Archive for January, 2011

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The International Quilt Study Center Offers New Exhibits

Friday, January 14th, 2011

“Revisiting the Art Quilt” and “Marseille: White Corded Quilting” are the names of two recently-mounted exhibits at the University of Nebraska, Lincoln’s International Quilt Study Center. Reportedly, both collections of quilts are “superb.” This is the first time that Marseille quilts have been featured in a major exhibition in the United States. Most of the quilts on display date to the 18th century (1700s) and are in surprising good condition, according to sources. Hand quilted, calimanco and pure white quilts, stuffed and corded, were the order of the day in the time period these quilts represent; not “pieced” quilts.

To learn more about this exhibition which will be in place until May 22, 2011, please visit: http://www.quiltstudy.org/exhibitions/online_exhibitions/marseilles.html

To find out more about American Wholecloth Quilt Traditions, visit my five part file, one entry of which is: http://www.quiltersmuse.com/wholecloth_quilts3.htm

This announcement is brought to you courtesy of Patricia Cummings and Quilter’s Muse Publications as a public service.

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Uplifting Ceremony in Arizona

Thursday, January 13th, 2011

Daniel Hernandez, who would not admit to his “hero” status again last night, gave a short speech at the memorial ceremony in Tucson to honor the fallen. He reminded us of the Latin phrase, “e pluribus unum” – “out of many, one.” This phrase often appears in conjunction with an American Bald Eagle on patriotic textiles. Indeed, Dr. Carlos Gonzalez, who introduced himself as half-Mexican / half Mexican-Indian and fifth generation American, provided a Native American blessing. His presence reminded us of Arizona’s rich and vast cultural history. Last night’s presentations beckoned us all to work together and to love each other, even though we may differ in religious or political views or cultural orientation.

If only the peacefulness and sense of healing effected by the shared words last evening, especially President Obama’s clear-headed and compassionate speech, could pervade into our very fiber as humans and could endure. That is a heartfelt wish and a noble thought. However, it is unrealistic to think that enduring peace on earth shall ever be the norm. Many reasons prevent this from occurring: greed, man’s quest for the trappings of this world such as power and fame, and a perverse need of media critics to tells lies, rouse the rabble, and further elicit political dissension.

To me, it seems like a crying shame that certain high-profile media people like Beck, Limbaugh and Palin felt the need to make themselves the center of attention at such a sad time. It appeared to be defensive behavior. I may live in a bubble but, really, if the “cross-hairs” on the map had not been brought up at this time, I would not have been aware of them, nor would I have ever thought of Palin as culpable. That said, the “map” is off-topic, and it is “off-putting” that she created such a thing. But, this tragedy was not about her and I speak for myself when I say that I was annoyed that she inserted herself into the equation with an eight minute long video. Why does everything have to be a chance for her own self-promotion?

For a couple of days, I had turned on Fox News just to see what the conservative right extremists were saying. Now that I have satisfied my curiosity, I will not tune in again. I just kept thinking, “How can these people get away with such outrageous misrepresentations, and why does anyone watch their shows?” Moreover, who believes them? Can’t anyone think for themselves anymore? Where has fairness gone?

Headlines spotted this morning criticized the president for not striking the right note in his speech last night. It is always amazing to me how I can hear a speech and really enjoy it, and someone else has to find a way to “dis” it. No, it is back to business, as usual, I am afraid. I can only pray that people will try to embrace the truth more often than they believe the lies. I am so grateful that we have such a great leader in President Obama.

Patricia Cummings

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Zentangle Art / Zentangle Quilts

Wednesday, January 12th, 2011

The concept of Zen art or “zentangles” was recently developed by Maria Thomas and Rick Roberts. As described in a current article in The Quilter magazine, written by Dawn Goldsmith, Pat Ferguson has adapted the idea into making small quilts that usually are machine stitched with black thread on a white background, although some of her quilts utilize color.

Rick Robers and Maria Thomas

Rick Roberts and Maria Thomas, co-creators of the art concept of Zentangles

zentangle drawing

A Zentangle drawing provided at Rick and Maria’s website

Let’s take a look at the words of the creators of this new art concept:

Zentangle is an easy to learn and relaxing method of creating beautiful images from repetitive patterns. Zentangle is an intuitive art form which increases creativity and focus. It is enjoyed by people of all ages and a wide range of skills.

