QUILT INDEX RECORD

18-14-12

Description:

This missing quilt made for granddaughter Linda Krueger is a mate for Karen Krueger's What Are Little Girls Made Of? which still survives. The b/w photo is cropped from a larger photo (circa 1940) which shows the quiltmaker, her daughter Elsie and the two grand-daughters with the two quilts.

Where are the records for this quilt housed?

Mary Gasperik Legacy Project

Who documented this quilt?

Mary Gasperik Private Collection

Gasperik Legacy Project Number:

075

This is a:

Finished quilt

Quilt's title:

What Are Little Boys Made Of?

Owner's name for quilt:

Doll Quilt (Linda)

Shape of edge:

Straight

Shape of corners:

Straight

What color is the quilt?

Blue or Navy; Red; White; Yellow

Overall color scheme:

Bright or primary colors

Quilt's condition:

Unknown/Not Rated

Time period:

1930-1949

When was the quilt finished?

1940

Family/owner's date for quilt:

1940

Who estimated the quilt's date?

Merikay Waldvogel

Further information concerning dates:

made at the same time as quilt #054, a quilt which survives.

Describe the quilt's layout:

Medallion or framed center

Subject of the quilt:

a nursery rhyme

Number of borders:

1

Describe the borders:

Wide quilted border surrounds the center block.

Fiber types used to make the quilt top:

Cotton

Fabric styles used in the quilt top:

Dotted; Solid/plain

Applique techniques used to make the quilt top:

Hand Applique

Embellishment techniques used to make the quilt top:

Embroidery

Materials used to make the back:

Cotton

Materials used in the quilt binding:

Cotton

How is the binding made?

Bias grain

What is the width of the binding (measure on the top only)?

less than a half inch

What kind of filling is used in the quilt?

Cotton

How are the layers held together?

Hand quilting

Color of thread used in the quilting:

white

Can you see any knots on the front or back of the quilt?

no

Quilting designs used, overall motifs:

All-over-design; Other

Describe the quilting designs used:

Straight lines radiate out from the quilt center.

Features or notes about the quilt's appearance, materials, or construction:

The same fabrics and quilting appear on this doll quilt and its mate, quilt #054, a quilt called What Are Little Girls Made Of?

Quilt top made by:

Gasperik, Mary

Quilted by:

Gasperik, Mary

Where the quilt was made, city:

Chicago

Where the quilt was made, county:

Cook County

Where the quilt was made, state:

Illinois (IL)

Where the quilt was made, country:

United States

Describe anything about the history of the quilt that wasn't already recorded in a previous field:

Whereabouts of quilt is not known. Quilt was traded away by three-year-old grand-daughter Linda Krueger. It was retrieved by her mother Elsie Krueger. Later it was lost for good.

Why was the quilt made?

Baby or crib

The quilt was made to be used for:

Doll quilt/toy

Quilt is presently used as:

Unknown

Where did the maker find their pattern?

Commercial/Published source: Kit

Where did the quiltmaker find the pattern for the quilting design on the quilt?

Kit

Describe anything about the design of the quilt that wasn't already recorded in a previous field:

The pattern source for this quilt which has not yet been found may be the same for #008, #054 and #058.

Contests entered:

Either this quilt, quilt #054, or both quilts (#075 and #054) probably exhibited at the (May) 1940 Detroit News quilt show. Although early Detroit quilt shows regarded the category "childrens quilts" as meaning quilts made BY children, at the 1940 show this had become quilts made FOR children. These would have qualified.

A May 3, 1940 letter to Gasperik from Edith B. Crumb of The Detroit News (and director of its quilt club and shows) reads: "I was so glad to hear from you and know for certain that you are planning to attend the show. Of course, the doll's quilt may be entered under the children's section. I think there are going to be quite a lot of doll's quilts at the show. Everybody is going to be delighted to see your Hungarian Girls quilt, because that little block you sent me was borrowed by a great many. I am looking forward to seeing you at the show. Sincerely..."

