quiltersmuse.com Blog

Dear members and other friends of the Manchester Historic Association,

I am pleased to announce a new event presented by the Manchester Historic Association. On Thursday, November 19 from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. the Millyard Museum will be the scene of the “Night at the Millyard Museum – Where History Comes to Life,” an event that is sure to please anyone who would like to mix a little history in with an evening of entertainment and holiday shopping. The evening will feature dancing, hors d’oeuvres, a cash bar, holiday shopping in the Museum Shop, and a silent auction with many affordable items. The museum’s historical exhibits will be open for viewing, and to help history come to life, the event is “costume optional.” Everyone is invited to come dressed in historically-themed costume, and prizes will be given out for the most outstanding examples. Entertainment will be provided by the popular local band, Soulhouse 7, performing a variety of soul, blues, R&B and rock favorites. Highlighting the evening will be a special stage show by Soulhouse 7 with their partners “The Blues Brothers – The Next Generation.”

Ticket prices are $35 ($25 for members of the Manchester Historic Association). Tickets must be purchased or reserved prior to the event. For tickets, stop by the Millyard Museum at 200 Bedford Street, any time from Wednesday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., or the Research Center at 129 Amherst Street on Wednesdays or Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Or, you may order or reserve tickets by calling (603) 622-7531.

Would you like to help out by donating a silent auction gift?

We are looking for gift baskets, gift certificates, jewelry, decorative items for the household, holiday centerpieces, artwork, and craft items. All items must be new (unless you would like to donate an antique of some sort – we’re open to suggestions!). Your generosity as a donor will be noted on our website, at the event and in our Annual Report. Donors also receive two free tickets to the event (up to a $70 value). To donate, please contact me by e-mail, or call (603) 622-7531.

For complete details about this event, including an updated list of the silent auction gifts, visit the website www.manchesterhistoric.org.

We will hope to see you at “Night at the Millyard Museum – Where History Comes to Life” event!

Yours,

Aurore

Aurore Eaton
Executive Director
Manchester Historic Association
Millyard Museum – 200 Bedford Street – Manchester, NH – 03101
Research Center – 129 Amherst Street – Manchester, NH – 03101
(603) 622-7531 ext. 223
aeaton@manchesterhistoric.org
www.manchesterhistoric.org
www.meetup.com/Manchester-History-Network

This announcement is brought to you courtesy of Quilter’s Muse Publications, an educational website for textiles and history

Press Release sent by CCC Legacy:

PBS: The American Experience

“The 1930s: Civilian Conservation Corps”

Put it on your calendar and tune your TV to your local educational channel.

Monday, November 2, 2009 – 9/8 p.m. Central

The Civilian Conservation Corps is once again in the spotlight on PBS. Robert Stone Film has developed a five part series for PBS under the popular programming of WGBH “American Experience.” This series captures significant events of the 1930s and brings them to us in a presentation that offers us a comprehensive view for our education and entertainment.

Special interest to our readers is the second segment, “The 1930s: The Civilian Conservation Corps.”

CCC Legacy was proud to work with Robert Stone Productions on recommending and locating interviewees. Thanks goes to Robert Stone and staff and WGBH, for arranging for us to present a special pre-screening to our members who attended the Annual Gathering and Reunion in Colorado. It was nice to see that all four people interviewed have been our members at some time: Harley Jolley, NC; Vicente Ximenes, NM; Clifford Hammond, AZ; and Houston Pritchett, MI.

The segments are aired each Monday night through November 23. Please tell your family, friends, historians, students, teachers and others about this series. As a reminder, forward this email to people who you think would be interested so they too can enjoy learning from this “American Experience.”

Previews can be viewed online. Learn more by exploring the WGBH/American Experience website.

Service Announcement Provided by Quilter’s Muse Publications

Gold Party at the New England Quilt Museum

November 13, 4:30-7 p.m.

Do you need extra cash for the holidays? Do have odds and ends of jewelry around the house that you’ll never wear–a single earring, a broken bracelet, a tangled chain? Do have jewelry from a former relationship you really don’t want to wear? Or a piece given to you as a gift or legacy that is not your style, but you can’t bear to re-gift it? You can turn those pieces into cash for the holidays and benefit the museum as well.

Party of Gold, a local woman-owned host of “girls’ night out” gold parties that benefit numerous local non-profits, is hosting a gold party on Friday, November 13th–which might be your lucky day! Our last Gold Party netted hundreds of dollars for participants, who brought in their broken or unwanted gold and silver jewelry and received payment for each recyclable piece. As a benefit for the museum, Party of Gold donated an amount equal to 15% of the purchases to the museum. So popular was the event that we are hosting one again–just in time to help you find some extra cash for the holidays in those odd pieces in your jewelry box!

If you cannot attend, but want to donate unwanted jewelry to the museum, just mail the jewelry as your donation in a padded envelope to the Museum at 18 Shattuck Street, Lowell, MA 01852, Attn: Party of Gold, and we will send you a receipt.

So join us on November 13, from 4:30-7pm to enjoy some refreshments, get cash for your holiday shopping, and benefit the museum. Please bring a photo ID.