“One day Maria and I were having a conversation about how she relaxes and loses all sense of time while doing her art work,” says Rick Roberts, “We wondered if it was possible to create a simple technique so others could enjoy a similar experience.” This was the beginning of the simple and elegant system known as Zentangle. “Little did we know,” continues Mr. Roberts, “that it would grow this quickly and touch as many lives in as many ways as it has.”

Zentangle is easy to learn and easy to do method which results in beautiful images created from repetitive patterns. Even though it has a specified series of steps, it results in a creative expression that transcends its own rules. It is fun and provides a lighthearted way of relaxing, while shifting focus and perspective.

Ms. Thomas agrees. “You cannot fail to create a Zentangle,” This is because a Zentangle is not meant to look like anything other than a Zentangle. “It has no up or down,” Ms. Thomas states, “You can do anything one stroke at a time! Zentangle allows a return to basic creativity using simple tools, which is part of our human heritage.”

Ms. Thomas and Mr. Roberts have run Zentangle seminars for many organizations, schools and businesses. “It was a terrific team building exercise,” Says Dennis Rice, executive director of Alternatives, “where everyone was successful.” Zentangle is used to improve self esteem, individual confidence, creativity and cooperation in team efforts. Mr. Roberts explains, “For people who are convinced they can’t draw, Zentangle’s method removes the intimidation of facing a blank sheet of paper. A novice’s work can be put next to a ‘pro’s’ work and fit right in.”

At their workshop, Ms. Thomas and Mr. Roberts will introduce an elegant Zentangle kit which includes everything an individual would need to create Zentangles. The kit is made up of die-cut tiles of fine art paper, archival pen, pencil and sharpener and instruction book and DVD.

For further information please visit http://www.zentangle.com

Suzanne McNeill has published three books on the subject:

An online site that offers support and free patterns and “how-to” instructions is: http://www.TanglePatterns.com

Have fun!

Patricia Cummings, Quilter’s Muse Publications

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Mental Health

Wednesday, January 12th, 2011

Many derogatory terms are showing up on television as commentators try to sum up the persona of Jared Lee Loughner. In the opinion of Rush Limbaugh, Jared is a “nut job.” He repeated this term, again and again, while taking no responsibility for saying that the Democrats wanted the Arizona incident to happen (which sounds pretty “out there” to me). However, this is not a discussion about extremists on either end of the political spectrum. Today, I want to share some anecdotes that give the reader a glimpse of our mental health care system.

I have known a certain person for close to sixty years. She has always had adjustment problems and in her adult life, became an alcoholic, when her children were still young. In the late 1970s, she was living in Arizona. She called me in New Hampshire. It was the day before Easter. By then divorced, she said that her boyfriend was dead, having been thrown into a crematorium. She was hysterical and stated that she couldn’t go on. The line went dead.

What was I to do? I called the sheriff in Arizona and after he figured out that I was a responsible caller who actually knew the party in question, he told me that it is not possible to be “thrown into a crematorium.” A casket is always needed and it is delivered to the incendiary area by means of something that looks like a grocer’s belt. He asked me to describe her car. I did. He asked for my permission for authorities to check in on her. I gave it. When they broke in, they found her quite indisposed and hauled her off to the detox. unit of the local hospital to dry out.

Fast forward. She remarried and moved to Colorado. She divorced that husband, too. After she underwent a heart stoppage (a near death experience), I discovered a write-up about her in her local newspaper. I found it only by accident while looking for something else on the Internet. A letter she wrote to the paper had been transposed into a most unbelievable account, including, most of all, untrue statements about her educational background and achievements. Among other things, she claimed to speak seven languages fluently. Simply not true.

She is a gun owner. One day, she called me from Colorado and told me that she had a gun to her head and was going to pull the trigger. After trying to dissuade her from this action, she hung up. Again, I contacted the authorities, namely the National Alliance for the Mentally Ill (NAMI). I was told that their hands were tied. Legally, they could not take her into custody as she’d committed no crime. They would have to hear her say that she was going to kill herself and see the gun to her head before they could actively intervene.

Time has passed. Now, she lives (alone) in Arizona again. She had her gun taken away in Colorado when she (“accidentally”) shot through the wall of her apartment complex, nearly hitting the occupant there. She is paranoid, reporting that peepers are constantly trying to look into her windows. She is fearful. Probably, she is armed. She is well known to the police as she is constantly contacting them.

