Foley <redloon@mindspring.com>, Quilting Hert list <qhl@cuenet.com>

SubjectReQHLUnderground Railroad Quilts

At 502 PM -0500 11/12/98, Lonnie Foley wrote

>Hi All,

>

> A while back there was a discussion about the Underground Railroad and

>whether quilts showed the way or not for the men and women who travelled

>along those paths.

> Lo and behold I got a phone call from a friend advising me to watch

>Oprah's Show. As I turned it on there was a gentleman describing

>Underground Railroad quilts and all I got was that Flying Geese were one of

>the patterns as was the North Star.

> So. Did anyone else see this program this afternoon and could they

>elaborate on what was said.

I would be interested also as I am planning on doing an interview (for the

NQA magazine) with Dr. Raymond Dobard who is an historian at Howard

University, a quilter, and has a new book due out in February on this

topic. I spoke with him in October and he said he couldn't say anything

until the book hits the newsstands! Perhaps it was him on TV? Debby

Debby Kratovil

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

DateThu, 12 Nov 1998 172055 -0500

FromLonnie Foley <redloon@mindspring.com>

Debby,

It was probably Dr. Dobard who was on because it was mentioned that a book

which I believe will be titled Hidden in Plain Sight will be out next year.

This gentleman was a quilter and was about hmmmmm 50ish.

Lonnie

At 0517 PM 11/12/98 -0500, Debby Kratovil wrote

>At 502 PM -0500 11/12/98, Lonnie Foley wrote

>>Hi All,

>>

>> A while back there was a discussion about the Underground Railroad and

>>whether quilts showed the way or not for the men and women who travelled

>>along those paths.

>> Lo and behold I got a phone call from a friend advising me to watch

>>Oprah's Show. As I turned it on there was a gentleman describing

>>Underground Railroad quilts and all I got was that Flying Geese were one of

>>the patterns as was the North Star.

>> So. Did anyone else see this program this afternoon and could they

>>elaborate on what was said.

>

>I would be interested also as I am planning on doing an interview (for the

>NQA magazine) with Dr. Raymond Dobard who is an historian at Howard

>University, a quilter, and has a new book due out in February on this

>topic. I spoke with him in October and he said he couldn't say anything

>until the book hits the newsstands! Perhaps it was him on TV? Debby

>

>Debby Kratovil

>Quilter By Design - Paper Piecing Patterns & More!

>http//www.his.com/queenb

>MacPfaffie 7570

>

>

>

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

DateThu, 12 Nov 1998 171957 +0000

As I turned it on there was a gentleman describing

> Underground Railroad quilts and all I got was that Flying Geese were one of

> the patterns as was the North Star.

> So. Did anyone else see this program this afternoon and could they

> elaborate on what was said.

Lonnie,

I'm interested in what was said, but I still have one major

question

HOW? <G>

How would an individual be able to use a quilt as a map? How did it

convey 'you are here' information?

Sure, Flying Geese could all point north...but what if you didn't

know which direction N was? How would you orient yourself to the map?

And how could sufficient detail be constructed to guide someone from

the Deep South to Canada? I wouldn't try to drive from the South to

Canada just using a quilt as a map, and at least I can read the road

signs! <G>

I just can't imagine how a quilt could provide enough useful details

to really serve as a map.

Jocelyn

Jocelynm@delphi.com

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

DateThu, 12 Nov 1998 170331 -0600

FromLaura Hobby Syler <texas_quilt.co@mail.airmail.net>

Ok folks...Who saw Oprah this afternoon. Ahem....did you know that quilts

were used during the civil war as sign posts for fleeing slaves??<G>

Hidden in Plain View...couldn't catch the authors name

a book to be out "soon" . The author got the information from his

grandmother who got the information from a black woman (he gave her name

but I couldn't get it down) who got the information from "family stories

passed down" Quilts aring out on the fence were not really aring...they

were "signals"...Flying Geese--slaves fleeing... A special pair of

triangles...turned differently from all the rest pointed directions..

