WALK CROSS THIS BRIDGE, AND YOU TURN THE CLOCK BACK OVER A CENTURY, TO A TIME OF STEAMSHIPS, HORSE-DRAWN CARRIAGES, ONE-ROOM SCHOOLHOUSES, AND HANDMADE WOODEN CARVINGS CRAFTED WITH PRIDE.

THE QUILTS COLLECTED BY MRS. ELECTRA WEBB ARE NOTEWORTHY FOR THEIR WIDE RANGE OF STYLES AND TECHNIQUES.

WE ARE ON THE SHORES OF LAKE CHAMPLAIN, IN VERMONT, AT THE SHELBURNE MUSEUM.

THE MUSEUM HOUSES ONE OF AMERICA'S LARGEST AND FINEST COLLECTIONS OF FOLK ART, INCLUDING MORE THAN 600 AMERICAN QUILTS AND COVERLETS.

LET'S GET STARTED.

I CAN HARDLY WAIT.

OR, IN MRS. WEBB'S OWN WORDS, "FORGE AHEAD."

♪ LAP QUILTING WITH GEORGIA BONESTEEL IS MADE POSSIBLE IN PART BY GRANTS FROM OMNIGRID, THE ORIGINAL, PATENTED BLACK AND YELLOW RULER, BY FAIRFIELD PROCESSING, MAKER OF POLY-FIL BRAND PRODUCTS, AND BY COATS & CLARK, SERVING AMERICA'S SEWING NEEDS FOR OVER 125 YEARS, FEATURING COATS DUAL DUTY PLUS SEWING AND QUILTING THREAD.

NOW COME MEET CELIA OLIVER, CURATOR OF TEXTILES IN THE HAT AND FRAGRANCE BUILDING ON THE GROUNDS OF SHELBURNE.

CELIA, TELL US ABOUT THIS WONDERFUL QUILT COLLECTION HERE AT SHELBURNE AND HOW IT GOT STARTED.

WELL, WHEN ELECTRA WEBB STARTED THE SHELBURNE MUSEUM IN 1948, SHE HAD BEEN COLLECTING AMERICAN FURNITURE, DECORATIVE ARTS, FOLK ART, AND ESPECIALLY QUILTS FOR OVER 30 YEARS.

SO, BY THE TIME THIS EXHIBITION OPENED IN 1952, THERE WERE ALREADY 200 QUILTS IN HER COLLECTION.

AND WERE THEY ALL ONE STYLE, OR WHAT WAS SHE DRAWN TO?

SHE WAS REALLY DRAWN TO THE GRAPHICS OF THE QUILTS AND COLLECTED DIFFERENT PATTERNS, DIFFERENT TYPES OF TEXTILES, BOTH APPLIQUE AND PIECEWORK, BUT SHE REALLY STARTED COLLECTING EARLY ON FOR UTILITARIAN PURPOSES.

SHE USED THEM IN HER HOUSES AS BED COVERINGS, BUT MORE AND MORE, SHE SAW THE BEAUTY IN THEM AND WAS COLLECTED THEM AS WORKS OF ART AND EXPANDED HER COLLECTION VORACIOUSLY.

SHE WAS RAISED IN AN ATMOSPHERE OF ART BUT MORE ALONG THE REFINED LINE, WITH IMPRESSIONIST PAINTINGS.

AND THEN SHE SWITCHED SOMEWHERE.

WHAT HAPPENED?

SHE WAS MARRIED IN 1910 TO A YOUNG MAN, JAMES WATSON WEBB, AND HIS PARENTS HAD A COUNTRY ESTATE HERE IN VERMONT.

THEY CAME EVERY FALL TO FOX HUNT AND TOUR THE COUNTRYSIDE, AND ELECTRA WANTED A COMFORTABLE HOME TO REST IN AFTER A HARD DAY HUNTING, AND HER PARENTS-IN-LAW GAVE THEM A SMALL HOUSE ON THE PROPERTY.

SHE STARTED DECORATING IT IN AMERICAN ANTIQUES.

VERY SIMPLE-- WINDSOR CHAIRS, CUPBOARDS, THINGS THAT THEY COULD LIVE WITH IN COMFORT, NOT FEEL THEY HAD TO ALWAYS BE DRESSED UP AND GETTING READY FOR FORMAL DINNER PARTIES.

WELL, THEY ARE HUNG IN A SPECIAL WAY HERE AT SHELBURNE AND ARE COVERED WITH MYLAR FOR PROTECTION FROM LITTLE FINGERS OR BIG FINGERS.

LET'S THUMB THROUGH SOME, AND LOOK AT THEM, AND THEN EXPLAIN TO ME AS WE LOOK ABOUT THE COLLECTION AND THE TYPE OF STYLES SHE USED.

SHE WAS VERY DRAWN TO THE GRAPHICS IN AMERICAN QUILT, AND I THINK THIS LOG CABIN HERE IS A GOOD EXAMPLE OF ONE OF THE PIECES THAT SHE COLLECTED.