The New England Quilt Museum
18 Shattuck Street
Lowell, MA 01852
978-452-4207
www.nequiltmuseum.org

Just so you will not get the impression that I prefer to crab about those who are doing a slipshod job of things when it comes to quilt history, the study of old fabrics, etc., I’d like to mention that just now, I discovered a new blog that has been set up by Margo Kramer. She is a long time fabric enthusiast and vendor of reproduction fabrics. Her online listings of her “findings” and latest reproduction fabrics that have just been printed and which she has added to her collection for sale are a real treat to see, even if only small, enticing swatches are available.

One can go to her Reproduction Fabrics website and sign up for her newsletter. She always includes tasty tidbits of information that are enjoyable to quilters, from beginners to more skilled aficionados of the art. I am always delighted to find her latest newsletter in my mailbox.

Tonight, I learned something new: she states that “Cottonopolis” is the 19th century name that was given to the Manchester, England cotton processing and printing mills. That is a fascinating fact, in light of a lecture I heard in New Hampshire, a short time ago, in which the presenter compared the Manchester, England mills to the Manchester, NH mills. The Manchester, NH mills are still standing and have been designated for innovative uses while the Manchester, England mills were bombed out during World War II, and have been completely demolished since then.

Check out Margo’s site and have your credit card ready, if you are planning any projects that require reproduction fabrics. I can vouch for the fact that she prides herself on great customer service and quick shipping. She is one of the “good guys” upon whom one can always count to “get it right.” She was a fellow student of mine in 2001, when we both enrolled in the “History of Quilts” class, at the University of Nebraska, Lincoln.

Keep up the good work, Margo!

Patricia Cummings
Quilter’s Muse Publications

Half of my life, it seems, has been spent trying to correct other people in their erroneous, fallacious, and mythical statements about the “facts” surrounding textile and quilt history, including, but certainly not limited to, embroidery techniques such as Redwork. In these financially-trying times, it appears that unqualified people are willing to charge money to tell gullible buyers falsehoods. I refer to a new site that has come to my attention, but, alas, shall remain unmentioned by me.

The site owner has been writing about Redwork, among other topics. I cannot verify the truth about the “other topics” because I would have to pay quite a lot of money, per month, to access the files.

A friend sent me a brief “summary” of Redwork, according to the individual in question. It was described as “a quilting technique” (no, it is embroidery!) The person writing the short essay described Redwork and Bluework as being popular in the 1800s. (Bluework, and other colors seem to post-date Redwork for an obvious reason that any who knows anything about the topic would know).

If we loosely say “popular in the 1800s” that implies that we mean popular for 100 years, that is, all of the 19th century. Redwork was, in fact, popular AFTER crazy quilting. I think of Crazy Quilts as enjoying their most popularity in the 1880s, and Redwork as being most popular, beginning in the 1890s.

The writer stated that Redwork was done on muslin and white fabric. To tell you the truth, I wracked my brain trying to think of any WHITE fabric that I’ve seen in a quilt from the period when Redwork was most popular. She also states that Redwork was done mostly on small items (not necessarily a true statement), and that larger Redwork quilts had sashings. The only Redwork quilt I have in my collection that has sashings is from the early 20th century. In fact, the Redwork bedcoverings are most often tied, not quilted, so are not true quilts.

Sometimes, it is not what a writer says, but what he/she does not say. I could continue with my objections, inasmuch as I took issue with just about everything this person had to say. Make a mental note here. I have written five books on this subject.

I realize that there are hobbyists out there who want to move into the realm of being a “professional.” I will tell them one thing. They only make themselves look untrustworthy when “they” do not do their homework, are vague, and rely on hunches, rather than established facts. It is okay to make money by sharing what one knows, but for heaven’s sake, please make sure you “know” what you purport to know before spreading misinformation that makes my task of clearing up errors all the more difficult.

Greed does not do anyone any favors.

No one can prevent anyone from putting falsehoods or unsupported information on a website. Apparently, this is lucrative and money being money, that is the draw.

I will never ask you to pay to read my well-researched files online. They are shared freely because I believe that knowledge is a good thing, and because I am a teacher by training, temperament, and experience. “Knowledge is Power.” The truth, as I’ve said many times, will always stand. “B.S.” will always be what that is, a pile of trumped up lies that can easily be spotted.

By the way, if anyone wants to read some true statements about Redwork, you will still find some information on my website. I have removed the three books that had been there for free access. Perhaps I should have left them longer so that my information, that is offered for free, could have been copied to a paid site. At least the person might have gotten a few more “facts” right.

As it stands, my 5th book, never online, is available in an e-book style, on CD, and is for sale of my Products Available page. For the most part, I do not get paid for my research, book writing, and web entries, unless I happen to occasionally sell an e-book. My labor is an extension of my compulsiveness to share information, and an example of my personal dedication to quilt history and world textiles. And, I would not have it any other way. There is a great deal of satisfaction in being a scholar and in having earned the title of “certified master craftsman in quilting,” one of only eight people in the country to have ever done so, as far as I know.

Have a great weekend.

P.S. For a great online paid site, I highly recommend “The Quilt Show” with Ricky Tims and Alex Anderson!

Patricia Cummings
Quilter’s Muse Publications