Karen Alexander
Date: Mon, 25 Jan 1999 12:27:22 EST
Dear QHL readers,
Here is my personal story about hearing Raymond Dobard's lecture. It is a DRAFT for
a family genealogy newsletter in which I occasionally also include stories
that come out of my quilt research.
25 January 1999
Dobard Story, Part I
Harrisonburg, VA
My father was a college professor, and in my teen years my siblings and I were
exposed to other cultures and other ways of "seeing" the world as a result of
his assignments to the central Philippine Islands and East Africa. In my adult
life-time I have been an avid self-taught student of comparative mythology and
religion in addition to my interest in textile history, quilting and
genealogy. Throw in a little anthropology as well. This mixture of interests
has offered a wonderful framework for exploring the intriguing puzzle "what is
culture and how is it transmitted?" I think the Raymond Dobard -Jacqueline
Tobin book, "Hidden in Plain View," is an amalgamation of all those subjects. ()
It doesn't claim to be a definitive answer, thank goodness, to any of the
questions raised. But it certainly is a rich resource and jumping off point
for further exploration of the intriguing question, "Just how is a culture
transmitted over time...and distance...and in spite of slavery or any other
inhibiting challenge that enters the picture?"
On Sunday 24 January, I drove with a friend from Reston to the Shenandoah
Valley to attend Raymond Dobard's lecture on the "Secret Story of Quilts and
the Underground Railroad" at the Virginia Quilt Museum in Harrisonburg, VA.
The Director told us afterwards that it was Dobard's first public lecture
about the subject since his book, "Hidden in Plain View," was released only a
week ago. It was also his first book signing. She also shared the fact that
she had to get special permission from Doubleday to release the book last
weekend before its official release date. Originally Dobard was to first speak
at the Museum January 16 and 17, but a bad case of bronchitis coupled with
extremely icy roads canceled those first two scheduled lectures, but not the
3rd and 4th lectures which took place this weekend.
To retrace the development of this story, let's turn the clock back to March
1998. A friend had invited me to hear Dobard speak at the Textile Museum in
Washington DC. We came away a bit upset. Because of his contractual agreement
with the publisher [Doubleday], he was unable to give us the meat of the story
that night, and simply hinted and danced around the subject. It was a
frustrating evening and left the three of us wondering why the Textile Museum
had him speak on a subject in the first when he wasn't actually really free to
talk about it in substantive way.
Since that March 1998 event at the Textile Museum, there has been much
speculation among quilters across the country, especially on the Internet's
Quilt History List (QHL), about just what the two authors were going to claim
in this book!. Dobard told us yesterday that Doubleday decided that rather
than have a nation wide book tour, they thought getting him on news programs
might be the more productive way to go. Did they decide that the nature of
the book would not attract a broad enough audience to warrant the cost of a
book tour? I think the fact that Doubleday had to order a second printing just
as the first edition was being released says a great deal about how they
thought the book would do. Perhaps Doubleday underestimated the breadth of
interest in quilt history by quilters, not to mention the interest that
African-Americans have in their own history. It would be interesting to know
just what "market share" of the book buying public bought the book.
As quilt historians know, the stories associated with the Underground Railroad
have helped create many a quilt legend over the years, and there has been a
growing desire among quilt historians to find some way to substantiate these
stories. Such are the frustrations and the challenges of all oral traditions
and legends for the "traditional" scholar and historian.
The study of art history (i.e. images/symbols) as well as mythology/religion
(much of whose ancient roots lie in images/symbols/art) are full of such
challenges. Many naively believe that once a society has a written history,
that history is now "truthful." In truth, the written word is simply another
form of "drawn symbol" importing meaning for those who know how to interpret
it. Even with the written word, there can be conflicting interpretations!
Dobard's book seemed to offer the possibility that a break through had come in
interpretation of the symbols within quilting that had traditionally been
associated with the Underground Railroad. His various appearances (and their
re-runs) on the Oprah Show and NBC Evening News, among others, offered, again,
frustrating limited explanations, only whetting a growing appetite for more.
Thus was the book, "Hidden in Plan View" sold out before its first release.
In my opinion "Hidden in Plan View" is about a far broader interpretation of
quilting symbols and language and tradition than I suspect most quilters may
have expected, though I think the USA Today review hinted at it. It is
personally just what I had hoped for. Just from hearing the lecture I would
say this book is not just about "quilting" per se, and not even just about the
Underground Railroad per se. It is about having our horizons stretched so that
we can encompass a far broader arena for the roots of the symbols of our
quilting heritage. The three forwards in the book also add a great deal to the
on-going discussion about the transmission of a cultural heritage, in
particular, the transmission of African and African-American cultural symbols.
The "secret code" that Ozella McDaniel Williamson chose to finally share with
the larger community as a result of telling her story to Tobin and Dobard is
the jumping off point to a very intriguing journey of exploration. I predict
you will greatly enjoy it.
In addition the book will undoubtedly serve to stretch the understanding of
many about the complexity and rich heritage that Africans naturally brought
with them when they were forced through captivity to cross the oceans and
enter into slavery, and how, in one particular genre - quilting, those
cultural symbols were used to help them once again regain freedom.






