It's the Year of the Quilt! Are You Planning your 2011 Vacation?

 HAPPY NEW YEAR to each and every one of you! Thank you for being here, for commenting, for bringing your Quilter's Spirit to my little nook of the planet. I wish you many blessings and prosperity and joy-fulled friendships and experiences in 2011.

2011 brings an extravaganza of quilts into the fold from the American Folk Art Museum collection and a private collection, which will will be on display at various locations in the city throughout the year.

Infinite Variety, Three Centuries of Red and White Quilts will cap the American Folk Art Museum's "Year of the Quilt."  It is the largest exhibit with over 650 red and white American quilts displayed at one time! They are hung four and five high, as if floating in space, in a circular fashion at the Park Avenue Armory from March 25-30, 2011.  Entrance to the this special show is free. What a gift for those who can attend.

This will be the largest quilt exhibit ever seen in the city. All of the quilts are on loan from one New York City private collection. Fifty quilts will be chosen by and donated  to AFAM's collection after the exhibition. Wow!  What a memory to have. I've seen pictures of the installation and it's not something you can describe, you've got to see it to believe it. A café, gift and book store are also in the armory which is located at 643 Park Avenue between 66th and 67th Streets.

Read much more about the Infinite Variety exhibit and three more major quilt exhibits from the museum's collection being offered this year including the curator's thoughts and historic perspective.

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American Folk Art Museum's Super Star Quilts Opened Yesterday

Stars, some of the most important elements of the natural world, are also a beloved and enduring motif in American quilts. Stars appeared in pieced bedcovers as early as the eighteenth century and remain popular with quilt artists today. The "Super Stars" exhibit illuminates one theme in the textile masterpieces from the  American Folk Art Museum's collection that is on display in the NYC 2 Lincoln Square location  from November 16 to September 25, 2011.

Stars do not make a major appearance in American quilts until the last quarter of the eighteenth century, when they were increasingly used as a pieced field motif. This was no doubt a response, at least in part, to the design of the flag of the newly formed United States. Conceived as a “new constellation,” the canton featured white five-pointed stars against a cobalt background, evoking once again the moral certitude of the heavenly canopy, as well as the strength of America’s victory. By this time, stars were also a strong element in the neoclassical lexicon. Their presence on quilts allowed the tenets of the classical world to resonate with the new republic in a highly fashionable manner.

It was not until the turn of the nineteenth century that a single eight-pointed star moved front and center in whole-cloth quilts, usually pieced in a solid-color glazed wool known as calimanco. But with the invention of the kaleidoscope in 1816, art and science took an unanticipated and dazzling turn. Quiltmakers, especially, embraced the refracted imagery produced by the kaleidoscope. Large single stars now blazed across cotton quilt tops, pieced from multitudes of diamonds that scintillated in rings from the center to the points. Staggered rows of repeated stars danced across the surfaces of bedcovers. By the Victorian era, the aspect of stars changed once again with the influence of exotic ideas from the Near East. Star motifs were interpreted for a new age in silk, velvet, and brocade show quilts.

"Super Stars" , curated by Stacy Hollander, highlights the dazzling diversity of this variable pattern as interpreted through more than one hundred years of quilt artistry. The museum has published a book of 200 of their most significant bedcovers in their collection to coincide with the exhibit. If you can't make the exhibit, get the book;  Quilts, Masterworks from the American Folk Art Museum or give it as a gift.

 I have long pointed to the the museum's first quilt book, Glorious American Quilts,  as one of my  most prized books on the subject of quilt history. Beautifully written and photographed, it gives so much information helping me learn about the periods and influences on American quilt making.  I learned how to date quilts in part because of this book.

Given that the same author, Elizabeth V. Warren , and former curator of the museum, also authors their new book, it must be fabulous as we know more than we did in the early 1990s when Glorious was written (published in 1996). Also the museum has added about 100 bedcovers to its collection, including a  late 18th century patchwork quilt made with the Hewson panel in the center.  And yes,  it will also be on display for a time during their Year of the Quilt, in the Masterworks Quilts exhibits. (more on that in another blog post.)

Quilts: Masterworks from the American Folk Art Museum  By Elizabeth V. Warren, with a preface by Maria Ann Conelli, a foreword by Martha Stewart, and an introduction by Stacy C. Hollander. New York: Rizzoli International Publications in association with the American Folk Art Museum, 2010. 336 pages.



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Quilts Embellished with Poems, Words, Messages

I find myself dating quilts for people today, some of which are filled with signatures, others with a single name. All tell a story. As I search through my library to gather more information for them, I see the beautiful synergy of words and fabric coming together. Here are a few links for your enjoyment too.