She has slipped through the cracks of the mental health system, claiming for years to be immune to mental illness because she IS a psychologist (a delusional statement). To her, everyone else is crazy. There is absolutely nothing I can do to help her. Her immediate family passes her off as quirky or avoids recognizing that this women is a potential danger to herself or others. We can only hope that she passes from this life before doing physical harm to anyone.

Mental health, or rather the lack of it, is the root of many crimes. It is frustrating for those who care for an individual to see that they are in need of help but not know how to get it for them. The stigma about mental illness and phrases like “nut job” are counter-productive. I hope what I’ve told you is food for thought.

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Jeff Warner Offers More Musical Performances

Tuesday, January 11th, 2011

Jeff Warner photo by James Cummings

Jeff Warner, a photo by James Cummings taken in 2009

We enjoy promoting local musical artists. Jeff Warner will be performing traditional folk music four times in January 2011 at the following locations.

Tuesday, January 11, 2011, 7:00 PM
“Songs of Old New Hampshire”

http://www.hampstead.lib.nh.us/

Friends of Hampstead Public Library, 9 Mary E. Clark Drive, Hampstead, NH
No charge, courtesy NH Humanities Council’s Humanities To Go
Contact Louise Pryor: 603-329-6411

Friday, January 21, 2011, 10:00 AM
“Banjos, Bones and Ballads”
Newcomers Club at Community Church of Durham, 17 Main Street, Durham, NH
No charge, courtesy NH Humanities Council’s Humanities To Go
Contact Gayle Hylen: 603-659-2422

Monday, January 24, 2011, 12:30 PM
“Songs of Old New Hampshire”
Kearsarge Council on Aging, 37 Pleasant Street, New London, NH
No charge, courtesy NH Humanities Council’s Humanities To Go
Contact Maria Barnett: 603-927-4673

Saturday, January 29, 2011, All Day & Evening
Northern Roots Traditional Music Festival

http://www.bmcvt.org/northernroots

100 Flat Street, Brattleboro, VT
Day $18/ Evening $18/ Both $30; discount for youth
Further information: 802-257-4523

–
Jeff Warner – American Traditions
Portsmouth, NH, USA
Office e-mail: jeffwarner.office@comcast.net
Jeff’s e-mail: jeff@jeffwarner.com
Jeff’s website: http://www.jeffwarner.com

This is an unpaid advertisement brought to you as a courtesy of Quilter’s Muse Publications. Don’t miss the chance to see this performing artist!

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Reproduction Doll and Quilt Commemorate the Childhood of Susan B. Anthony

Monday, January 10th, 2011

An enterprising dollmaker / quiltmaker has created simulated items like those that may have belonged to Susan B. Anthony as a child. The Susan B. Anthony Birthplace Museum in Adams, Massachusetts commissioned local artist, Kathy Williamson, to create a Quaker doll and a postage stamp doll quilt to display at the museum. The following photo was taken by James Cummings.

doll and quilt

The doll dress has no pockets or buttons as was the custom of the Quakers. (Susan B. Anthony’s father was a Quaker). The doll’s face is embroidered and has a sculpted nose and eyebrows. The doll pattern is an adaptation of a Gail Wilson design. (We featured Gail Wilson’s work in a pincushion article). The doll required 28.5 hours of work.

The quilt is composed of cotton fabrics recycled from old quilts and took the quilter eighty one hours to complete, including research for a period quilt to duplicate from the time period 1800-1849. There are one hundred sixty five squares that finish to a .75″ size.

In addition, a pillow and mattress were made for the doll cradle. All of these items are based on the following statement that appears in Ida Husted Harper’s biography of Susan B. Anthony (47):

She had no toys or dolls except of home manufacture, but her rag baby and set of broken dishes afforded just as much happiness as children nowadays get from a roomful of imported playthings.

Keep in mind that the above statement was written in 1898.

Many thanks to the Susan B. Anthony Birthplace Museum for sharing details of this special project.