Date: Tue, 26 Jan 1999 08:23:21 EST
Dear Friends,
I was also in the audience with Karen at the Quilt Museum of VA on Sunday. I
am happy about the amount of research conducted by Dr. Dobard and his
coauthor. There are leaps of faith in the book, but they are leaps that can
be taken, or not. I was interested to read about the possible Harriet
Powers/Eastern Star link due to the symbolism used in her quilts.....that was
something to ponder. I've already read my book and I want to work my way
through several selections in the extensive bibliography.
Karen- thanks for posting about the lecture and for notice about its time and
place!
Dana Harr

Date: Tue, 26 Jan 1999 07:53:35 -0500
From: Nancy Roberts <robertsn@norwich.net>
Back stitches for hand piecing may be a fairly common practice. Just as a
note, the General Directions in Quilting Today and Traditional Quiltworks
both instruct readers to start and end hand pieced seams with a back stitch.
They also say to take a backstitch every few stitches. That's been the case
as long as I've worked for the magazines and they've been published for a
decade.
Issue 54 of Quilting Today (a back issue) has a how-to article on Big Stitch
by Jo Walters. It also has color photos of quilts done using it. There's also
happens to be an article by Darcy Pattison on quilting in Russia in the same
issue. Nancy Roberts

Date: Tue, 26 Jan 1999 11:02:46 -0500
Hi all. In my index to the Kansas City Star patterns by Wilene Smith,
there is no Double Wedding Ring listed. However, the pattern, Wedding
Ring by McKim which looks like the DWR was published in October, 1928,
November, 1928, September, 1929 and October, 1929. All of these were by
McKim Studios. The Wedding Ring pattern, again looking like DWR, was
sent in by a reader from Arkansas in 1935. It was published again in
1955 and 1959. This was evidently a very popular pattern to have been
published for so many years.
Judy White


Date: Tue, 26 Jan 1999 19:25:26 -0500
From: Alan Kelchner <quiltfix@mail.jax.bellsouth.net>
Subject: that sampler
I heard back about the stitched sampler. Thanks for the leads on
conservators. Surprising thing to me was that this is a Norwegian piece
(definitely made in Norway by the lady's husband's great-grandmother).
Beautiful - she sent me a couple of partial jpg shots. It has three
additional letters (besides A-Z) on it due to their alphabet. It's done
in wool, on needlepoint-type canvas (probably Berlin canvas), in normal
needlepoint stitchery. But only the figures are worked. The background
is open canvas. Gorgeous colors.
But I am not familiar with samplers made outside of southern and central
continental Europe (England, France, Italy). Were they common at all in
Nordic countries? This one is very typical of samplers in the styling
(floral and bird motifs).
Interesting. If you'd like to see the jpg's, let me know and I'll send a
copy. One word of warning - the jpg's are HUGE, so if it'll knock out
your system, or you're too impatient to wait, I wouldn't ask for it.
Alan




