99011

Date: Mon, 11 Jan 1999 22:36:03 -0600

From: rshink <mcr2@musica.mcgill.ca>

This is my second plea . I will be accompanying hubby to Las Vegas and

would love a quilt fix while I am there. Please E mail me privately with

ideas. Have postponed repairing vintage quilts to do a memory quilt of

the Ice Storm, now that it is a year ago . Thank heavens it is too cold

for freezing rain and there is lots of snow, great quilting weather. I

love the idea of a photo opportunity in Aug. I have a gown I made for

our towns centennial ball . Now if our Canadian $ could just get better.

Back to quilting. Diane Shink

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

From: Kathi2174@aol.com

Return-path: <Kathi2174@aol.com>

Thanks to Maryjo and Deb for identifying "Dzien dobry" as Polish. A very

"Good Morning" to all QHLers!

This just too much fun!

Kathi in Calif.

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

Date: Tue, 12 Jan 1999 14:06:55 +0300

From: "John Ordway" <ordway@glas.apc.org>

Well, Laura - here goes: Quilting in Russia. I personally would love to

hear about quilting history from other countries of QHL members!

There is quilting in Russia, and there are also Art Quilters in Russia.

There is also the same debate about professional quilt "artists" and quilt

"amateurs" that we have in the US.

That being said, the quilt "movement" or industry here is nothing like it

is in the US. There are probably 4 small well-known guilds in cities such

as St. Petersburg, Ivanovna, Suzdal and Vladimir (which has long been the

"seat" of hand- embroidery and white work in Russian for a couple hundred

years.) Ivanovna before the Russian Revolution was where state-of-the-art

fabric manufacturing was done on copper plates ... those factories are just

about shut down now. The copper plates are too expensive to maintain, and

one would even wonder how many artisans are left that could even do that

kind of etching.

These guilds are small, but dedicated. Thanks to quilt artists like Marion

Henrion and others, they have had good exposure to US quilts and art quilts

and materials for a while. Marion (and some of her other art quilter

colleagues) travels here every couple of years and meets with other quilt

artists and then travels to some of the other cities.

There was an American woman here 2 years ago who really got into the Russian

quilting scene and met with quitters often in Moscow and Ivanovna. We had

an international quilting guild, too, but it all folded after my friend

left. I have other obligations here and couldn't take up her torch, much to

my regret. During that year we had a lot of support from US companies and

were able to get supplies and books donated to these guilds, which really

have very little. They share supplies. They are thrilled to have access to

Western books and the like, but are very proud and do not want to be

"corrupted" - i.e. they don't want to just copy quilts from US books.

The art quilts here are just like art quilts everywhere - fabulous, and some

very good personal individual styles have emerged from using backgrounds in

the historical textile/garment fields. I think two of the quilt artists

have moved to the US - they can't earn a living here and usually can't

afford to do the necessary work it would take to show their quilts in the

US.

There is not a commercial quilting industry here. Frankly, women don't have

the time or the extra money. Personal luxury time is hard to come by, even

today. Supplies are we know them are few and far between - white thread is

always a challenge to find. There are some Pfaff kiosks around town, so one

can get some supplies such as a rotary cutter, needles, pins, etc, but as my

European counterparts know, those kind of supplies are often 2 to 3 times

the price we pay in the US. Quilting fabric is non-existent - you just buy

what is in the stores. Quilt artists use many different types of fabrics as

it would be very difficult to get all cotton materials here for an entire

quilt in the palette you might like.

Historically, there is very little documentation on quilting here. In

general, as in many places in Europe, it is called "patchwork", although

quilt artists do use the word "kvilt." I've seen two antique ones, but

that's about it. Coverlets on beds have always been the standard European

comforter Don't forget that before the Revolution the country was really

divided into the few that had a lot and the rest that had very little. The

handwork legacy here is in embroidery, gold embroidery, drawn thread work,

Richielu, lace, beaded work and the like.

On Singer:

Singer actually started a Singer sewing machine factory before the

Revolution in Podolsk. I'd love to go there, but realize that even if I

did, I'd never get into the factory. Singer sewing machines were sold in a

store on the main elegant street in St. Petersburg before the Revolution.

The Art Nouveau building that until quite recently still had the Singer

"globe ball" on its roof is still standing The store is now a huge

bookstore, but the Art Nouveau grill work inside is still very evident.

Art Nouveau style here is called "Moderne".

