Carter Houck

Carter Houck

11/12/2001

2019oh1297_qsosva0001
VA-001

Houck describes the quilt she has brought to the interview, which is a remake of a 1930s quilt. She discusses the use of feed sacks in quilting and sewing. She talks about how she originally became interested in quilting. Houck began a quilt magazine for the Ladies' Circle Patchwork Quilts and spent twenty years working for them. It is because of this experience that she often gets called an "expert" on quilting. She says that she became an expert by learning how to handle, photograph, and research quilts. Due to Houck's expertise in quilting, she became a judge for quilt shows. Houck says she is part of two guilds, the Charlottesville Guild and the Crotez Guild. She has also made a quilt book of art for the Quilt Encyclopedia Illustrated. She says that it is not a how-to-quilt book, but a book that focuses on the beauty of quilts she photographed. She discusses trends in quilting. She talks about the importance of quilts in America, quilting's impact on women's history, and how quilt preservation has changed over time.

audio

Quilts

Quilting

Quiltmakers

Quiltmaking process

Quilters

Quiltmaking

Art quilts

Artists

Arts and crafts

Craft and art

Quilts--United States

Quilts--United States--History--20th century.

Carter Houck

Le Rowell

Nancy O'Bryant Puentes

Charlottesville, Virginia

Interview indexed by Ta'mya Ross with the support of the Virginia Quilt Museum

Le Rowell

5.4 2019oh1297_qsosva0001 Interview with Carter Houck, November 12, 2001 2019oh1297_qsosva0001 qsosva Quilt Alliance’s Quilters' S.O.S.- Save Our Stories Oral History Project: Virginia Louie B. Nunn Center for Oral History, University of Kentucky Libraries Quilts Quilting Quiltmakers Quiltmaking process Quilters Quiltmaking Art quilts Artists Arts and crafts Craft and art Quilts--United States Quilts--United States--History--20th century. Fabric - Feedsack Quilt exhibitions/shows Ladies Circle Patchwork Quilts Magazine Quilt magazines Judges Female quiltmakers Female artists Gender in quiltmaking Gender roles Quilt purpose - Artistic expression Carter Houck Le Rowell 0 https://nunncenter.aviaryplatform.com/embed/media/114035 Aviary audio 13 Discussion of Houck's quilt My name is Le Rowell. Houck describes the quilt she has brought to the interview. She mentions that her quilt is a 1930s remake. She purchased the blocks in Vermont, some of which are feed sacks and buttonhole stitched. She says that they are on muslin and was machine quilted. Fabric - Feedsack ; Home sewing machines ; Muslin ; Quilting ; Quilts Quilters ; Quilting ; Quiltmakers ; Quiltmaking ; Quiltmaking process ; Quilts 0 92 Feed sacks in quilting Uh, talk about the feed sack. What is the history of feed sacks in quilting? Houck says that the feed sacks were manufactured by a company called Bemis Bags where they had a million artists design feed sack fabrics. She further mentions that they were all made by women. The feed sacks were popular in the 1930s and Houck recalls making dresses for her daughter out of them. Fabric - Feedsack ; Fabric design ; Female artists Fabric ; Female quiltmakers ; Quilters ; Quilting ; Quiltmakers ; Quiltmaking ; Quiltmaking process ; Quilts 0 184 Special qualities of the quilt / Houck's early quilting experience And why is this particular quilt special to you? Houck loves the fact that the quilt is typical of the 1930s. She adores the feed sacks, the buttonhole stitching, and the fact that it is not a butterfly design. To summarize, she enjoys how unique it is. Houck says that she got into quilting after having a background and major in fashion at the school she attended, Virginia Commonwealth University. Eventually, she received her certification and left to go to New York. She became a pattern maker for Butterick Pattern Company. Butterick Pattern Company ; Fabric - Feedsack ; Quilt patterns ; Quilting ; Quilts ; Virginia Commonwealth University Quilters ; Quilting ; Quiltmakers ; Quiltmaking ; Quiltmaking process ; Quilts 0 521 Transition into quilting lifestyle / Judging quilt shows And then, talk now about this transition into the world of quilting. During 1976, quilting became popular again. Houck began a quilt magazine for the Ladies' Circle Patchwork Quilts and spent twenty years working for them. It is because of this experience that she often gets called an &quot ; expert&quot ; on quilting. She says that she became an expert by learning how to handle, photograph, and research quilts. Due to Houck's expertise in quilting, she became a judge for quilt shows. The most overwhelming quilt show she has been to required only three judges to judge more than 150 quilts in two days. She says judging