April 13, 1935

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

Detroit, Michigan, United States

A Quilt Club Corner column including letters from Quilt Club members.

'Steps to the Garden" Taken in this Quilt
Mrs. Mueller has solved the problem of using up small bits of material that might otherwise be thrown in the scrap basket. The plain squares around the large white squares are black and deep old rose, these being repeated in the stripes of the border.
Quilter Discovers Way to Use Up Small Scraps

By Edith B. Crumb

When Mrs. T.F. Mueller, 22775 Grand River avenue, Detroit visited her sister in Chicago not so very long ago and she and her sister sewed and sewed and sewed. As a result of this, when Mrs. Mueller returned home she brought with her one quilt entirely finished and the top of another.

To give you an idea of what a lot of fun Mrs. Mueller must have had I am showing you a picture of the top which she finished. It is made of small pieces cut one and three quarter inches squares, those outlining the white spaces being black and dark old rose and all of the rest of them are "what-have you." This is one way to use up small pieces, for there may be all kinds of prints, colors and designs. If you will examine it carefully you will see that it is difficult to find two alike.

Mrs. Mueller says that this quilt is called 'steps to the Garden" and she thinks that the white part is supposed to represent the pool.

This quilt is very long so that it may be used to cover the pillows in bolster fashion.

The only part of this quilt which is not made of small squares is the white square and this is made of long connecting strips, all of those in one row running horizontally and those as the other perpendicularly.

Mrs. Mueller did not say how she intended to quilt this top but it will probably be quilted in the same manner as our own Trip Around the World, either by quilting around each square or diagonally through each to form a diamond pattern.

Now Mrs. Mueller is working on our Dresden Plate and I wouldn't be surprised to see her have several entries in the show next fall.

Life-long Friends.
Dear Miss Crumb: Am I doing something I should wrong by sending in some names from Canada for member in the Quilt Club Corner?

The one I sent in some time ago (Mrs. Weaver) is my mother and this one, Mrs. R. Dewey, Sr., is her life-long friend, and they are bot greatly interested in quilt making.
Mrs. P. M. Foran
1318 Cicotte St.
Lincoln Park, Mich.

I should say you are not doing anything you should not. You may send in names from anywhere and we think it is pretty nice to have two such life-long friends to join this big quilting circle. I hope that they will write to use some time soon.

Wants the Trip.
Dear Miss Crumb: I am interested in the Detroit News Quilt Club. I am not a member, bit I always read the Corner. I am writing to ask if I may obtain a pattern of the Trip Around the World at this late date.
Mrs. Albert Atkins
804 Seymour Ave.,
Lansing, Mich.

Yes, indeed, that pattern has been reprinted and there is a good supply on hand to take care of the late comers.

A Little Reminder.
Dear Miss Crumb: Just to let you know that I received a couple of blocks for my Album quilt, but I still need more. A week ago my left arm became stiff and it's slowly getting better. I cannot move it yet as I should, though. I wish I could get more blocks. I have only received four so far.
Mrs. Hilda Rintoul
900 Lawndale Ave.,
Detroit, Mich.

Well, it may be just the time that the quilt-makers are not working on Album quilts, Mrs. Rintoul. But perhaps the second little member job will bring out some more blocks to you.

​Courtesy of The Detroit News Archives.