Here's to a Great and healthy, happy l999! :) kb

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

Date: Fri, 01 Jan 1999 09:06:26 +0400

From: Xenia Cord <xecord@netusa1.net>

A Happy New Year's note to Alan and anyone else who finds it

appropriate: 

"Dust is a protective covering for furniture!"

Xenia, in 5 degree Indiana, where the new year is about to begin with a

snowy bang (12" expected).

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

Date: Fri, 1 Jan 1999 12:14:16 -0500

From: "J. G. Row" <Judygrow@blast.net>

I'm well into my first totally hand-applique project, and before starting

had read virtually every book  which discussed methods and tools for

applique.  I went out and bought a brand new box of round toothpicks for the

needleturn applique as all the authors said they were a valuable tool for

turning seam allowances under.  I realized that the reason they work besides

being small, is that the wood is slightly rough and grabs the fabric.  I

started using them but they always dropped between the seat cushion and the

seat and were never handy when I needed them.

Then I broke a nail (not while appliqueing) and had to go to my manicure

stuff and saw some ORANGE STICKS.  They are wood, as long as a pencil, and

have flat wedge-like tips.  I took one and sharpened one end of it in a

pencil sharpener so it would have a pointed tip more like the toothpick.

When I started using it  I found that I would start with the pointed end,

but more often than not I'd wind up using the wedge-shaped end.  It can

really grab and push those seam allowances in.  The other bonus is its

length.

It won't get lost, and between uses I can just shove it behind my ear.

I've put the toothpicks back in the kitchen, where they belong.

(If you use the orange sticks, you can even rough up the wedge even more by

sanding it lightly with your nail file.)

Just thought I'd share this tidbit with others who could probably use an

assist turning those sharp points.

Judy in Ringoes, NJ

judygrow@blast.net

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Date: Fri, 1 Jan 99 13:43:10 EST

From: "Bob Mills" <decision@tigger.jvnc.net>

To: "Quilter's Heritage List" <QHL@cuenet.com>

Subject: QHL: collections

Message-ID: <decision.1265603830A@tigger.jvnc.net>

To Mary Waller and the other sewing machine collectors...We could have

talked sewing machines at the Omaha Restoration Conference.  I didn't mean

to collect sewing machines but found Featherweight Fanatics list after I was

given my Grandmother's 1913 Singer Treadle.  Just wanted to learn how to

clean it up and maintain it.  Then went to a NJ FWF house to see her

collection of 40 machines, then found a Featherweight, etc.  Bought a couple

of Singer model 99's, 4 Featherweights, a 201 and a New Bernina.  By the

time I looked around, I had 11 machines and no where to put them.  When I

started teaching Beginning Quilting in the local Adult Ed programs, I began

to loan out machines to students which helped the storage problem.  My

intent was to loan out the FW's, but I couldn't let them go although I do

sometimes bring them to class for students to use.

I would like to collect more quilt tops and blocks with the intention of

quilting 'someday'.  Money is the only limit!!

Jan Drechsler in cold NJ, where I am aabout to go to the Ship Inn in Milford

NJ, on the Delaware River and play accordion for the Millstone River Morris

team.  We will dance in a tiny spot and they will try not to hit the

chandeliers or me with their sticks.

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

Date: Fri, 01 Jan 1999 10:14:57 -0800

From: Denise Clausen <nadyne@oregoncoast.com

In addition to some of the things already listed,  I collect "quilt quotes".

Denise Clausen

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Date: Fri, 01 Jan 1999 12:41:43 -0600

From: R D <holmr@execpc.com>

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

Date: Fri, 01 Jan 1999 13:39:14 -0600

From: Laura Hobby Syler <texas_quilt.co@mail.airmail.net

For those of you who are VQTS members.....We just put together the tenative

schedule for the Feb session of VQTS 1999 Quilt College.....antique sewing

machines is to be one of the topics......should be very interesting.!!!

Oh and Elizabeth Kruella will be doing a talk on how to identify antique

hand and machine made laces!!!

Laura

Oh and since Karen  Erlandson is in New Mexico on a ski trip.....

Her collection objective is:

to won *every* quilt in the world, no matter what the condition !!!

She's well on her way <G>

Date: Fri, 1 Jan 1999 21:29:51 -0800

From: "Christine Thresh" <christine@winnowing.com

This collection thread is fun!

Someone mentioned collecting books. I had not thought of my books as a

collection, just a necessary part of life, but I find I have shelves of

books in every room except the bathroom. So, I must be a book collector. My

parents were great library users and brought home lots of books. They read

aloud to each other. They did not have a large bookshelf at home.  But I

always wanted to own the books. I did not want to take them back to the

library so I bought them and had a very big bookshelf in my room. When I

met my DH he had a good selection of books and we found many duplicates in

our two collections.

My husband and I published small fiber arts books and booklets in the

1970s.

Now we have a sewing machine collection (much harder to store than books).

It all started with one Featherweight and has grown to three treadles,

several 301s and 99s, a 101, Wilcox & Gibbs, a GE Sewhandy, several more

Featherweights, and a Favta.

Books are made from fiber and fabric is made from fiber so it all ties

together.

Christine Thresh

http://www.winnowing.com 

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

Date: Sat, 2 Jan 1999 07:14:29 EST

From: JBQUILTOK@aol.com

Nancy wrote:

<< Got a great new duck for Christmas, and a little cousin with a clothespin

 mouth that I'm sure was meant to hold letters >>

These were recipe holders - something to keep the index cards up off the messy

counter.

I collect quilt patterns, books, sewing related items, fabric (lots of

fabric!), anything that catches my eye in antique/junk shops, and screw-back

earrings (that get worn to work every day). 

When the sewing/computer room filled up, I moved the bed out of the master

bedroom & took it over for my hobbies.  When that filled up, I moved the

sewing machine & serger out into the livingroom. 

