QUILT INDEX RECORD

18-14-58

DESCRIPTION:

Made with a commercial quilt kit Homeneedlecraft Creations #7069 Playtime, this is a good example of Gasperik's practice of adapting a kit. In this case, she appliquéd the name of the quilt's recipient, chose her own fabrics, and added variety and intensity to the quilting proposed by the kit manufacturer.

ESSAY:

Mary chose her own fabrics, and greatly increased the number of different fabrics employed. She added Susan's name, in Japanese-style applique lettering from a different source; and she added variety and intensity to the quilting proposed by the kit manufacturer. The kit design called for a rather neutral mouth, in fact a typical doll mouth. The mouth embroidered by Gasperik seemed, to Susan, to display a pout. She confesses that, as an adult with a young daughter, she altered that expression with her own inexpertly wielded needle and thread. Only recently did Susan have the chance to see an original Homeneedlecraft Playtime #7069 quilt kit, and she now wishes she had left her grandmother’s embroidery untouched.

Where are the records for this quilt housed?

Mary Gasperik Legacy Project

Who documented this quilt?

Mary Gasperik Private Collection

CONTRIBUTING INSTITUTIONAL INVENTORY CONTROL NUMBERS: Enter the main control number for this item you are entering.

040

TYPE OF QUILT OBJECT: Choose the best description for the quilt being documented.

Finished quilt

QUILT'S TITLE, IF IT HAS ONE: Many quilts have no title, but contemporary quilters often give a name to their quilts.

Playtime

OWNER'S NAME FOR QUILT'S PATTERN: Enter the name given to the quilt by the owner. This can be the name the family used to refer to the quilt as it passed through different generations, e.g. "Aunt Susie's quilt" or a pattern name that the owner used.

Baby Doll

ALTERNATE NAME(S) FOR QUILT'S PATTERN IN COMMON USE: This is the name of the quilt pattern that it is commonly used among quilt makers and historians. It may be different in different regions of the country.

Smiling Doll

OVERALL WIDTH: Enter how wide the quilt is.

48 inches

OVERALL LENGTH: Enter how long the quilt is.

63 inches

SHAPE OF EDGE: Choose the best description for the edges of the quilt.

Straight

SHAPE OF CORNERS: Choose the best description for the corners of the quilt.

Straight

PREDOMINANT COLOR(S): Enter all colors that are found in the quilt.

Blue or Navy; Orange; White; Yellow

OVERALL COLOR SCHEME: Choose the best color scheme description for the quilt being documented.

Bright or primary colors

OVERALL CONDITION: Choose the best description for the quilt being documented.

Excellent/like new

TYPE(S) OF INSCRIPTION: Choose all the options that are found on the quilt.

Single

CONTENT OF INSCRIPTION(S): Enter the exact inscription here, including dates in the same form in which they appear on the quilt. Do not correct any spellings. If you are unsure of a letter or name, place a (?) to indicate uncertainty.

SUSAN

METHOD OF INSCRIPTION: Choose the method used to inscribe the quilt.

Other

OTHER METHOD OF INSCRIPTION: If you chose Other, please describe the method used to inscribe the quilt.

Single Applique Letters

LOCATION OF INSCRIPTION: Enter where the inscription was found on the quilt.

other

OTHER LOCATION OF INSCRIPTION: If you chose Other, please describe where the inscription was found.

Across top of white center panel

TIME PERIOD: Choose the time frame that best describes when the quilt was made. The date does not have to appear on the quilt to enter it in this field. This can be your best guess based on family stories or your own knowledge of quilts.

1930-1949

DATE FINISHED: Enter the date the quilt was finished.

1940-1945

FAMILY/OWNER'S DATE FOR QUILT: If there are family stories that indicate a date when the quilt was made, enter that date.

1940-1945

OTHER DATE ESTIMATION BY WHOM: Enter the name and/or title of the person who estimated the quilt's date for field 23d.

Merikay Waldvogel

FURTHER INFORMATION CONCERNING DATE(S): If you know anything else about the date the quilt was made, please tell the story.