>Date: Tue, 26 Jan 1999 14:49:42 EST
QHL readers,
The following was just sent to me by a male cousin that I have seen only once
in the last 30 years, but since the invention of e-mail, we have gotten back
into contact. I happened to include him on my posting about Dobard's lecture
and he responded with what follows. His reference to "German Palatinates" is
in reference to my genealogy research of my Swiss-German Mennonite ancestors.
David has been involved with the Native Americans of New York state for
decades, and has been helping for years in the re-discovery of their sacred
grounds. He is a brilliant, spiritual man whom some find quite eccentric.
David was in a terrible accident 6/7 years ago as he was helping move a HOUSE,
literally. He was on the roof with a pole, his job being to carefully lift any
electrical wires off the roof as they passed under them. Unfortunately,
something happend and one of the wires touched David. The bolt of electricity
that passed thru him was so great that he was knocked off the top of the house
and fell to the ground. Not only did he suffer SEVERE burns from the
electricty, he broke his body in a number of places when he hit the ground.
The doctors could not believe he survived, and told him he would never walk
again. However, because of his healthy life-style (micro-biotic foods) his
body was able to fight the terrible effects of the trauma to his system. But
what they did to him and fed him in the hospital, he says, almost killed him
for good. But once he was out of the hospital, the knowledge he had acquired
over a lifetime of studying botany, physiology, nutrition, and native healing
herbs saved his life. It is a life filled with a great deal of pain, but he
gets around better than the doctors ever believed possible. First they said
he wouldn't live; then they said he would never be out of a bed; then they
said he would never get out of a wheel chair; now he gets about short
distances (even climbing hills a bit) with braces and canes!!! He awaits
"Creator's" decision as to whether he will ever walk normally again, he says.
In July 1996 a quiet ceremony of the reburial of Native American Iroquois and
Mohican remains took place in Waterford Park on Peebles Island at the mouth
of the Mohawk River in New York state. David wrote quite a story about this
event. If you would like to read it, let me know. Peebles just happens to be
the maiden name of our mothers. Here is what David wrote me today:
Karen,
your latest on quilts and the underground railroad
hits home as i have a friend walking with the fellowship of reconciliation
retracing the slave routes through the south, caribbean and africa. curiously,
it was german religious groups -- the palatine germans -- who first began
resisting and protesting that tragic southern institution.
also, among my mohawk native american friends, they hold an annual fundraiser
for their freedom school by auctioning off quilts. last year they had over 50
handmade creations hanging all around the schoolyard. the auction took all
afternoon, and most went for $500-$1000. several were donated by local amish
households. David
QHL'ers, are any of you on this list aware of the Mowhawk Native American
quilt auctions? I wasn't.

Date: Wed, 27 Jan 1999 22:38:35 -0500

From: Barb Garrett <bgarrett@fast.net>

Last week a woman I met at Sewing Circle loaned me her mother-in-law's

collection of newpaper snippings from the Lancaster New Era, PA, circa

1933-36.  In reading the backs of the papers I found part of an article

that I am hoping someone can give me more information about.  The

article reads --

The President's original plan was to establish the CWA only for those

who were on relief rolls.  Later someone wanted it for everyone.  That

is when the trouble started.......Negro cooks in the south left the

kitchen and started quilting at home for the CWA at $12 per week.....

My questions -- what does CWA stand for and does anyone know anything

about any quilting projects, jobs, etc., associated with it.  I am

familiar with 2 WPA projects -- the Museum Project from Langhorne PA and

the Milwaukee Project, but would be very interested to learn of any CWA

quilting projects.

Thank you for your help.

Barb in southeastern PA

<bgarrett@fast.net>

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

Date: Thu, 28 Jan 1999 16:38:30 -0700

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

I do not know what CWA is in the US, but here in Australia, it stands

for the Country Womens Association. This is a wonderful organisation

that enabled the country ladies to meet and communicate, raise monies

for charity, and generally to offer support for isolated families. I do

not know exactly when it was started, but as child, I would love to go

to meetings with my mother. This was in the 60s, and I am sure it was

going from at least the first world war (pre 1920).