WE ACQUIRED THIS RECENTLY.

BUT THE COLORS AND THE CLARITY IN THIS LOG CABIN IS REALLY VERY BEAUTIFUL.

LESSONS IN GEOMETRY WAS MADE IN THE 19th CENTURY, ONE OF THE EARLY PIECES THAT ELECTRA COLLECTED.

BROKEN DISHES, OR THE WINDMILL PATTERN.

I LOVE THE BANDING HERE.

CHINTZWORK FABRIC.

SET ON POINT, THE BLOCKS ARE SET ON-POINT.

AGAIN, THIS IS AN EARLY PIECE IN THE COLLECTION.

MANY OF OUR QUILTS CAME TO US THROUGH OTHER COLLECTORS WHO FOUND THAT ELECTRA WAS BUILDING A COLLECTION OF COLLECTIONS AND THEN GAVE HER QUILTS.

THIS FEATHERED STAR IS DATED FROM 1835 AND COMES FROM PENNSYLVANIA.

PINEAPPLE QUILT.

AGAIN, ONE OF HER EARLY PIECES.

OH, THE DIAGONAL SETTING THERE IS MOST WONDERFUL.

YES.

VERY GRAPHIC.

WE HAVE A NUMBER OF FRIENDSHIP ALBUM QUILTS IN OUR COLLECTION.

EACH BLOCK IN THIS QUILT IS SIGNED AND DATED.

IT COMES FROM THE MID-19th CENTURY.

SUNBURST AND SAWTOOTH TRIANGLE QUILT IS A VERMONT PIECE.

IT COMES FROM CASTLETON, VERMONT, AROUND 1860.

ANOTHER LOG CABIN-- COURTHOUSE STEPS.

AND THIS IS AGAIN, ONE OF THE EARLY PIECES SHE COLLECTED.

MID 19th CENTURY.

AND THIS CRAZY QUILT, I THINK, IS WONDERFUL BECAUSE IT HAS BLOCK-PRINTED FABRICS IN IT, AND THIS COMES ALSO FROM VERMONT.

I'VE HEARD ABOUT THAT SUNFLOWER QUILT.

LET'S GO TAKE A LOOK AT THAT ONE.

OK. WHAT A WONDERFUL QUILT, CELIA.

ARE WE IN KANSAS OR IS THIS VERMONT?

THIS SUNFLOWER QUILT WAS MADE BY CARRIE CARPENTER OF NORTHFIELD, VERMONT, AND IT'S SO BEAUTIFULLY DONE.

THE STEMS ARE STUFFED.

EACH SUNFLOWER IS CREATED FROM A PLAID FABRIC WITH THAT BEAUTIFUL YELLOW COLOR.

WE'RE VERY FORTUNATE TO HAVE THIS IN OUR COLLECTION.

DICK CLEVELAND, THE DIRECTOR OF THE VERMONT QUILT FESTIVAL, HELPED US ACQUIRE THIS QUILT A FEW YEARS AGO FROM THE ORIGINAL OWNER, WHO'S THE GRANDDAUGHTER OF ITS MAKER.

AND IT IS A TRUE ORIGINAL.

CONGRATULATIONS ON OWNING IT.

OH, WE ARE THRILLED.

SOME OF THE OTHER QUILTS IN OUR COLLECTION REALLY SHOW THE DYNAMIC VERSATILITY OF QUILTERS-- THIS ENLARGED PINE TREE PATTERN.

AND WE'RE VIEWING THESE ON THE FULL-SCALE, WHICH IS NICE, TOO, TO SEE THE ENTIRE QUILT.

YES.

IT MAKES A BIG DIFFERENCE.

THIS VARIATION OF A BALTIMORE ALBUM QUILT AND THIS WONDERFUL FRUIT BASKET, WHICH IS ORIENTED TO THE SIDE.

EACH OF THE FRUIT IS STUFFED-- TRAPUNTO WORK.

WE HAVE A NUMBER OF WHITE-ON-WHITE QUILTS.

THIS IS AN EMBROIDERED CANDLEWICK COUNTERPANE MADE IN VERMONT.

THIS ALBUM QUILT IN THE CHRISTIAN CROSS PATTERN IS WORKED ENTIRELY OF SILK FABRICS, EMBROIDERED AND JACQUARD WOVEN.

EACH BLOCK HAS A MOTTO AND A NAME.

THIS HEXAGON MOSAIC IS REALLY A MARVELOUS ACCOMPLISHMENT.

ALMOST A SAMPLER-- A SAMPLER IN HEXAGONS.

YES, AND IT'S PIECED AND APPLIQUED.

MADE IN THE LATE 18th CENTURY.

THIS GARDEN QUILT IS A WONDERFUL EXAMPLE OF A SAMPLER OF FLOWERS, PROBABLY GROWN IN THE QUILTER'S GARDEN.

