Monday, April 15 – Hunterdon County
Unraveling History: Textiles and Quilts in the 18th and 19th Centuries
Dana Bala’s presentation on textiles and quilts in the 18th and 19th centuries starts with information on the late 1600s and early 1700s and includes the colonial period She will discuss quilting until about the time of the American Civil War, when quilting became a truly American tradition and format for expression.
Dana will discuss the following:
1- Quilting from the 1700s to the mid 1800s – fabrics, patterns, quilts, and their role in domestic life
2- Fabric and the importance to/in domestic life, which includes some information on clothing
3- Effects of the American Revolutionary War and the Industrial Revolution on the cost and production of textiles
4- Legislation that affected the cost and production of textiles in the late 17th century and early 18th century.
This presentation is hands-on, as fabric and textiles need to be “touched” to be appreciated, so she brings quilts, including those from the Red Mill’s fabric collection and clothing. She will also bring many examples of newspaper articles, magazine articles, and historic quilting patterns that can be passed around during the presentation. In addition, Dana will always have subject appropriate books for the visitors to peruse and enjoy.
Dana Bala has been quilting for approximately 15 years. She combines her love of history and fabric through researching historic quilts, patterns, techniques and the textile industry, particularly, in the 18th and 19th centuries.
