quiltersmuse.com Blog

When Laurette Koserowski, Editor of The Quilter magazine, opened our latest e-book, reportedly she was enchanted by all of the wonderful photos that Jim had taken, all of them related, in some manner, to the life and times of an extraordinary New Hampshire woman. Ellen Webster has left a trail of accomplishments that most of us mere mortals could not attain in two lifetimes, let alone one. She lived from 1867-1950. The e-book is reviewed in the latest copy of The Quilter, March 2009 edition, available in January.

Making the e-Book

This e-book would not have existed had I not discovered Mrs. Webster’s true name of Ellen. In the course of working, I realized that a mistaken name of “Emily” had been assigned to the same individual who had given talks at Universities in Massachusetts and Nebraska, using that name in her talk, “Emily Webster: Patterns and Insigihts.” No insight there, if Ellen’s correct name had not even been used. Moreover, the Historical Society itself published the name “Emily Webster” as having made the quilt charts in question, in both Historical New Hampshire, and a second book on family names related to genealogy in New Hampshire for which Ellen’s family tree quilt block appears on the cover.

The making of this book became something that I spent every day working on, for eight solid months, for 10-14 hours per day. A few months into the project, I developed Bell’s Palsy, for a month, that left my face paralyzed and one eye unable to close. I had to hydrate the eye with drops and kept wiping away inadvertent tears, while trying to type. It was at great personal sacrifice and expense of my own that this e-book came to be.

Luckily, I was able to connect with several people who had known Ellen during her lifetime. These discussions were conducted by phone and by mail. Through serendipity, I ended up by finding family members and spending time with them. In so doing, Jim was able to photograph Ellen’s family quilts, and I we scanned and re-created Ellen’s descriptive lecture brochure. We viewed her two 5 year diaries, and read her letters, and viewed many family photos. Charming photos! None of this information had been shared previously, by the family member who owns them.

Many, Many Resources Accessed

I read all of Ellen’s published books, articles, and manuscripts, and read them all! I was a constant caller, with requests to Interlibrary Loan. I traveled to both two towns where she spent most of her life, on multiple occasions, to speak with people there, to have Jim take photos, and to track down any further information I could. Using my online resources, I did genealogical research. I called museums across the country and contacted other quilt historians, to obtain photo images of Ellen’s contemporary quilt historians of the 1930s, and added information. We even visited Ellen’s grave, and located her home in Franklin. We did so much to create this book, it is hard to even remember it all!

Happy Times in Creating a Gift

Jim and I both willingly gave our time, not with the idea of making any money for the sheer joy of learning and sharing. The process of discovery was fun, as each new fact fell into place, helping to make sense of Ellen’s whole life. We were feeling happy with the notion of donating the final e-book to our local museum who owns Ellen’s quilt charts. The charts had never before been transcribed in their entirety, nor photographed, until Jim took (800) pictures, on site. Of course, he captured many other images on film for the e-book, and edited only the best. We presented our work, as a charitable gesture, and as members of the New Hampshire Historical Society, and stated that it could be reproduced as a CD to sell in their store, and that they could keep all the profits. We even designed and supplied the CD covers for them.

A Major Campaign in Marketing Donated Free of Charge

I have worked extremely hard to help to promote and market this product to bring sales to the New Hampshire Historical Society. I believe that my research offers exciting new information of interest to historians, quilt historians, and many other people, most especially people who live in the communities where Ellen Webster lived, or who are residents of New Hampshire. This e-book is a fun read! See the lengthy review of the e-book in the March 2009 issue of The Quilter magazine, written by editor, Laurette Koserowski.

NHHS Markets e-Book

The New Hampshire Historical Society began selling copies of the e-book. However, after I complained that there were some public misrepresentations made about the title of the book (it was being marketed by a sub-title), and misstatements were offered stating that I had done my all of my research at their facility, I received a letter on Christmas Eve, Dec. 24, 2008, from the NHHS Director, terminating the previous agreement. He indicated that due to staff shortages, other priorities, etc., the organization could no longer physically make the e-books (which require a number of steps to produce). While acknowledging our generous initial offer, he proposed a different agreement – that we manufacture the product and that the Society enter into a regular “merchandising/retail” relationship with us.

As of June 2009, that proposed arrangement has not occurred. At last count, the museum store had four copies of the product left, about a month ago. Inasmuch as they asked for a “non-exclusive” selling arrangement, I began offering copies of the CD from my own website, as I feel this information is too valuable not to be made available to the general public. For more information, please see our Products Available page that is linked from the front page of our website.

Convenience of e-books

The e-book is in pdf format and can be printed by whomever buys the e-book. However, a lot of ink and paper are required to print 355 pages and 340 color photos, and then, the pages are unwieldy to bind, and heavy, too, which is exactly why this book is not offered in hard cover. E-books are easy to store, and are an idea that is just catching on. Call them “cutting edge” technology. E-books can be viewed on any computer that has Adobe Reader downloaded. Most computers now come with that function built in, but the Adobe program can be installed, free of charge, on your personal computer.

With relatively few copies being made, each one processed by hand, this e-book could, indeed, become a “rare book,” eventually, as one friend has suggested.

