A Few of FR's Finest....Every Day....07-29-03...Quilts, Men, America and Such

Billie; FreeTheHostages | FreeTheHostages

[Billie]

A Few of FR's Finest....Every Day

Free Republic made its debut in September, 1996, and the forum was added in early 1997.   Over 100,000 people have registered for posting privileges on Free Republic, and the forum is read daily by tens of thousands of concerned citizens and patriots from all around the country and the world.

A Few of FR's Finest....Every Day was introduced on June 24, 2002. It's only a small room in JimRob's house where we can get to know one another a little better; salute and support our military and our leaders; pray for those in need; and congratulate those deserving. We strive to keep our threads entertaining, fun, and pleasing to look at, and often have guest writers contribute an essay, or a profile of another FReeper.

On Mondays please visit us to see photos of A FEW OF FR'S VETERANS AND ACTIVE MILITARY

If you have a suggestion, or an idea, or if there's a FReeper you would like to see featured, please drop one of us a note in FR mail.

We're having fun and hope you are!
~ Billie, Mama_Bear, dansangel, dutchess, Aquamarine ~

by FreeTheHostages
design by Billie

A quilt by one of the greatest living quilters, Michael James.

Guys quilting? Who's in control here??

Don't worry, it's still the women. Whether it's a traditional floral beauty, a lovely Baltimore album quilt, a positively painterly quilt, a breathtaking applique quilt , or a more modern quilt , quilting is still mostly women's work.

Michael James has got it right though: he's struck by how democratic and down-to-earth quilters are. Everyone has a story about their special quilt, and quits, for everyone, touch them some place deep. It's a positively American art form. And it's an art form that always pays homage to history and tradition, even in some of it's great modern and dramatic forms by modern quiltmakers such as Katie Pasquini-Masopust.

Lots of conservative women attend quilt shows! I saw lots of Republican bumperstickers at the 2003 Vermont Quilt Festival. But not many men of either the Republican or Democrat variety there. {Sigh} I tried to persuade one male Freeper who I know lives in Vermont to attend this festival, and I got a private Freepmail saying: “If you ever see me at a quilt festival, just shoot me.”

What is it with men and quilting? LOL – apparently not much. Well, for what it's worth guys, you are the subject of the first of four facts I do present in this post regarding quilting:

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1) Quilters Love Men – Especially Diver Dave

Blue Ribbon for the Best Landscape, 2003 Vermont Quilt Festival

Quilters love men. Men have been there for us – hanging quilts, driving us to the fabric store, paying our fabric bills, ignoring the occasional pin in the carpet – but most of all, pretending to understand us.

Isn’t it cute? The way he lovingly drives you to the weekend quilting bee, unaware that you and your girlfriends are spending the weekend plotting how to run the town while letting the men think they are in charge? The way he pretends to admire your latest quilt – without comprehending that the quilt explores female despair at having to live with a man who does not understand a thing about quilting?

It's just as well the guys don't know the details of quilting. Then we can explain that we can't clean the house just now because we are "exhausted" from quilting.

GailA with her 'helper', Rocky, relaxing after an exhausting day of quilting

Who is YOUR FReeper Quilt Guy? Is it DIVER DAVE?

If you quilt, you know a man who suffers for your quilting. Here I accept nominations for Free Republic Quilt Guy of the Year. Who's your Freeper Quilt Guy? Tell me the story of how your man has suffered for your quilting. What does your quilt guy do for you? Does he babysit the kids while you’re off at some wild quilting sleep-over slumber party? Does he not complain that there are some pins hidden in the carpet? Or is it just so cute the way he pretends to care what your latest quilt looks like, hiding his boredom?

P.S. I will be giving another copy of Ann Coulter’s book Treason to the best nomination, but I should warn you all that Diver Dave will probably win, even if his wife doesn’t quilt, because he’s always coming in second or third in my contests, and I just think it’s time he won something. And thank you for playing. With that, on behalf of the hostesses, this half-hostess (for increasingly obvious reasons) thought I'd put to rest once and for all these rumors that my contest threads are fixed. :)

(With thanks to GailA for her quilted animals!)