• The Soldier  Quilt and Poets  
• Where Dreams Wait  quilt made for a quilt challenge with the theme  "Indelible Spirit."  It celebrated the indelible spirit shown in those who create art in spite of limitations
• The Seldom-Ever Shady Glades 
• Imagine your favorite quilt while reading this Tennessee  poet's poem
• A thread of poems about quilting, dreaming and nature by Judy Anne. (check out the poem Judy posted  in comments on the last post )
• I saw this fabulous exhibit Talking Quilts at the American Folk Art Museum. scroll down the page to see 4 antique quilts in the show,  click to a large view
• A compilation of photos of text sewn onto textiles for art's sake

Funny thing happened when I was sitting on my studio floor flipping through the books. My eyes caught a glisten of color against the carpet. My eyes followed it until I realized it was a lone thread that had fallen from the sewing table. So I bent forward to picked it up only to see that the thread was still coming up as I settled back down in the Indian style posture. What?

Thread was actually strewn and tossed all across the floor! The kitty had knock it off the table and pushed it all over until finally it went too far under the couch for him to reach. I quickly scanned for more deconstruction, as there were at least 15 spools of thread and 5 bobbins by the machine. I was grateful to see that he had tired after chasing just this one!

Thank you to everyone who has written me since I posted this week and sent wonderful message and shared their sense of sisterhood with the poems Delaine and I wrote. You bring joy to my heart. And to you I write this itty bitty poetry-

Piece for Peace
Live to Love
Shine your Light
for all to see
The beauty in thee

Keep the poetry and comments coming. Soon I'll post a scrappy "landscape with  stormy sky" I recently made.


Kim
http://quiltersspirit.blogspot.com/
http://livingtomakesenseofitall.com/


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Welsh Quilts on exhibit at the Jen Jones Welsh Quilt Center

THE JEN JONES ELSH QUILT CENTRE 2009 exhibit photos

The Welsh Flannel geometric patchworks were the focus of the inaugural exhibition at The Jen Jones welsh Quilt Centre. They are thrilled that, at last these wonderful artifacts have become universally recognized.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Opening March 6^th 2010

Their new exhibition, 'Unsung Heritage: The Quilts Of Wales'  will be a further revelation in terms of the enormous spectrum within the Welsh quilting tradition.

They will feature the fiery reds including red paisleys and paisley shawl quilts.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Alongside these will hang the contrasting and diverse cotton patchworks and whole cloths that represent a major portion of the output during the 19^th and early 20^th century.

Early Cotton patchwork Merthyr Tydfil C1840

 Email quilts@jen-jones.com

www.jen-jones.com

My thoughts:

There is joy in viewing Welsh quilts due to the simplicity of the patterns, the contrast of the fabrics and a WOW in the incredible stitched quilting patterns. Welsh quilter's seem to bring the art of quilting (stitches) to the forefront of their work and of the times.

They share quilt styles with the English, and wool contrasting concepts with the Amish, but the quilting, it stands alone, in an outstanding way from most quilts through time. Our American made whole cloth wool quilts, or  are the closest quilts I know with ornate quilting. French made quilts have stuffed quilting with ornate designs, but they mostly favored channel quilting, or straight lines and angled quilting, not the swirls that are common on Welsh and fancy wool whole cloth  quilts.

If any of you visit the exhibit, please let us know more about it. We'd love to hear. You can email me, or leave comments.

American Quilts in a British Museum, New Book Shows Them to US!

Classic Quilts from The American Museum in Britain written by the curators of this wonderful museum in Bath England,  Laura Beresford and Katherine Hebert.

It was Katherine who contacted me earlier this summer, 2009, about the eagle quilt kit pictured in an article about eagle quilts that she had come across on my Antique Quilt Dating Guides website. I introduced her 9by email) to Madge Zeigler  owner of the kit, including the original packaging. The kit is by Paragon, titled American Eagle Quilt. It was first advertised in Woman's Day in the mid-1950s.

Katherine was about to put this book to bed when she saw this kit quilt and knew it looked like the one in Bath. The date-  '63 -is embroidered on the museum's quilt and due to the Federal period symbolism of the eagle in America, and the thirteen stars, swags and pots with flowers situated around its central placement. So they estimated it was likely made in 1763 or 1863, but frustratingly they couldn't say for certain. (How many of us have felt that feeling when it comes quilts we later find out were kits?)

She was thrilled to be able to validate that her quilt was indeed made with a Paragon Kit too, thanks to Madge's help of many pictures and the instructions.

In the book on pages 70-1 you will see stunning photography of the kit quilt and that the one in their collection was made in 1963. They write that this quilt pattern was based on a chintz version made in 1795. How fun is that!

Now I'll tell you a bit about the rest of the Classic Quilts book, but I know you will want it on your self if you love antique quilts.

There are very large detail photographs, including full page detail photos, as well as full views of the quilts. Quilting pattern and fabric prints are easily seen.

Sheila Betterton, formerly the textile and needlework specialist for the museum and largely responsible for getting this collection going at the America Museum, wrote the preface in 2008. Sadly, she passed away that same year. She began as a volunteer at the Museum in 1963. The book is dedicated to her.

The book begins with the history of the Museum coming to be and who do you think influenced the founders Dr. Dallas Pratt and John Judkyn? None other than our own wonderwoman of quilts, Electra Havenmeyer Webb, who founded and filled The Shelburne Museum in Vermont. It's a small world. The chapter includes an overview of the development of textiles and quilts in America. From here to the end of the book, nearly every page has photographs.

