We rose early this morning, stopped for a quick breakfast, and then hit the turnpike for a long ride up to northern New Hampshire. The day was grand and we needed our sunglasses. Along the way, I spotted several wild turkeys, but today, there was no moose in sight, although we have seen them in bogs in that area. The reason for our journey was to attend a quilt lecture. It was with a bit of foreboding that we attended the lecture given by someone whose name I did not recognize but who was touted as a “quilt historian.”

The presenter arrived, only to find out that it would be impossible to give her power point program with photos of quilts. The library did not have the necessary equipment, and she had not brought her own. She brought in a few textiles and laid them off to the side, introducing herself as a knitter turned quilter, and a poet.

I am very sure that this lady is a nice person and that she means well. She described her first quilt ever made as one based on the “Anglo-European” tradition, and said she’d made a Dresden Plate design (“shaped like a plate, you know, and with different colors.”) The words “Anglo-European” tradition had me wondering because of the imprecision of the statement. I recalled the “wholecloth quilt” tradition of early English textiles, and made a mental note to re-check when the earliest English and Dutch pieced quilts were made.

The lecturer stated that she has a photo of the first known Amish quilt in faded reds and purples, created sometime between 1865 and 1940. Again, I question how anyone would know “who” made the very first Amish quilt. As an Indiana Amish quilt expert has stated, it would be prideful to brag about having made the first Amish quilt. That fact would not be something discussed.

Update on June 14, 2009: I have been trying to find out further information about this purported “first Amish quilt.” My query to the speaker yielded no response. Inquiries of my colleagues in quilt history circles reaped one answer from a scholar who has studied Amish quilts extensively – she has never heard of such a thing. Will keep my mind and my eyes open for more information.

Moving along, she stated that yellow was a forbidden color. I am told that this is not widely the case, and if the color were forbidden, the Bishop of an area would be the one to decide. She further stated that Amish women came to use the color yellow in their quilts because a peddler hid some of the yellow fabric into a fabric packet. I am not sure where she learned that story, but it sounds a lot like a myth, although a very “nice story.” There are a lot of myths surrounding quilting, as you know.

There was mention of “squash seed” quilting. The term I have always heard has been “pumpkin seed” quilting and I saw quite a lot of that in pre-1950 Amish quilts, from the two valleys, (one of them being Lehigh Valley and the other ??), in an exhibit in Intercourse, Pennsylvania when we visited a while ago. Similarly, the mention of “square within a square” is a misnomer and a mathematical impossibility, according to another friend who taught high school mathematics for many years. The term, “diamond within a square” has a better ring.

In my opinion, it is important to mention Jonathan Holstein and his exhibit at the Whitney Museum, in any mention of Amish quilting. That exhibit was a pivotal point in the way quilts were viewed, and when they first came to be considered as “art” (to a broad audience) in the twentieth century.

An interesting point is one of terminology. If one makes a mistake in quilting, one should think of “possibility,” as in what do I do now? I enjoyed that remark. As quilters, we all need to be flexible. I remember when I cut two long borders, for a twin size quilt, just 1/4″ too short. What to do? I added a 3/4″ strip to one end of each one, adding a meaningful statement (to me) in German, in Calligraphy. So, her statement resonated. Conversely, the statement that many new quilt patterns probably originated with African-Americans did not seem to ring true.

The most interesting part of the lecture was a recount of the genocide/ethnic cleansing that was U.S. policy toward Native Americans during the 1800s, particularly the Lakotas. The presenter did a very nice job in explaining the situation and how the quilt traditions of the Lakotas is partially-based on symbolism.

All in all, I love to hear anyone talk about quilts, but all through the lecture, I found myself biting my tongue and wishing that I could elaborate, clarify, or add to the discussion. Yet, today, someone else was the “expert,” and I knew that no one there knew me from a hole in the ground and would not realize that I might have additional information. So, as usual, I share what I know, on my website and blog, in the hope of clarifying statements made.

By the way, if you are not Amish, you cannot make an Amish quilt, just as I cannot make Hmong needlework, or an African-American quilt. I can make a quilt, in any style I choose, but I would call the result, “in the Amish style,” etc. Small distinction, but one worth noting.

I loved seeing her quilt tops and one small Amish style quilt and it is always fun to hear what people say about their own design and color choices. This lady is multi-talented, writing poetry and playing the piano … and knitting. As a general statement, let me say that it is one thing to like to quilt, and it is quite another to know quilt history well, and not just facts, but to be able to interpret data collected and do some critical thinking about all that is associated with quilt history, including history!

Tonight, I am thankful to the Humanities Council of New Hampshire for sponsoring the program. I try to be as precise as possible whenever I speak about textiles and quilts as I feel that they are “worth” getting “it” right. There is far too much misinformation being passed around. So, for the record, I have stated my views here for anyone who has had the staying power to read this far. I will be busy tracking down answers to some of the research questions this lecture generated. Many thanks to Cheryl Savageau.

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Peace and Good Wishes,

Patricia Cummings in the “Live Free or Die” state of New Hampshire