I've seen about 4 generations of old sewing machines here - I have two

models One has a Scottish serial number (for you sewing machine fans it's a

model 27) - so how did that get here? Was it brought to Russia from

England/Scotland or were parts shipped to the new factory and then assembled

there? Immediately after the Revolution the factory was still obviously

still tooled for "Singer" machines, so everything was kept the same on the

machines, EXCEPT that "Singer" globe was now a globe of the world with the

hammer and sickle on it. By the end of WWII the factory obviously was making

it's own version of sewing machines - ugly cast iron things. Sewing

machines are still made there today, I am told.

Two years ago I was really into this and all the lists on the www dealing

with antique sewing machines - what fun. Unfortunately, I've had to

basically give it up due to extremely limited free time now - guess what --

<g> I had to join the real world and work with kids going to college and all

that <gg>. This is the first time I've been back on a list for a while!

I've spent some time here learning drawn thread work as I love the white

work pieces. Learning the vocabulary has also been fun, especially as I

didn't even know the terms in English. There are a few general books on

"handwork" published, but there was also a Russian version, believe it or

not, of Therese de Dillmont (sp?) book for DMC on needlework published

before the Revolution! Burda, (the German publishing house that includes

dressmaking patterns, general sewing books and the like)

has had many of its books published in Russian now, and Russian women are

enjoying them, although they are not cheap for an average Russian.

I'll take a breath here and stop. I also must put the next sentence in as I

know it will come up: I can't accept donations for Russian quilters, much

as I would like to. Many people often offer, but we are not permitted to

receive things like that in the mail for others - it's a complicated

scenario involving customs laws for both countries.

I apologize if this post is too long for some people! I had thought about

cutting it into two, but then left it.

Who else on this list is in a different country other than the US?

Maryjo Ordway

Moscow, Russia

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

Date: Tue, 12 Jan 1999 22:33:11 -0700

From: Sven Olsson <sven@pnc.com.au

Hi Maryjo,

Thank you so much for your review of the quilting scene as you know it

in Russia.

It is always interesting to hear from "other parts".

Lorraine in OZ (Australia that is)

where we are in the middle of a cool change after a heat wave in the

middle of Summer.

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

Date: Tue, 12 Jan 1999 06:52:43 -0600

From: KAREN BUSH <Birdsong@worldnet.att.net

I have a question that came up on another digest I'm on. She's from New

Zealand, ordering from the States and wondered if muslin was the same as

'calico'....I wonder this myself. Just what IS muslin....or Calico for

that matter.

Whenever I hear the term 'calico' I think of the stiff cotton with

yellow and red print...yuk,....I know that's not right, but,I couldn't

explain it to her.

And muslin is...well, Muslin. Now, she's got ME wondering. She's

talking about a Nice muslin, not the 'utility' muslin for her piecing.

But, it's really got me wondering. Is there somewhere on the net that

would have this info?

Before you answer, is it alright for me to forward or at least USE your

answers for her and the rest of us that "want to know"...?? kb

-"QUILT AS DESIRED" THE "TELL ALL BOOK" of hand quilting!!!!

-Also, Visit me for HAND QUILTING SERVICES

**************************************************************

"Start the way you intend to finish"

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

Date: Tue, 12 Jan 1999 08:00:24 -0500

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

Adella,

If you're interested in utilizing the mourning quilt as a bereavement

tool, I'd also suggest you get in touch with the Names Project there in

SF (y'know, the AIDS quilt).

I had an opportunity to help during one of their "open-quilting" nights,

and didn't go. Really wish I had, but maybe next time. Since DB is out

there, I have a good excuse to go again.

But talk to them about using it as a tool. They're bound to have all

sorts of practical advice.

Alan

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

Date: Tue, 12 Jan 1999 09:02:03 EST

From: Meredit300@aol.com

WOuld like copy of Vintage again...also data on how to subscribe. I moved and

decided I had no time to read everything...thanks....

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

Date: Tue, 12 Jan 1999 08:19:15 -0600 (CST)

From: Nancy Evans <nevans@nebnet.net>

Karen: it's my understanding that Australians (NZ'ers, too, probably) call

the cloth we know as "muslin" calico. I got this info from a machine quilter

with whom I used to chat online. She backed her quilts with plain unbleached

"calico". Hopes this helps to answer your questions

Nancy Evans

At 06:52 AM 1/12/99 -0600, you wrote:

>I have a question that came up on another digest I'm on. She's from New

>Zealand, ordering from the States and wondered if muslin was the same as

>'calico'....I wonder this myself. Just what IS muslin....or Calico for

>that matter.