The quilts shown include a wool whole cloth, wool applique, pieced chintz, appliqués of every type and era, Amish, BAQ (looks very much like on held in the Maryland Museum of Art's BAQ collection), signature quilts, presentation album quilt, a 1848 hexagon quilt with inked centers in the typical GFG rosette pattern, and many more truly gorgeous quilts totaling fifty-five.

Two of them may be expressing sentiments of the Temperance movement. One is a red and white Drunkard's Path which they titled as Robbing Peter to Pay Paul, made by a Congregational church in Oriskany Falls, NY. c. 1889. The other is the Tumbler pattern, appliqued in red on a white block on point set with alternate red blocks on point. It was made in Texas, c. 1860 at  Mimosa Hall Plantation in Marshall. They refer to it as The Chalice Quilt. The back is machine quilted and the quilting hand pattern is the fan or elbow stitch.  The size is 87"X75".

It is here that you may want to close your eyes as a brief rundown of the Underground Railroad quilt myth is described. They also mention the ongoing disagreement about the validity of the concept followed by this- "Although the decoration of this quilt does not conceal codes for the railroad's conductor's, it none the less contains a hidden message. The repeated motif of the chalice represents not only the bishop but also, more importantly, the freedom of a better world to come, after a life of blood and suffering." This was new to me. You?

The next page shows the Harrison log cabin and cider barrel toile that was used on the back of a chintz quilt. It is the biggest and best photograph of that monochrome I have ever seen in a book.

I highly recommend Classic Quilts from the American Museum in Britain The quilts chosen for the book clearly represent American styles and the true nature of our history of quilt making is evident. Many of the quilts are like those seen in our museums and books. It's really quite fun to read what they say. The pride they feel matches ours. It's all good.

Classic American Quilts will be on exhibit at the museum in Bath in 2010, 13 March – 31 October 2010

www.americanmuseum.org

The American Museum in Britain
Claverton Manor
Bath.  BA2 7BD
Tel: 01225 460503 - Fax: 01225 469160

Reminder- this Thursday, Dec. 10, is my free telecasts on the Introduction to my workshop in January 2010 - 4 Ways to Access Your Guidance Within and the Bigger Vision for Your Life. Get call-in info here. 
(Scroll down to the box, fill in your name and email and the phone number and code will be sent in a few minutes. Check your spam file if you don't see it shortly.)

Quilt of State Flower Embroidery blocks

http://quiltersspirit.blogspot.com/2008/07/state-flower-embroidery-quilt-blocks.html  First, read this post above and the 11 comments with it to know what generated this post.

This post comes to you today with much thanks to recent comments with info and interest in the embroidered state, flower and bird block quilt pictures in the post I wrote last July for this blog.

To every time there is a season! I may walk like a snail on this blog at times, but I do get there. As promised, here are pictures of a quilt from a reader, Lisa Fisk, whose mother has had the quilt with the same elegant blocks that I featured close-ups of in the post linked at the top of this post, hanging on her wall for 35 years!

Thank you Lisa for the pictures and information you have graciously sent about the quilt to be posted here.

The quilt was made by my great-grandmother Ivy Lett in the early 30s.  100% is hand stitched even though she had a machine.  Ivy Lett quilted the Little Boy Blue pattern when my grandmother had my father in 1935, she was relieved when my grandmother had another boy and not a girl since she didn't like the other pattern as well.

(I, Kim, think the enhanced version shows the blocks better, so I have taken the liberty to enhance the pictures, back to their original coloring perhaps. Here is a side by side of the current picture (L) and enhanced (R))

Ivy Lett made mostly patch work designs, most of them did not survive her daughter's care.  My grandmother (Birdeena Dooley) put all of the quilts in the thin plastic from the drycleaners to keep them 'good' ... in a closet in her house, most of my great grandmother's best work mildewed and could not be saved.  Only two of her other quilts have survived, my sister has those.

 

My grandmother didn't learn to quilt/applique/do any handiwork until she was over 50 and needed projects for a club she was in.  Five of those quilts have survived, four of the others almost mildewed to death but were saved by my mother.

Fun, huh? If you have information and pictures of any vintage state flower bird quilts and want to share them, send them to me and I'll post them on Quilters Spirit.  Any comments on this quilt or pattern, please leave your thoughts below. We'd love to hear more about this genre of quilts.

Piece,

Kim

Andi Reynolds, Executive Book Ed. at AQS & and Old Menswear Made into Quilts Exhibit

Join us Monday evening, Sept. 21, when Andi Reynold's is my guest on Women On Quilts, with open lines for your questions. For much more info about Andi and the call in number go to Women On Quilts.  Tell your friends about and gather around your phone (It's Andi's Birthday!!! No charge for girl's night out)

All cotton, men's shirting stripes and a variety of conversation prints depicting men's sports, especially baseball.