If you have not yet read our online article about Susan B. Anthony and an overview of her life, click here: http://www.quiltersmuse.com/susan-b-anthony.htm

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The Role of Words in Shaping Collective Thought

Monday, January 10th, 2011

Everyone seems to be scrambling to find answers for the recent tragedy in Arizona. Fox News has gone out of its way to interview those who can provide a tidbit or two of new information, in the hope of creating insight. Interviews have included Jared Lee Loughner’s math professor who feared him; relatives of the victims; a neighbor of the shooter who describes the entire family as anti-social and unfriendly; and a parade of other people with thoughts, opinions and reactions. The goal of all of those reports seems to be a keen desire to understand the reason(s) why this happened.

In a few moments, President Obama has asked us all to observe a “moment of silence” in honor of those who met an untimely death at the hands of this troubled young man. That seems to be a fitting and respectful thing to do, but that silence cannot continue for long. This event has brought up many areas to discuss.

As Americans, we like to kid ourselves that our streets and public gathering places are safe. Time and again, history has proven otherwise. No matter how much a public servant “gives” to society, no matter how much he / she cares or sacrifices, there is a chance of becoming the victim of a hate crime (or a random one).

The shooter did not discriminate. He shot old people who had mostly lived their lives, as well as Representative Giffords at the height of her political career, and a nine year old child with a bright future. The identities of the other victims are slowly emerging.

The use of labels do not serve our country well. Words like “Socialist,” “Red” or “Communist,” as directed toward our leader, (as seen on the Internet and on signs displayed in public); words like “Redneck”; “Leftist”; or even the words “Tea Party,” a group has come to represent the radical right wing contingent of American politics. When we use labels for ourselves or others, we lose content and meaningful communication. We no longer see each other as individuals. This smacks of what happened in Nazi Germany when Jewish people were seen as subhuman and treated as such. Labels are hateful and they are dangerous, especially when used as the basis for collective prejudice.

I agree with Sheriff Clarence Dupnik when he suggests that words can play a role in violence. Words can either bring people together and be healing, or they can serve as the vehicle of divisiveness. One person’s suggestion on Fox News that Dupnik should be under “a gag order” is not acceptable. Certainly someone who has given fifty years of his own life to law enforcement for the protection of others has the right to be heard. He is on the front lines, every day.

We implore Almighty God to be with us at this time of national tragedy. Our hearts go out to all of the victims as we continue to try to fathom why Jared Lee Loughner became so disturbed that he harmed others. We pray that justice may be swift, and unencumbered by the extensive television coverage that has already tried Loughner in the media. May Americans stand tall and strong, but moreover, stand together. If there ever was a time to do that, it is now.

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The Tragedy in Arizona

Sunday, January 9th, 2011

Until yesterday afternoon, I had never heard the name “Jared Lee Loughner.” Like the name “Lee Harvey Oswald,” I would have been happier never knowing it. It was not until later in the evening that a memorable statement was made by the Sheriff of Pima County. He blamed the charged atmosphere in Arizona, calling the state a mecca for bigotory and prejudice, an ambiance that creates vitriol via words. That vitriol leads to violence. These are two good words to remember “vitriol –> violence.” Today, in an interview on Fox News the sheriff was questioned about the responsibility of making those statements, and later on, another guest suggested that he be placed under a “gag order,” for the good of all. I am appalled at the politicization of a human tragedy. In this free country, we are all entitled to call it as we see it.

In the months that follow, after the initial investigations are complete, the authorities will be wondering 1) what to do with this disturbed young man (does he deserve the death penalty?); 2) how can we prevent such a tragedy from happening in the future?

The media pundits are right about one thing: Jared Lee Loughner is a home-grown terrorist, an “unbalanced” person who “fell through the cracks.” There were clues to his instability all along. However, someone cannot be arrested for portraying himself as the “Grim Reaper” on a MySpace page or for saying he likes the books, Animal Farm, the Communist Manifesto, or Mein Kampf. His choice of “favorite books” may just be a smokescreen. He is a high school dropout not a social philosopher.

One thing seems very clear. Jared was not getting any recognition anywhere. Described as a “loner in school,” even the U.S. Army rejected him for unspecified reasons. The brutal fact is that six people now lie dead, including a little girl, and others are attempting to recover from their wounds. An “eye for an eye” system of justice would call for the death penalty for him and be sorry that he has only one life to give. He will be arraigned on 1/10/11 after a public defender has been assigned to him.