Gasperik made third doll quilt - for granddaughter Susan Krueger (#038) - but it was made after 1940.

Publications (including web sites) where this quilt or maker was featured:

Merikay Waldvogel and Barbara Brackman. Patchwork Souvenirs of the 1933 Chicago World's Fair, (Nashville, TN: Rutledge Hill Press, 1993)102-103.

Merikay Waldvogel "One American Dream Comes True", Quilters Newsletter Magazine, March 2008, 46-49.

Related items such as diaries, obituaries, wills, household inventories, or pictures of the quiltmaker:

Family photo (circa 1940) exists of the two quilts "Little Girls" and "Little Boys" versions -- with Mary Gasperik, her daughter Elsie, and her two granddaughters Linda and Karen Krueger.

Ownership of this quilt is:

Private

Person filling out this form is:

Relative of quiltmaker; Author/researcher

If you are a relative of the quiltmaker, how are you related? The quiltmaker is my:

Grandmother

Describe the relationship to the quilt's maker:

Grand-daughter Susan Salser began this research effort in 1991, after she and her two sisters divided up the quilts which belonged to their mother (Elsie Gasperik Krueger) who died in 1988. Her ongoing research has been fruitful and interesting.

Quiltmaker's maiden name:

Mihalovits, Maria

Quiltmaker's gender:

Female

Quiltmaker's birth date:

01/25/1888

Quiltmaker's birthplace, country:

Hungary

Quiltmaker's marriage date(s):

11/18/1906

Quiltmaker's date of death:

05/25/1969

Quiltmaker's ethnic background/tribal affiliation:

Hungarian

Quiltmaker's educational background:

Elementary School

In which kind of environment did the quiltmaker live?

Rural

Quiltmaker's city:

Chicago

Quiltmaker's county:

Cook

Quiltmaker's state:

Illinois (IL)

Quiltmaker's country:

United States

Quiltmaker's father's name:

Mihalovits, Istvan

Quiltmaker's father's birthplace:

Hungary

Quiltmaker's father's ethnic/tribal background:

Hungarian

Quiltmaker's mother's name:

Mihalovits, Vidoszava

Quiltmaker's mother's birthplace:

Hungary

Quiltmaker's mother's ethnic/tribal background:

Hungarian

Quiltmaker's spouse's/spouses' and /or partner's/partners' name(s):

Gasperik, Stephen

Quiltmaker's spouse's/spouses' and/or partner's/partners' ethnic/tribal background:

Hungarian

Quiltmaker's spouse's/spouses' and/or partner's/partners' occupation:

Milk Dealer/Grocery Store Owner/Butcher

Number of children:

3

How many of the quiltmaker's children were girls?

1 (Elsie 1909-1988)

How many of the quiltmaker's children were boys?

2 (Elmer and Stephen)

How did the quiltmaker learn to quilt?

From guild or club member; Self-Taught

When did the quiltmaker learn to quilt?

Age 40-49

Why does the quiltmaker quilt?

Pleasure; Other

Other notes on how the quiltmaker learned, and how and why they quilt:

Mary Gasperik made quilts because it was her life passion and greatest talent. As opportunities arose, she entered contests and exhibited them publicly. She also made special quilts for her family.

Does/did the quiltmaker belong to a group? Name of the group?

Tuley Park Quilt Club and Detroit News Quilt Club

Does/did the quiltmaker belong to a group?

Southside Chicago and Detroit MI

What are the main activities of the group?

Chicago group met to quilt and held periodic quilt shows; Detroit group held national exhibits and contests.

Estimated number of quilts made by this quiltmaker:

more than 50

Does/did the quiltmaker sell quilts?

no

Does/did the quiltmaker teach quilting?

no

Who photographed this quilt?

uunknown, family photograph

Access and copyright information:

Restricted

Copyright holder:

Susan Salser

Details