Redwork signature quilt

Posted by turtle on June 27, 2009, 4:01 pm

Just 'discovered' a treasure! The little local museum I volunteer at
has six old quilts hanging up. The place is overcrowded and the
quilts are not easy to see or get to. One of them is a Redwork
signature quilt, and I have admired it from afar for the several
months I have been working here. Last week I took a closer look. The
dates on the blocks are 1897! This quilt has blocks joined by machine
sewing and the redwork squares have solid red sashing and border. It
is bound with a ruffle of red. I had assumed from the sashing and
from the excellent condition it is in that the quilt was quite a bit
more recent than 1897! Several of squares have the year on them, so
there can be no mistaking the age.
Each Redwork square has obviously been personally designed, and
include personal messages as well as the signatures. A club,
undoubtedly a women's club, is mentioned on several.
The quilt is in such good shape, it couldn't have been used very
much.
Now I have to find out more! Research the club, see if I can find out
who the quilt was given too, and the occasion.
This place is so much fun!!

Turtle

Posted by Joanna on June 27, 2009, 7:37 pm

We would love to see pics if you can next time you go.
Thanx
Joanna

turtle wrote:

> Just 'discovered' a treasure! The little local museum I volunteer at

> has six old quilts hanging up. The place is overcrowded and the

> quilts are not easy to see or get to. One of them is a Redwork

> signature quilt, and I have admired it from afar for the several

> months I have been working here. Last week I took a closer look. The

> dates on the blocks are 1897! This quilt has blocks joined by machine

> sewing and the redwork squares have solid red sashing and border. It

> is bound with a ruffle of red. I had assumed from the sashing and

> from the excellent condition it is in that the quilt was quite a bit

> more recent than 1897! Several of squares have the year on them, so

> there can be no mistaking the age.

> Each Redwork square has obviously been personally designed, and

> include personal messages as well as the signatures. A club,

> undoubtedly a women's club, is mentioned on several.

> The quilt is in such good shape, it couldn't have been used very

> much.

> Now I have to find out more! Research the club, see if I can find out

> who the quilt was given too, and the occasion.

> This place is so much fun!!

> Turtle

Posted by Polly Esther on June 27, 2009, 11:34 pm

I'm not so sure they would let me volunteer at a museum where quilts were on
display. I'd probably get varicose veins in my neck from yelling 'Don't
TOUCH it!' . . . and then, because I'd understand our need to touch would
say, 'Okay, go ahead but just a little and you have to wash your hands
first.' Polly

"Joanna" <wrote> We would love to see pics if you can next time you go.

> Thanx

> Joanna

> turtle wrote:

>> Just 'discovered' a treasure! The little local museum I volunteer at

>> has six old quilts hanging up. The place is overcrowded and the

>> quilts are not easy to see or get to. One of them is a Redwork

>> signature quilt, and I have admired it from afar for the several

>> months I have been working here. Last week I took a closer look. The

>> dates on the blocks are 1897! This quilt has blocks joined by machine

>> sewing and the redwork squares have solid red sashing and border. It

>> is bound with a ruffle of red. I had assumed from the sashing and

>> from the excellent condition it is in that the quilt was quite a bit

>> more recent than 1897! Several of squares have the year on them, so

>> there can be no mistaking the age.

>> Each Redwork square has obviously been personally designed, and

>> include personal messages as well as the signatures. A club,

>> undoubtedly a women's club, is mentioned on several.

>> The quilt is in such good shape, it couldn't have been used very

>> much.

>> Now I have to find out more! Research the club, see if I can find out

>> who the quilt was given too, and the occasion.

>> This place is so much fun!!

>> Turtle

Posted by Susan Laity Price on June 28, 2009, 9:24 am

What a treasure. Please do the museum and the quilting community a
big favor and research the organization which made the quilt, who it
was given to and where it lived from that time until it was donated to
the museum.

Now for a fund raising idea.... Ask the museum for permission to
photograph each square. Research which might be standard penny square
designs and which were a personal design. Are any local landmarks?
Choose ten or twelve designs and sell them in a pattern packet for
$5.00 at museum gift shop or local needlework/quilting store. All
proceeds would go to the museum. Offer a Redwork class to scout groups
( I think there is a needlework badge this would meet) or to others at
museum open house events. The cost of the class will cover simple
materials and loan of a hoop during class. Except for the investment
in a dozen small hoops, supplies costs are very minimal so class fee
can be kept below $5.00 and a nice profit is still made. Of course
this fee would mean a volunteer is teaching the class.

I have done a similar thing for a local museum. The redwork quilts
were on loan from a local resident so I couldn't copy the designs
(owner very protective of quilts and family history). For a pattern
packet I draw several local landmarks. You don't have to be an artist
to draw redwork designs as there can't be a lot of detail. Find a good
photograph of the landmark, re-size it to fit a 6" penny square and
trace an outline. You might have to stitch it several times to achieve
the look you want but once you are happy trace the design for a
master. Add a short paragraph about the history of redwork.

Of course I would like to purchase a copy of the pattern. I have been
stitching penny square type redwork for many years with the plan of
someday making a quilt just like the one you described. Some of my
squares a classic antique patterns and others I have taken from
coloring books purchased at tourist locations as we travel. This all
reminds me that I should get this project out and start working on it
again. Redwork is the perfect handwork to stitch while sitting with
Mom during her restless times. I have been stitching models for the
store but need to make something for myself occasionally.

Susan Price

On Sat, 27 Jun 2009 13:01:01 -0700 (PDT), turtle

>Just 'discovered' a treasure! The little local museum I volunteer at

>has six old quilts hanging up. The place is overcrowded and the

>quilts are not easy to see or get to. One of them is a Redwork

>signature quilt, and I have admired it from afar for the several

>months I have been working here. Last week I took a closer look. The

>dates on the blocks are 1897! This quilt has blocks joined by machine

>sewing and the redwork squares have solid red sashing and border. It

>is bound with a ruffle of red. I had assumed from the sashing and

>from the excellent condition it is in that the quilt was quite a bit

>more recent than 1897! Several of squares have the year on them, so

>there can be no mistaking the age.

>Each Redwork square has obviously been personally designed, and

>include personal messages as well as the signatures. A club,

>undoubtedly a women's club, is mentioned on several.

>The quilt is in such good shape, it couldn't have been used very

>much.

>Now I have to find out more! Research the club, see if I can find out

>who the quilt was given too, and the occasion.

>This place is so much fun!!

>Turtle

Similar Threads	Posted
signature quilt	December 24, 2006, 9:16 am
Signature Quilt	June 9, 2007, 2:00 pm
Signature quilt HELP!	October 27, 2007, 3:24 pm
Signature Quilt	December 13, 2007, 10:57 pm
Signature Quilt question	March 10, 2009, 11:47 pm
Looking for a Redwork Design	March 3, 2008, 5:29 pm
Signature on Google	May 21, 2008, 4:15 pm
"Redwork" Embroidery Blocks	April 17, 2007, 4:58 pm
Redwork embroidery blocks	July 29, 2007, 9:23 pm
Signature block quilts	April 11, 2007, 7:35 am