Can we prevent tragedy from happening in the future? The one word answer is, “No.” Death comes like a thief in the night, when we are least aware. There will always be people like Jared Lee Loughner who take a cheap shot at going down in history, even if it is for something very bad. You see, like a naughty child, he simply had to be noticed, at whatever price. Rejection and isolation are painful conditions.

No one is speaking of his family of origin – his mother / his father / his siblings. It seems to me that perhaps tragic events in his own life may have spawned this greater tragedy that has had far-reaching effects. If there is an answer, it could be found in a four letter word, “love.” If his family had shown him love by getting medical intervention for him before his vitriol erupted into violence, I would not be writing this message. Hold your loved ones close and stand by them. That is one clear path to seeing that events like this never happen again.

Patricia

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The Thing About Quilters

Saturday, January 8th, 2011

Quilters are extraordinary people, if you haven’t yet noticed yet. Quilters meet in groups called guilds which are always wishing to support local causes like the Make A Wish Foundation, C.A.S.A., the Ronald McDonald House and so many other worthy causes it is impossible to name them all. In times of war, quilters join together to make quilts for the families of the fallen, as well as for veterans in hospitals. To honor those who have died from AIDS, a quilt composed of many individual panels was constructed. The quilt is now so large, there is no flat space left on earth to display it flat.

After 9-11, quilters made quilts for family members and to acknowledge their own horror at the unbelievable events of the day. In times past, quilters responded to hard times by recycling fibers from garments to make warm bed coverings, although that is not how quilting started, and this practice was a more limited occurrence than most people realize. Like today, those who would think of making a quilt would have preferred to do so with brand new cotton fabrics. As the TV commercial says, “Cotton is the fabric of our lives.”

Many quilters today strive to gain the recognition of their peers and to win prize money by entering shows. It’s big business, often involving long arm machines that cost more than your vehicle. Other quilters are bent on social causes like helping the folks in Haiti, although that effort was discouraged because in a very warm country, there is little need for warm quilts. Some people who sew have stepped up to the plate to make cotton dresses for little girls in Third World countries who, according to last night’s “Nightly News” broadcast, are given a dress that may be the only brand new item they will ever own.

If there is one word to describe quilters, it would be “generous.” From time immemorial, they gathered at quilting bees to share designs and the task of transforming a quilt top into a quilt. Often, they made quilts for sick church members or for a departing minister. Through their stitches, they could comment on political causes of the day, as well. While quilters enjoy color, there is no color barrier between them. They only need three words, “Quilting Spoken Here.”

Quilting proves that we all have something to offer. I am happy to be part of a greater Sisterhood and Brotherhood of those who quilt. We certainly differ individually but we all understand what it feels like to be creative and to produce something from the heart, the work of our hands and spirit, and that is our common ground.

The following link is for the new book published by The Museum of Folk Art in New York, in conjunction with their “Year of the Quilt” and various quilt exhibits.

Pat

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Fabrications

Friday, January 7th, 2011

Unfortunately, when I refer to “fabrications” I am not referring to anything related to “fabrics” but in this case, the tales are created out of “whole-cloth.”

The first indication that Black History Month is approaching (in February) is another mention of the so-called “secret quilt code.” The reappearance of this myth is inevitable, just as the same Tulips pop up in my garden each April. “Look!”: An historical fabrication is a story that is a product of someone’s imagination but has no basis in reality and has little to do with the facts.

Giles Wright, himself a black instructor at the college level and a holder of a Ph.D. degree, was the first and loudest critic of the book Hidden in Plain View that started a controversy in history and quilt history circles in 1999. He was an avid researcher and wrote a book about the Underground Railroad in his home state of New Jersey. Surely, he was not unsympathetic to the cause of escaping black slaves before the days of Abolition. I’m afraid that Mr. Giles would be turning over in his grave if he were to read the rehash that I just read (in a publication I will not name) and the “anonymous” writer’s conclusion:

Even in this controversy, the authors [Dobard and Tobin] stand by their book. (I say, why wouldn’t they? It’s making money and besides, do you know anyone who would take issue with their own work / or book?)

The article ends with this statement: “Besides, fact of myth, it makes for a wonderful story.” (As a friend of mine used to say, “Hey, Pat, why let the facts ever stand in the way of a good story?”)