To read about this beautiful tribute to the life and work of Ellen Emeline Hardy Webster (1867-1950), considering acquiring, Ellen Emeline Hardy Webster (1867-1950): Her Amazing Quilt “Charts,” Her Writings, and Her Life, by Patricia Cummings, and James Cummings, photographer. For more information, please visit our website. There are a number of articles I have written about her, linked from the products available page.

Patricia L. Cummings
Quilter’s Muse Publications

Today, we took a ride up I-93 to the north country of New Hampshire and Jim took along his camera, in case he saw anything interesting to capture on film. Here are two of his photos:

From this photo, you can see that, right now, we are in the midst of the colors of white, black, and grey – the standard main colors of winter here, except for the evergreen trees. These colors have a kind of peaceful, hypnotic quality to them. The photo below was taken somewhere close to a town called “Waterville Valley,” famous for its ski resort. I particularly favor the Birch trees and always remember Robert Frost’s poem, “Birches” that you can read here:

Birches

Jim spotted a sign for a covered bridge, one of our favorite sightings, so we made a little detour and found the Smith Millennium Bridge in or near Rumney, New Hampshire, on a back road.

If you enjoy seeing covered bridges, we have a whole file of them, here:

Covered Bridges

We hope you have enjoyed seeing a few more glimpses of the place we call “home,” our beloved New Hampshire.

Patricia and James Cummings, Quilter’s Muse Publications and Virtual Museum

Usually, downtown Concord is a bustling place. Sometimes, we have to circle around and around, before finding a parking place. However, on Christmas night, it was an enchanting, almost empty sight. The creche set up by the Rotary Club and the Knights of Columbus was set in place, alongside a tall, lighted Christmas tree with a star at the top, both placed in front of the State House.

The dome of the State House was repainted gold, in recent years. When I worked there, I was invited to climb to the top of the dome, one day, and there is quite a view from that vantage point. The State House is located in back of the manger scene and is not visible in the photos here.

The night was cold but not too breezy. I asked Jim to take a photo of the temperature, as it appeared outside of Merrimack County Savings Bank.

For one night, peace reigns on the sidewalks of Concord, New Hampshire.

Patricia and James Cummings

While the holiday season will soon give way to the hustle and bustle of a new year, today is Christmas, and a time to spend with loved ones in relaxation and re-creation. We wish you the very best day possible, and our most fervent wish is that you may look beyond the tinsel and the gifts to the deeper meaning of the day.

Merry Christmas!

We are ever mindful of our Jewish friends and family, and to them, we say, “Happy Chanukah!” That holiday lasts from December 22 to December 29, and is also called, “The Festival of Lights.” The lighting of the mennorah candles is a valued part of the Jewish tradition, as are the typical foods that are served, and the games that are played. However, Chanukah has its deep-seated religious convictions and remembrances, too.

No matter what faith tradition you practice, you, too, are a “child of God.” We wish you all the very best!

Patricia and James Cummings

Oh, how we love to romanticize Christmas! One way to do that is to consider the images of Currier & Ives, my favorite one of which portrays a couple in a red sleigh being pulled by two trotting horses. The lithograph titled, “The Road, Winter,” can be seen at this link. Look in the Gallery.

Then, again, we have Thomas Kincaide, the “Painter of Light,” with his cottage scenes, so cozy-looking, and always emanating light. I have visions of a Log Cabin in the woods with tall ceilings, room enough to hang a LOT of quilts! I can dream!

At Christmas time, I conjure up many images, from windswept, snowy prairies of the west, to New England church steeples and quaint villages of the east. It is funny how pictorial depictions can transport us to places we have never visited, and to scenes we have never personally experienced.

I suppose that many a woman has envisioned the actual “Star of Bethlehem,” while piecing the diamond shapes required to create a quilt by the same name.

In snowy climes, we think of Christmas as a winter holiday, exclusively, without considering that it is summer, right now, in other places … like Argentina. Manger scenes in print and elsewhere often show open-sided shelters for animals, palm trees, the desert, camels, etc. sure signs of a warmer climate than, say, New Hampshire.

Yet, over the years, songs have given testimony to a preference for snow on Christmas. Take for example, “White Christmas,” a song written by Irving Berlin, made popular by Bing Crosby who first introduced it in 1942 (during World War II). One can bet that a lot of GIs would have been dreaming of a “white Christmas,” at that point.

We each have our own comforting ideas and visions about perfect holidays – whether it is a crackling fireplace, a perfectly-made gingerbread house, or greeting cards hung around the room.

Personally, I have always wanted to ride in a sleigh. I think the idea is romantic. My partner thinks that looking at the rear end of a horse is less than romantic. He is probably right, but that is not exactly what I had in mind. It’s all in the scenery … Flying across a field at a good clip, in the snow, going past red barns and mountains, in the distance, seeing the breath of farm animals in their pens, and feeling the exhilaration of the cold air on our faces … and more … those are my thoughts. Maybe someday, I’ll fulfill this dream. When one believes, anything is possible.

Our Best to You This Season,
Patricia Cummings