I remember Joan Vibert's great primitives.........

When I took my first quilting lessons in 1985, I chose blues and browns for my beginning sampler blocks colors and I tended to stay with the dark colors.  I enjoyed learning the new world of traditional
quilt blocks and traditional is still a favorite.  My quilting tendencies stayed on the dark side and soon
muslin wasn't getting it for me..........there needed to be a bit darker muslin for my tastes and that is
when I stumble upon the designs of a lady named Joan Vibert.  Her work opened up the world of

primitive dolls and quilting to me with this book. And she tea dyed muslin for ageing!  Notice that familiar co/author's name, Linda Brannock.


I made tons of primitive dolls from this book with some still surviving.  And being like a
stitcher on the prairie, I mostly stitched these by hand, including the bodies!

See that itty bitty next to the thimble?  I would not make that one again ever!

From then on I collected almost every book Joan Vibert had her name on and I still have them.
She had a little prairie girl character named Sarah Jane and I followed her faithfully.

There used to be a great quilting magazine published back then called Lady's Circle Patchwork Quilts.
I didn't dare throw away my copy that featured Joan's work and the work of her like minded primitive designers.  I made a prim flag doll quilt like she did, of course tea dyeing those wickedly white muslins
to get the old and worn look I loved of hers.

In those pre-internet days, I had always wondered why she stopped publishing her books and designs and never did know. Who knew how to find out?  But when her works stopped there seemed to be a couple names that continued the primitives I loved and
they are still designing today.  It wasn't long back then when a great book by these ladies was published, Snowbound, and even a first primitive fabric line only to be followed by many, many more lines.  Can you say Linda Brannock and Jan Patek?  How wonderful!

But when I look at my old prim books, it was Joan Vibert who first opened my eyes to crinkly, wrinkled, tea dyed fabrics and knot haired dolls of all sizes.  I don't know if she was the first or the first of many to begin the primitive era, but it doesn't matter.  I'm glad she/they did.  Thanks, Joan Vibert.........for me, it all started with you!