My Antique Quilts

Today I took my antique quilts to the meeting of the Tasmanian Quilting Guild for "Show & Tell".
I could feel them exhaling as they were draped over the stage! I don't think most of them have seen the light of day for quite some years- part of the preserving process!

None of them have an exciting story to tell, none have a label, none are made by a master quilter but they all have a caring home at the moment.
I'm not sure what will happen to them later, will I ever have a tax problem so that I could "give" them to an institution. Wouldn't that be nice - to have a tax problem I mean! As my grandfather used to say "if you have to pay it means you must have earned it". Cold comfort when I first worked I can tell you!

Antique Quilts

I have a small collection of old quilts - only one was purchased outside Tasmania.


In a few weeks I have been asked to give a talk about them to members of the Tasmanian Quilting Guild
It's also the AGM. (I hope they've got all of their nominations organised)

It will be good for the quilts to have an airing and be re-folded, they will appreciate it!

Now I don't have a lot to say about them as none of them have recorded history. I thought I had 11 plus a tea cosy, but I have discovered another one I'd forgotten to list in the National Quilt Register

I wonder if I will find any more surprises?


Anyhow, here are a few shots of the one I "discovered", the centre medallion and the back. There's quilting on the back BUT not on the pieced front! Does that mean that an older quilt was sewn to a newly pieced front? The art of making do and fixing up?


I will talk more about my old quilts once I get them out and digitally photographed.

Serendipity

Serendipidy- the effect by which one accidentally discovers something fortunate, especially while looking for something else entirely. (thank you Mr Wikipedia) and it's made me feel so guilty!


I belong to the Friend's of the Museum Queen Victoria Museum and Art Gallery, Launceston.

Every month there is a Morning Coffee with dried scones and white bread sandwiches and a guest speaker. It's all part of the Oral History Program and today's talk, Stan Gottschalk was fantastic, held the room full of us riveted for nearly an hour.

I was supposed to be going out to lunch with a friend who cancelled at last minute, so I thougth I'd wander into the galleries and catch up on any exhibitions from the month.

Rounding the corner I saw our Collections curator Glenda King sitting on one of the lounges talking to another person. Upon getting closer I saw that it was Annette Gero, historian and antique quilt collection. http://www.quilt.co.uk/quilting-articles.asp?idNo=17

We hadn't talked for a few years, which is good in a way, because every time I think of her I feel guilty. Why? Because I too have a collection of antique Australian quilts that need more TLC than I give them. I am sure she doesn't have her collection bundled into cupboards and in trunks!

She has been down to Tasmania for a few days filming a Collecting Quilts segment for the ABC "Collectors" program which is to be aired on ABC TV, 5 October. She has also just completed a new book which is now at the printers, I look forward to that one. It will also have patterns in it written by Kim McLean.

The photo is of shelves with 3 antique quilts and an old electric blanket.