by Quilt Alliance | Jan 9, 2013 | On this Day in History Quilts series
Quilts, Fleming Quilts. (for my Bond fans) On this day in 1965 Goldfinger, the seventh book in Ian Fleming’s James Bond series debuted in theaters across the United States. Fleming (1908-1964), who came from a wealthy family in London, worked as a foreign correspondent, stockbroker and personal assistant to Britain’s director of naval intelligence during World War II, and drew inspiration and details from this exciting work to create the best selling Bond novels. This Lone Star, or Tumbling Blocks variation, was hand quilted by Mrs. Bell Fleming of Land of the Lakes, Fleming Hill, Kentucky in the 1870’s. The quilt was documented by the Kentucky Quilt Project and contributed to The Quilt Index by the University of Louisville Archives and Records Center. View this quilt on The Quilt Index to read more about it’s history, design and construction. Be sure to use the zoom tool for a detailed view. Sources: http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/bond-movie-features-aston-martin http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Goldfinger_%28novel%29 Posted by Amy E. Milne Executive Director, Quilt Alliance…
by Quilt Alliance | Jan 8, 2013 | On this Day in History Quilts series
Prime quilts. On this day in 1816 pioneering mathematician Sophie Germain, was awarded a grand prize by the French Academy of Sciences for her work on number theory that revealed patterns produced by vibration. The construction of modern skyscrapers utilizes this applied mathematics foundations developed by Germain at age 40. Germain died at age 55 from breast cancer. A school and a street in Paris are named in her honor, and certain prime numbers are now referred to as “Sophie Germain primes.” Matrix IV: All Buttoned Up is a small wall quilt made by Karen Fisher of Tucson, Arizona, for the 2008 Quilt Alliance contest. Fischer wrote in her artist’s statement: My Matrix quilts are based on a simple mathematical formula: columns of background plus rows of foreground create areas of interacting color and value…Each quilt explores scale, color arrangement, and finishing techniques. I plan at least three more, and I continue to have fun with these very formal color explorations.” View this quilt on The Quilt Index to read more about it’s history, design and construction. Be sure to use the zoom tool for a detailed view. Sources: http://womenshistory.about.com/od/sciencemath1/a/sophie_germain.htm Posted by Amy E. Milne Executive Director, Quilt Alliance…
by Quilt Alliance | Jan 7, 2013 | On this Day in History Quilts series
Results may vary. On this day in 1896 The Boston Cooking School Cook Book, by Fannie Farmer was published. This cookbook, which included exact measurements for ingredients, rather than estimates, marked a major event in culinary history. Farmer had suffered a stroke as a teenager and had to quit school. She developed her interest in cooking during her time working as a mother’s helper. Mrs. Mary Herring Lamb of Sampson County, North Carolina made this Tobacco Leaf (alternately, Washington Sidewalk) quilt in 1879 when she was 10 years old using sewing scraps. Lamb was a homemaker and a home demonstration agent. The record includes this note: “Photo of quiltmaker in her cookbook,” so perhaps she authored a cookbook. Lamb’s niece in-law received the quilt as a gift and documented it during the North Carolina Quilt Project in 1986, eventually donating the quilt to the N.C. Museum of History. View this quilt on The Quilt Index to read more about it’s history, design and construction. Be sure to use the zoom tool for a detailed view. Sources: http://womenshistory.about.com/od/cookbooks/p/fannie_farmer.htm http://www.lib.ncsu.edu/specialcollections/greenngrowing/timeline/1910.html Posted by Amy E. Milne Executive Director, Quilt Alliance…
by Quilt Alliance | Jan 4, 2013 | On this Day in History Quilts series
Coin-cidence. On this day in 1999 the “euro” debuts as the new common currency in eleven European Union (EU) nations. Today one euro is worth $1.32 U.S. The euro (€) is divided into 100 cents (c) and the coins are issued in €2, €1, 50c, 20c, 10c, 5c, 2c, and 1c denominations. From History.com: Euro cash, decorated with architectural images, symbols of European unity and member-state motifs, went into circulation on January 1, 2002, replacing the Austrian schilling, Belgian franc, Finnish markka, French franc, German mark, Italian lira, Irish punt, Luxembourg franc, Netherlands guilder, Portugal escudo and Spanish peseta. A number of territories and non-EU nations including Monaco and Vatican City also adopted the euro. This Chinese Coins, or Blocks in Bars, quilt was made by Madgalena Fisher Yoder of Arthur, Illinois around 1880. It is machine pieced and hand quilted. Three other quilts by this Amish quiltmaker are documented and shared in The Quilt Index by the Illinois State Museum. Search by name (Quiltermaker) on the Advanced Search page to view all of Yoder’s quilts. You can also search for “Chinese Coins” under Pattern Name to browse variants on this pattern from private and public collections and documentation projects. View this quilt on The Quilt Index to read more about it’s history, design and construction. Be sure to use the zoom tool for a detailed view. Sources: http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/the-euro-debuts Posted by Amy E. Milne Executive Director, Quilt Alliance…
by Quilt Alliance | Jan 3, 2013 | On this Day in History Quilts series
Able Hands On this day in 1938 U.S. President Franklin Delano Roosevelt founded the National Foundation for Infantile Paralysis, later renamed the March of Dimes Foundation. From History.com: A predominantly childhood disease in the early 20th century, polio wreaked havoc among American children every summer. The virus, which affects the central nervous system, flourished in contaminated food and water and was easily transmitted. Those who survived the disease usually suffered from debilitating paralysis into their adult lives. In 1921, at the relatively advanced age of 39, Roosevelt contracted polio and lost the use of his legs. With the help of the media, his Secret Service and careful event planning, Roosevelt managed to keep his disease out of the public eye, yet his personal experience inspired in him an empathy with the handicapped and prompted him to the found the March of Dimes. This Wedding Ring, or Friendship Wreath Variation, quilt was pieced and hand quilted by Ava West of Nobe, West Virginia in 1935. West contracted polio when she was five years old and quilted as a pastime, but was also paid to sew. The quilt was documented by West’s sister-in-law during the West Virginia Heritage Quilt Search. View this quilt on The Quilt Index to read more about it’s history, design and construction. Be sure to use the zoom tool for a detailed view. Sources: http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/franklin-roosevelt-founds-march-of-dimes Posted by Amy E. Milne Executive Director, Quilt Alliance…
