January 16, 1936

Detroit News Quilt History Project; Michigan State University Museum; Susan Salser

Detroit, Michigan, United States

A Quilt Club Corner column including a list of Quilt Club members, a coupon for Quilt Club membership, and a pattern for a Beggar's Patch quilt.

Two Dozen Quilt-Makers Work Busily
Inset shows Mrs. Arthur Miller, 12251 St. Mary's avenue, who designed and made this charming quilt. The small quilt shown on the frames in the center contains over 1,000 pieces and measure approximately 10x20 inches.
But One Redhead Appears in This Prim Sewing Bee

By Edith B. Crumb

So many have written letters about the quilt with the little maidens so busily piecing and quilting that I asked Mrs. Arthur Miller who made it if she would be kind enough to let us take a picture of the quilt and here it is in all its primness.

There are three different designs, one being the dainty little maiden who advertised the 1933 quilt show another one is the silhouet which this department has for distribution and the third is one (front view) which she found elsewhere.

The four corner quilt-makers have blue print dresses, and various prints and plain colors are used on the others.

One Redhead
As for the colors of the hair-there are blonds, brunets, gray haired quilt makers and one redhead.

The quilt which each busy worker is making is made of very small patches and in the center is shown a quilt on the frames with four quilters trying hard to finish it. This little quilt, which only measures about 14x20 inches contains over 1,000 pieces so imagine what a difficult time Mrs. Miller must have had making this quilt within a quilt.

The quilting is beautifully planned, and instead of our quilted feather circle, there are ovals. Mrs. Miller used our circle as the pattern, however, using an oval pickle dish for the outline and then cutting down the petals from the pattern. The quilting is very fine and I asked her if she pushed her needle down and pulled it through from the back but she said she took a running stitch, but only one stitch at a time. Her stitches are so fine and even that one man asked her why she quilted it by machine. But not one inch of this quilt has been near a sewing machine needle.

Heard Self Discussed
Mrs. Miller was amused at the show by listening to remarks made about the women who made the quilt and she heard among others that it was a very, very, old woman who made it.

It took her about 14 months to make this quilt and she could not give all of her time to it. She has a family to cook and sew for and a rose garden to attend to; although she admits that her garden was neglected last summer so that she could have time to finish this quilt.

She has made about a dozen quilts and intends to keep right on and on making them.

Crazy Quilt Coat
Perhaps you remember seeing a little girl at the quilt shows wearing a silk crazy quilt coat. She is Mrs. Miller's daughter, Marjorie and every year the coat is a little longer with longer sleeves and it is made a little larger through the shoulders. Every spring her mother remodels this coat to fit her.

Mrs. Miller has received almost 150 letters since the last quilt show asking her about this quilt and it has been a great source of enjoyment to her to know that so many found her work so interesting.

Quilt Won Prize
Dear Miss Crumb: Since I have become so interested in your Quilt Club I would like to become a member. I have pieced many quilt tops, two of which I quilted myself and three were quilted by the Lutheran Ladies' Club.

Among the tops which I pieced were six Grandmother's Flower Gardens, three Cluster Eight Pointed Stars, one silk Crazy quilt, one Seven Star Hexagon, one Double Wedding Ring, one Dresden Plate, one Necktie and at present I am completing another Double Wedding Ring quilt.

Of the three which were quilted by the Luther Ladies' Aid, one received first prize at our local fair which was held recently. This was the Double Wedding Ring.
Mrs. Louise Nowack
22801 Shakespeare avenue
East Detroit, Mich.

My, what a record for a quilt maker, Mrs. Nowack. You did not tell us how long it took you to make all of those quilts. You must be very proud and it certainly speaks well for those who quilted it.

Do lay down your needle long enough to drop us another little note some of these days for we are looking forward to hearing from you and knowing how many more quilts you have finished.

These Members Belong to Quilt Club Corner
Mrs. Wm. Hartz,
627 N. 4th St.,
Grand Fork, Mich.

Anna Mae Powers,
Maybury San.,
Northville, Mich.

Mrs. H. Quinn
2517 John R

Mrs. Ann Wilson
3250 Johnson Street
Pontiac, Mich.

Adelaide Fay
6426 Artesian St.

Mrs. F. G. Fray,
20538 W. Warren Ave.,

Naomi Fay,
4203 Belvidere Ave.,

Mrs. Maud Fehr,
Route No. 2,
Wayne, Mich.

Mrs. A. Feldknap,
B 132
Clinton, Mich.

Mrs. S. C. Feldman,
286 Webster St., W.,
Ferndale, Mich.

Mrs. C. S. Felix,
24267 Tietza Ave.,
E. Detroit, Mich.

Beauty in the Home Editor:
Please enter my name as a member of the Beauty in the Home Quilt Club.

Name………………
Street and number……………
City………………………State…………………

​Courtesy of The Detroit News Archives.