My husband collects cats - ones he rescues from his buddy's barn.  One was

fighting a skunk for the content of the cat food dish, another was drowning in

a down-pour.  Fortunately, I'm better at limiting his collection than he is at

liminiting mine. (Only 3 cats at a time - and with the oldest being our

woodpile cat from the year we moved in, he may be able to get another kitten

before long.)

Piece,

Janet

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Date: Sat, 02 Jan 1999 08:33:24 -0800

From: Denise Clausen <nadyne@oregoncoast.com

I have collected single line quotes like "Quilter's are peacemakers" to add to

those that I have written such as "Quilts are like true friends - precious and

rare". Part of this collection includes the following poem. I hope to compile

them in a book sometime..... in my spare time...  ;-)

    I am also compiling references to quilters symbols like...............

a twisted or braided roap symbolizes two lives entwined together

wind mills and swirling rosettes - life without end

diamonds - fertility

peacock - immortality

pineapple - symbol of hospitality

etc, etc, etc

The poem

"Seasonal Quilts"

Spring's a soft coverlet,

    Dainty and light;

Summer's a patchwork quilt,

    Colors all bright;

Autumn's a counterpane,

    Flamboyant sight;

Winter's a baby quilt,

    Fluffy and white.        author unknown

Denise Clausen

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

Date: Sat, 02 Jan 1999 16:17:45 -0500

From: quiltfix@mail.jax.bellsouth.net

To: qhl@cuenet.com

Well, I remember Laura telling me that Karen E thought the goal was to

own every quilt - my immediate response was "Do I *hafta* buy Sunbonnet

Sue and Colonial Lady (insert a major whimper here)?"

But I have a question for anyone who's worked one restoring lace. While

in NY, I did a little antiquing. Last trip out, I bought this table

cloth. It's a tape lace. The tape appears to be hand woven (very rough

weave), with a tiny cord sitting on the center top of the tape. The

sides of the tape have an open, box shape edge. There is a definite

repeating pattern for this piece, but it's rather abstract. Lots of

"eyes" distributed over it (sort of like a plastic curtain loop that's

been crocheted over), all about 1/2" in diameter. The tape is attached

to itself, and open spaces are filled with "spokes and wheels". This

piece is maybe 4 feet across, and has an 8" fabric center.

Oh, around the outside row are these rouched flowers, about 3" in

diameter, using two rows of fabric (tape? It's a rougher weave than the

other tape, and a differing color). It's in really decent condition,

some restoration work needed on the threads attaching the tape together.

My question (and I think I've answered it myself), regards the spokes on

the "spokes and wheels". Some of the spokes have come undone. They

consist of two strands twisted together, but one strand connects the

spoke to the tape, which tells me this was done after the tape was sewn

together. I am assuming that the first spoke strand went through the

tape edge, and then the second strand was actually wrapped around the

first.  Am I right?

Well, now I have to clean it and then repair it. It'll be great when I'm

done, and it looks to be some higher quality work, which makes it's $12

price tag even better ! Nyah! <G>

Alan

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

Date: Sat, 2 Jan 1999 16:25:58 EST

From: Palampore@aol.com

Collecting  or addiction?  My husband says that his "need" to collect classic

cars is much better than him hanging out in bars and chasing women.  I guess

we can share similar sentiments.

I collect:  tree of life textiles & dishes

 antique quilts/preferably Alamance Plaids, signature quilts, pre-1870, and

tree of life

military sewing kits

rolled sewing kits (housewife type and rolled leather ones)

Civil War period photographs of women and children

Civil War period clothing- women and children

sewing machines - pre-1900

toy sewing machines

I used to be very involved in cooking so I collected dishes, utensils, etc.

Right now I am busily selling off just about all of that part of my life.

Will be interesting to see when this phase gets old and I begin to clear it

out to make way for another.

Happy New Year to all, Lynn Gorges in New Bern, NC

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

Date: Sat, 2 Jan 1999 16:03:19 -0800

From: "Christine Thresh" <christine@winnowing.com

The new year seemed like a good time to finally get around to putting

pictures of my two family quilt tops on my web page. Did it!

One is a silk quilt top, but NOT a crazy quilt. I think it is so nice. I

will probably enjoy seeing it on the web more than the infrequent glimpses

I get when I pull it out every so often to adjust it in its cloth bag. The

other top is a utility with an indigo print. An appraiser estimated the

date as 1885. Both tops are too fragile to quilt.

To see the quilts, go to my web page:

http://www.winnowing.com

and scroll down a little way until you come to the first two quilt

thumbnail pictures. You can click on them to see larger views of the tops.

If anyone has any information to share about the tops I would appreciate

e-mail.

Christine Thresh

http://www.winnowing.com

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

Date: Sat, 02 Jan 1999 20:21:01 -0500

From: Th Schott Family <fschott@ix.netcom.com>

To: Quilt Heritage List <QHL@cuenet.com>

Last night I was given a treat - a viewing of a quilt my friend is

putting together.  Many years ago Workbasket magazine published

embroidery patterns for flowers of the states - all 50 of them.  My

friend, her mother-in-law, grandmother, and some other friends,

embroidered all the blocks over a period of several years.  They are

embroidered on some fairly heavy cotton/muslin that she is pretty sure

her mother-in-law  had from the 1930's.  My friend put them into a quilt

and is just about to complete the binding.

Several of the blocks have some small stains - blood, or coffee, she is

not sure, but she would like to have it cleaned.  Any special

instructions?  It's too big to do in a washing machine and it's the

wrong time of year to do it in the bathtub and put it outside in CT

(anyway, what about bird doo?).  I know you people will have some

ideas.  Colorfastness of the embroidery floss I think would also be a

concern.