—Lancaster Farming, Saturday, Nov. 27, 1976 50 boxes, this one being 100 years.old. It has com- „ partments for pins, needles, tape measure, pin cushions, thimbles and the patterns fit in the lid. It also features brass inlaid on the lid and a key. Well known quilt maker still learning By SALLY BAER Feature Writer “I’m never happier than when I have a needle in my hand.” This statement comes as no surprise at all from one of. the best and most well-known quilt makers in Lancaster County, Mrs. Roy Eshleman, Neffsville. Catherine Eshleman is probably best known for teaching quilting, something she does with great relish, but she enjoys making quilts just as much, though time is often limited. In the fine quilts that she makes, she sews between 14 and 17 stitches per inch, and just gazing at the intricate work is a joy. An expert, she began quilting just 12 years ago. Mrs. Eshleman stresses that all she teaches she perience. “Wittfa-ererys *1 -lealrri something,” she says. “And, m every class I leam something.” She said she encourages questions from her students, and makes notes of their questions to help her ,in teaching future, classes. “I do want my students 'to' understand what they are doing.” She also said with some pride, “I am very conscientious about attempting to teach others to make quilts as well as mine.” The important thing in learning to quilt, she adds, is to get “the knack of doing it, then work on reducing the size of the stitch.” As an ego boost for first-time quilters, Mrs. Eshleman says, “I always show the class the first quilt I made. It is not of the quality I make now. People are encouraged by it.” She also tells her students to be individual in selecting fabrics and patterns for their quilts. “A quilt is so personal; I want them to get exactly what they want,” she says. When she teaches, she says, “I think the instructor must build confidence. Quilting is such a tremendous job, but it takes more patience"than materials.” Why does she enjoy making quilts so much? “I like being creative and the results thereof,” she says with a smile. Clearly, Mrs. Eshleman could be very busy just making quilts, but says, “I want to quilt for pleasure.” She began teaching quilting when “friends would ask me.” And originally she taught without a fee. Quickly, the demands on her time became greater and now she teaches for organizations and occasionally in her hoftie. She was slowed down somewhat last winter by a fall on the ice in which she broke both her legs. She had been committed to teaching a quilting class for Penn State Extension and deter minedly taught it during her recuperation. The class was simply moved to the first floor of the Farm and Home Center instead of being held m the basement, and with the help of her husband and others to carry her materials, she continued on schedule! Mrs. Eshleman, a native of Lan caster County, says she became in- terested in sewing when as a small child she would go visit her grand mother for a week at a time so her grandmother could sew her wardrobe. Her parents lived on a farm at least long enough for her to “learn the responsibility that goes with living on a farm.” She said she tried many things when she was small, but “had no help.” She explained that her grandmother “always had a quilt in a bay window.” She often stood by her grandmother while she worked on it, but wasn’t allowed to help. But her sewing interest was nurtured, happily, by a Miss Louetta Hershey, whom Mrs. Eshleman describes as “an outstanding home economics teacher.” Mrs. Eshleman took the home economics, course in West Lampeter High School, and she said Miss Hershey was effective because “she not only taught, but she supervised.” She said that during her work in home economics she sewed a garment that was very well done and was asked tp enter it in the Pennsylvania State'Farm Show m Harrisburg. But she said, “It was during the Depression, and I didn’t send it.” Even today, Mrs. Eshleman says, “I question putting valuable items in shows unless they are in well-protected £ * At ~■> , * Zx w A close-up of a quilting square, done in the Dresden Plate pattern. Note the color variation, even in a black and white photo. , -j££L-. ' " *' ‘ % * # * Mrs Esh!eman demonstrates her fine art of quilting doing work on a child’s quilt areas.” As an example, she mentioned a quilt that was ruined by a cigarette burn while being displayed and another that was marked by a pen. “Things are . much safer at home,” she said, matter of-factly. Mrs. Eshleman is qualified to talk about shows because she has been a judge of many. She judged the annual Woodlawn Plantation Needlework Show at Mount Vernon which she described as one of the most prestigious of shows. She said, “It is not only an honor to be asked to judge but it is thrilling to get your hands on the fine things exhibited.” At this show, for instance, one whole room was tilled with then*? needlework. Is judging difficult? Mrs. Eshleman - said,- S‘Jf 1 you'rei conscientiods judge it is difficult. I make a list of what to look for in different needlework and I study -, the list before each show. There are specific items I check for in quilting.” i She said, “When someone pays to enter a show, I consider it a serious thing.” She added that she enjoys judging, but only when ample time is allotted to judge thoroughly. Demonstrating is another joy for Mrs. Eshleman, and she has done a lot of it. She recently demonstrated at the , r ■< * > > * 1* Decorating eggs is another of Mrs. Eshleman’s talents. The half-egg in the center is her creation and she says makes an excellent adorn ment on a napkin. The beaded eggs she created by using a great-aunt's beaded evening gown. s? r ' “ craft sale at Park City Mall and used to demonstrate regularly at Landis Valley Farm Museum. One particular, honor was demonstrating at the Smithsonian Institution’s flenwick Gallery. “That was fun.” she said. “I was amazed at the young people who came and were seriously interested in qbilting.” ‘ ' In addition to her demonstrating and teaching, Mrs. Eshleman gives lectures about quilting, using 'colored slides and occasionally showing actual rniilts. She said she will go anywhere “ii they pay my expenses.” - ** The year of our nation’s Bicentennial. -.X helped tq keqp Mrs. One casualty of her schedule was her own Bicentennial quilt, wluch is not,yet • complqtpd/’j $1 f, r Slie r hand-stitched her Bicentennial gown, which she created by altering a ' purchased pattern. But her big project, and her contribution to the community, was her flag-making' workshop. She taught it for the Penn State Extension service and others',- and designed the flag by measuring a--‘picture and drawing a pattern to scale. Every stitch of the flag she teaches how to make is hand-stitched. Mrs. Eshleman credits the Extension service with playing “a great part in reviving an interest in hand work” through their craft-related courses. Mrs. Eshleman is an avid collector, and one particular interest is sewing machines and equipment. She has one sewing machine which had been in the, Goldwin Theatre Museum and F auctioned bv the University of P«T sylvania School of Veterinary f Medicine. The machine is dated 1852 and is in splendid condition. Along with thimbles, sewing birds, and other antique pieces of sewing equipment Mrs. Eshleman has a large collection sewing baskets and boxes, literally every shape and form. Much of h< extensive collection is not stored at hi home. She also owns many quilting frames, including her first which was a It person frame. Now she does a lot of hi quilting on an oval standing frar which can be purchased at a store. It especially useful, Mrs. Eshleman say: when die goes to demonstrate at show; because it is easily portable. Mrs. Eshleman says she has alwa; done fine sewing, and made mai items for her daughter, with some idei being copied from store windows • from newspaper advertisements. S) said, “I sewed beautifully for daughter, who has a perfect figun She admits to having been disa pointed in sewing for herself becaui the garments she made didn’t seem fit right. But then she took an E: tension-sponsored course called “cut to-fit” which helped her create a pal tem for her specific figure and (Continued on Page 571 fi
Significant historical Pennsylvania newspapers