I remember my mother knitting for orphans, hats, socks and cardigans.

She also did fine embroidery and would teach sometimes at a meeting.

There was always a wonderful afternoon tea, where each lady would bring

her finest cake or batch of scones. Mmmm! Yes that is me with the weight

problem.

I am sure other Aussies on the list will have some memory of our CWA,

even if it is just of the little meeting hall somewhere tucked away just

off the main street of town where the Red Cross would meet and maybe the

local Rural Youth group would get together also. You can tell I come

from the country.

Unfortunately there were no quilts made in my mother's time in the CWA

though.

Lorraine in Oz ( I just spent the day in Sydney and it was so hot and

humid. It is good to be back in the mountains)

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

Date: Thu, 28 Jan 1999 08:22:38 -0500

From: "jawhite@courant.infi.net" <jawhite@courant.infi.net

As a point of clarification, I am forwarding the following post.

Subject:

            Re: backstitch

       Date:

            Mon, 25 Jan 1999 15:07:50 -0500

       From:

            "jawhite@courant.infi.net" <jawhite@courant.infi.net>

Organization:

            InfiNet

         To:

            Duff_M <Duff_M@BLS.GOV>

 References:

            1

Duff_M wrote:

>

> Oh...I see your meaning now.  I think.  Anyway, what your telling me is not

> to worry that my single strand of thread isn't strong enough, because it is.

> And the regular sewing thread *is* what quilters use to hand piece.  Well,

> I'm learning.  Thanks again.

>

> Martha

>

> > ----------

> > From:         jawhite@courant.infi.net[SMTP:jawhite@courant.infi.net]

> > Sent:         Monday, January 25, 1999 2:55 PM

> > To:   Duff_M

> > Subject:      Re: backstitch

> >

> > Duff_M wrote:

> > >

> > > Judy,

> > > Thanks for responding to my question about hand piecing.  You have

> > taught me

> > > something.  I wasn't using quilting thread to piece.  Quilting thread is

> > > much stronger than the regular 50/3 thread I have been using to piece.

> > > Thanks.  I do feel comfortable with the idea of piecing with a single

> > strand

> > > of quilting thread.  I don't know why I didn't think of it.

> > >

> > > Martha

> >

> > Hi Martha.  I'm glad that you found something that works for you;

> > however, as a point of clarification, I don't piece with quilting

> > thread.  I hand piece with a single strand of plain old Dual Duty by

> > Coats and Clark - cotton covered polyester thread.

> >

> > Judy W.

> >

Now you've got it.

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

Date: Thu, 28 Jan 1999 08:56:49 -0500

From: "jawhite@courant.infi.net" <jawhite@courant.infi.net

Dear Barb:  The WPA and the CCC were programs begun to get people back

to work and to bolster the economy.  There were many facets to the WPA,

many projects that kept people in all walks of life working and off the

welfare roles at a time when that was sorely needed.  I have a newly

re-issued copy of the WPA Guide from the the State of Missouri - there

were 48 of these guides written, one for every state in the union; these

were written as part of the Federal Writer's Project - no where in it

does it say anything about the CWA.  I also looked in the bibliography

in "No Ordinary Time" by Doris Kearns Goodwin; this is biography of

Roosevelt and his administration.  There are gobs of references to the

WPA and the CCC and all their offshoots but not one word about the CWA.

