QUILT INDEX RECORD

18-14-29

Description:

This quilt competed in the 1938 Detroit News Quilt Contest where it may have been awarded the prize for best appliqué made from a News pattern, the highest award Gasperik won in Detroit. She closely followed the Detroit News appliqué pattern for Roses and Forget-Me-Nots, but some of the quilting designs and the scalloped edge were her own choices. The pattern was offered by The Detroit News shortly before the April 1937 quilt show. Gasperik probably picked up the pattern when she attended that show. A year later her finished version of the pattern was awarded a first prize at the 1938 Detroit quilt show.

Essay:

The Detroit News Roses and Forget-Me-Nots pattern proposed that “This wreath of roses and forget-me-nots may be used for the quilting design of the plain blocks and a lattice pattern used in the center of the quilted wreaths as well as the appliquéd ones. The border may be of lattice quilting throughout if it is preferred to a floral border.” Gasperik accepted the suggestion to quilt the outline of the appliqué wreath in the plain blocks, and she accepted the suggestion to fill the quilted wreaths with fine lattice quilting, but she chose spiders’ webs, rather than lattice patterns to quilt inside the appliquéd wreaths. An additional 24 spiders’ webs are quilted into the spaces connecting all of the wreaths. For her border, Gasperik created an elaborate sunburst design which she quilted into each scallop (creating the look of a swag border through quilting alone) and filled the narrow pink outer border with feather quilting. A dense variety of quilting patterns, meshing seamlessly, fills the entire white ground of this quilt.

Where are the records for this quilt housed?

Mary Gasperik Legacy Project

Who documented this quilt?

Mary Gasperik Private Collection

Gasperik Legacy Project Number:

017

This is a:

Finished quilt

Quilt's title:

Roses and Forget Me Nots

Owner's name for quilt:

Rose Wreaths

Names for quilt's pattern in common use:

Pink Rose Wreath

How wide is the quilt?

74 inches

How long is the quilt?

95 inches

Shape of edge:

Scalloped

Shape of corners:

Scalloped

What color is the quilt?

Green; Pink; White; Yellow

Overall color scheme:

Light or pastel colors

Quilt's condition:

Excellent/like new

Type of inscription:

Date

What is inscribed on the quilt?

1938

Method used to make the inscription:

In the quilting

Describe where the inscription was found:

year 1938 is quilted into the center top scallop

Time period:

1930-1949

When was the quilt finished?

1938

Family/owner's date for quilt:

1938

Date estimated by an antique dealer, quilt historian or appraiser:

1938

Who estimated the quilt's date?

Merikay Waldvogel

Further information concerning dates:

Estimated date is based on the fact that it is a Detroit News pattern, the family has a b/w photo of the quilt with a rosette ribbon attached--perhaps awarded at 1938 Detroit News Quilt Show for Best Applique.

Describe the quilt's layout:

Block pattern

Number of quilt blocks:

17 applique blocks

Arrangement of quilt blocks:

Straight

Spacing of quilt blocks:

Alternating with plain squares

Number of borders:

1

Describe the borders:

Pink scalloped inner border around entire quilt.

Fiber types used to make the quilt top:

Cotton

Fabric styles used in the quilt top:

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

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 thick is the quilt?

Thin (Less than 3/16

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, decorative motifs:

Wreaths

Describe the quilting designs used:

Triple Fern Fronds at corners. Scalloped border is quilted and there are wreaths in plain blocks. Spider-web quilting inside applique and quilted wreaths.

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

How was this quilt acquired?

Gift

Why was the quilt made?

Challenge or Contest entry

The quilt was made to be used for:

Bedding, special occasion

Quilt is presently used as:

Keepsake/memento

Describe present uses of the quilt:

Mary's grandchildren regard her quilts as a unique collection to be preserved and appreciated.

Where did the maker get their materials?

Purchased new

Where did the maker find their pattern?

Commercial/Published source: Newspaper

Commercial name of the pattern for the top:

Detroit News pattern Roses and Forget-Me-Nots Quilt Pattern #1799-ID59. The wreath block was also offered as “Floral Wreath ID-55” according to February 28, 1937 Detroit News (p. 18), which presented a drawing of the block.

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

Commercial pattern

Describe where the quilting design pattern was found:

What is the commercial name of the quilting design used for this quilt?

Triple frond fern quiltING pattern from Needleart Guild's Original Master Quilting Patterns,, #73, page 7.

Exhibitions where this quilt was displayed:

Paper exhibit label reads:
"Roses For Get-me Not
First Prize in Detroit
Fourth Prize in Detroit
Second Prize in Indiana State Fair
by Mrs. Mary Gasperik".

The Quilts of Mary Gasperik, Ravenswood Historic Site, Livermore, CA, March 14-15, 1992.

This is one of the 23 Mary Gasperik quilts exhibited in the Carnegie Room of the Marion Indiana Public Library July 16-17, 2021 in connection with the ceremony honoring the induction of Mary Gasperik into The Quilters Hall of Fame as their 2021 Legacy Quilter honoree. Mary Gasperik Quilters Hall of Fame Induction Exhibit.

Contests entered:

A quilt entry in the 1938 Detroit News Contest. The quilt won Best Applique in the category of quilts made with Detroit News patterns.

According to its owner, Kathy Jacob, this quilt won a blue ribbon at the 1958 Illinois State Fair, entered as "class K 14141".

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:

Quilt pattern leaflet - Detroit News #1799-ID59 Roses and Forget-Me-Nots, February 28, 1937.

Block pattern Detroit News ID-55 "Floral Wreath" February 28, 1937 (p18).

Paper exhibit label reads:
"Roses For Get-me Not
First Prize in Detroit
Fourth Prize in Detroit
Second Prize in Indiana State Fair
by Mrs. Mary Gasperik"

Family b/w photo of quilt hanging with rosette ribbon attached (thought to be its 1938 first prize award in Detroit)

Detroit News September 6, 1938 page 26 "Quilt Club Member Will Have Six Entries in Show" by Edith B. Crumb. Article featuring quilter Mrs. George McIntyre of Ferndale Michigan. Photograph included, which is captioned "Mrs. George McIntyre of Ferndale shows her lovely Roses and Forget-Me-Nots quilt made from The Detroit News pattern. Mrs. McIntyre is planning to make six entries in the show. She has never missed a Detroit News quilt show." Evidently there was more than one Roses and Forget-Me-Nots at the 1938 show. The McIntyre quilt resembles the Gasperik quilt. The upcoming (5th) Detroit Quilt Show show opened October 7, 1938.

Ownership of this quilt is:

Private

Quilt owner's name:

Kathy Gasperik Jacob

Quilt owner's country:

United States

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:

To exhibit in shows held by her Tuley Park quilt club in Chicago, the Detroit News quilt show in Detroit, many Illinois State Fairs, at least one Indiana State Fair. She entered quilts in at least 2 Chicago department store contests. She made at least one quilt and one quilt top specifically for the 1939 New York Worlds Fair quilt contest. She also made children's quilts specifically for grandchildren and great-grandchildren; and wedding and wedding anniversary quilts for her son Elmer and grand-daughter Karen. Primarily, she wanted to make quilts because it was her life passion and her greatest talent. The occasions and venues to show them presented themselves. It should be noted that prior to Mary's emigration to America in late 1904, at age 16, she was an apprenticed needleworker in her native Hungary. The intricate and colorful floral embroideries traditional to Hungary lend themselves especially well to applique, the quilt style Mary preferred.

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?

Don Gonzalez

Access and copyright information:

Restricted

Copyright holder:

Hank Finn

Details

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