quiltersmuse.com Blog

The longer one lives, the more clearly one can see the interconnections and symbiotic dependencies of life, in all of its forms and expressions. Humankind does not live in a vacuum. We rely on the world around us, its people, and its resources, for the very bread we place upon our tables. We also depend upon each other for artistic and literary inspirations.

After hearing two wonderful lectures this past week, at the New Hampshire Historical Society, the same light bulb went on that has been illuminated before. When one looks at the nineteenth century and those people who were the backbone and often, the movers and shakers of the grassroots of America that solidified that nation’s guiding principles, we can clearly see that the most influential thinkers of the day, had friends with whom they shared their intellectual insights.

The first lecture focused on Sarah Josepha Hale, one of the strongest voices in nineteenth century America. Due to her work, as “editress,” Godey’s Lady’s Book reached the highest subscription number ever before seen: 150,000, in spite of its having been the highest priced journal of its time.

The fledgling authors that are household names today: Nathaniel Hawthorne, Edgar Allen Poe, and others, were given space in “The Book.”

This morning, I am thinking about the cave paintings at Altamira, Spain. What does that have to do with fine literary works? Everything! The seeds of artistic accomplishment date back to the first individuals who created “images”…in whatever literary or art medium we consider. Whether we look at the art of the ancient people in the”Old World” or the “New World,” or recently created works, we see a common goal of an intent to express ideas, feelings, and observations.

Art transcends human life, and is often thought about and/or discussed centuries after its appearance, even when the name of its creator has been lost to posterity.

To read more about Sarah Josepha Hale, you may visit a file that has been on Quilter’s Muse website for a few months now. She is an enchanting figure, and just yesterday, I dragged out my 1931 edition of the book about her, written by Ruth Finley (The Lady of Godey’s: Sarah Josepha Hale) and added a quote that tidily sums up the transitional figure that Hale represents. The quote is highlighted in yellow in the text of the following file:
http://www.quiltersmuse.com/sarah_josepha_buell_hale.htm

Best wishes,

Patricia

The other day, while browsing in an antiques store, I came across a magazine that I have only heard about, until now. The journal, Peterson’s Ladies National Magazine, is a slick mixture of delightful short stories, poems, fashions, patterns for embroidery, and instructions for needlework. This particular copy is from October 1876, created just one hundred years after the founding of this country.

The magazine is…artistic! Instead of photographs, the illustrations are “engraved.” The main fashion color plate shows the current style of dress in Paris, presented in much the same way as collections of dresses were published in Godey’s Lady’s Book, with a number of women, in view.

I was enchanted by one story. A young lady so loved the magazine, she went out into a rainstorm to collect the latest copy at the post office. She accidentally ran into a young man, as both were carrying an umbrella and didn’t know the other was there. She was indignant, and they had words. When she arrived home, she realized that she had inadvertently dropped her copy of the magazine.

However, her address was on the mail, and the gentleman personally delivered it to her home. Soon after, she met him again at a party, only to learn that he was the nephew of the woman hosting the party.

At a time when each dance was promised on a Victorian “dance card,” she allowed him one dance. At the end of the story, they have become a couple and she admits that spending an evening with him really is more fun than spending time with “Peterson.”

Thinking back to a time when love was more chivalrous and poetry was more commonly published, I am convinced that I should had lived in Victorian times. Everyone seems to have been more innocent.

I love the magazine! Even the cover is artistically made, with etched trailing vines and flowers, and the image of a man with a guitar, an open book, etc. Originally, the magazine cost $2.00.

Even though the paper is flaking and disintegrating, when handled at all, I’d say that for $8.00, I had fun reading the journal. I liked its focus on the literary, the poetic, and the world of beauty.
Pat

My self-appointed and unpaid mission is to help keep you informed. Joan Kiplinger has told me that her latest article, published on Kimberly Wulfert’s site, is called “Fine Fabrics in Hard Times.” This is about the availability of cloth during the years of the Great Depression. The link is:

http://www.antiquequiltdating.com/Fine_Fabrics_in_Hard_Times.html

In today’s mail, the Autumn 2006 issue of “Kansas Heritage” arrived. In it is a five page story, with color photos, called “Unraveling the Story,” by Barbara Brackman. The article discusses the purported association of quilts with the Underground Railroad, and is a precursor to her upcoming November 2006 book, “Facts and Fabrications: Unraveling the Story of Quilts & Slavery.” A copy of the magazine is available at $3.50 plus $3.00 for shipping. Contact the Kansas State Historical Society at 785-272-8681; http://www.kshs.org

Also, before today, I had not yet seen a copy of the book, America from the Heart: Quilters Remember September 11, 2001. I am amazed at the diversity of the quilts and the themes chosen by the quilters. If you don’t already have the book, it is a good one to add to your library.

That’s it for now.

Pat from the Spider’s Web