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3/26/06   NH QUILT DOCUMENTATION DAY SCHEDULED FOR Saturday, 4/22

How time flies! It has been a year now since Thompson-Ames Historical Society hosted the New Hampshire Quilt Documentation Project Phase II (NHQDPII), in offering free to the public a “Quilt Documentation Day”!

Last year’s event was so successful, that again this year there will be a NH Quilt Documentation Day in Gilford.

This year’s date will be Saturday, April 22nd. As was true a year ago, the documentation process will take place at the Gilford Community Church, at 19 Potter Hill Road, in Gilford Village.

This opportunity is being offered to help document quilts and quilted items made during the year 1976 and earlier.

As is true for each Quilt Documentation Day, an appointment must be made. To schedule an appointment for April 22nd, call Stephanie Drake at 524-7419.

A year ago, each of the quilts in Thompson-Ames Historical Society’s collections were photographed and documented as part of our Collection Management records. It is so meaningful to have this documentation!

For example, according to our documentation, the quilt on the antique bed in T-AHS’s Homestead Room, was given to Gilford’s historical society in 1999 after Stanley Piper had completed construction of the Homestead Room theme area. (See the accompanying photo.)

The quilt’s NHQDPII description reads, “Summer quilt, double bed size. Jack-in-the-box or Whirligig pattern with cross in middle piece….1930s fabric, multi pastel & off-white colors. Good workmanship, good over-all coverage. White cotton backing, hand stitched. 3 layers, quilt-as-you-go format. Pieced by hand and machine. Layout – blocks side/side. Plain weave cotton fabric. Batting is a blanket. Appears to have been well-worn clothing pieces prior to being used in the quilt.”

Further documentation indicates the date to be c. 1930 along with specific measurements and notes regarding the condition of the item.

Of further interest is the provenance portion of the documentation that states, “Hand quilted probably by Annie Elizabeth Vanbuskirk Weygant…., an accomplished needle woman…. (The quilt) was then passed on to her grandson (David Pangburn). It was used for many years by the Pangburns, eventually brought to their summer camp in Gilford and donated toT-AHS in 1999.”

Dave and Dot Pangburn come up from New Jersey to their Lockes Island camp every summer and have been active members of Thompson-Ames Historical Society for years. We feel honored that they have entrusted this precious family keepsake to Gilford’s historical society.

This documentation is a testament to the caliber of professional attention that the New Hampshire Quilt Documentation Project Phase II team members give to each quilted item brought to them. The NHQDPII team is assisted by knowledgeable volunteers who analyze and record information about each quilt and encourage participants to bring along any photographs, documents or other materials relevant to the quilt-maker and quilt.

New Hampshire Quilt Documentation Project Phase II welcomes all quilts, quilt tops, quilt blocks, quilted clothing and unfinished pieces made up to and including 1976. All quilted items will be documented free of charge. If an owner requests a copy of the documentation and a photograph, the fee for this service is $5 each.

Quilt appraisals are also available through NHQDPII. There are three types of appraisal: Insurance, Fair Market Value, and Donation. Most people want to know what their quilt is worth. If they are selling a quilt, that value is Fair Market Value. If they want to know what it would cost to replace the quilt, that value is Insurance. Normally Insurance and Fair Market Value are the same. Donation and Fair Market Value are always the same and must be accomplished within 60 days of the donation. Fees vary amongst appraisers but usually run between $35 and $45.

Pre-registration is required in order for the day to proceed smoothly. Appointments will start at 9:30 a.m. and the last appointment will be at 3:30 p.m

To make an appointment, all you need to do is telephone the project’s local facilitator, Stephanie Drake, at 524-7419. She will need to know how many quilted items you wish to bring in; three is the limit per person that day. – Quilt owners with 10 or more quilts can schedule a private documentation with NHQDPII.

The New Hampshire Quilt Documentation Project II is a non-profit organization dedicated to the identification and preservation of historic quilts and quilted textiles in New Hampshire. It is the Project’s goal to increase public awareness and appreciation of the significance of quilts in the lives of their makers, and as part of our cultural and artistic heritage.

The nominal fees charged help defray the costs of copying, photographs, supplies, printing, etc. – As a non-profit volunteer organization, NHQDPII is also funded through contributions and grants.

Preservation of vintage textiles, always a concern, is also addressed by NHQDPII. Information on the care and storage of quilted items will be made available to participants. -- Stephanie Drake and T-AHS volunteers will make available a quilt care workshop during the summer when it will be time to take the Society’squilts out of storage, air them, and refold them. Information about this workshop will be released later in the season and will also appear on T-AHS’s website www.gilfordhistoricalsociety.org.

For further information about Thompson-Ames Historical Society and its activities, please call 527-9009.