MASTER PIECES: Haberdashery Textiles in Antique Quilts. Curated by Laura Fischer at NEQM NOW until Nov. 15 in Lowell, MA
The antique quilts on exhibit are made of menswear fabrics recycled from suits and shirts, neckties, pajamas, military uniforms, work clothes—even woolen underwear and socks. Some also resulted from the artful salvage of menswear swatch sample books and fabric mill remnants.The tradition of making unique, often very personal quilts from repurposed menswear textiles gained popularity around 1850, and lasted through the 1950s. The quilt below is made from their vests and hatbands.

The 40 quilts made from menswear, much of it recycled clothing, are intriguing, graphic works made from simple utilitarian fabrics long overlooked in the study of antique quilts.  Popular for about a century, these quilts are compelling and often whimsical. Simple squares arranged in a diagonal pattern prove on close inspection to be made from scraps of patterned jersey socks.

A shimmering kaleidoscope of diamonds in rust reds and yellows is pieced from 1950s neckties. Thin lines going in every direction look like a contemporary drawing are actually random scraps in a c. 1915 crazy quilt pieced of fine, striped silk shirting.

The narrow serpentine strips in the blocks of a 1905 Amish quilt are cuttings from woolen long johns. Bright, dimensional flowers are embroidered on a century-old, unlikely foundation of tailor's wool suiting swatches, as are a flock of vividly colored birds on branches.

Visually stunning and strikingly modern, these antique textiles make distinct graphic statements out of the most everyday materials.

The quilt on the left is made from suiting material.

The guest curator for the exhibit is noted antiques dealer and author Laura Fisher of FISHER HERITAGE in New York City.In addition to the quilts themselves, the exhibit will feature historic advertisements, swatch books, and catalogs from menswear companies, dating from the 1880s through the 1950s, including several items from the vaults of Brooks Brothers, the chief sponsor of the exhibition.

Today, the tradition revives in memory quilts made from old T-shirts and clothing that has personal sentiment. Recycling these materials is now considered environmentally aware, adding further appeal to their inherent design potential. Contact the New England Quilt Museum for programs and more info. Photos courtesy of Laura Fisher

For Andi Reynolds interview info go here.  It's happening this Monday evening, 5 PM Pacific, 7 Central, 8 Eastern.

My Transgenerational Quilt, 1835-1945 & 19th Century Fabric Swatch with Purchase Offer Extended to July 18th

The winner of one set of Antique Quilt Dating Guides on The Quilting Gallery's Friday Give-Away is Diana Higdon from Clarksville, Indiana. Congratulations to Diane.

Last week one set of my Antique Quilt Dating Guides...by Style were the featured Friday Give Away on Michele Foster's Quilting Gallery here -http://quiltinggallery.com/2009/07/03/antique-quilt-dating-guides-by-style/   Here is a shout out and big thank you to Michele Foster, the creator and publisher of The Quilting Gallery's many offerings.

My offer for a 9" swatch of 19th century calico (cut from antique yardage I was lucky to find years ago) with your order for a set is being extended to July 18, this coming Sat. until midnight. Michele asked if she could extend the offer from her website so again I decided to follow suit. Thank you to Janet Dykstra for answering my question about the origins of "following suit," which came from playing card games such as bridge or hearts. Of course now that I hear it, it comes back. I was an avid card game player during cold Chicago winters as a kid and I was good. We played gin, canasta, and double solitaire, but Michigan Rummy was my favorite when 4 or more were playing.

Here is the deal for you:

For each set of AQDGs ordered I will enclose a 9" swatch of late 19th century fabric, ca. 1880-1900. Until I run out of either fabric, you can chose the print you prefer to receive as your gift with purchase. They are like new, in perfect condition from my antique stash. The double pink photo looks fuzzy, but the fabric is perfectly clear.

Simply write Double Pink or White Floral on the comments line on the order page at www.antiquequiltdatingguides.com This offer has been extended until next weekend, July 18 midnight, PST. You can get 4- 2.5" squares, 4- 3" sqs. , 2- 4.5x9" strips, or keep it as one block in your quilt or fabric collection.

(left-This Guide is for 1900-1950 quilt styles only. On the front is a check list of the main features of a 20th century vs. a 19th c. quilt) The Guides will help you date the era of a quilt or decide upon the style you'd like to make with that great repro fabric you just had to buy!
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This is one of my favorite quilt in my collection and this is why; the puss in the corner, or elongated nice patch blocks are made from beautiful intact, not faded early chintz and calicos, ca 1835. Steam and mineral dyed chintz, my favorite ones, often in ombre tones and wood blocks prints and early roller prints are combined with plain muslin that was bleached in it's day and now has a beautiful patina.

Apparently the blocks were put away until later in the century, like in the 1880s and put together with sashing in a Pepto Bismo pink color. Yikes! And again it wasn't finished, but folded away until the 1940s or there about.I assume that because if it were used as a top on another back there would be more evidence of use or fading I think, but of course, can not be sure. At last, someone who loved the blocks as much as I gave this top a back. She chose a fabric popular in her time that had a similar color of pink, in a paisley of pink and yellow-gold with thin black details and outline on the paisley shapes. She tied the layers together with floss through a thin flannel blanket for batting and it remains intact and safe today.

