QUILT INDEX RECORD

18-14-54

Description:

This quilt is one of a pair. Its twin, a quilt called What Are Little Boys Made Of was made for Karen's sister Linda and is long missing. Gasperik made matching pillow shams, now lost, with appliqué bows like those on the quilts. Gasperik used this pattern set on four different quilts. The pair of doll quilts, using the little girl (#054) and little boy figures (#075) is probably her first use of the pattern (~1940). Gasperik reused the pattern for the little girl in child's quilt Sugar and Spice (#008) given to another grand-daughter. Still later, in 1957, she resurrected the pattern for the little boy to create a child's quilt for her first great-grandson (#058).

Where are the records for this quilt housed?

Mary Gasperik Legacy Project

Who documented this quilt?

Mary Gasperik Private Collection

Gasperik Legacy Project Number:

054

This is a:

Finished quilt

Quilt's title:

What Are Little Girls Made Of?

Owner's name for quilt:

What Are Little Girls Made Of?

How wide is the quilt?

22 inches

How long is the quilt?

24 inches

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:

Very good/almost new

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:

A family photo shows Gasperik, and Elsie showing the pair of doll quilts 'What Are Little Girls Made Of?' and 'What Are Little Boys Made Of?' to their recipients: Karen and Linda Krueger.

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

How are the layers held together?

Hand quilting

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 of quilting radiate out from behind the center of the figure of the girl except in the triangular area above the girl's head, where the quilting consists of diamond crosshatching, a metaphorical halo.

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

Tell the story of how the quilt was obtained:

This quilt was made for its owner, Karen Krueger Finn

Why was the quilt made?

Gift or presentation

The quilt was made to be used for:

Doll quilt/toy

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 find their pattern?

Unknown

Exhibitions where this quilt was displayed:

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

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

Quilt owner's name:

Karen Krueger Finn

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:

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; The Detroit News Quilt Club Corner

Does/did the quiltmaker belong to a group?

Chicago, IL; Detroit, MI

What are the main activities of the group?

Group showings of quilts and quilting demonstrations (Chicago). National quilt shows and contests (Detroit).

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:

Susan Salser

Details