Ami's SOA Civil War Quilts: Era, Commemorative, Inspired

It's my opinion that it appears the Quilt Code is complete fabrication based on the inventive powers of a very gifted modern saleswoman. I also think based on personal experience that making "reproductions" of this sort of Underground Railroad signal quilt tends to bring out the worst in Southern white ladies, who like to play pretend that their personal ancestors were involved in the Underground Railroad, or that they themselves would have been if they lived back then, when more often their ancestors owned slaves and they seem more likely to have been enthusiastic Confederate supporters like everybody else in their neighborhood. There's something downright creepy about a whole roomful of elderly white ladies who don't know a single black person well enough to have them over for dinner, paying money to sit around in a quilt shop and pretend to be helping the Underground Railroad.

I guess if a person can swallow one lie, then can swallow any others they want to.

How far into the south do they imagine the underground railroad ran? Not too far, I hope. I'd hate to picture little old ladies from Alabama or Georgia doing this, and tripling the lie. Pennsylvania, Ohio or New York is bad enough.
 
I hope so. Harrisburg has enough problems. Taking away its contributions via the Underground Railroad would leave it destitute of good deedery.

The state museum does have an excellent quilt exhibit, however. :giggle:
 
@brass napoleon may still be a guide on the Underground Railroad. In the past, he said he often received questions about the use of quilts and Quilt Code.

Perhaps he has some comments on the topic.

Yep, I still get an occasional question about it. Fortunately it seems that most people accept my answer that it's all a bunch of hooey. Our community is big in both quilting and abolitionist history, so it's not surprising that there would be a link. But fortunately that link has always been in the form of historical interpretation, rather than historical revision. Here's an example from several years ago:

http://www.oberlin.edu/external/EOG/threads_of_freedom/threads2.html
 
Love your quilt, Alan.....I had what was termed a "winter" quilt using wool suiting and flannel. The entire backing was flannel. I wormed it out of my aunt, whose grandmother in law had made it in the 1930's. The piecework was done, then it was stitched to a muslin backing and the batting (hand-combed), then a flannel backing made up of two lengths of fabric was attached...I don't think there was any "mourning" to it...it was just a heavy quilt they took out in the winter. I wanted it because my grandmother always let me sleep under it. (Last grandkid!)

In addition to the good advice you received, please don't put it in plastic. For something of this age and rarity, I'd order an archival box and paper for wrapping (check with your local dry cleaners). Plastic bags hold in moisture and actually degrade the fabric over time, and letting it breathe while protecting it from insects (moths and other pesky eaters of fabric like silverfish and roaches), rodents and etc. is important.

Lucky guy!
Thanks Nathanb1!

So if I go to a dry cleaners, do I use the term "archival box" or some other term? Will they know what it means? I will definitely follow you advice!

I'm trying to meet with my aunt to see if she knows anything about it or remembers anything. I will also contact local quilt clubs that I've found on line. After all this, I'll post an update if any new information arises. But I will drop in a dry cleaners this week per your advice and suggestions. Again, thanks!
 
Thanks Nathanb1!

So if I go to a dry cleaners, do I use the term "archival box" or some other term? Will they know what it means? I will definitely follow you advice!

I'm trying to meet with my aunt to see if she knows anything about it or remembers anything. I will also contact local quilt clubs that I've found on line. After all this, I'll post an update if any new information arises. But I will drop in a dry cleaners this week per your advice and suggestions. Again, thanks!

Find a cleaners that does Wedding Dresses. They have the box and paper. It will cost a bit, but the plus side is a clear window where you can see the quilt without touching it. :smile: I'd say find the best dry cleaner in town! You can also check on line for archival supplies if your cleaners don't have what you need. It's not terribly expensive! My husband the photographer uses a company for boxes for his good prints. I'll see if I can do some research.
 
Aha! Knew I could find the company he uses.....textiles storage stuff should be here....Light Impressions. I'd post the link but I'm having heck with this tablet today. Easy enough to find.

One other thing....If you can change the way you fold it, to vary the folds, and to even roll it for storage rather than folding, that's great. Folds will eventually break the fabric, so when I fold a quilt I try to vary the way I folded it the last time--in thirds rather than half, etc. Just be gentle. If it's dusty, you can use a piece of cheesecloth rubber-banded over a vacuum cleaner hose and without touching the fabric, that will suck up loose particles of dust.