My Dating Guides would have alerted you to the fact that this quilt wasn't from one era had you been basing your thoughts on the fabrics. Dating quilts is so much fun!

Check out my next group discussion/interview tele-conference on Women On Quilts that I just posted. We are getting together on Monday. Please join us!

Have a great week everyone!

Kim

Friday Give-Away and 19th Century Fabric Swatch with Purchase, Plus a Most Unusual Lone Star Quilt

This week one set of my Antique Quilt Dating Guides...by Style are the featured Friday Give Away on Michele Foster's Quilting Gallery here -http://quiltinggallery.com/2009/07/03/antique-quilt-dating-guides-by-style/

All you have to do to win is read the post describing them and leave a comment. The winner will be randomly drawn on July 9th. You must comment by next Thursday to be in the drawing. It's that simple. You'll enjoy other pages on The Quilting Gallery too.

Since Michele asked me if I wanted to participate in her TGIF on the 4th of July, honoring our history, I decided to follow suit (where did that saying come from anyway?) and make you an historic offering too.

For each set of AQDGs ordered I will enclose a 9" swatch of late 19th century fabric, ca. 1880-1900. Until I run out of either fabric, you can chose the print you prefer to receive as your gift with purchase. They are like new, in perfect condition from my antique stash.

 

Simply write Double Pink or White Floral on the comments line on the order page at www.antiquequiltdatingguides.com This offer is good until next weekend, July 11 midnight, PST. You can get 4- 2.5" squares, 4- 3" sqs. , 2- 4.5x9" strips, or keep it as one block in your quilt or fabric collection.

Win a set from Michele as a gift and buy one for yourself with fabric included. (left-This Guide is for 1900-1950 quilt styles. On the front is a check list of the main features of a 20th century vs. a 19th c. quilt) The Guides will help you date the era of a quilt or decide upon the style you'd like to make with that great repro fabric you just had to buy!
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Last week I gave a lecture and showed about 40 quilts from my antique collection to a guild up the coast. While there a woman from the audience mentioned a scrappy Lone Star quilt from her collection. As Rene Guenthart was describing it I couldn't believe it would be so, but it was! The diamonds in this quilt are pieced, as in several pieces of fabric make up one small diamond, like a flip and sew on a large diamond shape of newspaper, but these are tiny diamonds in a huge Lone Star!

 

Rene wrote- It is all hand sewn except the purple border is machine stitched on.  Most of the diamonds are pieced, some are one fabric and a few even have a square in a square sewn into the diamond as shown in the close-up picture. The fabric is very thin. (see examples of the sq. in a sq. at bottom middle and top right of this photo)

Happy 4th of July America!  Kim

Julie Silber, Kona Coffee, Quilting to Grow the Brain & Social Media Marketing for Artists

Tomorrow night, Monday, join us for Julie Silber's open lines and slide show of her fabulous oddball quilts. The  Call-in info and link is here http://tinyurl.com/kwh96u  at 5 PM Pacific time. No registration or charge.

Kona Coffee is holding a quilt contest for quilts sized to 40"X40". Darn, I have a  lap size coffee quilt I would have entered. How about you?  Kelly Smith let's us know about it on her quilting blog.

Nintendo vs. Quilting in the Fight to Save Your Brain  Which one does the research say save our memory the best? The answer never changes and it blends right into my belief that doing many different creative things is the optimum way to keep your brain young and growing. Mastering one thing over by doing it over and over does not help the whole brain. Different activities that activate different parts of the brain are the key. But how cool is it that quilting is included in the current research!!

If you are a quilt maker who wants to step up to the next level and sell your work or get commissioned work, this is an article full of avenues you might consider. 

See you tomorrow night!

Kim

Welsh Quilt collector Jen Jones is Opening A Center for Welsh Quilts in West Wales this July PLUS Updates on Former Topics

  The Jen Jones Welsh Quilt Centre will open in The Town Hall, Lampeter, West Wales  on July 28th 2009.

 1.Town Hall from High street (before restoration)

 

Jen Jones, the famous collector of old quilts made in Wales, is opening a center for the study and display of Welsh quilts!! (Be sure to hover your cursor over the photos on the link above to see more of gorgeous Jen's quilts.)

The first exhibition will feature quilts entirely from The Jen Jones Collection and will be representative of the entire spectrum of Welsh quilting.

The Old Courtroom on the first floor makes a fantastic exhibition space. The gallery entrance on the ground floor

2. A pink satin cotton quilt made in Cardiganshire in 1933. The central medallions surrounded by various patterns with fans predominant. Jen Jones Collection 

will house an exciting new shop featuring superb copies of some of Jen's famous geometric flannel quilts. These are being made by a women's group working through a convent in Ethiopia. The other Courtroom provides a wonderful place for classes and talks.