THESE QUILTS ARE UNDER THE LOVING CARE OF POLLY MITCHELL AND HER VOLUNTEER STAFF.

LET'S SEE WHICH ONE WILL FIT.

RESTORATION AND REPAIR-- AN ONGOING TASK FOR ABLE HANDS.

WE CAN GAIN A BETTER UNDERSTANDING AND PERHAPS SOME TIPS ABOUT THIS FROM POLLY MITCHELL.

WELCOME TODAY, POLLY.

TELL US YOUR OFFICIAL TITLE HERE AT SHELBURNE.

I'M THE REGISTRAR HERE AT SHELBURNE.

I'M ALSO THE TEXTILE PREPARATOR.

WE HAVE TO DO A LOT OF DIFFERENT THINGS HERE, AND THIS IS THE LOVE OF MY LIFE.

WE'RE WORKING RIGHT NOW ON A QUILT.

IT'S ACTUALLY A QUILT TOP.

IT'S CALLED--IT'S A VARIATION OF THE TREE OF LIFE.

IT IS VERY FRAGILE.

WE TOOK IT DOWN OFF EXHIBIT AND DECIDED IT WAS IN TERRIBLE SHAPE.

AND BEFORE WE ROLLED IT TO PUT AWAY, TO GIVE IT MORE STABILITY, WE PUT A STURDY MUSLIN BACK ON IT, AND THEN WE ARE STARTING TO REAPPLIQUE SOME OF THE APPLIQUES THAT HAVE BEEN COMING OFF, AND HAVE PRETTY MUCH FINISHED IT.

AND WELCOME, BERNICE AND JEANNE.

THANK YOU.

WHAT ARE YOU DOING WITH THIS QUILT TOP TODAY?

WE ARE REPAIRING A LOSS OF FABRIC IN THE APPLIQUES HERE AND WE ARE COVERING THEM WITH A FABRIC-- EITHER CREPELINE OR BRIDAL ILLUSION, WHICH YOU CAN FIND IN A BRIDAL DEPARTMENT OF YOUR FABRIC STORE.

WE FIND FABRIC THAT'S CLOSEST IN COLOR TO THE BACKGROUND AND WE LEAVE A VERY NARROW MARGIN, AND WITH VERY FINE STITCHES, WE APPLIQUE THE CREPELINE OR ILLUSION TO THE OUTSIDE EDGES OF THE LEAF.

WE TRY TO DO ALL OF OUR WORK SO IT CAN BE UNDONE IN LATER YEARS IF SOMEONE SO WISHES TO DO.

I SEE.

AND WHAT IS THE THREAD IN FRONT OF YOU, JEANNE?

THIS IS 100% COTTON.

THERE IS A GOOD SUPPLY HERE AT SHELBURNE OF OLDER THREADS, AND WE CAN MATCH VERY CLOSELY, MOST OF THE TIME, THE THREAD TO THE COLOR THAT HAS BEEN CHOSEN TO REPLACE, UH...

I SEE.

REPAIR IT.

HOW ARE THESE STORED, POLLY?

WE ROLL THEM.

WE'VE DISCOVERED IT'S THE BEST WAY TO DO IT WITHOUT CREASING.

AS YOU KNOW, TEXTILES ARE VERY, VERY FRAGILE, AND FOLDING THEM IS NOT GOOD, SO FOLDING IS OUT, EXCEPT FOR VERY SHORT PERIODS OF TIME.

SO WE LIKE TO ROLL, AND I GOT THE TUBES FROM CARPET DEALERS IN THE AREA.

WE COVER THEM WITH ACID-FREE PAPER, AND WE ROLLED THE TEXTILE DIRECTLY ONTO THE TUBE, AND THEY FIT INTO WONDERFUL RACKS THAT WERE MADE FOR US BY OUR CARPENTERS.

NOW, ONCE THESE ARE HUNG HERE AT SHELBURNE, THAT'S ONE OF THE INTRIGUING PARTS HERE AT SHELBURNE, THE WAY YOU CAN FLIP THROUGH EACH OF THE QUILTS HANGING VERTICALLY.

HOW ARE THEY SUPPORTED ON EACH OF THOSE RACKS?

WE SEW A MUSLIN SUPPORT ON THE BACK OF EACH OF THE QUILTS AND LEAVE ABOUT A 1/2-INCH EDGE RIGHT BEHIND THE EDGE ALL THE WAY AROUND.

AND WE STAPLE THROUGH THE MUSLIN RIGHT ONTO THE BOARD, AND WE USE MONEL STAPLES BECAUSE THEY'RE RUSTPROOF.

AND THAT WAY THEY HAVE SUPPORT ON ALL FOUR SIDES.

ALL FOUR SIDES.

YES.

YOUR QUILTS LEAVE SHELBURNE.

WHEN THEY LEAVE, HOW IS THAT DONE?

