Sunday 6 October 2013

Vintage Kentucky Quilts


On Saturday, I went to see a quilt exhibition with my Stitch And Bitch friend Lynne. It was held in the Parish Church of Fakenham, a small market town in the middle of Norfolk. The exhibition was entitled The Meador Williams Heath Quilt Collection, and was on loan to the church for the purposes of fund-raising, by a lovely chap called Alan Heath. Alan was born in Kentucky, arrived in England in 1973 and liked it so much he never went home, settling in a village just outside Fakenham. The quilts in his collection were all stitched by his grandmother Flossie, his great-aunts and his mother, from old clothes and feed-sacks. The family were farmers, and there was not much money; every scrap of fabric was utilised for quilt making.



The quilts were displayed as well as they could be in the church, and it was quite spell-binding to wander slowly round, examining the patters, and reading the accompanying descriptions and history. As there are so many photos I've loaded them smaller than usual, click on them and see ore detail. Also I took photos of the descriptions but to include them would make for a huge long blog-post - longer than usual! So just feast your eyes on these lovely old quilts, you can imagine how faded and soft the fabric is - so tempting to reach out and stroke the undulating ripples where the even quilting stitches cause furrows to appear. Being seasoned quilt-show aficionados, of course, we resisted!




I loved this one, which contains an older quilt inside. The outer fabric is of lesser quality and hasn't worn so well, hence we can see what's inside. I really wanted to bring this one home, despite the obvious wear and tear. See detail below.





 
Another favourite, this Nine-patch was such a perfect example, set on-point which gives the design an extra dynamic. The right size to cover a single bed top.



This quilt (above) is unfinished, and still has the papers in it, from which we can date the quilt to around  the 1950's.







There were also some framed and glazed quilt blocks but they have not photographed well enough to include. We chatted to Alan, and asked what would happen to the quilts following the exhibition. He was keen to offer them to a suitable museum, probably back 'home' in Tennessee or Kentucky. We suggested the American Museum in Bath, and he smiled wryly, explaining that these are Confederate quilts, the American Museum is proudly Yankee, and was not interested. Old sins cast long shadows, it seems.

After we'd feasted our eyes on the quilts, Lynne and I drove over to Sculthorpe Mill and feasted our tummies on a lovely lunch there, watching a heron eyeing up the fish in the fast running river which flows past. So it's been a sun-kissed weekend here n Norfolk, and I'm hoping the good weather will stretched j...u...s....t a little longer as Jim and I are popping across to Wales for a few days mid-week. More textile goodness when I get back!

33 comments:

  1. Proper scrap quilting , wish id known this was on , I could have conned OH into a day trip

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    1. I don't think it was widely advertised, Kate I only knew because my friend is a member of a quilting group in Swaffham and got to hear about it. BTW there is a talk ...illustrated?? about antique quilts in Swaffham on Tuesday 22nd Oct 12 -2 pm. More details if you'd like them.

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  2. Beautiful! I love the soft colours of the older quilts and how different they all are. How sad that memories are so long and unforgiving isn't it?

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    1. You just KNEW those quilts would be soft and comforting, Jane and as you say the faded colours are so beautiful. Yes, I think there are still some hard feelings - but then that's true all over the world, isn't it?

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  3. Gosh they looks amazing Lynne, the work and love that goes into each one! :) x

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    1. Really quite wonderful, Ada, and the worn ones seem even lovelier than the more robust ones somehow.

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  4. They are really beautiful and I don't even quilt - yet! Shame I didn't know about it either, both DB and I would have enjoyed it.

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    1. Something onin Swaffham on Tuesday 22nd October 12-2 pm not sure of details but will let you know. Antique quilts.

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  5. What a wonderful collection of quilts, each one a priceless treasure. Its lovely to see them displayed inside the church too, and nice to have a description of each quilt sharing family memories with all who take time to visit the exhibition. Sounds like you had a wonderful day xx

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    1. Really beautiful, Karen. ANd so lovely to meet a descendant of the actual quilters, too.

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  6. Hello Lynne, Another delightful post :) I love the older quilt with the tears, too. Oh, the stories it could tell us about giggling children tucked in under it on cold winter nights :)
    Your blog is always filled with interesting posts, you live a very lovely and colorful life. I know we would be dear friends if I lived near you, but then I can not imagine anyone that would not want to be your friend. You're quite a delightful soul.
    Your blogging sister, Connie :)

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    1. And you are making me blush again, Connie! Yes, what fun it would be if you lived here or if I lived near you! Lx

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  7. Right, that does it Lynne, I really NEED to learn how to do this. I'm going to dust off my sewing machine and this will be my winter project. I am determined to do this. What a good use for the pews as well in the church, I am sure the parishioners would have loved them to still be there at the service :-) xx

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    1. Go for it, Chel! Plenty of info around these days for beginner quilters and lots of groups too. I think there is a time -honoured practice of exhibiting quilts in churches, we have done it in the past. It seems fitting, somehow.

