Thoughts about Quilting

Here’s a fun way to spend the afternoon, browsing an historic collection of quilts online!

The International Quilt Study Center has a great online collection you can search or browse –Quilt Explorer --- http://explorer.quiltstudy.org/


I found one that was interesting, using tobacco company premiums... #1997-007-0198 from the Ardis and Robert James Collection, made sometime between 1915 and 1925... the fabric premiums were all appliqued on a solid background.

There are so many items in 20th Century women's lives that they used in different ways. I've found information about women using feedsack (flour, sugar, etc.) bags and the companies cashing in on that. Now, I've found another example along the same lines, cigar and cigarette packaging. Over time the companies realized what potential lay in adding a premium for women. The cigar, cigarette and tobacco companies all had premiums that were used in some innovative ways.

In the early 1900’s women used cigar ribbons in decorative ways, including to make quilts. And, cigarettes were becoming more popular among women so the companies started including silk pictures in the packaging (called “silkies” by some)... these made perfect additions to a quilt. Before World War I printed flannel fabrics were found in tobacco packaging. I love the idea of making items out of these promotional materials. It adds such a sense of history and culture to the items.

Details and examples can be found in Judy Ann Brennan's article from 2001, WomenFolk.com:

http://www.womenfolk.com/quilting_history/tobacco.htm


Want to see more? Check this out:

Rachel K. Pannabecker, Ethel Ewert Abrahams, "Better Choose Me": Addiction to Tobacco, Collecting, and Quilting, 1880-1920
Found in the Uncoverings, 2000, v.21 --- periodical


Here's another good resource for the study of quilts:
American Quilt Study Group -- http://www.americanquiltstudygroup.org/index.asp