Date: Wed, 3 Feb 1999 22:21:35 EST

From: Xroadclown@aol.com

My grandmother pieced and hand quilted her first quilt when she was 13.  She

had the help of some of her cousins, and was so upset about the quality of the

work they did, that she ripped out their work overnight, and re-did it.  She

would have been 121 now, and luckily i still have that quilt.  It is a

tumbling block quilt.  and i love it!!!

a new quilter, but it is in my blood!

melanie (xroadclown@aol.com)

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

Date: Wed, 3 Feb 1999 21:58:41 -0600

From: "GRichter" <richter2@frontiernet.net>

To: <QHL@cuenet.com>

Subject: QHL: Re: Precocious quilters

Message-Id: <199902040405.XAA45300@node21.frontiernet.net>

Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1

Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit

>

> In a message dated 2/2/99 10:36:19 PM Eastern Standard Time,

QHL-Digest-

> request@cuenet.com writes:

>

> <<  Anyone ever hear of

>  little kids doing more complex patterns and with such beautiful

stitching!?

> >>

Hi,

What about the old needlework samplers?  Weren't they done by very

young girls learning embroidery, etc?

Gail R

in NE Wis.

richter2@frontiernet.net

kegar@aol.com

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

Date: Thu, 04 Feb 1999 07:24:20 +0400

From: Xenia Cord <xecord@netusa1.net>

To: QHL@cuenet.com

Subject: QHL: Kids quilting

Message-ID: <36B912E3.62F7@netusa1.net>

Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii

Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit

When my granddaughter was 6, she wanted to make a quilt for mini-4H and

enter it at the county fair (10 years ago).  I had given her my old

Singer 185J and taught her to sew lines on paper with an empty needle.

She and I carefully cut pieces for a small Nine Patch, and she sewed

them together and put on a border.  Then we sandwiched the quilt and she

sewed diagonals through it by machine.  I made binding and she sewed it

on, and I did the hand finishing.  This took about 8 weeks of one step a

week.

On judging day she proudly entered her little quilt (about 12" x 18").

The judges couldn't decide where to put it because Mini's were not

"allowed" to enter the textiles division.  So they put it with "Crafts"

and I actually saw the judge (a woman) pat my granddaughter on the head

and say, "That's nice, dear," as she dismissed the effort.  Needless to

say,  my granddaughter lost a lot of interest in quiltmaking - and in

4H!.

Xenia

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

Date: Thu, 4 Feb 1999 08:05:30 EST

From: JQuilt@aol.com

To: notestine.11@osu.edu,

wouldn't the elderly quiltmaker in the retirement home make a perfect person

to invite to a guild meeting and have her display and tell stories about her

quilts?...... or maybe have someone go to the retirement home and make a video

tape of her and her quilts/stories?

jean

jquilt@aol.com

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

Date: Thu, 4 Feb 1999 08:30:15 EST

From: HKnight453@aol.com

get your stories on tape form the elderly about quilts, geneology, or anything

else, and make transcripts.  I wish I had asked my Grandmother Knight more

about her family in Ireland, her childhood etc.  She died at 93, with a

perfect memory, or nearly so.  Ask now, or regret later.  Most persons are

more than willing to talk on the record, and it's a good way to preserve the

past...

Heather

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

Date: Thu, 4 Feb 1999 09:34:36 EST

From: JQuilt@aol.com

To: QHL@cuenet.com

Subject: QHL: 1000 years ago

Message-ID: <4a25de5b.36b9affc@aol.com>

Content-type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII

Content-transfer-encoding: 7bit

1000 years ago when I was 6 years old and  lived in NYC...my mother began

teaching me needlework, knitting and crocheting...It was not unusual for girls

that age to learn these "homemaking" skills.....