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  8. Oh I wish I'd known that was on, one of my best friends lives in Fakenham I could have dragged her along with me.
    Gillx

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    1. Hi Gill, see my reply above re the talk /demo/?whatever it is of antique quilts in Swaffham. I'll blog about the details when I have them. Lx

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  9. These are gorgeous, even more so for having actually been used, it's only just occurred to me that quilt shows are full of brand new, unused quilts, perhaps they should have a section for used and loved quilts, they have much more soul!
    SueXxx

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    1. That's a very good point, Gill. Yes, they really did have soul.Sometimes the big quilt shows have side exhibitions of vintage/antique quilts, but in the main, they are brand new and waiting to be loved!

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  10. Oh Lynne, what a wonderful exhibition! Thank you for sharing this x

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    1. You are very welcome, Annie. Later this week I shall be at Lampeter, looking at Jen Jones' collection and I believe, the Kaffe FAsset exhibition is still on there! Yipeee! I don't know whether I will be able to take any photos though, but I can only ask. Lx

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  11. well so many quilts and what a way to display them over the pews!!!! hope i'm not too late in saying enjoy your time at the caravan and look forward to hearing all about your exploits when you get back!!!! xx

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    1. Thank you, Lynne. Yes, I have some wi-fi for a short while so sorting out my blog comments while I am "live"! We are going to see some quilts on Thursday - see above - and I shall be writing about that too. Weather is still beautiful here ....keeping my fingers crossed!!! Lx

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  12. What a fascinating collection and how interesting that the American museum won't take them. We had a wonderful weekend her in Norfolk didn't we but look at it today!! Wet & windy Autumn has arrived!

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    1. Hi Jay, just got back from Wales and NOT amused with the weather here! We had 2 great days, full on sunshine, but it was blowin' a hooley last night! Yes, I was a bit surprised re the American Museum at BAth - but what do we know about internal politics!!

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  13. Oh what glorious quilts - the real thing! Wish I'd seen them but been too busy getting kids off to Uni etc at weekends. A belated Happy Birthday to You - you obviously had a fab time in London. I think you left Norfolk for Wales just in time to escape the bad weather! xCathy

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    1. Hi Cathy, we had a couple of lovely days - I really MUST get that blog post written about the Welsh Quilts! Catch up with you properly soon. Lx

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  14. Hey, this gal from Missouri says it's no sin to be a Confederate. :-) Love the quilts--would display them proudly.

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    1. Hi Linda, thanks for popping by! Yes, I would have whisked them off to my little cottage at the drop of a hat; they are really beautiful, and the more so because we know their provenance and a little about the women who made them. It was an eye-opening lesson in the longevity of memory to hear about the response of the American Museum. I have no idea what their criteria is, but have never heard it referred to as exclusively Northern States exhibition. Well, their loss!!

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  15. Hi Lynne, thanks for this v. interesting post as I was not able to visit this exhibition and even though I have the electronic catalogue which is available, it's great to see them in situe!
    Just also to say that the antique quilt talk and display in Swaffham on 22nd Oct 12 - 2.00, 'Antique Quilts and Their Stories' will be at the Assembly Rooms in the Market Place and tickets £4 are available from Ceres bookshop (Tel: 01760 722504) in Swaffham or on the door. There will be the chance to see 25-30 antique/vintage quilts plus other quilt related items either on display or shown during the talk at12.30. The quilts are in the main British but I do have some American and Canadian as well. Hope you are able to make it! Best wishes, Liz Nally

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  16. Hi again Lynne, I should also have said that I was asked to do the Quilt talk as part of Swaffham Rotary Club Visual Arts Festival 2013.

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    1. Hi Liz, thank you so much for posting this - I am well overdue my next blog post!! I will make sure to include all the information you have thoughtfully provided. And yes, I am hoping to be there with my friend T'other Lynne, who brought me to see the Fakenham collection. See you there!

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  17. Merci Lynne , je découvre votre blog et il est merveilleux . Tout ce que j'aime !
    Vos ouvrages si beaux et des vieux quilts !

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    1. Bonjour, Mamifleur, je regrette que je ne parle pas le Francais, mais merci beaucoup par votre bon dits! Lxx

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