A Brief History of the American Quilt
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- čas přidán 4. 07. 2024
- The story of the American quilt is the story of America itself. Every success and failure, every epoch and era, everything we are and want to be shows up in our quilts. In this video, writer-editor Mary Fons takes you through a brief - but passionate - history of the American quilt.
There's so much more to the story than she could pack into one short video, so for more "quilt nerd content" tune into her live quilt research show on Twitch! Go to / yomaryfons to see her schedule and tune in three times a week for so much more nerdy quilt content.
Anyone who says their were no quilts made in the 40s-60s never met my wonderful grandmother and her even more wonderful quilts.
Thank you for supporting the American quilts and the people who've made them.
I love your videos and my quilt history was spot on with this video. I took my first quilt class in the late 70s, I was in my late 20s. Not only were there no quilt stores around, 100% cotton was hard to find in fabric stores, mostly kettle cloth... I remember my dad telling me that after the depression his family discarded their quilts and bought new blankets at JC Penney! And my quilting obsession started when I discovered rotary cutters at a quilt store in the early 80s. I was working on a scrap quilt while I watched this video in an effort to thin down my stash! Thank you❣️
I mean….WOW! Loved this!! I can feel her passion and love for quilts thru my screen--I swear!!! And to be so young and have such impressive knowledge and how she continues to hone her passion and craft. I’m so elated that she is keeping the history, good and bad, if quilts going.…….she is a total badass,too!!!
Sara! You make me blush. :) Thank you so much for watching. I really do love this stuff! If you want to see me nerd out a LOT more, drop by my Quilt Nerd livestream show! Three times a week, I go live here on the CZcamss and on Twitch (where the show started) and I truly nerd out about quilt history and culture for like 2+ hours every time, lol. All the past shows are here on my YT channel, so you can take a look here if you'd like. Thanks again, Sara. xoxo Mary
I love watching your lectures! I first saw you on Karen Browns interview and can't get enough of learning about quilts! Thank you for putting these lectures on CZcams!
I absolutely loved this wonderful and very animated trip through the history of the American quilt and its development. THANK YOU. love history too and you made it so much fun!!!! My family has several generations of quilters and you helped me appreciate a whole new dimension of love and admiration for the quilts and their creators.
Oh, man! This was a tour de force. Mary, you are one of a kind. Thank you for sharing your passion with us. Now I want to know more. Keep making these videos, please.
So interesting hearing that the quilt show at the Whitney traveled to Japan. American quilt designs were very popular in Japan at that time. My grandmother passed down a number of Japanese quilt magazines from the 60s and 70s that had like articles talking about like the Amish tradition in quilting and explaining victory quilts and the like. And these magazines would always include lots of lovely photographs and patterns for "American" style quilts.
I can relate to your experience in the museum. The Underground Railroad Museum in Cincinnati had a quilt show of 500 years of slavery. Each quilt focused on a single year of that history. I walked through that exhibit for hours, openly weeping. I learned so much history that I never knew. The works were spectacular. There is an incredible quilt on permanent display there as well. Thank you for telling a more complete history of quilts.
One very important invention in the mid 1800's that effected quilt making was the sewing machine. Applique quilts faded away some in comparison to the pieced quilts that could be made so much quicker with the machine. Other than than that, excellent talk!
Outstanding! But, we need more! Thank you, Mary.
Thank you so much for putting this together! These large scale overviews are so important for grounding our foundations as we learn more.
Your personality and enthusiasm were AA balm to my heart. Being sequestered ...it was good to find a young woman who lives the love of our diversity, history, textiles, artistry, frugality of quilting .
Nine Patch was a great quilt store in Berkeley Ca owned and run by the late Elaine Zelnik. That store started in the 1970s and was in Berkeley for 35 years. E had so quilt/ textile knowledge beyond compare and her store was like Aladdin’s cave- ! not only quilts - lots of other new and old treasures all hand curated by E.
in the 70s she actually had quilting circles in
Berkeley- imagine that!
Love you Elaine and miss you so!
She would’ve loved this quilt romp!
Thank you!
I loved this SO MUCH. A critical look at quilt history! Fantastic stuff!
Thank you Mary thank you so much keep up this wonderful work you are so appreciated and timely
Thank you soooo much for this primer! I am thirsty, I am ravenous, I am all in. Why? Enjoyment, pure enjoyment.😊
You are absolutely AMAZING!!!!! Thank you so much for sharing the history of something I love so very much!
What an INTERESTING video!!!!!!!!! Thank you for all the work it had to of taken on your part Mary!!!!!!