 I learned these wonderful crafts, so that I could make my dolls clothes, and

hankies for my aunts and grandmother...they were not for any competitions...my

dolls, aunts and grandmother all loved them and as a result I still love doing

all of them today..

competitions are not always the best avenue for children.....or grown ups, for

that matter.

jean

jquilt@aol.com

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

Date: Thu, 04 Feb 1999 09:52:58 +0000

From: Shirley McElderry <tigersoup@lisco.net>

To: QHL@cuenet.com

Subject: QHL: Die-cut butterflies

Message-ID: <36B96DF7.164F@lisco.net>

Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii

Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit

Audrey and QHLers: The Warren Textile Co. in Boston, Mass offered

die-cut butterflies and other die-cut appliques such as pansies, tulips,

etc. in 1933 and 1934 in Comfort, Needlecraft, and a few other

periodicals. In an undated catalog of Warren's are many different

appliques, including both large and small butterflies, in either plain

or prints. There is also a "Sunbonnet Duck" that is a real hoot!

I haven't found any reference to die-cut quilt kits being sold before

1929; but that doesn't necessarily mean there wasn't any! (G)

Shirley Mc from Iowa

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

Date: Thu, 04 Feb 1999 11:08:53 -0800

From: Sue <erroof@wcoil.com>

To: QHL@cuenet.com

Subject: QHL: Re: Die Cut Butterflies

Message-ID: <36B9F044.115294FB@wcoil.com>

Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii

Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit

Hi Audrey and All,

  I have a one page advertisement from "Needlecraft - The Home Arts

Magazine"  called the  "Quilt Block Service Sheet" it shows not only the

die cut Butterflies, but also Star and Diamond Quilt Blocks, and Dahlia

Quilt Blocks. The adds actually say the blocks are "die cut". The bad

news is there is no date on the sheet. The good news is the pictures are

definitely of 20's and 30's prints.

  The prices are as follows:

        Star and Diamonds - 72 Gay print diamonds  39 cents.

        Gay Print Butterflies - 64  4 X 6 inch assortment 39 cents

                                30  8 1/4 X 6 inch assortment 39 cents

        Dahlia - 72 Gay print flower petals and 9 contrasting centers   

finished size 10 1/2 inches just the right size for a

                15 inch background block  39 cents.

The star and diamond block and the dahlia block are shown in the photo

button hole stitched.

Sue in gloomy, cold, NW Ohio

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

Date: Thu, 4 Feb 1999 09:56:38 -0800 (PST)

From: bevquilt@sprynet.com

To: QHL@cuenet.com

Subject: QHL: Re: QHL-Digest Digest V99 #33

Message-Id: <199902041756.JAA16645@m9.sprynet.com>

Content-Type: text/plain

Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit

Audrey and all kit quilt fans: I totally agree with Xenia

that many die-cut kits were sold during the 1920s and 30s. I

 have many of these, including countless homeless die-cut

butterflies, in my collection.  Anne Copeland and I also did

an article on kits for AQSG and ours is found in Uncoverings

1994.  At the present time I am working on an article for

Chitra Publishing on the quilts of the 1930s and this

article will include more information on Butterfly quilts

made from kits and from scratch, and will include a pattern.

While I was working with RJR Fashion Fabrics on the

Butterfly Hope Collection last year I did research on

butterfly quilts and their meaning during the Depression. I

found them to be used as a sign of hope and new life for the

women of that era just as they are for many people today.

Beverly

Beverly Dunivent

HTTP://home.sprynet.com/sprynet/bevquilt

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

Date: Thu, 4 Feb 1999 18:53:28 -0000

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

When each of my two children left primary school I made leavers quilts with

the top class as a once a week volunteer.  First time they used a medley of

techniques according to their individual designs - I was amazed how well

some of the (otherwise fidgety and troublesome) boys could embroider and how

hard they all concentrated.  The second time everyone made an ohio star

using a hand sewing machine and fabrics from their own clothes.

The quilts hang in the school hall and are stunning, I am very proud of the

kids who made them.  However,  the local Countrywomens Association meet

there, and on more than one occasion I have heard people remark how nice the

quilts are but such a shame the teacher 'obvously did all the work'.

I have said before on another list, we should expect more of our children

not less. We are never surprised how adept they are at computer games et al,

so why do we think they can't sew?