Therein, my friends, lies the problem: people writing about history in this manner: “We may not know the song so let’s make it up, as we go along.” In this case, the song is nonsense babble and can never be anything else.

For heaven’s sake, why not honor the ongoing accomplishments of our black brothers and sisters which speak for themselves? Let’s forget this all hyped-up “excursion” into fantasy land.

I’ve written extensively about this topic, in published venues as well as on my own website. Do yourself a favor. Check out my files about quilts and the Underground Railroad. Before you go racing to your quilt shop to make an “Underground Railroad” quilt, please realize that the books out there on this subject were written for fun and profit and not necessarily to serve the cause of honoring either blacks or history. Buyer, beware!

That’s the view from here.

Patricia Cummings

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Zylpha Siudara, Quilter

Thursday, January 6th, 2011

When I saw a photo of Zylpha Siudara today, for the first time, I wished she were still here so I could give her a hug. Her good friend, Beth Davis, has been saving information about Zylpha for years now and has always found her to be an inspiration. An active and avid quilter, Zylpha did not miss a beat in creating unique new designs, being published, and even appearing on television. She was just 92 years young when she passed away in late December. Beth has written a tribute that I am sure you will want to read. It is located on my website.

http://www.quiltersmuse.com/Zylpha-Siudara.htm

Enjoy!

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The League of NH Craftsmen Hosts Exhibition: Shades of Purple

Wednesday, January 5th, 2011

The League of NH Craftsmen Hosts Exhibition:
Shades of Purple

Gallery 205, Concord, NH — January 14 to March 23, 2011
Opening Reception: Friday, January 14, 5 pm – 7 pm

soft sculpture fish by Camille B. Gibson

Soft sculpture fish by Camille B. Gibson

CONCORD, NH – When you mix red and blue, you get purple — a color that is often associated with royalty, wealth, leadership, and trustworthiness. The League of NH Craftsmen’s Gallery 205 is hosting a multi-media exhibition that celebrates the color purple. This exhibition features jewelry, soft fabric sculpture, photographs, prints, blown,fused, and stained glass, clay, metal, garments, leather, a rug, and wood items – all handcrafted by juried members of the League (see list of participants below).

The exhibition will be in the League’s Gallery 205 in Concord from January 14 through March 23, 2011. An opening reception, where the public can meet and speak with the participating craftspeople, is scheduled for Friday, January 14 from 5:00 pm to 7:00 pm. Check www.nhcrafts.org for cancellation in case of inclement weather. Gallery 205 is located in the League of NH Craftsmen’s headquarters at 205 North Main Street in Concord, NH and is open Monday through Friday, 8:30 am to 4:30 pm, and Saturdays, during the exhibition, 10:00 am to 4:00 pm.

“From time to time, we like to feature craft exhibitions that highlight color, as it enables all juried members to participate — giving our visitors an opportunity to see a wide range of fine craft,” said League Executive Director Susie Lowe-Stockwell. “It is fascinating to see the variety of ways that our craftspeople used the color purple to create their pieces. In some cases, it is a focal point for their piece; while in others, it is a more subtle foundation for their overall vision.”

About the League of NH Craftsmen

The mission of the League of NH Craftsmen is to encourage, nurture and promote the creation, use and preservation of fine contemporary and traditional craft through the inspiration and education of artists and the broader community. The League represents the signature of excellence in fine craft, through the work of its juried members, and its rigorous standards for self expression, vision, and quality craftsmanship.

The League of NH Craftsmen is supported in part by a grant from the New Hampshire State Council on the Arts, the National Endowment for the Arts, and the New Hampshire Charitable Foundation.

For more information about the Shades of Purple exhibition, Gallery 205, or the League of NH Craftsmen, call 603-224-3375 or visit www.nhcrafts.org

This is a public service announcement brought to you by Quilter’s Muse Publications

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A Bit of Silliness

Wednesday, January 5th, 2011

A few years ago, spammers were MUCH more creative. They actually assigned themselves very amusing names. I am not sure if one person was generating the creative names or more than one. I made a list of them, as they amused me. Anything that amuses me is worth noting in the world of sourpusses. I am sharing the list with you and hope it will bring a smile or two. Some are clever.