> Whenever I hear the term 'calico' I think of the stiff cotton with

>yellow and red print...yuk,....I know that's not right, but,I couldn't

>explain it to her.

> And muslin is...well, Muslin. Now, she's got ME wondering. She's

>talking about a Nice muslin, not the 'utility' muslin for her piecing.

>But, it's really got me wondering. Is there somewhere on the net that

>would have this info?

> Before you answer, is it alright for me to forward or at least USE your

>answers for her and the rest of us that "want to know"...?? kb

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

Date: Tue, 12 Jan 1999 09:42:50 EST

Thank you Maryjo for the complete and wonderful description of needlework in

Russia...I have a niece that goes to Ukraine every year...She's a

business/marketing teacher in a community college in Massachusetts..... she

goes there to teach those subjects, in an institute...I send a little

sewing/quilting supplies with her to a quilter in Kharkov... just thread and

needles,if nothing else, are really appreciated...

would be nice if some guilds in the USA could adopt some guilds in Russia and

some of the other republics/states.

jean

jquilt@aol.com

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

Date: Tue, 12 Jan 1999 07:48:53 -0800

From: Kathy Tavares <kmtavare@uci.edu>

Does anyone know the name of a new book on Crazy Quilting that is coming

out in the next month? They spoke of it at our guild last night. I didn't

get a chance to get the particulars (author, when & where available).

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

Date: Tue, 12 Jan 1999 14:38:58 -0000

From: "Sally Ward" <sward@t-ward.demon.co.uk>

In the UK, muslin is very fine openweave fabric that we would use to wrap

steam puddings or to strain jelly (by which I mean our 'jelly' not your

'jelly' which we call jam) (still with me?). Calico is the plain cream

fabric which you call muslin but comes in different weights. The fine

stuff is lovely for quilts, but you can also buy progressively heavier and

coarser weights which are intended for upholstering furniture etc. Your US

books often confuse the UK beginner who tries to include 'our' muslin in a

pieced quilt, and I personally made the mistake of using upholsterers calico

instead of the real thing (I thought it was a cheap bargain) and as well as

being very coarse to work with, it shrinks massively (intentional - once

furniture has its base upholstery in calico it is deliberately shrunk to

tighten and fit). Of course, at that stage I didn't know about pre-washing

either!

Sally

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

Date: Tue, 12 Jan 1999 13:21:20 EST

From: Lalalawyr@aol.com

In a message dated 99-01-12 13:07:01 EST, sward@t-ward.demon.co.uk writes:

steam puddings or to strain jelly (by which I mean our 'jelly' not your

'jelly' which we call jam) (still with me?). >>

In the US, we call this cheesecloth.

Presumably, this name comes from the fact that it would be very useful for

straining the clabber from the whey in cheesemaking. We use it primarily for

straining - I've never heard of it being used for sewing.

Since I have a Brit husband, I know the difference between UK jelly and US

jelly - but I'm confused about why you would need to strain jelly (which we

call Jello or gelatin) - ? Maybe this is a step when you don't use the

packaged sort - ??

Melissa

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

Date: Tue, 12 Jan 1999 14:16:21 +0400

From: Xenia Cord <xecord@netusa1.net>

"Mus' be jelly; jam don' shake like that!" Between US and UK, we

really are 2 countries separated by a common language. In the US we

have jam and jelly - jam contains fruit, pulp and seeds, and jelly is

"clear" and is made from only the juice of the fruit. In order to

separate the pulp from the juice, the cooked mass of pulp and juice is

pressed through a cheesecloth ("muslin"?) bag, and the bag is then

suspended over the cooking pot to drip out. The juice resulting is made

into jelly.

My Webster's New World Dictionary refers to muslin as deriving from the

town of Mosul, in Iraq, and is defined as any fine cotton of plain

weave, often dyed or printed, and especially of the quality used for

sheets and pillowcases. Cheesecloth is defined as a thin cotton cloth

with a loose weave, from its use in wrapping cheese.

Xenia - who's not from either place!

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

Date: Tue, 12 Jan 1999 15:58:01 -0800

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

Asking for a little help from the QHL list-my sister is looking for the

Cossack Men's Shirt pattern from Folkwear. My nephew's in "Fiddler on the

Roof" and she needs to make him a shirt. Please email her at peddie@wwd.net

if you can help her find that pattern. Many thanks, Pepper Cory

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

Date: Tue, 12 Jan 1999 16:26:24 EST

From: Lalalawyr@aol.com

<< Thank you so much for your review of the quilting scene as you know it

in Russia. It is always interesting to hear from "other parts". >>

I second that - and I must say that Maryjo's post made me count my blessings!