Sally in UK

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

Date: Thu, 04 Feb 1999 13:30:24 -0700

From: Adella <adellaharris@earthlink.net

The discussion about butterfly patterns caught my eye as I am working

with a local community hospice to plan a commemorative quilt.   One of

our volunteers suggested a butterfly theme just yesterday.  And today on

the digest I read:

bevquilt@sprynet.com wrote:

>

> While I was working with RJR Fashion Fabrics on the

> Butterfly Hope Collection last year I did research on

> butterfly quilts and their meaning during the Depression. I

> found them to be used as a sign of hope and new life for the

> women of that era just as they are for many people today.

> Beverly

>

Does anyone on the mailing list have a suggestion for finding butterfly

die-cuts or patterns?  Thanks!

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

Date: Thu, 4 Feb 1999 16:31:25 -0800

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

To: <QHL@cuenet.com>

I agree that we under-estimate what kids are capable of doing and what they

want to do. I have a friend named Marie, now in her late 60's, who pieced

her first quilt, a Grandmother's Flower Garden, when she was seven years

old. Her mother did help her quilt it, I think. She's never stopped

quilting and still makes beautiful Flower Garden quilts all by hand. She

says it's relaxing!

Pepper Cory

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

Date: Fri, 05 Feb 1999 08:37:05 -0700

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

I have a wonderful 8yr old neice, Elizabeth, whose mother died when she

was just 3yrs old. She and her brother Tristan (now 11) have been raised

by a wonderful father who is a brilliant Dad.

Over the 5 years since their mother's death, I have had the children

stay over a number of times, and each time Elizabeth wants to play in my

fabrics. When she was about 4yrs, we sat all one day and made a clown

face doll quilt. Elizabeth cut the fabrics and placed them on a large

piece of muslin to make the face, and I machine appliqued the pieces

down. We used colouful buttons and bits of lace and ended up with

"Lizzies Clown Quilt".

Lately nothing had been said about fabrics or quilts, so I have not

pressed the point. That was until the week before Christmas. Her answer

to the usual "what would you like for Christmas" was, "Can you teach me

to make a real quilt"

We now have five Ohio Star blocks made from fabric that Elizabeth chose.

It is going to be a full sized quilt, and hopefully finished in time for

her 9th birthday in April. We will tie it, as I am not a quilter.

Lizzies dad is remarrying in March and she will be with me for 2 weeks.

I am so lucky.

Lorraine in Oz

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

Date: Thu, 04 Feb 1999 17:37:24 -0500

From: Nancy Roberts <robertsn@norwich.net

Hello to all. I'm still cleaning and reorganizing my sewing room. This time I

came across two scrapbooks, each containing more than 30 pages of patterns

and clippings from the 1970's. A friend purchased them at a church jumble

sale, so I don't have the history of whose they were. Some of the magazines

represented include Women's Circle, Women's Household, Family Circle, Women's

Day, and Girl Scout Leader. The latter has a piece in it about bicentennial

quiltmaking. There's also an article about Ernest B. Haight, "father" of

machine quilting. Many of the clippings are glued down to pages while others

are paper-clipped or loose.

When I first looked them over, I didn't think they were all that old.

However, they're nearly a quarter of a century. Hmmmm... I feel dated all of

a sudden.

They're fun to look through, but I don't care to keep them any longer. If you

collect ephemera like this and are interested, make me a trade offer of

fabric from your stash (your choice). I would also need postage to mail these

items to you. I don't think they'll make weight for the $3.20 priority mail,

but would probably come in around $5 or $6. I can check this when I know the

zip code they'll go to.

E-mail me if these old-time scrapbooks sound like something that belongs in

your collection. Hope someone will enjoy them. Nancy

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

Date: Thu, 04 Feb 1999 20:11:44 -0600

From: Valerie Davis <vpse@globaldialog.com>

To: Sally Ward <sward@t-ward.demon.co.uk

Dear Sally,

    Viewing "Dances With Wolves" would be an entertaining way for students to

learn about American history  IF, and this is a big if, they are made aware

in the beginning that it is very idealized. . .  Indians all good, white men

all bad.  Neither case is true. However, the movie was celebrated as one of

the few Hollywood movies which depicted the Native American in a more

realistic, humanistic way.  I have read that all the props used (iron tools

etc.) were authenticated reproductions.  Just my opionion.

