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North American Quaker Tapestry Records

Notifications

Held at: Friends Historical Library of Swarthmore College [Contact Us]500 College Avenue, Swarthmore, Pennsylvania 19081

This is a finding aid. It is a description of archival material held at the Friends Historical Library of Swarthmore College. Unless otherwise noted, the materials described below are physically available in their reading room, and not digitally available through the web.

Overview and metadata sections

The original Quaker tapestry project began in England in 1981. Anne Wynn-Wilson, its founder, envisioned a series of embroidered panels to celebrate and commemorate significant events in Quaker history. The idea for a North American Quaker Tapestry grew out of a study retreat led by Wynn-Wilson held at Pendle Hill in Wallingford, Pennsylvania, in May 1988. The Project planned six panels, to be designed and embroidered by American Friends. An exhibit of the designed works, together with selected English examples, toured the United States in 1993 and 1994. Four additional panels were planned, but only about half of the panels were executed. Ruth Hall Brooks of Salem Quarterly Meeting, NJ, (1925-2014) was the organizer and clerk for the North American TapestryProject.

Records of the North American Quaker Tapestry project, 1988-2013. Includes exhibit panels, blueprints and sketches of the panels, posters, calendars, and commemorative materials, correspondence, photographs, general publicity, the completed Quaker Women Pioneers panel and unfinished FGC and Peaceable Kingdom tapestries.

The collection is divided into four series:

  1. North American Tapestry project
  2. Tapestry panels
  3. Quaker Tapestry Tour
  4. Miscellaneous

  1. Exhibition guide to the Quaker tapestry; editor, Margaret H. Simpson; text compiled by Betty Harris, Harold Nichols and Margaret H. Simpson; cartoons drawn by Anne Wynn-Wilson the design team. BX7631.2.Q25 S5 1991
  2. Pictorial guide to the Quaker tapestry. Kendal [England]: Quaker Tapestry at Kendal, c1998. + BX7631.2.Q25 P42 1998
  3. Quaker Tapestry [videorecording]: Anne Wynn-Wilson at Pendle / Ruth Hall Brooks. Videorecording 184
  4. The Quaker tapestry: a celebration of insights / John Greenwood; prologue by Anne Wynn-Wilson. London: Impact Books, 1990. BX7631.2.Q25 G73 1990
  5. The Quaker tapestry: and the North American Quaker tapestry; the first North American tour. Swarthmore, Pa.: Friends Historical Library of College, 1993. BX7631.2.Q25 N6 1993
  6. Quaker Tapestry at Guilford [1 videocassette (VHS): col.; 0.5 in. Videorecording 188

Donor: Ruth Hall Brooks, Accession numbers: 1998.007, 2006.003, 2007.012, 2010.022, 2011.003

Donor: Roni Sionakides, Accession number: 2016.005

The first donations were processed in 2002. The collection was re-processed in 2016 together with additions from Ruth Hall Brooks, Clerk of the North American Tapestry Project, and Roni Sionakides, the Midwestern Clerk.

Publisher
Friends Historical Library of Swarthmore College
Finding Aid Author
SKM
Finding Aid Date
2016
Sponsor
Encoding made possible by a grant by the Gladys Kriebel Delmas Foundation to the Philadelphia Consortium of Special Collections Libraries
Access Restrictions

Collection is open for research.

Use Restrictions

Permission to reuse, publish, or reproduce items in this collection beyond the bounds of Fair Use or other exemptions to copyright law must be obtained from the copyright holder or their heirs/assigns. See http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC-RUU/1.0/.

Collection Inventory

Archival Resource Key. Anne Wynne-Wilson and Ruth Hall Brooks correspondence, 1988-1989.
Box 1
Scope and Contents

Also includes Brooks's registration for Quaker Tapestry Project workshop held at Pendle Hill, May 1988, and slides of Pendle Hill workshop, 1988

Physical Description

original panel

Archival Resource Key. Journey of the North American Quaker Tapestry by Ruth Hall Brooks, 1989-2006.
Box 1
Scope and Contents

Brooks recorded significant events beginning with the start of the project at Salem Monthly Meeting in Oct. 1988 through 2006 when she made the first deposit of records to Friends Historical Library. Spiral notebook. Also, a small address book of persons who worked on tapestries and slides, 1988-1992

Archival Resource Key. Quaker Tapestry Scheme, 1984-1999.
Box 1
Scope and Contents

History, exhibitions, correspondence, newsletters of the Quaker Tapestry, begun in 1981, which was the inspiration for the American project.