1) Disclaiming P. Jitters
2) Profiles T. Inkiest
3) Blair D. Penultimate
4) Sowers U. Simplification
5) Eva H. Napalmed
6) Negation T. McGee
7) Reviler I. Junco
8) Dwarf Q. Ironic
9) Octette U. Sidled
10) Teepee E. Hereupon
11) Gawkies G. Vein
12) Saxophonist H. Reference
13) Domesticating T. Gazillion
14) Sparsely P. Prelate
15) Shaver Uncheckered
16) Propositioned Backlash
17) Lucretia Lopsided
18) Galvanometer P. Recaps
19) Breath R. Wherever
20) Easter H. Roundhouse
21) Optically C. Macing
22) Collossus R. Prosceniums
23) Graciela D. Macbeth
24) Airtight Juarez
25) Vichyoisse D. Incredible
26) Freezer U. Cleanliness
27) Nineteen C. Mich
28) Needlepoint U. Rebellion
29) Stapler M. Modernist
30) Pomposity T. Crossbreed
31) Panty R. Undertones
32) Grimed T. Misplace
33) Massiveness L. Confectioner
34) Doloritas Chaptman
35) Malcolm V. Jesting
36) Frederick Crabtree
37) Pitiful A. Southpaws
38) Muskiness Q. Tester
39) Trickery C. Spitz

Now, what happened to #40, just to round out the list? Did this poor soul stray from a life of spoofery to actually get a real job? One wonders! Did a tornado take him away? Did the roof fall in? Was he caught in a flood? Was he deported? We can only imagine the sad fate of this creative soul. We miss him. Wouldn’t some of these names be great on a fictitious autograph quilt. My favorite is “Lucretia Lopsided” and a close second would be “Airtight Juarez.”

Cheers!

Pat

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Dr. Anna Littlefield

Tuesday, January 4th, 2011

Little did I know, when I was writing an article for The Quilter a few months ago, that there is a terrific article online about one of the people whom I mention. The memory of Dr. Anna Littlefield, a physician in New London, New Hampshire, is kept alive by her great nephew, Lloyd Littlefield who lives in her former home and has kept her medical bag, journals, and family photos pretty much as she left them. The article published by Kearsarge Magazine, a local New Hampshire publication, is a very rewarding read that I’m sure you will enjoy.

Her horse drawn carriage is owned by the New London Historical Society and is kept in their Transportation Building. It was great fun to visit this historic site recently. The article we prepared (text and photos) is published in the current (February-March 2011 issue of The Quilter magazine).

For more information about Dr. Littlefield, visit: http://www.kearsargemagazine.com/images/pdf/dr_anna.pdf or Google her name, as I did.

To read my article, “The New London Historical Society: Quilts and Other Treasures” obtain a copy of The Quilter magazine at Borders, Barnes & Noble and other venues. To order a subscription, click on the link below:

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“The Fire That Changed America”

Monday, January 3rd, 2011

A little more than three months before my father was born in 1911, a tragic and unforgettable fire in New York City’s garment district resulted in 146 deaths (mostly women). Little known to the textile workers located in the uppermost reaches of a building, managers had locked them in. It is assumed that someone threw a lit cigarette in a bin of scrap fabric which soon ignited into a haze of flame and smoke. Fire engines arrived on the scene, but alas, their ladders would not reach the height needed to be of any assistance. Rather than be burned alive, people began jumping, and with thud after thud, their dead bodies littered the sidewalk. This tragedy resulted in better labor laws but not without the cost of the loss of human life.

The date all of this occurred was March 25, 1911. I remember discussing the incident with Joan Kiplinger who was always a fan of anything called a textile and who loved learning about types of fabrics and the mills that produced them. She recommended a book which I read, cover to cover. It is riveting. The name of it is Triangle: The Fire That Changed America by David Von Drehle. This book is totally worthwhile.

If you prefer to read an overview of the incident online, you might want to view the information offered at: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Triangle_Shirtwaist_Factory_file I appreciate Joan for having brought this topic to my attention, long before she passed on.

For many reasons, I am happy to be living today and not in the age of the mill workers who had to endure criminal conditions that jeopardized their health. Often, they died of consumption (TB), as a result of ingesting all of the cotton linters flying around in the air, as well as being exposed to very humid conditions within walls whose windows were sealed shut. If you have teenagers who whine about doing an actual chore around the house, remind them for me that children in the past had life FAR WORSE, and so did women.

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