QUILT INDEX RECORD

18-14-8

Description:

Made for grandchild Karen Krueger, this is one of four crib-size wholecloth quilts Gasperik made. Karen's son Andy used the quilt as a security blanket until it ceased to exist in 1958. The quilt survives only as a photograph. The corner quilting motif on this quilt closely resembles McCall No. 1811, Transfer Design for Quilt, 66 x 78 inches (yellow or blue). Price 75 cents. Even the advertising for the McCall pattern seems apropos to the Gasperik quilt: "Whether you use soft, lustrous silk, or rayon or any other synthetic fiber fabrics for the top of the quilt, you will find the graceful shell-and-feather design and the wide diamond quilting easy to follow and little work... full directions with transfer." (Complete Catalogue of McCall Designs, December 1931, p. 49.)

Where are the records for this quilt housed?

Mary Gasperik Legacy Project

Who documented this quilt?

Mary Gasperik Private Collection

Gasperik Legacy Project Number:

078

This is a:

Finished quilt

Quilt's title:

Wholecloth Baby Quilt

Owner's name for quilt:

Wholecloth Baby Quilt (Karen)

Shape of edge:

Straight

Shape of corners:

Straight

What color is the quilt?

Gold; Green

Overall color scheme:

One color/monochromatic

Quilt's condition:

Unknown/Not Rated

Damage:

Other

Describe the damage:

After much use by great-grandson Andy, it wore out.

Notes on condition, damage, or repairs:

Only record of the quilt is the attached b/w photo.

Time period:

1930-1949

When was the quilt finished?

1937

Family/owner's date for quilt:

1937

Who estimated the quilt's date?

Merikay Waldvogel

Further information concerning dates:

On back of photo is written "Green and gold baby quilt for Karen 1937 -- in Elsie Gasperik Krueger's handwriting. And "used by son Andy 1957--ceased to exist 1958" in Karen Krueger Finn's handwriting.

Describe the quilt's layout:

Wholecloth

Fiber types used to make the quilt top:

Rayon; Other synthetic

Fabric types used to make the quilt top:

Satin

Materials used to make the back:

Satin/Sateen

What color is the back of the quilt?

Gold

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:

Grid diamond; Single parallel lines

Quilting designs used, decorative motifs:

Feathering; Wreaths; Other

Quilting designs used, background fills:

Parallel lines

Describe the quilting designs used:

Large feather fan design at each corner. The quilted feathered wreath in the center of this quilt is the same design seen on quilt #027, which Gasperik made for her next Gasperik grand-daughter, Linda Krueger, a bit over a year later. Linda's quilt survives.

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

Why was the quilt made?

Baby or crib

The quilt was made to be used for:

Bedding, special occasion

Quilt is presently used as:

Other

Describe present uses of the quilt:

Quilt was accidentally destroyed.

Where did the maker get their materials?

Purchased new

Where did the maker find their pattern?

Commercial/Published source: Pattern

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

Commercial pattern

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

Possibly McCall No. 1811 Wholecloth pattern

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:

McCall No. 1811 (collection of Susan Salser). This is a transfer pattern for making a large quilt - 66 x 78. Complete Catalog of McCall Design, December 1931, p49 presents a corner of the pattern and reference to the "graceful shell and feather design" seen on this quilt and Gasperik #042 (a large pink satin wholecloth quilt). That 1931 McCall counter catalog is in the collection of Susan Salser.

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 and Detroit News Quilt Club

Does/did the quiltmaker belong to a group?

Chicago, IL 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?

unknown, family photo

Access and copyright information:

Restricted

Copyright holder:

Hank Finn