The Great Lakes Seaway Trail - War of 1812 Quilt Blog

Friday, February 22, 2013

Hoffman Challenge Quilts at Byway Quilt Show

A collection of the 2012 Hoffman Challenge Quilts will be on display as part of the Great Lakes Seaway Trail Beauty of the Byways Quilt Show March 16-17 and March 23-24 in Sackets Harbor, NY.

The 80-piece collection made with lavender, pink, and pearl Hoffman Fabrics will be on exhibit in four historic venues in the waterfront village.

Pictured above: The Hoffman Challenge Third Place Appliqued Quilt was made by Judy Beskow from the Creole Nature Trail byway region of Louisiana. Photo courtesy of Hoffman Fabrics.

“This is the 24th anniversary of he Hoffman Challenge with categories for pieced, appliqué, mixed technique, wearable art, accessories and dolls made by quilters from around the world. We are pleased to send one of the traveling trunks to the Great Lakes Seaway Trail in March 2013 as it celebrates the beauty of the byways,” says Hoffman Challenge Curator Julie Breidt, Windsor, Colorado. The collection coming to the Great Lakes Seaway Trail show includes eight Hoffman Challenge award winners, several of which fit the show’s Beauty of the Byways theme. The Hoffman Challenge display will be joined at the March event by a Route 66 Traveling Exhibit of 49 quilts honoring the historic American highway and displays of favorite American and Canadian byway landscapes and landmarks made by North American quilters.

The Hoffman Challenge was started in 1988 by Hoffman Fabrics of Mission Viejo, CA. The wholesale converter works with textile artists, artists, and graphic designers to create more than 800 original screenprints and hand-dyed batiks and handpainted fabrics annually. Currently, 6 Hoffman Challenge traveling trunk exhibits of quilts are visiting sites in the U.S. and Canada. Two of the trunks will be at the March 2013 Great Lakes Seaway Trail show in Sackets Harbor, NY.

More information and show entry guidelines for the Beauty of the Byways Quilt Show are online at www.seawaytrail.com/quilting

Email lynette@seawaytrail.com or call Lynette at 315-646-100 x203 with any questions.

Four Historic Buildings for Quilt Show Venue this Year!

The Great Lakes Seaway Trail 2013 Beauty of the Byways Quilt Show, scheduled for March 16 - 17, plus March 23 - 24, promises to be our biggest show yet – a real quilting event! Due to the number of quilt this year we’re expanding our show to include the Seaway Trail Discovery Center – built in 1817 - plus three additional historic buildings all on West Main and East Main Streets in Sackets Harbor, NY.

Purchase your admission tickets and start your quilt tour at the Seaway Trail Discovery Center located at 401 West Main Street in Sackets Harbor.

The United Presbyterian Church of Sackets Harbor at the corner of Broad Street and East Main Street will display quilts.

The 1808 Samuel Hooker house is now the galleries of the Sackets Harbor Arts Center and will display many quilts during the show. Watercolor by Anitol Mickle.

The Augustus Sacket Mansion was built by the founder of the village in 1802. Today it houses the Sackets Harbor Visitors' Center and during the show many quilts will be on display here.

The show will feature quilts, vendors and demonstrators all days. Admission tickets can be purchased at the Seaway Trail Discovery Center and will include admission to all four buildings. All buildings are accessible and parking throughout the Village is free.

Tickets are $8 adults, $7 senior citizens and free for accompanied children under 12.

Tickets are good for return admission to the show (must show ticket to return)

Show Hours: Saturdays - 10 to 5 Sundays - Noon to 4

Show Dates: March 16 - 17, plus March 23 - 24

Sunday, December 30, 2012

The Origins of Chintz

Chintz is a cotton fabric printed with vivid overall floral patterns. The word comes from the Hindi “chints” which means “spotted.” In slang the word "chintz" and "chintzy" can often mean something vulgar or gaudy.

Chintz was originally wood-block printed cotton produced in India. Merchant ships brought return cargo of Indian chintz back to Europe and the fabrics proved to be very popular.