Giiiiiiirl!!!! You just show and teach and distract and shine with this amazing vídeo! Congrats! 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻
I work at a fabric store and it kinda bugs me when people balk at the prices. I get it, but it's still made in India, China, Pakistan, Indonesia, etc where those countries can get away with less strict labor laws. That's why so many Western products are made in China because the workers get paid less. On a better note, once when I was putting fabric away I overheard a mom tell her daughter not to step on the fabric that was trailing on the floor because (paraphrasing) "people work hard in bad conditions to make that for us to buy." A glimmer of hope for the future.
Mary, so happy to see you again and I love this quilt history video! That very popular “minty green” color you mention in the 1930s Depression Era quilts was called Nile Green.
I have a Nile green (and white) wedding quilt from my mother-in-law’s 1933 wedding. It is a block pattern quilt called Wedding Ring - BUT not the curved wedding ring pattern that most people think of. This pieced pattern is also called the Crown of Thorns.
Ginny
Hi from France ! I just discovered your channel thanks to this video and this is so interresting for the stitch nerd I am and I'm going to watch your other videos! Thanks for this amzing work !
I love your quilt history episodes! This is quilt history at high speed!Please can you add to the comments the book about the 1930s Quilts and the world fair that you mentioned. I could not catch the authors names. Thank you! Please keep making these episodes!
I was curious, too, and I think I found it! The book is "Patchwork Souvenirs of the 1933 World's Fair" by Merikay Waldvogel and Barbara Brackman. Hope this helps!
Ooh…I was just thinking this…I wonder about links for all the books mentioned in the episode, but also museums, quilt guilds, etc. that would be amazing!
@@beccaz3 Thanks!!
Mary, I enjoyed this video so, so much! I can see the passion you have for the subject and appreciate the immense effort in compiling the images for this video. I’d love to see a video where you discuss art vs craft or even your favorite quilt history books or resources.
Fascinating! Can’t wait to see more. Thank you Mary
another good one. You and Ken Burns need a documentary
Hi Cat ❤ I'm a recovering planner need. I don't even want to think about all the money I've spent on fancy planners since I got my first one back in the 80's. . All the fancy features always ended up being neglected/going to waste because I'm not a CEO, I'm just a regular person. It's taken me years to figure out a simple page is all I really need. Even a bullet journal is more complicated than I need. I'm loving your composition book method, simple, concise format, not heavy to lug around. At the beginning of the school year our Walmart always has these marked down to 50c. I stock up while the price is down. Thanks for your inspiration😊
So glad I found your you tube videos. Very thought provoking, informative, on the history of quilting. I plan to watch more and follow!
Really well done. Thanks!
Mary, I think you just came up with a dozen more topics. 😹 I am 50. I remember watching Georgia Bonesteel and Eleanor Burns with my mom and being fascinated.
That was wonderful! I'm so glad I found your videos! Thank you.
I remember as a child us cousins playing under the wooden quilting rack as my grandmother and aunts quilted. Quilts were recycled, just adding new quilt tops made from whatever fabrics available. They would become so heavy (invention of weighted blankets??) a small child couldn’t roll over under them. I still have some of those quilts and have carried on the quilting tradition, although I use her pedal Singer for an end table!
International quilt museum is fabulous. The building is a work of art in itself!
Thank you for your passion and showing this video. I love this!
Loved this so much 💜 found your channel just today and subscribed. I learn more about quilts and quilting everyone morning during breakfast, and often at lunch, your being added to that time slot. From a Canadian quilter, thanks so much for sharing your passion.
Missed you! So sad to c "Quilty" end! Thrilled to c and hear u again! Thanks for sharing yur knowledge and love of quilts with everyone.
You say "screw you" you Crack me up! I know alot of things now! You are very informative. Love the pic of your mom and Liz in their 80's vests❤
This is SO INTERESTING!!
I would LOVE LOVE LOVE for you to do another one like it getting deeper into it. It's like a mini classroom lecture, but more fun than actual school!
LOL
I know it's a LOT of work, but you are a natural teacher!! Can I find any of your lectures online anywhere????
Great video, thank you!
Loved!! 💕💕💕😊. Thank you for all the work you put into this presentation. Now off to your other quilt history videos😊
Thank you for such an informative and enjoyable talk about quilts!
also before you could buy fabric you used clothes. it was common for women to have baskets of old clothes that were ready to be peiced together for quilts
Thanks for all your research and information 💕
Loved this, SO much. Thank you. Paula
Wonderful, wonderful show!
