Japanese fabrics and Civil War-era quilts fascinate Nancy Long.

The Willow Valley Manor resident, who turns 68 next week, discovered the allure of Asian art many years ago when she lived in Korea and Thailand. She also traveled widely in Asia and Europe.

Long earned a bachelor's degree in home economics from Indiana University of Pennsylvania and did postgraduate work in Japanese and East Asian history at the University of South Carolina.

She is currently working with Japanese family crests, starting a portfolio of one-of-a-kind quilts.

The family crests were worn by warriors on the battlefield, and later, as shoulder embellishments on kimono, she said.

"The designs are pulled from kasuri weaving, a resist dyeing technique used with silk or cotton fabrics," she said. "In Japan, kasuri is woven with indigo dyed fabrics. Threads are bundled together in a predetermined sequence and tied off with bamboo strips, so that when loomed, a geometric or picture design is created in the fabric."

Long also is working with sashiko, a Japanese stitchery.

"It began as a method used by the poor to repair and extend the life of clothing," she said, but it later became an art form.

Unlike Western quilting stitches, sashiko is stitched only through one layer and is strictly decorative.

"It can only be done by hand since it is an uneven stitch with two-thirds of the stitch on top and one-third on the underside of the fabric. It uses both overall geometric patterns and crest designs," Long said.

Long also has haori garments with shibori, another resist dyeing technique. "Each little spot is tied off. When all are tied off, it is a little scrunched up fabric that is dyed and dried," Long said.

Embroidery and painting of Japanese fabrics in the 1950s is another facet of Long's research.

"Many designs are taken from nature. They tend to be uncomplicated designs, but they are beautiful because of their simplicity," Long said.

While Long has long-enjoyed Asian art, her love of Civil War-era quilts was a more recent discovery.

"It was a fluke," she said.

In 1999, Long found author Brenda Papadakis' drafts of the Civil War-era Dear Jane quilt in Papadakis' book "Dear Jane: The Two Hundred Twenty-Five Patterns from the 1863 Jane A. Stickle Quilt."

The quilt, designed by Jane Stickle in 1863, has 225 different sizes of squares and triangles and more than 5,000 pieces.

Since there were no directions, just the draft and design by Papadakis, it took Long 4 1/2 years to complete the quilt. But it won her the President's Award in a Florida quilt show.

Long also researched other Civil War quilts, such as the North's Soldier Quilt that women were asked to make to send with their husbands and sons as they went off to war.

Born and raised in Berks County, Long's first job out of college was as a home economist with PPL at Lancaster's Greist Building (she lived in Lancaster for two years) before moving abroad and various locations throughout the U.S.

Forty-one years later, Long has come full circle, moving back to Lancaster County in 2007.

Two years ago, Long began the Quilt Guild at Willow Valley Retirement Communities. It now has 33 members and meets every second and fourth Wednesday.

There are ladies who have never quilted before, as well as very experienced quilters, she said.

Contrary to what many people think of quilting guilds, Long said, "We don't stand around quilting frames. It's either done by machine or on 18-inch hoops, which is as far as a person can reach."

Long said the guild tries to keep things pleasant and enjoyable for its members.

"We bring in outside teachers and have lots of fun," she said.

Long will be at the Heritage Center Museum Sept. 3 with her Civil War quilts and at the Lancaster Quilt & Textile Museum on Oct. 1 with her Japanese textiles.

Both First Friday events are from 5 to 9 p.m.

The Heritage Center Museum is located on Penn Square, Queen and King streets.

The Lancaster Quilt & Textile Museum is located at 37 Market St.

lvaningen@lnpnews.com