WE DO A LOT OF LOANS, AND WE HAVE FOUND THAT THE VELCRO METHOD WORKS BEST BECAUSE IT IS EASIER FOR PEOPLE TO ZIP THESE OFF AND ON THE WALL WITH AS LITTLE HANDLING AS POSSIBLE.

SO WHAT I DO IS, I FOUND A SOURCE FOR RUG-BINDING.

IT COMES IN 1 1/4 INCH WIDTHS.

WE MACHINE-SEW THE SOFT SIDE OF THE VELCRO RIGHT TO THE BINDING, AND THEN WE USE A HERRINGBONE STITCH, WHICH IS SORT OF A CROSS-STITCH HERE, AND WE LIKE THAT STITCH BECAUSE IT MOVES, BECAUSE QUILTS ARE NEVER, EVER SQUARE OR FLAT.

AND THIS WOOL, OUR WORSTED, AND THIS IS A WOOL AMISH.

WE USE THESE LITTLE TABS FOR THE CORNERS, AND ALSO IF THAT DOESN'T HOLD IT NICE AND FLAT, WE DO LITTLE TABS EVERY COUPLE OF FEET OR SO.

THE HOOK SIDE OF THE VELCRO IS STAPLED TO THE WALL, USING YOUR MONEL STAPLES AGAIN.

AND THEY'RE STAINLESS STEEL AND SAFE TO USE.

THE QUILT UNDERNEATH IS A WOOL QUILT.

WHAT IS HAPPENING WITH THIS ONE?

AND THE NAME OF IT IS...

THIS IS THE BRITISH EMPIRE QUILT, IT'S A VERY EARLY WOOL PIECE, AND IT HAD ALL KINDS OF PROBLEMS.

WE TOOK IT OFF EXHIBIT BECAUSE IT WAS SAGGING, AND WHEN IT CAME OFF, WE REALIZED THE BACK WAS TOO TIGHT.

I'M SURE THAT IT FIT.

IT WAS COTTON, AND IT WAS A VERY GOOD SUPPORT WHEN IT WAS ORIGINALLY MADE, BUT BECAUSE WOOL IS STRETCHY, IT WAS STRETCHING OUT OF SHAPE AND SORT OF OUTGREW ITS BACK.

SO WE TOOK THE BACK OFF AND IT WILL BE REPLACED WITH A NEW BACK THAT'S SLIGHTLY LARGER.

AND A NEW BINDING.

NOW, THE FACT THAT IT'S WOOL LEADS ME TO ANOTHER QUESTION, AND THAT IS ABOUT MOTHS AND INSECTS, AND TO GAIN A BETTER INSIGHT INTO THAT, WE'RE GOING TO MEET RICK KERSCHNER.

HI, RICK.

HI, GEORGIA.

THE CHIEF CONSERVATOR HERE AT SHELBURNE.

I KNOW YOU'RE PROUD OF THE WORK THAT GOES ON HERE WITH THE TEXTILES.

VERY MUCH SO.

WE HAVE SOME VERY TALENTED INDIVIDUALS WORKING WITH US.

BUT I DO HAVE TO POINT OUT ALSO THAT WE DON'T HAVE A TEXTILE CONSERVATOR ON STAFF, AND ANY OF THE MORE EXTENSIVE TEXTILE CONSERVATION WORK, SUCH AS WASHING OR MORE EXTENSIVE CONSOLIDATION, WE DO SEND OUT TO A PROFESSIONAL CONSERVATION LAB.

AND TO LEARN MORE ABOUT TAKING CARE OF YOUR QUILTS, I UNDERSTAND THERE'S A CLINIC YOU CAN COME TO.

YES.

EVERY WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON BY APPOINTMENT, PEOPLE CAN MAKE APPOINTMENTS AND COME IN WITH TEXTILES OR WITH ANY OTHER ARTIFACT TO GET ADVICE ON HOW TO PRESERVE AND ALSO THE CONSERVATION OF THE PIECE.

WE DON'T SHOW THEM HOW TO RESTORE THE PIECE BECAUSE THAT'S MUCH MORE INVOLVED.

BUT THEY CAN GET THAT SORT OF ADVICE.

AND THE MAIN TOPIC-- PEST CONTROL AND WOOL QUILTS-- IS WHY WE'RE STANDING IN FRONT OF THE FREEZER OF ALL THINGS.

TELL US THE VERY LATEST WAY OF HANDLING PESTS WITH THE QUILTS.

YES.

UP UNTIL RECENTLY, PEOPLE USED CHEMICALS TO TRY TO GET RID OF THE INSECTS.

MOTHBALLS, IN PARTICULAR, WOULD BE THROWN ALL OVER THE QUILTS WHEN THEY WERE PUT INTO STORAGE.

THAT NOT ONLY WAS NOT GOOD FOR THE QUILTS, BUT IT'S NOT GOOD FOR THE PEOPLE, BECAUSE SOME OF THESE CHEMICALS ARE SUSPECTED CARCINOGENS.