In the pioneer days, quilting was seen as creative and useful, so the men wouldn't stop the women from doing it. The women were able to create a work of art without it being though of as frivolous. It was a way of fulfilling a creative impulse in an acceptable way. The trade-off, though, was that, until recently, quilting was not seen as an art form, so men were hesitant to get involved. Hmm, what’s so wrong with that? Let the guys play golf with each other at Augusta National – I’ll be quilting that weekend with the girls!

Men: You can't live without them, but you can quilt without them.

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2) Quilting is Conservative

It’s such an American – and a conservative – thing to do. The very idea of quilts is conservative – to save and use those scraps of cloth, not to waste a thing. One of my favorite quilts at the Vermont Quilt Festival this year is a quilt made out of all different little scraps which has for its title, simply, "Used ‘em!”

Quilting is respecting history and remembering, things conservatives are good at. Here’s a link to quilts that remember the victims of 9/11. Never forget. Panels from this quilt project travel around the country.

Especially after 9/11, there have been many more patriotic quilts and, temporarily, a shortage on stars and stripes and patriotic fabric in the quilting shot. We Republican women were not caught short: we already had been favoring the red, white, and blue. Right, GailA?

A very traditional "flying geese" border design.
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3) Everyone Should Quilt

WHAT?! YOU SAY YOU DON’T QUILT??!!! Oh my goodness, don’t talk such nonsense!!! Apart from burdening and annoying your man, there are 1,000 other reasons to quilt, girls.

First and foremost, wouldn't you want to OWN something lovely like this quilt by GailA?

Or how about this beautiful quilt done by RJayneJ?

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4) Quilting Is American

And, finally, the long pedantic part of this feature. JUST STOP READING IF THIS IS ALREADY TOO LONG, OK? Hee hee, no one's putting a gun to your head, people!

Quilting became a conservation between various immigrant groups to America. Various European quilting traditions mix in American quilting history with native American textile and bead work.

The term “African American” is a very appropriate description of the weave/strip tradition of American quilting. While the textile traditions of African peoples are less thoroughly documented than other aspects of folk art, it is known that there were distinct, prominent influences of four civilizations in Central and West Africa: the Mande-speaking peoples, the Yoruba and Fon people; the Ejagham peoples, and the Kongo peoples. As slaves and their textiles were traded heavily throughout the Caribbean, Central America, and the Southern United States, the traditions of these four distinct regions became intermixed. Thus by the time that early African American quilting became a tradition in and of itself, it was already a combination of textile traditions.

Originally in Africa most of the textiles were made by men. Yet when slaves were brought to the United States their work was divided according to work roles, female slaves often ended up quilting. Female slaves doing domestic chores made some of the first African American quilts. There's some modern scholarship suggesting that some of these seamstresses documented paths to freedom on the underground railroad by quilting maps onto their masters' quilts!

Seminole Indian strip quilting is my favorite. If you've never quilted and are thinking of getting started, this is a good first book:

So many traditions mixed in a lively brew the colonial textile work from European immigrants. And wa-laa – there you have it! America's quilt. And as every quiltmaker knows, if it seems to you that you have too many colors and too much chaos going on, just add another color to the stew! Quilts are all about the noisy chaos of America, a colorful, chaotic fabric of peoples bound to one God and one land.

Blue ribbon for most whimsical, 2003 Vermont Quilt Festival

People say quilting is a way of connecting the generations, through the age-old beautiful techniques of lovingly piecing lives together. Quilts are love. In pioneer days, many women lost their children when they were young, and buried them with an indigo and white "mourning quilt." Even though the grandmothers and great-aunts might not be around to teach and encourage a new generation of women, they have left their influence. Many women who quilt for a long time leave pieces "behind" in a store, planning to leave work for the next generation to pick up on when they transcend to the Church Triumphant. Younger female relatives can be comforted by these bounds that transcend time.

Vermont: that's where I learned to quilt. Kind of an extraneous, self-absorbed fact – the sort I specialized in – but frankly that's the best segue I can think of to introduce to you some of my favorite summer vacation photos from the 2003 Vermont Quilt Festival.

Happy Quilting, FReepers!

THIS WEEK'S THREADS 07-28-03 Military Monday

Opinions by our own 'King of Ping' The guy's good, folks!

Thanks, Mixer!