Archival Resource Key. NAQT Scrapbook, 1988-1999.
Box 1
Scope and Contents

Compiled by Brooks to explain the project; contents removed from binder

Archival Resource Key. Correspondence, interpreting Quaker history, 1988-1991.
Box 1
Scope and Contents

Correspondence between Brooks and Ed Bronner concerning the accuracy of information in the tapestries.

Archival Resource Key. Contacts, suggestions, 1989-1995.
Box 1
Scope and Contents

Spiral bound notebook

Archival Resource Key. Correspondence, membership lists, 1989-1994.
Box 1
Scope and Contents

Expressions of interest, membership lists, etc.

Archival Resource Key. Correspondence, 1995-1997.
Box 1
Scope and Contents

History, exhibitions, correspondence, newsletters of the Quaker Tapestry, begun in 1981, which was the inspiration for the American project.

Archival Resource Key. Legal, financial, 1989-1991.
Box 1
Scope and Contents

Compiled by Brooks to explain the project; contents removed from binder

Archival Resource Key. Financial records, 1988-1992.
Box 1
Scope and Contents

Small account book

Scope and Contents

The designs for five panels were included in the booklet created for the North American Tour, 1993-1994. Only two were completed at that time: "Salem, West Jersey" and "Quakers and the Okehockings." Eight additional panels eventually were designed, only a few completed.

Scope and Contents

Original sketch by Anne Wynne-Wilson and Ruth Hall Brooks. Stitched by Salem Monthly Meeting, NJ. As of 2011, the framed panel is displayed at Friends Village, Woodstown, NJ.

Archival Resource Key. Miscellaneous, 1992-2004.
Box 2
Scope and Contents

Clippings, photographs, etc. Folder includes children's' sketches of panel topics. Paperwork for loan to NJ State Museum, 2002-2003

Archival Resource Key. Reproductions of panel.
Folder OE 1
Scope and Contents

Reproductions consist of 2 dittoes, a transparency, and a photocopy

Archival Resource Key. Description of project.
Othertype OE Case 1
Physical Description

posterboard

Archival Resource Key. Description of panel 1, by Salem MM.
Folder OE 1
Physical Description

posterboard

Scope and Contents

Inspired by Jane Levis Carter; cartoon designed by Signe Wilkinson. Stitched by Willistown Monthly Meeting, Pa.

Archival Resource Key. Miscellaneous, 1991-1993.
Box 2
Scope and Contents

News release, clippings, correspondence

Archival Resource Key. Reproductions of panel.
Folder OE 1
Scope and Contents

Reproductions consist of original transparency, dittoes and photocopies

Archival Resource Key. Description of project.
Othertype OE Case 1
Physical Description

postboard

Scope and Contents

Designed by Mary Lou Goertzen. Stitched by Willamette Valley Group, Eugene, OR. Not completed?

Archival Resource Key. Correspondence and miscellaneous, 1988-1995.
Box 2
Scope and Contents

Includes sketches, workshop photographs.

Archival Resource Key. Reproductions of panel.
Folder OE 1
Scope and Contents

Reproductions consist of color sketch, original ditto, photocopy

Archival Resource Key. Description of project.
Othertype OE Case 1
Physical Description

postboard

Scope and Contents

Designed by Veronica Sionakides, Red Cedar Meeting, East Lansing, MI. Based on the painting by Edward Hicks. The panel was not completed. Sionakides was the Midwestern Clerk for the project. Her group was laid down in 2005. The partly stitched panel deposited FHL 2016.005.

Archival Resource Key. Correspondence and miscellaneous, 1998-2013.
Box 2
Scope and Contents

Primarily correspondence with Ruth Hall Brooks

Archival Resource Key. Working sketches, n.d.
Box 2
Scope and Contents

Sketches, children's drawings

Archival Resource Key. Workshop samples and unfinished tapestry panel, n.d.
Scope and Contents

Removed to FHL Relics

Archival Resource Key. Reproductions of panel.
Folder OE 1
Scope and Contents

Reproductions consist of original sketch, photocopy and a ditto

Archival Resource Key. Miscellaneous information on panel.
Box 1
Archival Resource Key. Description of project.
Othertype OE Case 1
Physical Description

posterboard

Scope and Contents

Inspired by a workshop at Carlton College, with children's drawings at 1991 FGC Gathering. The plan was for this panel to be a travelling project with attenders at the FGC Gatherings to stitch French Knots indicating the location of their meetings. Unfinished tapestry deposited FHL 2011.003.

