quiltersmuse.com Blog

Antique bird drawing, one of many for Outline Stitch Embroidery (Redwork, etc.) from the e-book, Redwork Renaissance Revisited, available on the Products Available page of Quilter’s Muse Publications website.

Who doesn’t thrill at seeing the first Robin of Spring, with its ear so finely-tuned as to detect worms just under the surface of the ground? Sometimes, like last year, Robins have appeared in my yard, while snow was still on the ground. Just recently, I learned that Robins are changing their migratory patterns. Some are remaining year round in heavily-wooded areas of New Hampshire.

We all love to see birds, and in New England, there is an abundance of them. My favorite bird is the Puffin, although I have never been to the rocky area off the coast of Maine where they live. I have just viewed them in videos and in photos. I remember seeing a picture of an outstanding quilt that depicts Puffins. The birds live in colonies, as do seals and sea otters. They travel together, as do Cedar Waxwings, another very social bird.

It is no surprise that photographers have wanted to capture the beauty of birds, scientists have wanted to study them, and the ordinary citizen has joined the Audubon Society to be with other birding enthusiasts. Some people decide to help the birds survive the winter by putting up bird stations. This seems like a wonderful thing to do, at first glance, but think again.

In New Hampshire, our state bird, the Purple Finch, has been dying off, perhaps due to the diseases they are picking up from other birds who visit feeding stations. Birds are not exactly clean creatures, especially while eating. Feeders pose a danger that are seldom or never washed or sterilized with Clorox bleach.

Authorities warn about the fact that outdoor feeders can and do attract Black Bears to yards, even in residential neighborhoods. Bears have a keen sense of smell, which is why they will tear their way into tents that have food inside, and will sometimes, even break windows to get into houses. I have not heard of that happening in New Hampshire, but I have seen videos of bears entering homes in Colorado.

Nature is always in a fine balance and whenever man inserts himself into the picture, changing food sources, or habitat conditions, there is always a price to pay. In the case of wild turkeys, just a few years ago, there were few of those in this state. They have made a comeback, due partially to restocking, and partially to no wolves or natural predators that can “take them,” except for man, in a limited turkey-hunting season.

The result is that we see turkeys in fields and by the side of the road, all the time. The other more serious result is that they sometimes fly in front of motorcycles and cars, unexpectedly, and in some cases, have caused fatalities.

In the dead of winter, we feed the birds with suet. When it is freezing cold outside, there is no chance of the animal fat becoming rancid, and birds happily utilize this food to help them keep warm and survive New Hampshire’s dire cold. As soon as the “bear alert” goes out, or as soon as the weather warms, that is the end of our bird feeding efforts. Birds are beautiful! I love them. To preserve them, it is best to leave them alone and let them feed on the natural seed pods and other forage they find for themselves.

In textiles, birds have been an endless theme of celebration in lovely old chintz fabrics and in more recent bird prints, as well as in Crewel embroidery kits, and in quilts, both antique and new. Have you made a bird quilt? If so, we’d love to see it! As birds are one of my pet subjects, I could say much more, but will leave you for now, with the suggestion of a book title that seems most interesting.

Patricia Cummings
Quilter’s Muse Publications website

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