Made for her grand-daughter Susan Krueger, born in June 1940.

LAYOUT FORMAT: Choose the best description for the layout (or set) of the quilt.

Medallion or framed center

NUMBER OF BORDERS: Borders are the strips of fabric that are added after the blocks (and sashings) are put together. They appear on the outside edges of the quilt. Quilts often have multiple borders. Enter the number of borders on the quilt.

2

BORDER DESCRIPTION: Describe the style of the borders (i.e. pieced, appliqued, stenciled) and the width of each border, from the inside to the outside.

Two borders--Orange colored on the outside; royal blue for the inner border. These are added to the kit's border, which is simply the blank white ground between the appliqued blue ribbon encircling the quilt and the edge of the quilt.

FABRIC FIBER TYPES USED IN QUILT TOP: Choose all the types of fiber that are used to make the quilt top.

Cotton

FABRIC PATTERNS, STYLES, MOTIFS, OR PRINT CATEGORIES USED IN QUILT TOP: Choose all the types of prints that are used to make the quilt top.

Print; Solid/plain

CONSTRUCTION TECHNIQUES USED IN QUILT TOP: APPLIQUE TECHNIQUES: Choose the applique method used to construct the quilt.

Hand Applique

CONSTRUCTION TECHNIQUES USED IN QUILT TOP: EMBELLISHMENT TECHNIQUES: Choose the embellishment technique used to make the quilt.

Embroidery

UNIQUE EMBELLISHMENTS: Enter any embellishment materials that don't appear in a previous field.

Recipient's name 'Susan' added in multicolor applique to kit

FABRIC FIBER TYPES USED IN QUILT BACK: Choose the fiber type used to make the quilt back.

Cotton

COLOR OF BACKING: Enter all colors that are found in the quilt backing.

Yellow

NUMBER OF PIECES: Enter the number of pieces of fabric used in the quilt back.

2

WIDTH OF PIECES: Enter, in inches, the width of the pieces of fabric on the back of the quilt.

16.5", 31.5"

DESCRIPTION OF BACK: Choose the best description for the back of the quilt.

Solid/plain

MATERIALS USED IN QUILT BINDING: Choose the fiber type used to make the quilt binding.

Cotton

CONSTRUCTION TECHNIQUES USED IN BINDING: Choose the construction technique used to make the quilt binding.

Bias grain

WIDTH OF QUILT BINDING: Choose the width (in inches) of the binding of the quilt. Measure from the front side only.

less than a half inch

MATERIAL USED FOR QUILT BATTING OR FILLING: Choose the fiber content that best describes the material used to fill the quilt.

Cotton

QUILTING TECHNIQUES USED: Choose the technique that best describes the way the quilt layers are held together.

Hand quilting

THREAD COLOR: Enter the color(s) of thread used to hold the quilt layers together.

white

NUMBER OF QUILTING STITCHES PER INCH (PLACE 1): Count only the stitches that are visible on the top and measure in one place on the quilt. Enter the measurement.

10

NUMBER OF QUILTING STITCHES PER INCH (PLACE 2): Count only the stitches that are visible on the top and measure in a different place on the quilt. Enter the measurement.

10

QUILTING DESIGNS USED: MOTIFS/OVERALL PATTERNS: Choose the overall quilt design found on the quilt top.

Grid diamond; Grid square; Patches outlined/in the ditch; Single parallel lines

QUILTING DESIGNS USED: DECORATIVE PATTERNS: Choose the decorative quilt design found on the quilt top.

Feathering

QUILTING DESIGNS USED: BACKGROUND FILL PATTERNS: Choose the background quilt design found on the quilt top.

Grid/crosshatch

PLEASE DESCRIBE OTHER QUILTING DESIGNS USED: Describe any other quilting designs that appear on the quilt.