Valerie

Sally Ward wrote:

> Here in the UK my 15 yr old daughter is about to take History exams which

> include American history.  Her teacher has suggested that the class watch

> 'Dances with Wolves' as part of their revision.  Is this a good idea?

>

> Sally

Date: Thu, 04 Feb 1999 20:57:26 -0600

From: Russell-Hill <russhill@ctesc.net>

To: Valerie Davis <vpse@globaldialog.com>

Valerie Davis wrote:

>

> Dear Sally,

>     Viewing "Dances With Wolves" would be an entertaining way for students

Hi Everyone,

Well as someone who does reenacting I have a problem with a lot of the

movies all though I must say that they have improved a great deal in the

last few years.  There is a very good made for TV movie and that is the

Buffillo Soldier.  That maybe a little closer to true.  There are far

better documentaries out there from the History Channel than Hollywood.

It is if we should look at  some of the movies made about England as

being historically correct.  I am sure that you would find many of them

to be incorrect as well. 

This is my .02 of course the clothes are incorrect most of the time. 

Debbie

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

Date: Thu, 4 Feb 1999 22:53:54 -0500 (EST)

From: "Joanna E. Evans" <jevans@bluemarble.net>

To: QHL@cuenet.com

Hello:

My twin five-year-old boys go to a wonderful Montessori school where they

have been doing lots of fine motor activities like sewing. They also

learned to use an iron at school (when they were 4 years old) before I had

the nerve to try it.

Last year they started making four patches with me. I leave the bin of the

fabrics (mostly 30s reproduction conversation prints that they have chosen

at quilt shows) along with their other bins of toys. Whenever they pull it

out, I help them with their projects. I try to keep it simple, light, and

fun. They choose and iron two fabrics. They or I mark their squares. They

cut the fabric. I pin their squares with safety pins; they prick themselves

enough with the needle. And we always use a 1/2 inch seam allowance so when

a cutting line isn't followed exactly or a stitch goes astray, it is no big

deal. Recently, I did a program on antique quilts for their class (of 3 to

6 year olds) at school. And now the children are working on making

classroom quilt tops. (I will machine quilt them for strength; they have to

be machine washed each week.)

On Tuesday evening, I took my sons to our guild meeting since my babysitter

canceled. The president asked me to introduce them, so I did and I showed

some of their completed work. They spent some time watching a portable tv

(with earphones) and then came and sat on my lap for show and tell. (They

wanted to see the quilts more than the movie. Yea!) Fortunately they were

not disruptive; I would have left immediately (and they knew it) if they

had been.

Tonight at a school gathering, I was surprised when the mother (a quilter

herself) of a 7 year old boy told me that her stepson (whose mother died

when he was 4) has been asking her to teach him to quilt. She had told him

maybe when he was older. He replied that he had been sewing since he was

three (at school). She said that after seeing what my boys had done, she

went home and told him that she would start helping now. I hope they have

as much fun with it as we have. Quilts are important to my boys and I hope

they always will be.

I get so upset when I hear of people like the woman Xenia described who

cause so much damage with so little effort. I think it is important for

children to be exposed to a wide variety of activities and to be encouraged

to follow their interests (and to have a chance to see ours). I'll step

down from my soapbox now. Thanks for listening.

Joanna

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

Date: Thu, 04 Feb 1999 23:00:10 -0800

From: Audrey Waite <awquiltr@sedona.net

Hi Adella:

Just by coincidence I received an advertisement in the mail today from

Foust Textiles Inc., P. O. Box 576, Kings Mountain, NC 28086 for

precision-cut patchwork fabric quilting pieces.  They're called

"Granny's Quilting Shapes".  You can reach them at 1-800-258-9816, FAX

1-800-358-3949 or www.foustextiles.com (no affiliation,etc.)  They may

be wholesale only but they can probably tell you where you can purchase

these shapes.  There are diamonds, squares, heart appliques, triangles,

squares, hexagons, bow tie, lancaster rose, tumbling blocks, birds in

flight, dresden plate, butterfly (not as pretty as the ones from the

30s!) baby blocks and tulip.