at a quilt show in California was a nightmare, where six judges had to judge 6,000 quilts in three days. Judges ; Ladies Circle Patchwork Quilts Magazine ; Quilt exhibitions/shows ; Quilt magazines ; Quilting ; Quilts Quilters ; Quilting ; Quiltmakers ; Quiltmaking ; Quiltmaking process ; Quilts 0 1116 Quilting guilds / Publication in quilting Are you part of a guild or quilting group here? Houck says she is part of two guilds, but she does not attend often. The guilds she is in are called the Charlottesville Guild and the Crotez Guild. She says that she enjoys the Crotez Guild because they are filled with nice ladies who enjoy quilting and she holds demonstrations for them. She has also made a quilt book of art for the Quilt Encyclopedia Illustrated. She says that it is not a how-to-quilt book, but a book that focuses on the beauty of quilts she photographed. Books ; Charlottesville Guild ; Crotez Guild ; Guild activities ; Photography/Photo transfer ; Quilt guilds ; Quilting ; Quilting community Craft and art ; Crafts &amp ; decorating ; Quilters ; Quilting ; Quiltmaker's club ; Quiltmakers ; Quiltmaking ; Quiltmaking process ; Quilts 0 1315 Quilts as art Uh, talk a minute about, um, something you mentioned. You said &quot ; quilts as art.&quot ; Houck believes that there are two routes to having quilts be recognized as art. She says that some magazines will label quilts as art, but when you think about the historical aspect of it, female quiltmakers have been creating quilts without knowing it was an art. Houck defines this as an art form of various standpoints. Female artists ; Female quiltmakers ; Gender in quiltmaking ; Gender roles ; Quilting ; Quilts Art quilts ; Artists ; Arts and crafts ; Craft and art ; Quilters ; Quilting ; Quiltmakers ; Quiltmaking ; Quiltmaking process ; Quilts ; Quilts--United States ; Quilts--United States--History--20th century. 0 1526 Quilts in the Virginia area Talk a minute about some of the quilts in this Virginia area. Houck says that in the Virginia area, mountain quilters make elegant quilts. She describes this elegance by stating that they used Broderie perse applique. On the other hand, &quot ; tidewater quilts&quot ; were not made for the purpose of being sold. They were primarily used for display to show off a woman's skill, such as embroidery and applique. Broderie perse applique ; Embroidery ; Quilt purpose - Artistic expression ; Quilt purpose - Home decoration ; Quilting ; Quilts ; Tidewater quilts Quilters ; Quilting ; Quiltmakers ; Quiltmakers--United States ; Quiltmaking ; Quiltmaking process ; Quilts 0 1682 Trends in quilting So, talk for a minute now then, about the trends you see in quilting. Houck believes that trends go in multiple directions nowadays. She says this comes from people that quilt different types of patterns and wall pieces that are then traded or shared with other quilters. Houck also mentions that there are a lot of block quilts being done by quilt groups, where everyone quilts one block of a quilt. Blocks ; Modern quiltmaking ; Modern quilts ; Quilting ; Quilting community ; Quilts Quilters ; Quilting ; Quilting today ; Quiltmakers ; Quiltmaking ; Quiltmaking process ; Quilts 0 1741 Leftover fabric use Um, I want you to talk a minute about, um, the leftover fabrics that you have and what you do with them. Houck begins by saying that through her church, she learned of children who lost everything to natural disasters in Central America. Among possessions lost were clothing. Houck wanted to help, and along with eight other people, she began to make clothing for the children. She says she has been working on dresses and shorts in sizes eighteen months to four or five years using her leftover fabrics. Children ; Fabric stashes Children's quilts ; Cotton fabrics ; Quilters ; Sewing. ; Tailoring. 0 1877 What makes a great quilt / Foreign design in American quilting Um, back to, um, design just a minute, uh, what do you think makes a great quilt? Houck refers to her experience judging quilt shows to answer the question of what makes a great quilt. She begins by saying that there is a breakdown of 100 points. She says 25 of the points go to appearance and design, and 35 points are awarded for workmanship, and other, smaller points categories. However, she mentions that many aspects make great quilts. Houck says that in modern day quilts, sometimes humor is the great aspect. She touches upon different cultures entering quilt designs, such as Japanese and Hungarian. Houck says that in places like New Jersey, New York, and California, foreign country influence is prevalent in quilting. Modern day quilting ; Modern day quilts ; Quilt design ; Quilt shows/exhibitions ; Quilting ; Quilts Quilters ; Quilting ; Quilting today ; Quiltmakers ; Quiltmaking ; Quiltmaking process ; Quilts 0 2191 Importance of quilts in American lifestyle What do you think about the importance of quilts in American life? Houck says that the importance of quilts depends on the topic. She mentions that the English were quilt makers, whereas the Dutch remained indifferent toward it. She also says that Afro quilts that started in the south have migrated and influenced other quilt makers. She defines Afro quilts as being strong in color, containing motifs, and being drawn by hand. African American quiltmakers ; African American quilts ; Quilting ; Quilts African American quiltmakers ; African American quilts ; Quilters ; Quilting ; Quilting--United States ; Quiltmakers ; Quiltmaking ; Quiltmaking process ; Quilts ; Quilts--United States--History--20th century. 0 2341 Quilting's impact on women's history What ways do you think quilts have special meaning for women's history and experience in our country? Houck states that quilts do not have as much influence and meaning in women's history as we would like to think. She defends this by saying since women did all sorts of needlework, like fabric and clothing making, quilting was just an extension of it. Houck mentions that in the 1840s, quilting was an art form done by wealthy women in their free time. Female artists ; Female quiltmakers ; Gender in quiltmaking ; Gender roles ; Quilt history ; Quilting ; Quilts Female artists ; Needlework ; Needleworkers ; Quilt ; Quilters ; Quilting ; Quiltmakers ; Quiltmaking ; Quiltmaking process ; Quilts ; Quilts--United States ; Quilts--United States--History--20th century. 0 2437 Quilt preservation / Quilts for women's history Um, talk a minute about preservation of quilts. Houck refers back to her experience as a quilt photographer to discuss quilt preservation. She says that when she began to photograph the quilts, they were touchable and could be hung around museums. Houck says that when she visited a museum recently, the quilts were carefully handled by two people and were rolled up. She was left wondering why the preservation was so tedious to the point where she could not even view them. Houck believes it is a shame that quilts have become an art history piece rather than a piece of women's history. Houck says that she wishes quilts would be shown more often in museums. Female artists ; Female quiltmakers ; Quilt museums ; Quilt preservation Female artists ; Museums ; Quilt ; Quilters ; Quilting ; Quiltmakers ; Quiltmaking ; Quiltmaking process ; Quilts ; Quilts--United States ; Quilts--United States--Exhibitions. ; Quilts--United States--History--20th century. 0 interview Houck describes the quilt she has brought to the interview, which is a remake of a 1930s quilt. She discusses the use of feed sacks in quilting and sewing. She talks about how she originally became interested in quilting. Houck began a quilt magazine for the Ladies' Circle Patchwork Quilts and spent twenty years working for them. It is because of this experience that she often gets called an &quot ; expert&quot ; on quilting. She says that she became an expert by learning how to handle, photograph, and research quilts. Due to Houck's expertise in quilting, she became a judge for quilt shows. Houck says she is part of two guilds, the Charlottesville Guild and the Crotez Guild. She has also made a quilt book of art for the Quilt Encyclopedia Illustrated. She says that it is not a how-to-quilt book, but a book that focuses on the beauty of quilts she photographed. She discusses trends in quilting. She talks about the importance of quilts in America, quilting's impact on women's history, and how quilt preservation has changed over time. No transcript. All rights to the Quilters' S.O.S. -- Save Our Stories (QSOS) oral history project, including but not restricted to legal title, copyrights and literary property rights, have been transferred from the Quilt Alliance to the University of Kentucky Libraries. Please contact the Louie B. Nunn Center for Oral History regarding rights pertaining to individual interviews. audio Interviews may only be reproduced with permission from Louie B. Nunn Center for Oral History, University of Kentucky Libraries. 0 https://nunncenter.net/ohms-spokedb/render.php?cachefile=2019oh1297_qsosva0001_houck_ohm.xml 2019oh1297_qsosva0001_houck_ohm.xml https://kentuckyoralhistory.org/ark:/16417/xt71hxqbqnd9j

Fabric - Feedsack

Quilt exhibitions/shows

Ladies Circle Patchwork Quilts Magazine

Quilt magazines

Judges

Female quiltmakers

Female artists

Gender in quiltmaking

Gender roles

Quilt purpose - Artistic expression

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