1) Click on the graphic to open the Calendar.
2) Once there you can click on any month and even click to the right to go into next year. Once you are in the month that you joined FR you will need to click on the number in the calendar and then an add item screen will come up.
3) In the next box enter your name in the "Calendar Text" field and then click on submit.
4) If any of the screens fail to load simply click on refresh in your browser and that will usually fix it.
5) If all else fails or simply if you want me to do this for you send me a FReepmail and I will gladly do it for you. ~Mixer

[Billie]

Gasp, I love the pledge! I just saw it.

Google had lots of flag quilts but I quit looking after I found this one, and all I had to add was the first part of the pledge. :)

[Billie]

Morning, Dubya - thanks much. When Free first mentioned going to the Vermont Quilt Festival, we both thought it would be a great idea for a thread, and sure enough, she came through with great stuff!

[Billie]

Hi, Pip - wish we had a picture of those quilts you're talking about that you helped design.

[RJayneJ]

Your design and layout is wonderful. Thank you for including my quilt. Every one of the quilts are just beautiful.

[Billie]

Morning! Aren't they all gorgeous!

       

[Billie]

Morning, Miss Maggie Malone! 'spect I'll be hearin' from you shortly about your next project? :)

[Billie]

God Bless Our Military

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Below are names of some of our FReepers' loved ones who are serving our country. If you have someone you would like to add, please address a post to Billie; Mama_Bear; Dansangel; Dutchess; Aquamarine and we will add their name to this list. As we pray for them, we pray also for all our nation’s leaders, and military personnel, and their families and friends. May God hold them close to His heart.

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We ask Lord, that You guide the leaders of our great country in their hour of decision. The burden that has been placed on their shoulders is overwhelming. We ask that with Your infinite wisdom You guide them gently to the right decisions.

Please give us the strength, Lord, to get through each difficult and devastating day that faces each of us and our country. Protect and guide our Military that are now being called to duty, strengthen them in their trials and temptations; give them courage to face the perils which beset them; and grant them a sense of your abiding presence wherever they may be; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

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OhioWfan........................son mystery-ak..........son, husband Gogrammy................grandson Inspectorette...................son Blessed American..........nephew Slip18..........................nephew anniegetyourgun...........nephew Pippin....niece,nephew,loved one Doug from Upland......son-in-law weldgophardline.....brotherinlaw Future Snake Eater..........cousin WaterDragon..son-in-law,grandson BeforeISleep...................son The Mayor........................niece LadyX.........................grandson fawn796.....................nephew ValerieUSA................2 sons Warrior Nurse...........active duty SK1 Thurman...........active duty David Osborne.........active duty fc2tomschermuly......active duty bkwells..................activve duty LongCut..................active duty Trish.......................active duty

Maigrey................cousin ladtx....................2 sons Mama_Bear...........nephew gator girl............husband severa................husband MozartLover......son, nephew LBGA........................son SpookBrat...........nephew Himyar.....................son boxerblues............2 sons the piper...................son sheeza...............husband kemathen7...........husband Tiffee4Bob.......boyfriend Diver Dave................niece deadhead................cousin JimRobinson.....2 nephews Armymarinemom.....3 sons Consort..2 daughters,son-in-law Darheel..................niece dixie sass.............nephew BeAllYouCanBe.........son AgThorn...............2 sons homeschoolmama.......nephew kneezles.................son

[LadyX]

Maggie Malone asked me to tell you she will be slaving away on it today, receiving pictures from Sistah Nan late last night..:))

Will confer with her when she is available today, and try to get it to you tonight or tomorrow morning at the latest.

Hard for us to descend to terra firma after our whirlwind 20 hours!

[Billie]

Thanks, Jayne - I didn't know you quilted until Free sent the picture with this piece she wrote about today. What wonderful pictures of ALL those quilts! Lots of work really goes into them!

[Billie]

:) I really look forward to your report and the pics you plan to use. :)

[The Thin Man]

Good morning Billie and Free!

Don't listen to the critics, the thread isn't that awful. I guess you did the best you could considering the subject. :-)

Even though my heart's not in it.....

special quilt, and quits, for everyone

There might be more errors in part 4, but I took your advice and stopped. LOL!

[jwfiv]

Good morning, Billie...and to all our lovely Hostesses and all their Finest FRiends.

Always love your threads, Billie...but you've stitched together a real beauty today.

GailA looks rather comfortable on her couch with Rocky and the little quilt...a Freeper contented...)

I love quilts...soft and wam and comforting...protecting and beautiful.