Thanks to everyone for the information on the die-cut butterfly.  I'll

pass it along to my friend.  You are all so knowledgeable and gracious

in sharing information you have.

Audrey Waite in rainy Sedona, AZ (boy did we need it!)

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

Date: Fri, 5 Feb 1999 07:50:53 EST

From: @aol.com

Sally -

If you can find it, Ken Burns's documentary series =The Civil War= is a superb

(if long) account of our great national tragedy.  A fictionalized version of

the climactic battle of the Civil War, Gettsburg, is the movie of the same

name - very accurate, very literate, and beautifully acted and cast.  *All*

the extras were members of Civil War re-enactment groups, and their uniforms

and equipment are completely accurate.

As for a movie about Native Americans...my vote goes to =Last of the

Mohicans,= set during the French & Indian War (aka the Seven Years War).

Native American activist Russell Means plays Chingachgook, the Mohican chief,

and *all* the Native American extras were actually members of local tribes.

The props, sets and costumes were again quite accurate (although I have some

trouble with Daniel Day-Lewis's hair, as gorgeous and charismatic as he is).

The movie itself is about as romantic as it's possible to get...and yes, the

Appalachian mountains *do* look like that.

I can't think of any good documentaries about the Revolution, although Burns

made a terrific film about Thomas Jefferson a few years ago.  It came out

before the DNA evidence connecting him to Sally Hemings's children, though.

Good luck - I'll try to think of more. 

Karen Evans

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

Date: Fri, 5 Feb 1999 08:06:45 EST

From: JQuilt@aol.com

To: QUILTNET@LSV.UKY.EDU, qhl@cuenet.com

for anyone going to lancaster the following website is great for info about

Lancaster.

http://www.pavisnet.com/lancaster/

jean

jquilt@aol.com

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

Date: Fri, 5 Feb 1999 08:15:21 EST

From: JQuilt@aol.com

thank you so much for the foust textile address ...you left out a t in the

website address

www.fousttextiles.com

jean

jquilt@aol.com

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

Date: Fri, 05 Feb 1999 08:18:59 +0400

From: Xenia Cord <xecord@netusa1.net

Uncoverings is the annual journal of the American Quilt Study Group.

Membership is relatively inexpensive, the annual conventions are full of

energy and teeming with interesting people, all of whom are high on

quilt research and quilt history

Xenia, who gives herself a membership each year for her birthday!

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

Date: Fri, 05 Feb 1999 08:18:13 PST

From: "Kim Heger" <kheger@hotmail.com

Joanna, I think that's wonderful that you and your boys are so involved

with quilting!  Awesome-they chose the quilts over the movie--I love it!

I had my 5th grade social studies class make a quilt when we were

studying pioneer.  Several teachers thought, "Oh, she'll never be able

to get the boys involved."  I had 100% participation from every child! 

I even had the mother of one boy tell me that he was so excited about

his quilt block and he told her about the progress he had made everyday

when he went home from school.  And this was one of the "cool" kids,

too!  Quilting is something even kids can identify with because most all

of them have a loved blanket from childhood.  Many of my students even

brought theirs in to share with the class!  Needless to say, that was

the most enjoyable unit I've ever taught!

Kim Heger

southwest Kansas

Date: Thu, 4 Feb 1999 22:53:54 -0500 (EST)

To: QHL@cuenet.com

Hello:

My twin five-year-old boys go to a wonderful Montessori school where

they

have been doing lots of fine motor activities like sewing. They also

learned to use an iron at school (when they were 4 years old) before I

had

the nerve to try it.

Last year they started making four patches with me. I leave the bin of

the

fabrics (mostly 30s reproduction conversation prints that they have

chosen

at quilt shows) along with their other bins of toys. Whenever they pull

it

out, I help them with their projects. I try to keep it simple, light,

and

fun. They choose and iron two fabrics. They or I mark their squares.