  3. Detail of a tailor's sample Welsh quilt with red stitching Made by Davies Brothers of  Llanelli, 1875-80 Jen Jones Collection

 

4. Lovely early Victorian Patchwork from Cilgerran Cardiganshire.

Jen Jones Welsh Quilt Centre
Phone 0044(0)1570 480 610
email quilts@jen-jones.com
web site www.jen-jones.com

Photograph captions, photos courtesy of Jen Jones

Updates about the Story Challenge and Ghost Hunt Tour

Celebrate- It's National Quilting Day! Hug Your Quilt today, March 20

In honor of both Quilting Day and Women's History month I am reprinting an awesome post Julie Silber posted on the Quilt History List this week (with her permission).

Julie is answering a question posed by Catherine Litwinow about a 19th century quilt made by abolitionists, as evidenced by a single inked patch of a slave in chains in a huge silk quilt. Beneath the kneeling male figure holding his chained hands up as if begging to be released, is the phrase "Deliver me from the oppression of man."

The quilt is pictured on pages 70 & 71 in a book co-authored by Julie Silber, Pat Ferrero and Elaine Hedges, "Hearts and Hands, Women, Quilts and American Society," which was published in 1987. It remains  one the THE best books on women's history in America in the 19th and early 20th century. The rest of this blog is written by Julie--

Elaine Hedges, Pat Ferrero and I used Deborah Coates' quilt as part of the COVER design of our book, "Hearts and Hands," as well as within the pages...

I must tell you about first seeing the quilt.

When Pat and I first saw the quilt (about 1987, at Jonathan and Gail Holstein's home in Cazenovia, N.Y.), it was in two pieces, having years before been cut directly down the middle.

Each of the two "new" edges (on each half) had then been bound, years before, probably whenever the quilt was cut.

The inked piece (a small triangle) had been right in the center of the full quilt -- and so it was cut in half!  The tiny inked image of the bound slave (and the words) -- now on two halves -- had been almost entirely covered over by the new bindings. 

It was Pat ("Eagle Eye") Ferrero who first noticed the mere wisps of ink on the two halves of the split triangle.  The owner of the quilt (a descendant) gave us permission, right on the spot, to carefully remove a few stitches holding the binding in place. No one had ever noticed those little marks before...

It was then that the family saw evidence, for the first time, that their ancestor, the quilt maker, Deborah Coates, had indeed been firmly committed to the abolitionist cause.

Her husband was a well known activist, fully dedicated to the cause of Abolition.  His name appears frequently in a "public"
way -- in newspaper articles on the abolitionist cause, and frequently in the minutes of abolitionist meetings. These "documents" remain, and are part of the official "historical record."

But his wife ... how was anyone to know where she "stood"?

Until that amazing moment in 1987, when a few snips of a scissors revealed what she had added in ink, the family had not known, with any certainty, where Deborah's heart was.  What a moment!

The family then took the ball and ran ... and soon discovered another fact previously unknown to them:  The Coates' home in Cazenovia had been a stop on the Underground Railroad!

A lesson about how fragile and elusive women's history (in
textiles) can be -- and how respect, careful observation, and an understanding of historical context can benefit and enrich us all.

Julie Silber
The Quilt Complex
quiltcomplex@hughes.net

(The book, Hearts and Hands is now long out-of-print but we have a few "new" copies at Quilt Complex that we bought from the publisher. Now signed).

***Julie will be my featured guest interview on Women On Quilts, June 15th interview. Join us!***

My "Honest Patch" on a 19th & 20th century quilt & the "Massachusetts Quilts" Book

Have any of you who own antique quilts notice your once perfect quilt suddenly has cracking in the brown fabrics? We all have, as pre-1900 dark brown dyed fabric is prone to becoming brittle due to tannin and iron mordants in the dyes. (They used to use iron pots for dyes that needed iron to help the fabric retain the dye, a 2-fer)

Over time the fabric dries out and splits, or it get's wet and splits, or the sun shines on it too long and it splits, or you pack it away and it splits. I think you are get the picture.

Dark brown 19th century cotton fabrics are similar to silks used in crazy quilts, the silk will deteriorate and you can not stop it once it starts.  You can help prevent it from starting

maybe, or better put, increase the number of years before the deterioration begins. Oh, wait, you're telling me that you want to have it out? Oh, well, then you can postpone the deterioration by a number of months. My gosh, I am so negative here- I'm smiling. I hope you are.

That said, here is a repair I did this past week in a most interesting looking quilt that I bought in Arizona years ago when antique store shopping with the two wild and crazy lovely ladies, Audrey and Dee, who own and operate the quilt retreat camps with national teachers Quilting in the Pines and Quilting in the Desert. We all had a good laugh when we saw this quilt.

It is a pink and brown scrap (fabulous 1870-80s fabrics, all new or unused) album block quilt in nearly perfect condition, with wool batting, and tied with pink and green yarn to a  1930-40s back fabric! Each yarn tie, and there are many, is made with both colors of yarn, sort of tufted and it is held down and brought through the thick wool bat with a thick sewing thread.

The thick dense batting saved this quilt from splitting much more than it could have with a thinner bat or fewer ties. I have stored it with as little folding as possible, in a closet, on top of other quilts, with no weight on it. Still, deterioration has set in on two blocks.