AND WE SHOULD BE STAYING AWAY FROM THEM.

SO RIGHT NOW THE MOST RECENT THOUGHTS ARE TO TAKE A MORE HOLISTIC APPROACH TO PEST CONTROL, AND SPECIFICALLY, FREEZING.

THEY HAVE FOUND THAT FREEZING IS EVEN BETTER THAN CHEMICALS BECAUSE IT ATTACKS ALL THREE STAGES OF INSECT LIFE, FROM THE ADULT INSECT TO THE LARVA STAGE AND ALSO EVEN THE EGGS-- FREEZING WILL TAKE CARE OF THEM.

THERE ARE VERY SPECIFIC STEPS TO THE FREEZING PROCESS, AND IT'S BEEN NICELY SUMMARIZED IN A BROCHURE FROM THE AMERICAN ASSOCIATION OF STATE AND LOCAL HISTORY THAT GIVES SOME OF THE INFORMATION ON WHAT YOU CAN AND CANNOT FREEZE SAFELY AND ALSO HOW TO DO IT, IN THESE STEPS RIGHT HERE.

AND I'LL PERSONALLY GO THROUGH THESE STEPS RIGHT NOW JUST QUICKLY.

OK.

THE FIRST THING YOU SHOULD DO WITH ANY TEXTILE YOU EVEN SEE ONE OR TWO LIVE INSECTS ON-- CONSIDER THAT AN INFESTATION.

FIRST OF ALL, SPREAD IT OUT AND VACUUM IT VERY CAREFULLY.

SOME OF YOUR TEXTILES ARE QUITE FRAGILE, SO YOU MIGHT WANT TO VACUUM THEM THROUGH THE SCREEN.

PUT THIS DOWN ON TOP OF THE TEXTILE, ON TOP OF THE APPLIQUE OR THE LOOSE THREADS AND THEN VACUUM THROUGH IT.

THAT WAY, YOU WON'T HURT THE TEXTILES YOU'RE VACUUMING.

ONCE YOU HAVE THE PIECE COMPLETELY CLEANED BY VACUUMING-- AND YOU MAY REMOVE 80% OF THE INSECTS AND INSECT EGGS JUST BY VACUUMING-- YOU THEN WANNA GET IT READY TO GO INTO THE FREEZER.

YOU WANT TO PUT IT INTO A PLASTIC BAG, GET ALL THE AIR OUT OF THE BAG, AND THEN TIE IT UP TIGHTLY SO THAT ADDITIONAL AIR CAN'T GET INTO IT.

FOLD IT LOOSELY, UNDERSTAND.

YOU FOLD IT LOOSELY FIRST BECAUSE YOU WANT IT TO FREEZE VERY QUICKLY, BUT YOU PUT IT IN THE BAG SO THAT'LL PROTECT IT FROM HUMIDITY AND FROM FROST GETTING ON THE PIECE WHEN IT'S IN THE FREEZER.

THE PIECE DOES HAVE TO BE FROZEN QUITE QUICKLY.

WE TAKE THE FREEZER DOWN TO MINUS 20 DEGREES.

SET YOUR HOUSEHOLD FREEZER AT THE MINIMUM SETTING.

IT'LL PROBABLY BE CLOSE TO THE MINUS 20 DEGREES, AND IT HAS TO BE FROZEN VERY QUICKLY.

SO, ONCE IT STOPS AT THAT TEMPERATURE, WE CAN JUST PUT THE TEXTILE IN.

AND YOU'VE GOTTEN ALL THE AIR OUT OF THERE BY PUTTING A LITTLE TIE ON THE END, HAVEN'T YOU?

THAT'S RIGHT.

ALSO, YOU WANT TO DO IT QUITE LOOSELY IN THE FREEZER.

MAKE SURE THERE'S AIR AROUND IT AND OTHER THINGS AREN'T PACKED AROUND THE QUILT WHEN IT'S IN THE FREEZER SO THAT IT COOLS VERY QUICKLY.

YOU LEAVE IT IN THERE FOR 40 HOURS AFTER IT HITS MINUS 20 DEGREES.

WE MONITOR THE TEMPERATURE WITH AN INDOOR/OUTDOOR THERMOMETER THAT'S SENSED INSIDE SO WE DON'T HAVE TO KEEP OPENING IT 'CAUSE THAT KEEPS WARMING UP YOUR FREEZER.

YOU WANNA COOL IT DOWN QUICKLY, BUT YOU WARM IT UP SLOWLY, SO AFTER THE 40 HOURS, YOU CAN TAKE THE TEXTILE OUT, KEEP IT IN THE PLASTIC BAG, MAYBE PUT IT IN YOUR REFRIGERATOR FOR A DAY.

AND THEN TAKE IT OUT OF THE REFRIGERATOR AND LET IT COME UP TO ROOM TEMPERATURE.