They

cut the fabric. I pin their squares with safety pins; they prick

themselves

enough with the needle. And we always use a 1/2 inch seam allowance so

when

a cutting line isn't followed exactly or a stitch goes astray, it is no

big

deal. Recently, I did a program on antique quilts for their class (of 3

to

6 year olds) at school. And now the children are working on making

classroom quilt tops. (I will machine quilt them for strength; they have

to

be machine washed each week.)

On Tuesday evening, I took my sons to our guild meeting since my

babysitter

canceled. The president asked me to introduce them, so I did and I

showed

some of their completed work. They spent some time watching a portable

tv

(with earphones) and then came and sat on my lap for show and tell.

(They

wanted to see the quilts more than the movie. Yea!) Fortunately they

were

not disruptive; I would have left immediately (and they knew it) if they

had been.

Tonight at a school gathering, I was surprised when the mother (a

quilter

herself) of a 7 year old boy told me that her stepson (whose mother died

when he was 4) has been asking her to teach him to quilt. She had told

him

maybe when he was older. He replied that he had been sewing since he was

three (at school). She said that after seeing what my boys had done, she

went home and told him that she would start helping now. I hope they

have

as much fun with it as we have. Quilts are important to my boys and I

hope

they always will be.

I get so upset when I hear of people like the woman Xenia described who

caus so much damage with so little effort. I think it is important for

children to be exposed to a wide variety of activities and to be

encouraged

to follow their interests (and to have a chance to see ours). I'll step

down from my soapbox now. Thanks for listening.

Joanna

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

Date: Fri, 5 Feb 1999 11:26:13 EST

From: Palampore@aol.com

I just ordered and received a NEW palampore from the PAST TIMES Catalog.  They

call it a Tree of Life Cotton Throw (108" X 70").  It is a lightweight cotton

fabric.  It is really very pretty.  What a lovely catalog. Anyone who loves

beautiful textiles will enjoy it.  I could spend tons of money with those

folks.  For anyone who wants their catalog it is:  1-800-621-6020  I am not

advertising because I have no connection with this company. 

I will be taking a class tomorrow under the direction of Pepper Cory on

quilting.  Can hardly wait!!! 

If any of you have pictures of, or patterns of 1800's "huswif" sewing cases or

other rolled sewing cases I would love to hear from you.  I am interested in

civilian and military rolled sewing cases.  (I guess the words case or kit can

be used.)

Thanks,  Lynn Lancaster Gorges in New Bern, NC    palampore@aol.com

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

Date: Fri, 05 Feb 1999 16:50:45 -0600

>

> I agree that we under-estimate what kids are capable of doing and what they

> want to do. I have a friend named Marie, now in her late 60's, who pieced

> her first quilt, a Grandmother's Flower Garden, when she was seven years

> old.

Pepper,

        My mother started her first quilt when she was 4!

        Not surprising she started me on quiltmaking when I was 8......

>

Jocelyn

ocelynm@delphi.com

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

Date: Fri, 05 Feb 1999 19:21:53 -0600

From: "Kris Driessen, Hickory Hill Quilts" <oldquilt@albany.net>

Does anyone know anything about this site?

http://www.quiltcollector.com/

It *looks* interesting, but I don't recognize any of the names connected

with it.

Kris

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

Date: Fri, 05 Feb 1999 21:35:09 +0400

From: Xenia Cord <xecord@netusa1.net

To Kris and QHL - I tried that new site:  http://www.quiltcollector.com/

The name Diane Leone is certainly familiar - in the early 1990s her name

was on the selvedges of every good piece of double pink and related

seaweed calicoes made!  Her collection, if it is auctioned as promised,

should be something to see and participate in.

No association - just a comment.

Xenia

Date: Sat, 6 Feb 1999 09:07:29 -0000

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

This is the name on the spine of one of the best beginner  instruction =

books I have come across - The New Sampler Quilt.