Quilting in orange border is horizontal parallel lines, 7/8" spacing. Quilting in blue border is a continuation of that pattern. In the area between the blue border and the blue ribbon the quilting becomes finer and more complex: parallel lines of 5/8" spacing are arranged diagonally leading inwards to a band of ~2' wide feathering nestled against the blue ribbon. Against the other side of that appliqued blue ribbon is vertical parallel line quilting, 5/8" spacing, This quilting pattern leads to 2 fragments of curved feathering "1" wide, which, in turn leads into the background quilting surrounding the doll. That background is a 1/2" diamond grid.

QUILT TOP MADE BY: Enter the name of the person(s) who made the quilt top.

Gasperik, Mary

QUILTED BY: Enter the name of the person(s) who quilted the top.

Gasperik, Mary

CITY: Enter the name of the city where the quilt was made.

Chicago

COUNTY: Enter the name of the county where the quilt was made.

Cook County

STATE: Enter the name of the state where the quilt was made.

Illinois (IL)

COUNTRY: Enter the name of the country where the quilt was made.

United States

HOW WAS QUILT ACQUIRED BY OWNER: Choose the best description for how the owner acquired the quilt.

Gift

DETAILS ON HOW THE QUILT WAS ACQUIRED:

Susan remembers using this quilt when she was about 5 (1945), but doesn't know when it was made for her.

QUILTMAKER'S REASONS FOR MAKING THE QUILT: If the quilt was made for a specific purpose, choose the reason from the list.

Baby or crib

QUILT WAS ORIGINALLY DESIGNED TO BE USED AS: Choose how the quilt was originally used.

Bedding, special occasion

QUILT IS PRESENTLY USED AS: Choose how the quilt is being used by the present owner.

Keepsake/memento

OTHER PRESENT USE(S) OF QUILT: If you chose Other, please explain the quilt's present use.

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

SOURCE OF QUILT'S MATERIALS: Choose how the quilt maker acquired the fabric for this quilt.

Purchased new

QUILT TOP PATTERN SOURCE: Choose where the quilt maker found the pattern for this quilt.

Commercial/Published source: Kit

COMMERCIAL SOURCE NAME(S): If you know the commercial name of the pattern used for this quilt, please enter it. This may include books, magazines, newsletters, pattern companies, computer software programs, and kits.

Homeneedlecraft Creations #7069 Playtime Crib Quilt.

QUILTING DESIGN PATTERN SOURCE: Choose where the quilt maker found the pattern for the quilting design used in this quilt.

Original to maker

ANY ADDITIONAL NOTES OR STORIES ABOUT THE QUILT'S DESIGN OR MATERIALS SOURCE: Describe anything about the design of the quilt that wasn't already recorded in a previous field.

Comparing Gasperik's version to the kit envelope illustration, Gasperik reversed the design. The duck moved from the left to the right; the tea pot also moved from left to right. However the printed ground fabric INSIDE the kit places the duck and teapot etc. in the same positions as the Gasperik quilt. Gasperik used neither the kit's fabrics nor its quilting design.

EXHIBITIONS: List all known exhibits where this quilt has been displayed.

Yellow paper exhibit tag, associated with Tuley Park quilt shows, reads ""baby doll" quilt for Susan "Granddaughter" "The Quilts of Mary Gasperik" Ravenswood Historic Site, Livermore, CA, March 14-15, 1992.

OTHER RELATED ITEMS: List other materials that exist about this quilt like oral histories, wills, diaries, or patterns.

Envelope of quilt kit Homeneedlecraft Creations #7069 Playtime Crib Quilt. Homeneedlecraft Creations #7069 (has $1.00 price printed on it). Susan Salser - private collection. Note: This envelope includes the complete contents - there is no separate instruction sheet; instead, the instructions are printed on the envelope. Although the envelope pictures a quilt with the duck and teapot at the upper left and lower right respectively, the actual ground cloth is printed (like the Gasperik quilt) with the duck and teapot in the upper right and lower left, respectively. In other words, Gasperik did not reverse the kit's layout. Rather, the kit's outside wrapper reversed the layout of the kit's contents. The kit's supplied and printed ground is off-white. This kit includes 4 solid color fabrics and 3 prints (none of which match the Gasperik quilt). Pink binding is supplied both for the edging (unfolded) and the appliqued ribbon (pre-folded).