AFTER YOU DO THAT, YOU WANNA DO THE WHOLE PROCEDURE OVER AGAIN, A SECOND TIME, DOWN TO MINUS 20 DEGREES FOR 40 HOURS.

AFTER YOU TAKE IT OUT THE SECOND TIME, YOU WANT TO VACUUM IT A SECOND TIME.

AGAIN, TO GET ANYTHING THAT MAY BE LEFT.

YOU MAY BE SEEING DEAD INSECTS AT THAT POINT, ALSO, FINE.

JUST VACUUM THEM RIGHT OFF.

THEN I WOULDN'T MIX THAT PIECE THAT HAS BEEN INFESTED BACK IN WITH YOUR GOOD TEXTILES AGAIN.

I'D KEEP IT SEPARATE, OBSERVE IT FOR A FEW MONTHS JUST TO MAKE SURE YOU HAVE TAKEN CARE OF THE INFESTATION BEFORE YOU MIX IT IN WITH OTHER TEXTILES.

OR SLEEP UNDER IT.

OR SLEEP UNDER IT.

THANK YOU SO MUCH, RICK.

THANK YOU.

I HOPE YOU HAVE A CHANCE TO VISIT SHELBURNE SOMEDAY.

THERE IS SO MUCH TO SEE.

THE POMEGRANATE PATTERN WAS SEEN EVERYWHERE ON OUR TRAVELS, FROM MY DIAGONAL SETTING AT THE SHELBURNE IN VERMONT... AND IN TENNESSEE.

WE FOUND IT AT THE McMINN COUNTY LIVING HERITAGE MUSEUM IN ATHENS, TENNESSEE.

THEY CALLED IT A FLOWER BASKET PATTERN, BUT LOOK AT THE FLORAL, OR FRUIT MOTIF, AT THE TOP OF THE BASKET.

THIS QUILT BELONGS TO RUTH WILKOUT FROM RICEVILLE, TENNESSEE, AND WHAT MAKES IT SPECIAL IS THAT IT'S NOT APPLIQUED, BUT ENTIRELY PIECED.

THEN, IN NASHVILLE, AT THE STATE MUSEUM, WE DEVELOPED THE ACTUAL PATTERN FROM A POMEGRANATE QUILT COLLECTION OF MILDRED LOCKE'S.

IT WAS MADE BY RUTH TAYLOR SCHARBER.

AT FIRST GLANCE, YOU MAY MISS THE BASIC BLOCK.

THE STEMS GROW FROM THE CORNERS OF THE BLOCK, WITH THE FRUIT TOWARD THE CENTER.

IT'S ONLY WHEN THE BLOCKS ARE JOINED THAT THE FOUR STEMS APPEAR TO BRANCH FROM A CENTRAL AXIS.

JUST LIKE THE TART POMEGRANATE THAT IT PORTRAYS, THIS PATTERN HAS TANG, AND LOTS OF ZIP AND COLOR, TOO.

WE TRIED TO FIND A REAL POMEGRANATE, BUT THEY'RE OUT OF SEASON SO WE HAD TO SETTLE FOR A DRIED ONE.

NOTICE IN OUR COLOR SELECTION THAT WE'VE GOT A NICE CONTRAST BETWEEN THE GOLD, THE RED, AND THE GREEN.

WITH YOUR FABRICS DECIDED UPON, YOU CAN GO TO THE TEMPLATES.

THIS PATTERN TAKES FIVE.

THERE'S A CENTER STEM, AND THEN FOUR ON THIS SIDE THAT BECOME THE REVERSE, OR THE MIRROR IMAGE, THAT FLIP OVER.

SO YOU KNOW WHEN YOU START TO CUT OUT FOR ONE POMEGRANATE, THAT YOU'RE GOING TO NEED TWO OF EACH ONE OF THESE.

NOW, PUTTING THIS ON THE FABRIC IS VERY EASY.

IT'S NICE BECAUSE YOUR GRAIN LINE IS INCLUDED.

THAT WILL CORRESPOND WITH THE GRAIN LINE OF YOUR FABRIC, EITHER THE CROSSWISE OR THE STRAIGHT OF THE GRAIN, AND YOUR SEAM ALLOWANCES ARE INCLUDED.

I LIKE TO PUT THIS ON THE BACKSIDE OF MY FABRIC AND CUT OUT TWO AT A TIME, OR MAYBE EVEN MORE.

IF YOU'RE USING PRINT FABRIC, PUT THE PRINT FABRIC WITH THE RIGHT SIDES TOGETHER, AND YOU'LL BE CUTTING OUT YOUR MIRROR IMAGES.

LINE UP YOUR TEMPLATE.

TRACE AROUND IT WITH ANY SORT OF FABRIC MARKER, SOMETHING THAT WILL WASH OUT READILY.

IT MIGHT BE A FABRIC ROLLER, A PENCIL-- NOT A BALL-POINT PEN.