North star pattern ( looked like sawtooth star to me) was hung out when

they were to turn north. The author that they interviewed is a quilter (I

loved his tackle box with all his notions in it.!) ...

Did anyone else see it? Can you fill in the details? Anyone on aol want to

check out Oprah's site and see if they mention the book and author?

Don't they know that "WE" settled this issue months ago!<G>

Laura

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

DateThu, 12 Nov 1998 170655 -0600 (CST)

FromMarcia Kaylakie <marciak@eden.com>

ToQHL@cuenet.com

SubjectQHLDr Dobard

Message-Id<199811122306.RAA17581@natasha.eden.com>

Content-Typetext/plain; charset"us-ascii"

Hi to all, Yes, that was Dr Dobard. He was my guest at our guild meeting

last March and we had long talks about his forthcoming book at that time. I

think it's going to be very interesting and he is an interesting person. You

should enjoy interviewing him! The book is titled "Hidden in Plain View" He

told me the release date is Jan/Feb. Marcia Kaylakie inAustin, TX

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

Anthony -- I am not a restorer, although I did take the the restoration workshop in Omaha this September. I am a collector. If your quilt was my quilt -- and I wish it was -- I don't think I would restore the binding. By that I mean trying to find a new matching fabric, and sewing it over the old binding. Nor would I remove the old binding. Nope. I think I would get matching bridal veiling and applique it over the old binding. The way we were shown to do it was to cut a larger piece, applique it down, then trim close to your stitches. It should be almost invisible when you are done, and will protect what is original and still there, leaving the original visible. Joanns sells it cheap, and it is at least 60" wide. Judy in Ringoes, NJ judygrow@blast.net --WebTV-Mail-770690741-1972

-- ------------------------------ DateThu, 12 Nov 1998 230545 -0600 FromKAREN BUSH ToQHL@cuenet.com SubjectQHLNorth/South Star Message-ID<364BBE29.5E8C@worldnet.att.net> Content-Typetext/plain; charsetus-ascii Content-Transfer-Encoding7bit Jocelyn, I imagine, as the stories go, that the quilts "pointing them in the right direction".. meant, "Just down the road a piece"...I wouldn't think a lot of mileage would have been the goal,...just from safe-house to safe-house. having said that, even though we HAVE talked about it, it's Still interesting....who knows...those were desparate times, and they 'could' have tried just about anything! and..NO, I MISSED the Oprah show! My dd left me a message on the answering machine to tell me, THIS was the day I had to be gone running errands! grrrrrrr....kb I just can't imagine how a quilt could provide enough useful details to really serve as a map. Jocelyn Jocelynm@delphi.com -- Whatsoever ye sew, so shall ye rip.....

DateThu, 12 Nov 1998 231044 -0600 FromRussell-Hill ToQuilting Hert list SubjectQHLQuilts as maps Message-Id<199811130512.AAA07549@nrtc-pub-mail.affiliate.nortel.net> Content-typetext/plain; charset"us-ascii" Content-transfer-encoding7bit I have been toying with getting in to this discussion on the Underground Railroad but I am going to take the chance any way. There may have been individual slaves escaping but they either caught up with others or chances are they got caught. There were people working to get these people up north and there were networks for them. The quilts were no more than a "road" sign. If I saw an arrow point N or S I would say this is how to go. There were many quilts along the way pointing a direction or giving information . I would also like to give the slaves some credit for knowing which way was N or S. They had a lot more knowledge than they are given credit for. There is a web site, one of many, on the Underground Railroad that should be checked out. I did not find much on quilts but I didn't spend a lot of time there either. I am not ready to start research on that area yet but I wanted to check out some of the information there. I do plan on getting back there at some point. http//www.ugrr.org/wwwhome.html I am looking forward to the time "Hidden In Plain View" comes out. Debbie

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