Do you suppose it was a regional organization within the State of

Pennsylvania during that period of time?  You might have to investigate

your public library re:CWA.  Just a thought.

udy White

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

ate: Thu, 28 Jan 1999 09:04:22 -0500

From: Marsha MacDowell <macdowel@pilot.msu.edu>

For those of you interested in quilts used in honoring ceremonies, you

might want to catch the exhibit "To Honor and Comfort: Native Quilting

Traditions."  It has already been shown at the Smithsonian Institution's

National Museum of the American Indian in NYC and at Michigan State

University Museum -- the two producing organizations of the exhibit. Now it

commences touring to other sites and here is the schedule of booking for

the exhibit (be sure to call ahead to museums to get doublecheck opening

and closing dates):

March 13-June 6, 1999

Fuller Museum of Art

Brockton, MA

July 3-September 26, 1999

Cleveland Museum of Natural History

Cleveland, OH

October 23, 1999-January 16, 2000

Museum of the Rockies

Bozeman, MT

February 12-May 7, 2000

Bishop Museum

Honolulu, HI

June 3-August 27, 2000

Washington State Historical Society

Tacoma, WA

September 23-December 31, 2000

Museum of International Folk Art

Santa Fe, NM

January 13-April 8, 2001

Heard Museum

Phoenix, AZ

Individual museums may choose to open and close the exhibition on dates

that vary slightly from those on our official itinerary.

Marsha MacDowell

Michigan State University Museum

macdowel@pilot.msu.edu

http://www.museum.msu.edu

Date: Thu, 28 Jan 1999 21:40:31 +0100

From: "Jean Baumgarten" <jean.baumgarten@wanadoo.fr>

I happen to have a few of my great Grand Mother's quilts made in the 30-40s

and they are quilted with a very big stitch and very often with 2 strands

of embroidery floss.Often pale blue thread .I had never seen it discussed

in books and find this discussion very interesting.I just thought GGM was a

bit eccentric.... and loved the idea .Are there any articles about this big

stitch quilting ? Also 2 or 3 of the quilts have woollen batting .She made

those quilts in Houston Texas and I always thought the wool was not really

what was needed in that kind of climate .Was woollen often used at the time

?

 Thank you

Daniele in Paris ,France

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

Date: Thu, 28 Jan 1999 15:35:32 -0700

From: "Jeanne.Fetzer" <Jeanne.Fetzer@integrityonline3.com>

The CWA was an additional agency - Civilian Works Administration - separate

from the CCC- the Civilian Conservation Corps - and part of the New Deal's

package to aid the 15 million unemployed Americans.

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

Date: Thu, 28 Jan 1999 19:17:58 -0500

From: Marsha MacDowell <macdowel@pilot.msu.edu>

Just wanted to say that To Honor and Comfort: Native Quilting Traditions,

the book that accompanies the exhibit of the same name, includes a chapter

on Mohawk quilting in general and references in particular the auction.  We

sent a team to the auction to photo document it as part of the research for

the exhibit.

Marsha MacDowell

Michigan State University Museum

macdowel@pilot.msu.edu

http://www.museum.msu.edu

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

Date: Fri, 29 Jan 1999 09:54:14 -0700

From: Brooke Flynn <brookeflynn@mcn.net>

Earlier someone mentioned John Flynn's lecture about "honor quilts" which here in

our area we call Star Quilts.  A few years ago, we  published a book called

"Feathered Sun" which has historical information about the Northern Plains Indian

quilting tradition and giveaways by author Roger Clawson.  The rest of the book is

quilt piecing patterns and techniques by John Flynn.

Brooke

Flynn Quilt Frame Company

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

Date: Fri, 29 Jan 1999 11:44:14 -0500

From: Nancy Roberts <robertsn@norwich.net>

I saw Daniele's question on Big Stitch in today's Digest. I had sent a post

with a source a few days ago, but do not recall if it ever appeared in the

Digest. I know there was some confusion. So here it is again, just in case.

Nancy Roberts

duplicate message:

Back stitches for hand piecing may be a fairly common practice. Just as a

note, the General Directions in Quilting Today and Traditional Quiltworks

both instruct readers to start and end hand pieced seams with a back stitch.

They also say to take a backstitch every few stitches. That's been the case

as long as I've worked for the magazines and they've been published for a

decade.

Issue 54 of Quilting Today (a back issue) has a how-to article on Big Stitch

by Jo Walters. It also has color photos of quilts done using it. There's also

happens to be an article by Darcy Pattison on quilting in Russia in the same

issue.