ONCE THAT IS TRACED AROUND, YOU CAN CUT OUT WITH YOUR SCISSORS, OR YOU CAN EVEN DO WHAT I DO SOMETIMES-- A LITTLE SNEAKY THING-- AND THAT'S TO AIR CUT OUT.

JUST HOLD YOUR TEMPLATE IN PLACE AND CUT AROUND, AS LONG AS YOU'RE NOT NICKING YOUR PLASTIC.

WITH THAT CUT OUT, YOU'RE READY TO SEW IT TOGETHER.

NOW, I'VE DONE IT BOTH WAYS.

BY HAND AND MACHINE.

I DON'T THINK YOU CAN TELL THE DIFFERENCE.

BACKSIDE... AND FRONT SIDE.

YOU'RE GOING TO START WITH YOUR SMALLER PIECES FIRST.

AND LET ME GIVE YOU A FEW TIPS.

IT IS NICE, WORKING WITH YOUR TEMPLATES, TO BE ABLE TO PUNCH OUT THE 1/4-INCH TURNS.

THAT ALLOWS YOU TO PUT THAT ON THE BACKSIDE OF YOUR FABRIC THAT'S BEEN CUT OUT.

I'VE GOT THEM MARKED HERE AND TWO TIMES DOWN HERE.

AND I'LL JUST POSITION THAT.

AND WITH THAT OPENING, I CAN MARK EXACTLY WHERE I START SEWING AND WHERE I STOP, ESPECIALLY BY HAND.

NOW, I HAVE ONE ALL PINNED IN PLACE, AND I'M GOING TO SEW ON THE RED SIDE SO YOU CAN SEE IT VERY EASILY.

THE FINGERWORK IS VERY NICE.

WHEN YOU'RE TRAVELING, YOU CAN PUT ASIDE SO MANY POMEGRANATES TO GET DONE.

AND I, OF COURSE, WOULD PUT A FOOLPROOF KNOT AT THE END.

I USE A NEUTRAL THREAD.

WIND THAT AROUND AND COME ALL THE WAY DOWN SO I'VE GOT A NICE, STRONG KNOT.

AND THEN I'M GOING TO START SEWING RIGHT AT THAT 1/4 INCH.

THAT'S IMPORTANT.

AND I'LL PULL MY KNOT THROUGH AND I LIKE TO GO AHEAD AND HOLD MY NEEDLE STRAIGHT, AND WHEN I PUT THE NEEDLE IN EACH TIME, GO BEHIND WHERE THE THREAD HAS COME OUT, THEN LET MY FABRIC COME TO THE NEEDLE.

DO YOU SEE HOW I'M TAKING THAT BACK AND FORTH?

WHY, I CAN PUT AS MANY STITCHES ON THERE AS I HAVE LENGTH OF NEEDLE.

PULL THAT ALL THE WAY DOWN, AND THEN ONCE AGAIN PUT THE NEEDLE IN BEHIND WHERE THE THREAD HAS COME OUT.

HOLD IT, AND THEN JUST COME BACK AND FORTH.

AND PRETTY SOON I'LL GET THAT SECTION ALL PIECED.

NOW, FOR THE MACHINE PART OF IT, I WOULD COME-- IF I HAVE ONE SIDE DONE-- I DO THINK IT'S NICE, WHETHER YOU'RE HAND OR MACHINE PIECING, TO TAKE YOUR LITTLE SNIPS, AND WHEREVER YOU'VE GOT A STRETCHY PART, I WOULD RELEASE IT JUST A LITTLE BIT-- NOT ALL THE WAY TO THE 1/4 INCH, BUT JUST THOSE CONCAVE AREAS, RELEASE.

I'M GOING TO START SEWING WITH THE CONCAVE AREA AGAINST MY FEED DOGS, AND I WOULD MAKE SURE THAT I WOULD START ONCE AGAIN AT THAT PENCIL MARK BECAUSE THAT'S A SEAM ALLOWANCE THAT'S GOING TO HAVE TO BE TURNED DOWN.

SO, I'LL START HERE AND MAYBE EVEN BACKSTITCH TO HOLD THAT IN PLACE.

A COUPLE STITCHES.

BACK UP.

AND THEN I'M READY TO START ALL THE WAY DOWN, ALIGNING THE RAW EDGES EACH TIME.

I THINK IT HELPS TO HAVE A STILETTO HERE AND PUT YOUR NEEDLE DOWN TO HOLD THAT SO I CAN COME ALL THE WAY AROUND, AND THIS IS A LITTLE FINGER SCOOTCHER THAT ALLOWS ME TO REALLY POSITION AND LINE UP THOSE RAW EDGES AS I'M COMING AROUND-- I'M COMING ALL THE WAY TO THE END.

NOW, WITH A MACHINE PIECING USING A NEUTRAL THREAD, I CAN RUN ALL THE WAY OUT TO THE END, IF I SO DESIRE.

I KNOW THAT THOSE THREADS ARE NOT GOING TO COME UNDONE.