Sally

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

Date: Sat, 06 Feb 1999 08:32:32 +0400

From: Xenia Cord <xecord@netusa1.net

May I inject an historical note about the current fad for "Civil War"

fabrics?  BQL (Bristish Quilt List) may not find this a burning issue,

but in the US we should not let romanticism cloud our understanding.   I

think in our interest in creating ever-new design fields for fabric

reproduction, we have lost sight of the fact that few - if any - cotton

dress goods were produced in the US (read northern states) during the

Civil War.  After all, raw cotton was a southern product that was not

being shipped north for manufacturing, and the north was blockading

southern ports to keep ships from carrying raw cotton to England for

production.  This was an attempt, of course, to cripple the South's

economic base; at the same time, English-made cotton goods (and related

sources) were not being imported into the northern states because

England was sympathetic to the southern cause.

Small amounts of  raw cotton were being shipped from Utah and other

areas outside the States (Utah was still a territory).  Mountain Mist,

for instance, got its raw cotton for ammunition cartridges, gas masks,

quilt batting and mattresses from Utah.  But supply, distance, and

difficult transportation made this a token source compared with what had

been available from the south.

Bottom line?  We probably should not be talking about "Civil War"

fabrics, but rather "C.W.-era" cotton prints, pre-1861, and in the

latter years of the 1860s, as production and manufacturing were

haltingly resumed.  What do the rest of you think?

Xenia

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

Date: Sat, 6 Feb 1999 10:53:34 -0600

From: Dale E Watts <dpwatts@ott.net

I am searching for an address for Rocky Mt. Quilts in Grand Junction, CO.

Betsy Telford is the owner I do believe.

If anyone can supply her address, please email me privately.  Thank you so much.

Peggy

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

Date: Sat, 06 Feb 1999 14:48:10 -0600

From: Russell-Hill <russhill@ctesc.net

Hi all,

Well I quess I will put my two cents in on this.  I have done some

research of the period for correct clothing.  The mills in Massachusetts

were still running and were producing cotton during that time.  Ladies

groups up North were not in such straights as the South and were able to

make the quilts for the SanCom and shirts and such.  the South was to a

point near the wars end of making their own fabric and tearing up their

linens to make things for their soldiers.  At almost $20 a yard the

south was suffering.  It was written that a woman in the South saw a

piece of cotton for $20 a yard and bought 5 yards just because she could

not stand to be with out such nice fabric anymore.  This was near the

end of the war. 

Now the production of cotton may not have been as great as it was prior

to the war but the North was able to do it.  This is were things failed

for the South.  With out industry as in the North they could not take

the raw and turn it into a product for sale. Sherman said "The North can

make a steam engine, locomotive, or railway car ; yet hardly a yard of

cloth or a pair of shoes you ( the South) can make".  So even if cotton

would not come from England it came from New England.  I believe a lot

of fabric also came from France. 

Debbie

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

ate: Sat, 6 Feb 1999 16:58:19 -0500

From: Steve Greco <GrandmasAttic@compuserve.com

      First, does anyone have any information regarding the Nancy Cabot

advertisements for patterns that were in the Chicago Tribune newspaper in

the 30s and 40s?  I have "inherited" tons of booklets with Nancy Cabot

patterns and Nancy Cabot advertisements in them. These came from the estate

of Wilma Smith who was quite the quilt historian before her death in the

early 1990s. I would like to be able to continue the research but don't

want to "reinvent the wheel" if it's already out there.  Perhaps someone

can guide me to more information.  I would like specifically information

regarding the three women who wrote the column and sources for where I

might go to learn more.

Secondly, does anyone have any information about Edna Van Dos.  Edna

published a series of "scrapbooks" under the name of Dutch Girl

Publications (at least I think that's the title--the actual scrapbooks are

at home and I'm at work on the computer trying to remember all this stuff).

This was during the 1970s. Edna Van Dos was also a very big quilt pattern

historian and very active with this.  Edna Van Dos and Wilma Smith were

correspondents who collaborated with each other at times and shared

information. This is how I came to know about Edna.  An early subscriber to

Edna's "scrapbooks" was Cuesta Barberry (are you on our list?). I am

familiar with Cuesta's wonderful work through Quilter's Newsletter magazine

and other sources and am awed by the knowledge that she has as well!  (If

you're on this list Cuesta, thanks for writing such great articles!j) 

Thirdly, if any of you have any information about Wilma Smith herself, I

would be very grateful. I know some things about her but not a great deal.