We sometimes forget how much we have here in the U.S., in terms of convenience

and material items. I'd much rather have the problem of how to store more

fabric or how to squeeze more fabric $$ out of the budget, than scrambling

around trying to find white thread and basic cotton fabrics, and then paying

premium prices if I find them.

Maryjo, I would imagine that ordering fabric and supplies through the Internet

would be a solution - ?? These days, I would think that might be a good way to

expand both the market for online quilt shops, and the opportunities for

quilters around the world to find things. Or is shipping too prohibitive - ?

Melissa

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

Date: Tue, 12 Jan 1999 17:45:05 -0500

From: Libby Magnello <libbym@ccia.com>

Libby let me know someone was asking about the new crazy

quilt books.. Sorry I

don't know what list it was forwarded from..buy anyhoo here

is the info:

Learn to Make a Crazy Quilt by Linda Causee

Teaches the fundamentals of this foundation-pieced quilt

style, and five

sensational crazy quilts are presented with complete

patterns to launch the

imagination. Several basic beautiful embroidery stitches

Instructions in

English, French Spanish and German. retail 16.95 my price

14.95

Through examination of several vintage crazy quilts with

illustrated scenes ,

souvenir ribbons and mementos. Large how-to section shows

how to combine

Victorian embroidery designs and motifs with new inspiring

ideas to create a

beautiful crazy quilt. retail 19.95 my price 17.95

Date: Wed, 13 Jan 1999 09:45:35 -0700

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

As an Aussie, this is my experience with the Calico/Muslin story.

As a child brought up in the country, I always knew of Muslin as a

coarse loosely woven cotton, very unsuitable for sewing with. In the

sixties we had skirts and blouses made from it, but as a tomboy, I could

ruin it in 10 minutes.

Cheesecloth was the fabric that came wrapped around the side of bacon

and the leg of ham. I seem to remember that it was knitted.(I left home

27 yrs ago). It made great car cleaning rags.

from India. I used to have a toy making business in the 80s and I would

buy it by the bale. This was a large hessian bag of Calico that was

layered into the bag so that it was in a cube. A bale would hold about

200 Metres. This was directly imported from India. Before I could do a

thing with it I had to send it to an industrial cleaner, who would wash

the calico to remove the incredible amount of sizing from the fabric.

This process also served to preshrink the fabric. They would then roll

it into 20 metre lengths and I would work on it from there. But it came

out so nicely that it was almost as soft as what I know as quilters

muslin. I sold this business years before I started quilting, but I wish

I had kept some of the fabric.

looks a lot like the calico, but is very pliable and soft on the hand.

As I said, this is purely my experience and others might have something

to say. Any other Aussies with thoughts on the matter?

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

Date: Mon, 11 Jan 1999 21:40:16 -0500

From: Meg Manderson <megm@MIT.EDU>

Just got it! It has *pictures!* This should make for some lively

conversation!

Meg, returning after months of silence spent catching up on post-thesis life!

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

Date: Tue, 12 Jan 1999 19:52:17 EST

From: QuiltFixer@aol.com

I have a 1885 crazy quilt (yes, a crazy quilt) made out of muslin and

embroidered with Turkey red thread and red yarn. The calico is much more

heavier than what I have seen on today's market, but it is not stiff. It has

been washed at some time. I wonder if this could have come from India. It is

not like the calico I have seen and felt on other early vintage quilts. Toni

Baumgard

QuiltFixer@aol.com

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

Date: Tue, 12 Jan 1999 20:38:04 -0600

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

Toni,

what are the predominant colors of your calico crazy. I just did some

restoration on one dated 1884 with some wonderful commemorative silks of

the Statue of Liberty and the US Eagle and Shield Crest....there are

several pieces of cotton in it also, but it has started to detoriate and

has become stiff. Could this be what you have in yours? or is it more of a

decorating weight fabric?

Laura

At 07:52 PM 1/12/99 EST, QuiltFixer@aol.com wrote:

>I have a 1885 crazy quilt (yes, a crazy quilt) made out of muslin and

>embroidered with Turkey red thread and red yarn. The calico is much more

>heavier than what I have seen on today's market, but it is not stiff. It has

>been washed at some time. I wonder if this could have come from India.

It is

>not like the calico I have seen and felt on other early vintage quilts. Toni

>Baumgard

>QuiltFixer@aol.com