  I fixed the most serious and obvious loss of fabric, after taking off the damaged fabric completely, arggg, at some point, and I can't recall why. I know better now to leave

the old fabric underneath and applique on top of it. I used an old piece of fabric, c. 1900, that matched the best with the rest of the quilt. I think it turned out well.

In the words of Nancy Kirk, I made an "honest patch." this means I'm not trying to fool anybody, so my stitches show, but it blends well. It was not easy working on a quilt this thick and naturally, my stitches did not go all the way  through. I appliqué the patch on top of the seams and into the batting when there were no seams. It is made with 1 rectangle and 2 squares and I used brown DMC thread.

Soon I will be done and show you my "honest patch" on the acid green fabric in the pre-Civil War quilt TOP. Where is that batting when you need it? :)

You are invited to join our book discussion and interview with Lynne Bassett, the quilt historian who edited the newest state quilt project book,  Massachusetts Quilts: Our Common Wealth, in a group tel-event on March 16th, Monday evening, 5 PM Pacific time. Lynne will answer your questions about particular quilts and other questions that arise as you read this fantastic book. Read more about it on Women On Quilts.

What? is on a Wall? & Catching Up on Loose Ends

Where has the time gone? Every day is so busy and often it's spent out of town being a teacher or a student. In January I was a student at The Freedom Formula Experience a four day seminar that was, as promised by Christine Kloser the hostess and main speaker, a  profound experience.  The tag line of her book by the same name as the seminar is "how to put soul in your business and money in your  bank." She taught us her way of doing business that is practical and spiritually based. I will blog  more about the event and speakers on my Women On Quilts blog  which "seams together business and spirit for women in the creative arts." (my tag line :)) The entire time we were there, our focus was on  finding our purpose in life or if we knew it, how could we best express it and make our living doing it, giving us the best of both worlds.

When I returned home, with a notebook of my journaled ideas that took me to places I would not have imagined prior to going, there was an email from Patti Williams. We do not know each other, but she is a lurker on QHL, the Quilt History List, for those of us who adore antique quilts. She tells me about a museum's exhibit in Washington state that she has helped with and attaches this picture. The wall is at the entrance of the quilt exhibit and it reads "Quilts can open our eyes and our hearts to share who sewed before us. It is a wonderful way to learn history." Kimberly Wulfert, PhD

Do you think anything could be cooler to me? Me who shares quotes as often as possible and who buys the books of themed quotes and reads them!  On Women On Quilts I place a new one in the margin each month. A great quote is a marvel to read and hold in your mind, to take in and manifest. This is an honor I will cherish forever and I thank the Northwest Museum of Art and Culture from the bottom of my heart for thinking my quote was worthy of being on their wall. The exhibit will run through May and I hope to make it up there. I want to place my face under the quote for another picture for posterity. In the meantime, take a look at their terrific collection of quilts displayed online.

CATCHING UP ON LOOSE ENDS
Thank you to all of you who wrote me by email or posted a comment with your heartfelt sentiments about the passing of my dear friend and friend of quilter's everywhere, Giles Wright. Your sharing meant allot to me.

Remember the Case of the Mouse Who Ate My Quilt and the Hunt for Green 1840s Fabric? Alls well that ends well, but we hit a snag in the middle of the hunt. When a real swatch that matched was not to be found, reader Kathie Holland graciously sent me her remaining yardage of matching acid green from Judy Rothermel's Lancaster 3 collection. But, it never arrived, anywhere. I searched for more, found none and then went to Road to California last month, and when I got to their booth, Schoolhouse Quilt Shoppe, on Sat., the cupboard was bare! I mean seriously- their booth was nearly empty! Bob knew what I was talking about and said he thought he had some at the shop and to contact him there, so I did. He was able to scrounge 1/2 yard and now, finally,  it is in my hands and soon will be in Kathie's too. lesson learned, never give up on the hunt for fabric. :)

Is the match perfect, not quite. The pattern is exactly the same so you wouldn't realize the difference unless you held them side by side (and it will look fine enough in the quilt top, certainly better than the mouse holes). The difference is the background color is darker on the old fabric than the reproduction. Here's a picture. You probably think, what is she talking about, they  match! I think it will work just fine even though they are not the same color. The original fabric has more contrast between the two greens that form the background.

Katie Pasquini Masupost has written another new book that is fabulous and easy enough for beginning art quilters and the more advanced that need some nudging to expand their techniques will love it too. The text Katie writes is focused on her own thinking processes of analysis and alternatives as she plans a quilt from finding the initial concept to the various ways you can turn your idea or photo into a one-dimensional design. She includes her methods known as ghost layers, fractured landscape and the painterly painterly approach.  Check out more details in my book review of "Design Explorations for the Creative Quilter: easy to follow directions for creative art quilts."

A quilter who is also an expert in traveling for business, Carol Margolis, will be my guest on Monday evening, Feb. 23, on a fr.ee tele-interview where we will ask her all kinds of questions to  make traveling easier for quilters, authors, vendors, teachers and women in business. Carol is  the Founder of SmartWomenTravelers.com

This coming Monday evening, on WOQ,  I will  bring you Part 2 of the quilt history study group discussion with Beth Davis and Karen Parrett. Join us from the comfort of your home and share your group's experiences, struggles and highlights, or ask questions. All input is important and welcome.