It is Wilma's collection of goodies that I was able to purchase at a garage

sale (and not before some of it was pilfered by local antique dealers) that

has inspired me to continue on with quilt research and documentation.

Rachel Greco

Grandma's Attic Sewing Emporium

155 SW Court Street

Dallas, OR  97338

1-503-623-0451

e-mail: GrandmasAttic@compuserve.com

I would be grateful for any information that you have.

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

Date: Sat, 6 Feb 1999 16:58:21 -0500

From: Steve Greco <GrandmasAttic@compuserve.com>

I just want to reiterate what Heather said about getting your stories down

on tape from the elderly about quilts, genealogy or anything else and make

transcripts. My grandmother died at the age of 85 this past October. I was

in the process of typing up everything she ever told me, doing scrapbooks

on genealogy, information on quilting, etc. I thought I had a ton of

information.  Ever since she passed on I keep wondering "why wasn't I

listening? how come I didn't think to get more information?" As Heather so

aptly put it, "Ask now or regret later!"

Rachel Greco

Grandma's Attic Sewing Emporium, Inc.

155 SW Court Street

Dallas, OR  97338

1-503-623-0451

e-mail: GrandmasAttic@compuserve.com

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

Date: Sat, 06 Feb 1999 20:30:38 -0600

From: Matti2000@aol.com (

Hello quilters...I am brand new to this list and I have a question...I am

working on a play about the Underground RR that will be presented to

elementary schools in NY state and PA...I need to find info about quilts being

used as signals...Any suggestions?

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

Date: Sat, 6 Feb 1999 21:40:35 EST

From: KareQuilt@aol.com

Dear QHL readers,

Have you heard about the Smithsonian seminar March 19-20?  Sounds like a real

treat. I just got my announcement Friday.  The title is : "Common Threads:

Creating A Cloth For Empowerment."      

"An International Symposium: The Role of Textile Collectives in Women's

Empowerment And Recent Research on African-American Quilters."

The Group for Cultural Documentation (TGCD) is co-sponsoring it with the

Smithsonian Institution's Center for Folklife Programs and Cultural Studies,

and the Smithsonians' Anacostia Museum and Center for African American History

and Culture.  The flyer reads:

"We will bring together an international group of representatives of women's

groups that have coalesced around textile work...Included groups and their

work...Alabama Freedom Quilting Bee, Mississippi Cultural Crossroads Quilters,

Cabin Creek Quilters, Tierra Wools, Native American quilting groups, and Hmong

textile groups, Africa (including Zamani Soweto Sisters of South Africa and

Liberia's Arthington Women's Self-Help Quilting Group), Latin America

(Chilean,Columbian and Peruvian groups), Eastern Europe, Asia, and Australia.

The common thread among these groups across th globe is that quilting,

weaving, and the creation of similar tapestry works plays a central role in

their efforts to empower women....

Recent research on African-American quilts...A panel is anticiapted to include

Cuesta Benberry [1983 Quilters Hall of Fame Honoree], Raymond Dobard, Roland

L. Freeman, and Carolyn Mazloomi.

To pre-register ($10) make check out to TGCD and mail to 117 Ingraham St., NW,

Washington, DC 20011. PH: (202) 882-7764; FAX: (202) 829-6814.  Their mailing

also includes a list  of those representing each ethnic group and one page on

Roland Freeman's book and national exhibtion schedule.

I saw Mr. Freeman's exhibit, " A Communion of Spirits: African-American

Quilters, Preservers, and Their Stories" a coupl of weeks ago at the

Smithsonian. I loved his book, which I read some time ago, and found the

exhibit very exciting.  Just today I registered for the Common Threads

seminar.

Karen Alexander

Research Focus: Quilts of the Shenandoah Valley

Member of AQSG since 1981

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