Archival Resource Key. Miscellaneous information on panel, 1990-1991.
Box 2
Scope and Contents

Planning, sketches, exhibition at FGC. Photographs of workshop on FGC and QUIP panels at FGC in 2004.

Archival Resource Key. FGC participants, 1990-1991.
Box 2
Scope and Contents

Spiral notebook

Archival Resource Key. Reproductions of panel.
Folder OE 1
Scope and Contents

Reproductions consist of original ditto, original transparency, dittos and photocopy

Archival Resource Key. Description of project.
Othertype OE Case 1
Physical Description

postboard

Scope and Contents

Central Pennsylvania Friends, designed by Joan Blaskow. In 2006, Ruth Hall Brooks noted that the panel had been badly damaged, location unknown.

Archival Resource Key. Miscellaneous information on panel, 1991-1997.
Box 2
Scope and Contents

Correspondence about the project

Scope and Contents

Western Quarter of Philadelphia Yearly Meeting, designed by Mary Jo Ciganek. The panel was deposited by Ruth Hall Brooks. The framed tapestry was loaned to the Quaker Information Center, Philadelphia, Pa., and returned to FHL in 2016.

Archival Resource Key. Miscellaneous information on panel, 1995-1997.
Box 2
Scope and Contents

Workshops, research for panel, photographs, etc.

Archival Resource Key. Framed tapestry, 1997.
Othertype OE Case 1
Physical Description

original panel

Archival Resource Key. Reproductions of panel.
Folder OE 1
Scope and Contents

Reproductions consist of 6 photocopies

Scope and Contents

Not completed.

Archival Resource Key. Miscellaneous information on panel, 1994-1995.
Box 2
Archival Resource Key. Full size draft and transparencies.
Folder OE 1
Scope and Contents

Also partial tracings

Scope and Contents

Triad Tapestry Committee of North Carolina, designed by Jean Gordh.

Archival Resource Key. Miscellaneous information on panel, 1994-1998.
Box 2
Scope and Contents

Correspondence, workshop photographs

Scope and Contents

Ruth Hall Brooks sketched tentative ideas but not executed.

Archival Resource Key. Preliminary sketch, 2000.
Othertype OE Case 1

Archival Resource Key. Quaker Tapestry Tour correspondence, evaluation, 1991-1994.
Box 3
Scope and Contents

Includes report and evaluation after completed

Archival Resource Key. Quaker Tapestry tour articles, etc., 1993-1994.
Box 3
Scope and Contents

With earlier publicity materials

Archival Resource Key. Quaker Tapestry American Tour booklet, Edited by Mary Ellen Chijioke, corrected by Ruth Hall Brooks, 1994.
Box 3
Scope and Contents

Edited, corrected, and annotated

Archival Resource Key. Guest book.
Box 3
Scope and Contents

Removed from binder

Archival Resource Key. Publicity.
Box 3
Archival Resource Key. Exhibit materials: North American Quaker Tapestry.
Folder OE 1
Physical Description

cardboard

Archival Resource Key. Newsletter, North American Quaker Tapestry, 1990-1995.
Box 3
Archival Resource Key. Quaker Tapestry newsletter, Bristol, Eng.: Quaker Tapestry Group., 1990-2005.
Box 3
Archival Resource Key. Quaker Tapestry Publications, Quaker Tapestry Group.
Box 3
Scope and Contents

Calendars, catalogues, reproductions

Archival Resource Key. Embroidery, tapestry instructions.
Box 3
Archival Resource Key. Outline stitch pattern, stitched by Pat Allen.
Othertype OE Case 1
Archival Resource Key. Split stitch pattern, stitched by Frances Smith, 7/26/93.
Othertype OE Case 1
Archival Resource Key. Chain stitch pattern, stitched by Evelyn Kreibler, 9/9/93.
Othertype OE Case 1
Archival Resource Key. Bayeux stitch pattern, stitched by Frances Smith, 7/30/93.
Othertype OE Case 1
Archival Resource Key. Quaker stitch pattern, stitched by Ruth Brooks, 7/26/93.
Othertype OE Case 1

Print, Suggest