THEY'RE GOING TO BE LOCKED IN PLACE.

AND THEN I'M READY.

I'VE GOT MY 1/4 INCH FROM HERE ALL THE WAY IN, AND THAT'S GOING TO GO ON ONE SIDE OF THE STEM.

ONCE THE PIECED PART OF YOUR POMEGRANATES IS DONE, THEN YOU'RE READY FOR THE APPLIQUE PROCESS.

THERE WILL BE 4 POMEGRANATES THAT GO ON A 20 1/2-INCH SQUARE.

NOTICE THAT THE EDGES ARE ON THE BIAS BECAUSE THIS SQUARE IS GOING ON-POINT INTO YOUR QUILT.

THAT MEANS YOU'LL HAVE STRAIGHT OF THE GRAIN DOWN THE MIDDLE OF YOUR BLOCK.

PRESS THAT TO GIVE YOU A MIDPOINT TO LINE UP YOUR POMEGRANATE.

THERE WILL BE TRIANGLES AROUND THE OUTSIDE.

AND THAT WILL HAVE A MIDPOINT PRESSED IN IT, ALSO.

THEN THAT POMEGRANATE CAN LINE RIGHT UP WITH THAT, COMING ALL THE WAY DOWN TO THE EDGE.

NOW, THERE ARE MANY WAYS TO APPLIQUE.

AND I'LL GIVE YOU JUST A FEW.

I THINK IT DOES HELP TO GO AHEAD AND MAKE A PAPER PATTERN OF THE WHOLE UNIT.

TO DO THAT, I WOULD OVERLAP YOUR PLASTIC TEMPLATES-- LINE THEM RIGHT UP WHERE YOUR SEWING LINE WAS-- AND THEN THIS TEMPLATE THAT YOU WOULD MAKE WOULD ELIMINATE THE OUTSIDE SEAM ALLOWANCES.

THEN YOU CAN PRESS THAT ON YOUR FOUNDATION, WHETHER IT'S THE SQUARE OR THE TRIANGLE, AND BY PRESSING THAT AND DRAWING AROUND IT LIGHTLY, YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE AN EXACT EDGE, AN EXACT LINE, TO MATCH THAT TURNED-UNDER EDGE.

WHY, YOU COULD EVEN PRESS THAT ON THE TOP SIDE OF YOUR PIECED UNIT.

ONCE THAT IS IN PLACE, YOU'RE GOING TO EITHER NEEDLE-TURN THAT AS YOU'RE GOING ALONG, OR YOU MIGHT WANT TO DO THE OLD-FASHIONED WAY OF PREBASTING THOSE RAW EDGES UNDER.

JUST REMEMBER TO KEEP YOUR KNOTS ON THE OUTSIDE.

A FEW LITTLE HINTS ABOUT THE APPLIQUE PROCESS.

AND KEEP IN MIND THAT ANOTHER WAY TO DO IT, ESPECIALLY FOR THE STEM, WOULD BE TO CUT YOUR PLASTIC TEMPLATE APART.

YOU THEN HAVE TWO TEMPLATES IN ONE.

ONE TO TRACE THE SEAM ALLOWANCE AND THEN ONE TO TRACE AROUND HERE.

AND THAT ALLOWED ME TO KNOW EXACTLY WHERE THAT WAS TURNING UNDER TO LINE UP WITH MY PENCIL MARK.

I'M THEN GOING TO TAKE MY APPLIQUE STITCH WITH A NICE LONG APPLIQUE NEEDLE.

I USE A NUMBER 12.

AND I LIKE TO GO FROM RIGHT TO LEFT, BUT THAT NEEDLE IS GOING INTO THE CREASE HERE, AND I'M FALLING INTO THE FOUNDATION.

THE THREAD IS GOING RIGHT DOWN UNDERNEATH WHERE THAT THREAD IS STITCHED IN TO THE FOLD-OVER PART, AND AT THE SAME TIME, YOU CAN SEE THAT THAT LEAF IS LINING UP WITH THAT PENCIL MARK.

I MEAN, WHAT MORE CAN YOU ASK FOR?

IT'LL GO VERY NICELY, AND BEFORE YOU KNOW IT, YOU'LL HAVE A NICE POMEGRANATE QUILT AT LEAST STARTED.

LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING YOU NEXT WEEK FOR OUR SHOW CALLED SIMPLE LITTLE THINGS.

LAP QUILTING WITH GEORGIA BONESTEEL IS MADE POSSIBLE IN PART BY GRANTS FROM OMNIGRID, THE ORIGINAL, PATENTED BLACK AND YELLOW RULER, BY FAIRFIELD PROCESSING, MAKER OF POLY-FIL BRAND PRODUCTS, AND BY COATS & CLARK, SERVING AMERICA'S SEWING NEEDS FOR OVER 125 YEARS, FEATURING COATS DUAL DUTY PLUS SEWING AND QUILTING THREAD.