If there's a school near you with a textiles program, you can learn a lot. I was lucky....I got to hang around lots of archivists in college, and then as a County Agent, worked with some of the best people around. This is why I hate to visit the local museum....Neal is even on the board....but their display of textiles makes me want to scream. :smile:
 
Aha! Knew I could find the company he uses.....textiles storage stuff should be here....Light Impressions. I'd post the link but I'm having heck with this tablet today. Easy enough to find.

One other thing....If you can change the way you fold it, to vary the folds, and to even roll it for storage rather than folding, that's great. Folds will eventually break the fabric, so when I fold a quilt I try to vary the way I folded it the last time--in thirds rather than half, etc. Just be gentle. If it's dusty, you can use a piece of cheesecloth rubber-banded over a vacuum cleaner hose and without touching the fabric, that will suck up loose particles of dust.

If there's a school near you with a textiles program, you can learn a lot. I was lucky....I got to hang around lots of archivists in college, and then as a County Agent, worked with some of the best people around. This is why I hate to visit the local museum....Neal is even on the board....but their display of textiles makes me want to scream. :smile:

Thanks Nathanb1,

I finally trapped my aunt by just showing up at her house unannounced with the quilt.

Don't you have folks who came from Mississippi? I might be wrong, but it seems somewhere you mentioned you had folks by the name of Powers.

I brought the quilt into my aunt's house and placed it on her floor. I told my aunt about this site and all that you guys have told me, etc..,

She took a quick look at the quilt and she said to me "I saw this as a little girl. It was in a trunk in the attic. It's a Powers' quilt."

She brought out pictures of tombstones she had taken of my ancestors' graves with Powers names' on them. She felt that it could be anywhere from 1845 to 1895. She said it is wool material.

Reckon we are related?

Anyway, she is hooking me up with a quilt expert-or so she says.
 
Thanks Nathanb1,

I finally trapped my aunt by just showing up at her house unannounced with the quilt.

Don't you have folks who came from Mississippi? I might be wrong, but it seems somewhere you mentioned you had folks by the name of Powers.

I brought the quilt into my aunt's house and placed it on her floor. I told my aunt about this site and all that you guys have told me, etc..,

She took a quick look at the quilt and she said to me "I saw this as a little girl. It was in a trunk in the attic. It's a Powers' quilt."

She brought out pictures of tombstones she had taken of my ancestors' graves with Powers names' on them. She felt that it could be anywhere from 1845 to 1895. She said it is wool material.

Reckon we are related?

Anyway, she is hooking me up with a quilt expert-or so she says.

We could be...there are some people who wandered around; however my Powers side came from Maine to Missouri and then Texas. My Sanders, Chamblee and Moore branches, and Dickens folks came from Mississippi and Alabama. Darn it. I should have prevaricated on this one! But it sounds like you hit the jackpot by going to see her!
 
Don't believe everything you read.

A Texas Secession Quilt?

pond%2Bquilt.jpg


This Lone Star quilt was recently offered in an online auction, advertised as:

"Sumner County, Tennessee Civil War era quilt in the 'Lone Star' pattern, made by Mary Jane Harris Pond in 1861 to commemorate Texas joining the Confederacy."

Doubtful.

For helpful information, see the following interesting article: http://civilwarquilts.blogspot.com/...paign=Feed:+CivilWarQuilts+(Civil+War+Quilts)
 
Don't believe everything you read.

A Texas Secession Quilt?

pond%2Bquilt.jpg


This Lone Star quilt was recently offered in an online auction, advertised as:

"Sumner County, Tennessee Civil War era quilt in the 'Lone Star' pattern, made by Mary Jane Harris Pond in 1861 to commemorate Texas joining the Confederacy."

Doubtful.

For helpful information, see the following interesting article: http://civilwarquilts.blogspot.com/2017/02/a-texas-secession-quilt.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed:+CivilWarQuilts+(Civil+War+Quilts)
That is a really interesting article!

Lone star quilts are surprisingly easy to make in miniature. The trick is to sew them in long strips, then cut the strips on the bias and move them a step sideways. Here's one I made (in modern fabrics and colors) for a dollhouse on top of a pile of 1/12 scale dollhouse quilts. The funny red and orange hourglass is a reproduction of my family's own Civil War era quilt, which is a utility quilt made from woolens, probably leftovers from clothes. The original is tufted rather than quilted. I included some other Civil War-inspired quilts in the picture: there are two Log Cabin variants, an Amish-style quilt, a Princess Feather applique, and a pieced block sampler.

miniquits01.jpg
 
Don't believe everything you read.