A quilt made from Homeneedlecraft Creations kit #7069 by an unknown quilter, purchased in 2005 by ebay auction from seller in Wisconsin. Susan Salser - private collection. This quilt's design is appliqued on a pink (not off-white) ground surrounded by a pale blue border. The other solid color fabrics, as well as its three different print fabrics, match the contents of the kit mentioned above.

Yellow paper exhibit tag in private collection of Susan Salser.

Sept 1966 b/w family photograph of Playtime airing on a clothesline in the back yard of 5336 University Ave, Elsie Gasperik Krueger's residence at the time. The quilt is hanging next to one of the Indians quilts made for the Krueger sisters.

AVAILABLE SOURCES FOR QUILTMAKER: List other source materials about this quiltmaker such as photos, oral histories, book or newspaper publications, fame for some other reason or event.

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.

OWNERSHIP OF THIS QUILT IS:

Private

NAME OF QUILT OWNER:

Susan Krueger Salser

QUILT OWNER'S COUNTRY:

United States

AUTHOR/INTERVIEWEE'S RELATION TO THE QUILT:

Author/researcher; Blood relative of quiltmaker

OTHER RELATIONSHIP TO SOURCE: If you chose Other, for the relationship to the source, describe the relationship here.

Grand-daughter

OTHER INFORMATION ON SOURCE PERSON TO QUILT:

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

DEATH DATE OF THE QUILTMAKER, IF APPLICABLE:

05/25/1969

QUILTMAKER'S ETHNIC BACKGROUND:

Hungarian

QUILTMAKER'S EDUCATIONAL BACKGROUND:

Elementary School

QUILTMAKER'S COUNTRY OF BIRTH:

Hungary

IN WHICH KIND OF ENVIRONMENT DID THE QUILTMAKER GROW UP?

Rural

CITY WHERE THE QUILTMAKER LIVES/LIVED:

Chicago

COUNTY WHERE THE QUILTMAKER LIVES/LIVED:

Cook

STATE WHERE THE QUILTMAKER LIVES/LIVED:

Illinois (IL)

COUNTRY WHERE THE QUILTMAKER LIVES/LIVED:

United States

QUILTMAKER'S FATHER'S NAME:

Mihalovits, Istvan

FATHER'S BIRTHPLACE:

Hungary

FATHER'S ETHNIC BACKGROUND:

Hungarian

QUILTMAKER'S MOTHER'S NAME:

Mihalovits, Vidoszava

MOTHER'S BIRTHPLACE:

Hungary

MOTHER'S ETHNIC BACKGROUND:

Hungarian

SPOUSE'S ETHNIC BACKGROUND:

Hungarian

SPOUSE'S OCCUPATION:

Milk Dealer/Grocery Store Owner/Butcher

NUMBER OF CHILDREN:

3

NUMBER OF FEMALE CHILDREN:

1 (Elsie 1909-1988)

NUMBER OF MALE CHILDREN:

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/DID THE QUILTMAKER QUILT:

Pleasure; Other

OTHER, WHY THE QUILTMAKER QUILTS:

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.

NAME OF QUILTING GROUP: If the quilt maker belonged to a group, enter the name of the group.

Tuley Park Quilt Club and Detroit News Quilt Club

LOCATION OF GROUP:

Chicago, IL and Detroit, MI

SPECIALIZED ACTIVITIES/EVENTS OF QUILTING GROUP: Enter activities the group participated in.

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

ESTIMATED NUMBER OF QUILTS MADE BY THIS QUILTER:

more than 50

DID THE QUILTMAKER SELL QUILTS?

no

DOES/DID QUILTMAKER TEACH QUILTING: Is the quilt maker also a quilt teacher?

no

PHOTO CREDIT:

Don Gonzalez

ACCESS AND COPYRIGHT IS:

Restricted

HOLDER OF COPYRIGHT:

Hank Finn

Details

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