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Midwest Study GroupOH, KY, IN, ILThe May 15, 2004 meeting of the Midwest Fabric Dating Study Group found a smaller contingent (10 members and 1 guest) gathering at the Leggett and Platt corporate offices in Cincinnati for an in-depth study of the history of batting. Leggett and Platt purchased the Stearns and Foster Company in July 2003 and continues to produce the Mountain Mist batting line. The rainy, miserable weather was totally forgotten as we immersed ourselves in the inviting samples and historical memorabilia provided by our hostess and batting expert extraordinaire. We learned that the earliest batting company was the Union Wadding Company of Pawtucket, Rhode Island, which sparked some lively debate as to when “batting” became called batting (with two “t’s”) and not “wadding.” Samples of yellow and pink batting used to line candy boxes were circulated and dated to 1836. In 1846, George Stearns and Seth Foster founded “Stearns and Foster” and by 1892 had coined the Mountain Mist brand name. After the Civil War, an explosion of batting companies occurred, many located on waterways: J. Broadbent & Sons in Union, CT; Lockport Cotton Batting Co., New York Cotton Batting Company and the Niagara Cotton Batting Company all in Lockport, NY. Early batting names were fanciful, romantic and fun – “Sleepy Land,” “Old Glory,” “White Puff,” “Dream Angel,” and “Snowflake.” Other names conjure up all sorts of imaginative possibilities: “Manhattan,” “Sea Island,” “Pirate,” “Warm Life,” “Badger” and “The Quaker.” We oohed and aahed over an incredibly soft imported Indian cotton batting (Stearns and Foster) called “Manchu” which was popular in the 1860s and 1870s, but later went off the market. In 1916 the batting manufacturers met to discuss each company’s rights to continue using their trademark batting names (there were some overlaps and contested favorites) and the letters written post-conference as they “chivalrously” attempted to reach closure were among the memorabilia. Our show and tell quilts included a hand quilting project of 1930’s fabrics that was proving extremely difficult to needle (we won’t mention the batting!). We agreed with the quilter that she should remove the basting and stitching and begin again with a different batting. Another project was a badly deteriorated appliqué quilt with exquisite quilting, but too damaged for restoration. Next was a small strippy quilt that had once been tied (ties and batting removed) with bright yellow strips, interesting fabric choices and both a pieced top and backing. We moved on to a utility crazy quilt with a bold hen and chicken backing, a green and yellow Carolina Lily quilt (purchased only the day before) with stuffed stems and leaves and a narrow green binding, and an indigo and white double nine patch with seven sets of initials (done in counted cross stitch) and quilted with “album” quilting – a different quilting design in each plain block. Another treasure was a most unusual pattern of a 16-point star with radiating shamrock shapes encircled by a crown. The edges were cut out for a pencil post bed, and the fabric was an early stripe dress good fabric dating circa 1830. The quilt was moderately quilted with a two-step green binding attached to the quilt by hand with the tiniest stitches we had ever seen! All in all, a most unusual quilt!(Please check the Quilt Study Group site once the photos are posted.) Our next meeting will allow us to take part in the grand opening celebration at the Quilters Hall of Fame in Marion, Indiana on July 17. Our September 19 meeting will focus on Doll and Crib quilts – new members are certainly welcome!
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