By the late 17^th century more than a million yards of chintz were being imported into England every year. With imported chintz becoming so popular English mill owners grew concerned as they did not have the textile printing technology to manufacture chintz. The issue was so serious to the economy of England that the English Parliament enacted a law in 1720 that forbade "the use and wearing in apparel of imported chintz, and also its use or wear in or about any bed, chair, cushion or other household furniture."

Dutch and French textile mills produced reproductions of Indian designs, and later created their own original print designs.

Saturday, November 24, 2012

Inspiration - 1810 Fashion Plates

Some incredible Ackermann's Repository Fashion Plates from 1810.

Beautiful shawls and cloaks plus the only man's fashion plate I have ever seen in Ackermann's.

1810 - Ackermann's Repository January Issue

1810 - Ackermann's Repository February Issue

1810 - Ackermann's Repository March Issue

1810 - Ackermann's Repository April Issue

1810 - Ackermann's Repository May Issue

1810 - Ackermann's Repository June Issue

1810 - Ackermann's Repository July Issue

1810 - Ackermann's Repository August Issue

1810 - Ackermann's Repository September Issue

1810 - Ackermann's Repository October Issue

1810 - Ackermann's Repository November Issue

1810 - Ackermann's Repository December Issue

1810 - Ackermann's Repository December Issue

Friday, November 2, 2012

The Three Quilts that Inspired Afton Warrick's Tree of Life.

The tree of life motif became fashionable when Indian cotton textiles such as "chintz" were imported to Europe in the 17th century. Very often the tree of life, or a stylized version of it, was a popular applique or "broderie perse" quilt design of quiltmakers from the late 1700's to the early 1800's. Broderie Perse is French for "Persian Embroidery" and is a style of applique using printed elements cut from fabric to create a design on a background fabric.

International Quilt Study Center & Museum 2007.034.0001
Circa 1790-1810

Winterthur Museum Item #1958.0108

Circa 1810-1813

International Quilt Study Center & Museum Item #2008.040.0182

Circa 1790-1810

In addition to the stylized tree of life and fanciful birds the borders include the popular chintz fabics of the period.

This overall style was known as chinoiserie, from the French word 'chinois,' meaning Chinese as these popular images were inspired by art and design from China, Japan and other Asian countries.

Afton Warrick of Albuquerque, New Mexico submitted her version of the Tree of Life. Her quilt is among the 26 Best of Show quilts currently traveling with the Great Lakes Seaway Trail War of 1812 Quilt Show.

Afton writes: "My inspiration was a panel common to three chintz appliqué quilts dating from 1790-1813 (Winterthur Museum Object 1958.0108 made by Margaret Nichols and International Quilt Study Center & Museum Objects 2008.040.0182 and 2007.034.0001.)"

"Using modern methods, I recreated a style characteristic of this time period: a tree of life center medallion surrounded by pieced borders. The tree of life symbolizes healing, immortality and protection. It was a favorite design among American quilters from 1775 to the 1820s. During the early nineteenth century, American quilters used British-printed chintz fabrics to imitate Indian textiles imported to Europe in the 1500s."

Thursday, November 1, 2012

The Embargo Ends - Fashion Plates from the End of the War of 1812

Ackermann's Repository of Arts was published monthly from 1809-1829 in London. Each month's issue featured two fashion plates and other illustrations and articles covering a range of topics.

After the embargo's of the War of 1812 ended wealthy ladies would have cherished, once again, the arrival of monthly issues of Ackermann's Repository on packet boats docking from London and no doubt drooled over the fashion plates.

Issues often included embroidery patterns and the very earliest issues had actual fabric samples attached, which no doubt provided inspiration in the creation of Regency era fashions for the genteel lifestyle.

These delicate hand coloured watercolour illustrations, from 1815 at the conclusion of the War of 1812, depicting lovely fashions continue to inspire us two centuries later.

Let's begin the year as many gentlemen and ladies did: by spending the winter season in a bustle of activity and amusement in town, whether it be London or the "incomparable" Bath. With a busy schedule of concerts, theatre, balls, and other social engagements, an appropriate and fashionable wardrobe was essential.