I found you through the Just Get It Done Quilts interview with Karen Brown and I'm so glad! A kindred Spirit! This was amazing and I learned so much and can't wait to gobble up more! About 20 mins in I shared this video to my fb in the perpetual hope that I have that more people will find the love of quilts that I have...crossing my fingers that one day I can lure more people to the dark side lol
This is absolutely fabulous
This is so interesting. My biggest regret regarding quilting is to live in a french canadian province where we are quilting, but where I can't fin this kind of informations. I wish you were French Canadian and could tell me our history like that. I don't event have access to a guild close to home in my neighbourhood and I'm living in Montreal! Not the most little and remote city in Quebec! Thank you so much for all you do and the passion with which you do it, and transmit it. You are important. Thank you!
Fabulous and enjoyable!🙂 Can't wait to see what your other and future videos are!
In the 1500's people not only cut hand woven cloth, but also pieced it together. The body of a man was discovered in a bog who had died in the 1500's. Due to the nature of a peat bog the body and clothing where well preserved. He was wearing a hand woven cloak , that not only had been cut, but had been pieced together in a patchwork way to complete the garment and to not waste the valuable cloth. People would keep the areas of clothing receiving less wear, to repair clothing up to the time of Queen Victoria,
Wow! I really enjoyed your presentation! Thank you so much!
I'm trying to keep up. Your enthusiasm is overwhelming. I know of you because of your mother. Whom I love. I saw you on a special some years ago. You said there was no actual written history to back up the underground railway quilts story. (Or something like that) I always hoped I simply misunderstood you.
This is incredible, thank you
Also communities of women would get together and trade fabrics with each other for more variety in their quilts. Or each woman might make squares on their own, so when they got together they would have a "quilting bee" to quilt the quilt sandwich together. Often this was done like having a bridal shower for a young woman prior to her marriage. Thank you for the video.
Great presentation, very interesting. Glad I'm in touch with the reality of quilts during the American Revolution so I'm not living in fantasy land. It's quite different from what I'd imagined. Oh and I love it when you call a picture out for being haunted. 😂
Story. When I was a young Mom, I bought a cheater printed top and set it up on a traditional frame just so I could hand quilt. My little children played underneath it like a Fort. Love finds a way. 🇨🇦
I totally played under a quilting frame when I was 4. Best days of my life. When I got tired I just watched my great aunt's fingers reaching for the needle 🪡 🙃
Oh my gosh...you talked about Clare, MI...my grandparents had a farm outside of Clare and my Mom grew up there...I still visit once in awhile.
You made this so fun! I love your personality & passion for quilting 👍
Sherry, hi! Thank you so much! I love nerding out on quilt history and it's been great to see that a lot of other people like nerding out on it too, lol. I'm passionate for sure - and by the way, come see the livestream show I do on Twitch three times a week! It's just a bunch of nerding out on quilts - LIVE! Go to twitch.tv/yomaryfons and click 'Schedule' and you can tune in and geek out on quilts with all of us. Hope to see you and thanks again, Sherry. xoxo Mary
Great video, honest but also informative. I appreciated it.
I appreciate this so much!
Ok - I admit - I saw you on Quilty and didn't really groove on your style. But THIS! **THIS**! The galloping romp through history (You had me at Vince Vaughn). You can really see your passion for the topic as well as your in-depth knowledge. ("I know I didn't talk about it - I will -- later!) Well done.
Love this!
This was amazing! Thank you :)
Wonderful! You have a unique style that I absolutely love. I listened to this podcast while I walked, so I missed out on the visuals. I'm a member of a quilt guild in Bulverde, Texas. Keep on keepin' on! Have you heard this little dirty? "Sewing is my therapy and threads are my meds." Apropo for BooHissCovid times.
Hah! Really enjoyed this! Well told story!
This is so well put together. When you said that you cried looking at the quilts on display, I felt like someone out there understands me. I come from a long line of quilting women (some of which were pioneer women) and it is something I hold very near and dear to my heart. Thank you SO much for this beautiful content and for just being you!
Knit ... wow. This is a lovely comment, indeed. It's my pleasure. Thank you so much for watching and for what you said. I totes get you, girl! (lol) If you want to be further understood by a bunch of likeminded quilt nerds, you should totally watch my live show, 'Quilt Nerd'. I broadcast three times a week (at least) on Twitch. Just go to twitch.tv/yomaryfons and you'll get the scoop. We'd love to have you. xoxo Mary
I’m taking notes!
awesome. thank you.. love this :)!!!!!
I'm so happy you're back, Mary!!!!!!