Have a great weekend everyone. May you be warm, dry and cozy. Piece, Kim

Abundance of Quilts for the Eyes on this Thanksgiving

The Internet honestly I never would have thought I would say this, but it is a blessing. I am about to share with you links to incredible quilt articles, full of love, care, photos and inspiration and mindful thoughts for you to ponder and enjoy over the Thanksgiving break. (I know some of you are saying A break- what's that?)  I could say that too, but I won't. I am going to take a break, consciously setting my work and demands aside for a couple of days. If it feels really good, maybe three days!

I am headed to San Diego to view three quilt exhibits. The main event however is a phenom of avant garde art quilts at Visions. Visions is a juried exhibit. Something like 564 quilted works of art were entered and 41 were chosen. The museum in Oceanside, CA, is tiny, and this limits the number that can be shown. It's a lovely setting and shows the quilts off well. And let's face it, getting your quilt accepted is even more of a coo with odds like that.

Riding on Thermals
by Rose Hughes
Exhibited at PIQF 2008

To learn more about becoming a quilt artist, meet Rose Hughes, maker of this velvet and silk quilt, December 3, on Women On Quilts You can see more of her quilts on this page too. 

So - Take your time, pour a glass of whatever you love to sip, put on some soothing music, light a scented candle, and begin to embrace the variety below.  I recently discovered a musical group or orchestra really called State of Grace which I love to listen to as I work. Few words, mostly heavenly music. Very inspiring. It's published by Windham.  Don't confuse it with their State of Grace 2, it's not as soothing IMHO.  While I'm sharing, have you discovered the exquisite scented candle made by W&M Co.? Wow, scented meets it's match. I bought mine at Home Goods in the Silicon Valley, but it's a chain of stores.

http://www.selvedge.org/default.aspx  1924 video about the  wool manufacturing process step by step in Australia

http://www.pintangle.com/journal/2008/11/21/another-2-diamond-blocks-done.html  crazy quilt embroidery stitching
and http://www.pintangle.com/journal/2008/11/23/how-to-transfer-embroidery-patterns-to-fabric.html  hot to transfer embroidery patterns to fabric

http://lucyquilting.blogspot.com/   "Quilting with the Past"about making reproduction quilts mostly

http://www.gwenmagee.com/portfolio.html  Gwendolyn Magee, Art quilter, some are statements on slavery, intense & speak volumes

http://www.needlenthread.com/2008/11/art-of-embroiderer-museum-exhibit.html  antique embroidery on clothing at Kent Museum

http://www.colourlovers.com/blog/category/interviews  scroll down and down through the posts to see the photos mostly, but they grab you to also read text. Warning- no quilts, yet.

http://greenquilts.blogspot.com/2008/11/new-use-forpaintstix-rubbing-plates.html

Marshall county dump quilts  http://pennysanford.typepad.com/penny_sanford_porcelains_/2008/04/finally-the-sto.html

Judy's frugal link http://www.womenfolk.com/frugal_quilting/
quilt_business.htm 

Selvage jacket Calendar Pages
http://calenderpages.blogspot.com/  and http://calenderpages.blogspot.com/2008_10_01_archive.html and http://calenderpages.blogspot.com/2008/11/jacket-finished.html

http://charmsofdays.com/ Lots of feedsack photos intermingled

http://www.sacredthreadsquilts.com./default.htm be sure to click on the Gallery tab to see previous winning quilts

End with http://farmgirlfollies.wordpress.com/2008/11/12/be-generous-of-spirit/

http://needlework.craftgossip.com and
Oh Well, La La http://denisefelton.blogspot.com/ 

http://lynnewsnyder.blogspot.com/2008/11/lunch-at-quiltlers.html  the Provo quilter  country charm

http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/local/389492_caps26.html  inspiring story about teen girl helping homeless, quilts mentioned just once

http://www.uwhealth.org/gored/goredforwomenandquilting/13919  go red

http://scrapsandthreadtales.blogspot.com/  scroll down for location pictures on this woman's travel

I have enjoyed our journey together this year. Thank you for being with me on it. Each of you are a gift to me. Together we hold the thread that forms the circle of quilters spirits around the world.

Piece to you and those you quilt with,

Kim

Antique Qlt Vendors Finale!

Last but most definitely not least are two vendors whose quilts you can enjoy seeing here as they do not have internet access.

Antique Qlt Vendors Finale

Labors of Love can be found at large quilt and textile events and festivals. I saved their pictures for the Labor Day weekend. (If you believe that, I have a genuine UGRR quilt for sale...)

Cotance, owner of Scarlet Ladies Antiques, describes herself as a gypsy, traveling from shop to show to shop to show across the country.

This concludes my photo journey through the first International Quilt Festival in California.

Have a great time for the rest of your long weekend.

Piece,
Kim