Hmmm...now, I wonder why we associate them with the feminine and maternal....?

My father's Aunt Ethel crafted the most beautiful quilts, even through her final years. I can remember her showing me a star pattern, and a ring pattern, the last time I saw her (that was the day she cooked the best fried chicken dinner I ever had).

I have a couple of quilts my Mother made, and she has one that her Grandma made, back in the high plains of West Texas (it must be nearly 100 years old now).

Here's a star and circle pattern...kinda purty...)

Wishin' y'all a very good day...may ye be groovin' this Tuesday afternoon.

[Diver Dave]

Mornin' Ladies. I hear someone calling my name. :)

Quilting, eh? Just to set the record straight, I too, am into quilting. Everyday when I make the bed, I put the quilt/comforter on the bed, arrange it just right, then go have another cup of coffee.

I come from a long line of quilters, seamstresses, knitters. Mom has made a quilt for all 15 grandchildren and umpteen great-grandchildren. Art Ritis came to visit mom and she is no longer able do much sewing, knitting, quilting, crocheting or upholstery.

My great-grandfather, a Danish immigrant in the 1800's and Lutheran minister, supplemented his meager salary by knitting sweaters and mittens. First for his children, then friends and neighbors requested sweaters. The demand became so great for his sweaters, he started a knitting business in Neenah, WI. That business continued into the latter part of the last century. It was kinda cool to have a sweater with your last name on the label.

Okay, FRee, what's the contest and when do I get my book?

[jwfiv]

You've got my vote, FRiend...)

[firebrand]

Thanks for this nice thread, Billie. I love quilting but always get too ambitious.

Secret to doing economically viable quilting projects that don't compromise your creativity: You buy plain fabric and have it machine-quilted for a couple of bucks a yard. That way you choose your own fabric design. There are fabrics already quilted but they are invariably not what you would choose. Then you cut the quilted fabric into whatever shapes you want.

Of course you have to find a machine quilter somewhere. The Internet should help with that.

This is if you want to make a little business out of it. The hand-done stuff is always preferable of course.

[dutchess]

'Morning Billie and Free. What a great thread today and beautifully illustrated Billie.

We have a boarding school in our community for troubled youth supported by the Mennonite community. Their big annual fundraiser is a quilt auction...all hand sewn and absolutely beautiful. Many go for several thousand dollars. Mr. D. stopped taking me there years ago :o)

[jwfiv]

On reading my first reply, I realize I forgot to give a special thanks to you for your fine stitchwork, and wordsmithy, this morning.

Thank you, Miss Free...beautiful and informative...quilting is like apple pie and Chuck Berry...very American!!!

[Calpernia]

Morning to all!

Quilting is also a great project with large groups of kids. Give each child a square to work on. Put them together in the middle, I (or whoever is heading up the project) does the outside borders and fillers...then you can auction off for a fund raiser for that group.

Humorous tidbit about quilts. The word quilt comes from the Latin culcita meaning a stuffed sack. :-)

[MeekOneGOP]

Mornin', everybody ! Happy Tuesday !

They're doin' it again. This time it's the 'RAT Senators !!

Post #4 has pics of the Obstructing 'RATS !!

07-29-2003
Democrats bolt again – to New Mexico
(Senators trying to halt new special session on redistricting)

[LadyX]

Back in January 1978 we were living in Tiffin, Ohio, and The Infamous Blizzard of 1978 descended on our second story bedroom corner with 70 mph winds at 1:30 in the dark of night.

It came after three major snowstorms the previous week, and the snow load on the streets was so enormous the City forbid any traffic on the streets except emergency vehicles for four days.

Fortunately, our power was off just six hours, but my husband very soon began to show signs of Extreme Cabin Fever!

"I need something to do with my hands," he said - liking to build model planes, etc. and it was the pre-computer era - not one to play cards or board games, as our daughter (15) and I did.

The neighbor across the hall, though, had just taught Jennifer how to crochet, so in desperation, Jennifer showed him how.

He boldly took on a complex afghan pattern, and loved doing it! Thereafter made afghans for all the women in the family and babies as they came along . . the most treasured one was for his mother, a soft and lovely yellow and white one with a cross woven into a corner. She was then an invalid, and it was beside her until she went to Heaven.

He wove the cross into all the latter ones as his signature.