cashs_mom

Not everything posted on the internet or written in a newspaper is true. A pic of a woman and a quilt isn't proof of anything and the story with it may not be true. Just be careful what stories you pass as "fact". There's a lot of misinformation on the internet and "journalism" isn't what it used to be.

Onebyone

Seems like a character, not the main one, from a book I read long ago. I remember something about hidden scenes in a quilt by the youngest girl who had to stay homebound to take care of the parents while the brothers got all the freedom. She lived a lonely life.

miriamdeburca

Thanks for your words of wisdom, but this was published at a time before 'fake news' and 'click bait' were even concepts.

Iceblossom

I did some looking myself. I don't remember any particular book or article, but I am aware of secret pockets as well as messages in fabric. I'd say the actual functionality of such things would be hard to disguise in terms of fold outs because they would be lumpy and bumpy and not launder well.

Around Y2K there were a lot of people doing things with books, where they would cut out sections and put in fold outs or scenes or other treasures -- would this have been about the same time period?

I myself put in a lot of secret messages, some of them are silly like I number my blocks for layout by Alpha across and numbers down - if I have a K9 block I use a dog fabric (canine) because it amuses me, J10 is my son's birthday, etc. Sometimes I'm actually spelling things out in code, it may just look random but it spells a name in Morse or Punchcard or Braille.

Certainly you could be expressing a lot by your pattern choice, in some places/times just making a log cabin was a statement (that is, it would be viewed as anti-confederate/pro-union). We can be sending a message by choosing the WCTU or Drunkard's Path quilt for someone as opposed to a different design.

I did find this rather interesting scholarly articles, sadly without pictures on South African quilting
http://www.scielo.org.za/scielo.php?...72020000100017

That led me to the book The Subversive Stitch which is about embroidery, but also the struggles and opportunities for expression, especially by women. Haven't read it myself, but I've read similar articles.
https://www.amazon.com/Subversive-St.../dp/1848852835

miriamdeburca

Wow, this is really helpful. I find quilting is such a fascinating artform, especially how it was used by women to communicate hidden messages under difficult circumstances. I will certainly look up your links, many thanks

dunster

Those terms may be new, but fiction passed off as fact has been around forever, including in newspapers.

The reason I question this story is that the woman who is supposedly hiding her secret quilt pockets is suddenly openly displaying them. That doesn't mean it isn't a true story, but it seems a little sketchy.

juliasb

Wow! what a story. True on untrue it gives me many ideas for future 'special' quilting projects. Especially when doing a Crazy quilt. Just a thought to throw out here.

berrynice

there is a quilt like this (somewhat) that is really cool. It is one of Jordan Fabric free patterns, called Tummy Time.
https://jordanfabrics.com/pages/tummy-time

pbraun

I hope someone can find her! I am researching communication through quilts and have found many examples of women sending messages to the outside world as well as specific information needed during war times.

joe'smom

This reminds me of the plot of one of the John Sandford Lucas Davenport mysteries (I've often wondered if Sandford was married to a quilter, because quilts are mentioned in several of his mysteries). In this plot, there was a quilt that was supposedly made by an abused wife, and she incorporated various embroidered phrases of malice toward her abuser into the quilt; but as it turned out, that story and the quilt were fakes.