Quilt History Study Group

On April 23, 2008 I went to the first Quilt History Study Group in Mt Joy, PA.  I found out about it at the last Red Rose Quilt guild mtg.  in Lancaster.  I expected quilters and was pleasantly surprised when I met several quilt collectors, a man worked at the Lancaster Quilt Museum, a veterinarian, several quilters like myself, a few well know teachers and authors and a fabric designer and a woman studying to be a quilt appraiser.  If I left any one out please forgive me.  ;)

It started out with a lovely woman, Jo sharing 2 suitcases of old quilts ranging in age from the late 1800's to 1940 about.  Once we all signed in and plucked 2 cotton gloves from a brown handled basket we found our seats.  We all sat around many tables pushed together.  Each quilt was unwrapped and placed on the table one at a time.   We were able to examine them close up, handle them, and then discuss their fabric types, colors and stitching.  I was fascinated.  How many times do you see old quilts but cannot get close to them nor touch them.  

Another woman a quilt collector (not a quilter) shoed several from her collection.  They were all nicely documented in a notebook.  Where they were bought, when, who & the price paid along with any personal info collected.  That was helpful.  

It was a wonderful experience.   But low and behold these many acknowledged and educated people in the quilt world could not agree on much about the quilts.  the mystery goes on.  I will be at next months meeting.