What I love is seeing cotton fields growing again in America and having automatic picking machines. Bringing our industries back to America is something to be proud of.
❤️❤️❤️
What a wonderful presentation! You’re welcomed at my dinner table anytime you’re in Huntsville Alabama!
More please!
Did you do the quilts of under ground rail road already. Really looking towards that one.
Hi amirca is not the only country that women do quilting i am from kingdom of hashemat jordan i have a quilts from my grand mother and frome my mother and i do quilting
Anyone have the name of The 1930’s quilt with a big star and swirl of rainbows? When she was talking about the worlds fair quilt competition. I just cant make out the text and I would love to look into this quilt more.
I enjoyed this so much! I have so many questions and am looking forward to checking out more videos (this is my first one). One big question for now:
Not that long ago, I read The Island at the Center of the World by Russel Shorto about the pre-British history of America, particularly of the Dutch and native peoples in modern day Manhattan. Can anyone point me toward quilt history in that area?
Love seeing you on u tube
I own one of those gas powered irons!
LATEST SHIFT: quilt the schmotz out of the thing so it looks like a printed cardboard. The whole thing quilted by machine SOOOOOOO tight on super thin batt that there is no puff. There are huge machines in homes that make thread designs not related to the cloth pattern. Will these be called the "covid era" quilts? They are so different there will be no mistaking them from traditionals.
Hello I never quilted before, my name is Wes.
Kisses from Brasil!!!
I’ve found my people.
#quiltnerd
so many haunted photos in here, this is a haunted video.
you are awesome
Does anyone else think Mary looks like the actress Anne Hathaway?
The comment Bad A___ was not appropriate. A better choice of words could have been used. A lot of history I really enjoyed.
This was great but the music in the intro sections was WAY too loud!
I viewed a very inappropriate picture on one of your videos. You might check that.
6:20 America cannot be the first country or group of people to use slaves to pick cotton. Slavery has been in the world for thousands of years (esp) for agriculture labor. Why do Americans think we are the only ones to do things? Such a bombastic statement to make.
Interesting but really wish it had been more concise.
Darling lady. I am sure you are sincere. But you have not done your research thoroughly. Native American ladies stitched hides or woven cloth from natural fibers into clothing before white folks like you came here. They also knew how to sew two pieces of hides together with the fur turned towards the inside or place insulation in the interior and put in a few stitches to hold the bed covers together. Just because it was never mentioned in a surviving historical document is not proof they had no quilts of any sort. They stitched two moccasins together with padding in between, so the concept was used. Besides lining them with fur or grass. Textiles don't survive well and if a trader slept under a quilted blanket he probably wouldn't think to write it down. Lack of data doesn't mean anything. They knew how, so it's just as likely they were made by some people. As for there being a lack of cloth in early colonial times, all the more reason to make a quilt. Not a fancy pieced quilt. But a rustic affair of clothing and other household fabrics that were beyond mending were cut up and salvaged to make quilts. The top was pieced and the back and an old worn blanket on the inside for batting. Slept under some antique quilts made of worn out woolens back when I was young and it was old and worn when it traveled by wagon train west to Oklahoma. It had been patched many times and only washed once a year if that often. You could tell how old it was by the patterns of the woolen fabric and the threads used. That's why you don't see them in old holdings on the east coast. They traveled west with their owners as prize possessions. Most of the really old quilts I have seen are made out of discarded woolens. Coat fabric, wool pants and shirts, skirts and others. Cotton quilts are more modern and still most folks made them out of the rag pile. Rich folks could afford to make or have them made out of nice cotton and in contrived patterns. Poor girls made them, but had to be creative in their fabric sources. Nobody except a rich lady would buy yardage to make a quilt until more recent times. My grandmother didn't and she made some very nice quilts. My grandmother was born in 1901. She used the scraps from other household sewing and whatever she could source. Only her last few quilts since she no longer had the fabric stash to dip into of scraps did she buy fabric for them. She complained bitterly and was upset that somehow her quilt frame didn't get transported and had to buy a modern one which she complained about a lot to my mom.
Your presentation is ruined when you frequently say, "right?" and "okay?"
These are meaningless words and detract from the point. This is nothing but a bad habit.
What a frantic production. It was hard to watch. Sorry, Mary.
I thought it was well put together & Mary was quite entertaining & enthusiastic to watch
So much more could have been seen & taught had 1. Left personal comments out 2. Left shots of herself out.
3. Left “what could have been” out.
Etc.
You missed quilt codes Bow tie, bear claw, log cabin look further back in your history these geometric shapes had meaning. Was a bit hard to watch you as well.