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

Date: Fri, 29 Jan 1999 14:41:27 EST

From: JQuilt@aol.com

thanks to the person who wrote about redwork embroidery patterns at Joanns.

I bought some today...they're great.

jean

jquilt@aol.com

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

Date: Fri, 29 Jan 1999 23:42:38 EST

From: JQuilt@aol.com

these redwork embroidery patterns are in the section of Joann's that has the

embroidery floss....they are in envelopes with the words Aunt Martha's(name of

product) on the  envelope..along with little pictures of each embroidery.

actually they are iron on transfers

jean

jquilt@aol.com

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

Date: Sat, 30 Jan 1999 17:18:54 -0600

From: "Northern Onondaga Public Library - John Walter" <noplnsyr@dreamscape.com> (by way of "Kris Driessen, Hickory Hill Quilts" <oldquilt@albany.net>)

My name is Dusty Gage, I'm here in CNY trying to design a crib quilt for a

dear friend from church for her future grandson.  I saw a tiny segment on

TV recently about a Prof Raymond Dobard/member of the Daughters of Dorcas

and Sons/who believes that there was a quilt code of 10 patterns used

during the days of the Underground RR.  If you would have any friends or

associates who would have any information on what these patterns were or if

you now have a catalog of patterns and templates and fabric that you could

send to me I would really appreciate it.  I was thinking of doing the

patterns on 16ct Aida and using them in the corners and edges and perhaps

one pattern for the main body.  I hope that someone will recognize this

interesting little bit of history that doesn't seem to be documented in the

books that  I've researched through our local library.  I think it would be

wonderful to create a queen or king size quilt with these patterns on it

but I don't know what 10 patterns were used.  Any information you have

would be sincerely appreciated.  Mia and I aren't getting any younger and

I'd like to make this before I need a REALLY big magnifying glass to work

with.  God bless and many thanks  noplnsyr@dreamscape.com

noplnsyr@dreamscape.com

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

Date: Sat, 30 Jan 1999 18:41:04 -0500

From: Marsha MacDowell <macdowel@pilot.msu.edu>

As I just mentioned in a recent posting, the exhibit "To Honor and Comfort:

Native Quilting Traditions" is now traveling around the country to major

museum venues.  I also thought those interested in this topic would like to

also know the following:

        1) We here at the MSU Museum are preparing a smaller version that

will travel to tribal museums.

        2) Recently the MSU Museum co-curated "Native American Quilts of

the Southwest: Tradition, Creativity, and Inspiration" exhibit at the

Institute of American Indian Arts Museum in Santa Fe, NM. It runs until the

first week of March, 1999.

        3)  This coming September, 1999 the MSU Museum will open the

exhibit "Great Lakes Native Quilting."

  We continue to collect information on Native quilting so would greatly

appreciate any information you would be willing to send along.

Marsha MacDowell

Michigan State University Museum

macdowel@pilot.msu.edu

http://www.museum.msu.edu

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

Date: Sun, 31 Jan 1999 12:20:09 -0800

From: Rebecca Erle <erleec@sprintmail.com>

Out of lurkdom to ask a couple questions.

I was working on some 1930's repro fabric (applique) and when I matched

thread to the fabric came up with a wooden spool of thread -- cost 15

cents.  Any idea as to time frame for thread?  The color matched very

well -- this could have been one of my mother's spools (married 1940) or

my grandmother's.  Just curious --  one of those things you start

thinking about when working at one a.m.(with no one to talk to)!

Also, I have a Grandmother;s Flower Garden that will need replacing of

at least one 'flower' -- should I use repro fabric or should I try to

date quilt top and look for some vintage fabric that will work -- or

does it matter??  Guess this same question goes for the fabric that I

will eventually need for the back of the quilt.

Thanks  Rebecca

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

Date: Sun, 31 Jan 1999 17:00:55 -0500

From: "Daniel & Diana Dillman" <deedillman@mail.wideopen.net>

Hi!

        I need the names of people who restore quilts.  We live in Gettysburg and

would like to find someone within a 100 mile radius if possible.   Thanks!

[ 99031 ]