A Texas Secession Quilt?

pond%2Bquilt.jpg


This Lone Star quilt was recently offered in an online auction, advertised as:

"Sumner County, Tennessee Civil War era quilt in the 'Lone Star' pattern, made by Mary Jane Harris Pond in 1861 to commemorate Texas joining the Confederacy."

Doubtful.

For helpful information, see the following interesting article: http://civilwarquilts.blogspot.com/2017/02/a-texas-secession-quilt.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed:+CivilWarQuilts+(Civil+War+Quilts)


Interesting! And the thing is, if someone were to line up say, 9 quilts of the era and this one, as lovely as it is, and ask me to pick the one outside the era, would probably pick it. Not, goodness know, through being an expert- and maybe it sounds silly to not be able to put my finger on it, but something in the colors does not feel right. Reading her blog sure explains things.

It's a shame. Someone will buy this perfectly lovely quilt for the wrong reason. Oh well. At least it's not yet another Lincoln post mortem photograph for 100,00K. One of those still tooling around on ebay.
 
That is a really interesting article!

Lone star quilts are surprisingly easy to make in miniature. The trick is to sew them in long strips, then cut the strips on the bias and move them a step sideways. Here's one I made (in modern fabrics and colors) for a dollhouse on top of a pile of 1/12 scale dollhouse quilts. The funny red and orange hourglass is a reproduction of my family's own Civil War era quilt, which is a utility quilt made from woolens, probably leftovers from clothes. The original is tufted rather than quilted. I included some other Civil War-inspired quilts in the picture: there are two Log Cabin variants, an Amish-style quilt, a Princess Feather applique, and a pieced block sampler.

View attachment 124609
Allie, you do beautiful work, and your doll quilts are lovely.
Thank you for posting them.
 
Interesting! And the thing is, if someone were to line up say, 9 quilts of the era and this one, as lovely as it is, and ask me to pick the one outside the era, would probably pick it. Not, goodness know, through being an expert- and maybe it sounds silly to not be able to put my finger on it, but something in the colors does not feel right. Reading her blog sure explains things.

It's a shame. Someone will buy this perfectly lovely quilt for the wrong reason. Oh well. At least it's not yet another Lincoln post mortem photograph for 100,00K. One of those still tooling around on ebay.
I agree, Annie. To me that quilt has the look of the 1920's.
 
That is a really interesting article!

Lone star quilts are surprisingly easy to make in miniature. The trick is to sew them in long strips, then cut the strips on the bias and move them a step sideways. Here's one I made (in modern fabrics and colors) for a dollhouse on top of a pile of 1/12 scale dollhouse quilts. The funny red and orange hourglass is a reproduction of my family's own Civil War era quilt, which is a utility quilt made from woolens, probably leftovers from clothes. The original is tufted rather than quilted. I included some other Civil War-inspired quilts in the picture: there are two Log Cabin variants, an Amish-style quilt, a Princess Feather applique, and a pieced block sampler.

View attachment 124609
Wow, the skills and patience it must take to make those are amazing.
 
This is the best thread! I really admire all the information and posts and so much! I am going absolutely bonkers trying to learn to quilt! I've joined two quilting groups and meet with some ladies at my church once a month and still can't sew in straight line! I seem to do better with crochet but I'm not giving up!
 
This is the best thread! I really admire all the information and posts and so much! I am going absolutely bonkers trying to learn to quilt! I've joined two quilting groups and meet with some ladies at my church once a month and still can't sew in straight line! I seem to do better with crochet but I'm not giving up!
Yes, keep at it. No one is born knowing this stuff. :smile: Your work will improve the longer you do it.

I learned to quilt completely by hand. Then I finally got up the nerve to learn how to use a sewing machine. You should have seen me unpacking it and studying the manual. I was quite frightened of 1) screwing up the machine and 2) sewing my own fingers. The first time I hit the pedal and saw the needle move, I was like, "WHOA!"

I still don't know how to properly machine quilt the layers. Some day I must learn though. As lovely as hand quilting is, it just takes me way too long.
 
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