June 03, 1933

Detroit News Quilt History Project; Michigan State University Museum; Susan Salser

Detroit, Michigan, United States

A Beauty in the Home column including a discussion of small tables and letters from Quilt Club Corner members.

Beauty in the Home
Wall Table Practical for Small Apartment
by Edith B. Crumb
This department seeks to give assistance to all who are interested in beautifying their homes and will be glad to answer questions pertaining to interior decoration. In order to serve all who, seek advice promptly no more than three problems will be discussed in any one reply. Readers are invited to write to this department as often as they wish, but to limit each letter to three questions. State your question clearly write on only one side of the paper, enclosing a self-addressed, stamped envelope and address Beauty in the Home department, Detroit News. Letters with their answers will be published for the benefit of all homemakers but names and addresses will not be made public.

It’s just the thing for the busy woman’s apartment if she is the kind who likes gay bits of pottery, bright table linens and a normal scheme in general . And this is what it is- a dining room table in the wall. Just imagine that!

When it not in action there is no evidence of a dining table, a panel very much like a door being the only break in the wall.

The release of a little spring lets down the table top and also a left to support it and there is a plenty of room for two and three wouldn’t be a crowd so spacious is the table top.

To use with this there may be checked linen cloths, which may be either fringed or hemmed and the latter will prove a little more practical considering the frequent laundering pieces of this type receive.

It is not possible to buy these gay little luncheon cloths and napkins at ridiculously low prices and one may have a set of red and white, blue and white or green and white without having to spend much money.

And now that the cost of glassware, pottery, and pewter is so low one may have a delightfully set table and even go so far as to have two or three sets of dishes - of course, only two or three of everything to set.

There is an old-faithful Blue Willow, the French and Italian peasant pottery and brightly painted metal trays to harmonize with these.

The glassware may be reproduction of the English or early American hob-nail or it may be of the fascinating white milk glass and while the colored glass is charming, one is safe in selecting clear if there is to be but one set to be used with various kinds of dishes.

A room in which a table of this type might be used could have black and cream checked linoleum, pale green walls and woodwork and the interior of the dining table cupboard might be finished in coral tint.

The curtains might be of coral gauze and the seats of the chairs equipped with cushions covered in plain coral chintz piped in light green chintz.

Quilt Club Corner
I certainly enjoy your Quilt Club Corner and your chats over the radio make one feel so homey and comfortable.

Am working on the Flower Garden quilt and anxious to finish it so I may start the Trip Around the World. Wishing you success with your club, I am,
Mrs. A.E.L
Birmingham, Mich.

Thank you so much for your delightful little note Mrs. L. It was very thoughtful of you to write it and I certainly appreciate it. I do hope that you like your Trip.

I would like to pass on an company hint to the Dresden Plate quilt makers. Cut away carefully the plain material under the appliqued plate. Make a smaller plate of a harmonizing color, then a small yellow circle for the center.

Place the smallest plate in the center of one cut from under the Dresden Plate then the yellow circle in the center of the second one and sew all three to an 18 inch square with four points formed like a hald leaf in green, coming from under the first plate, pointing towards the corners of the large block. You will then have a conventional rose design that will make a very pretty quilt or spread at a very small cost. It will make a Dresden Plate easier to quilt if the material is cut from underneath.
Mrs. H.J.L

That you making an odd and attractive quilt, Mrs. L and if your Dresden Plate is on a white ground then the new quilt should have a colored material for the foundation. Thank you for writing this idea!
Mrs. P.L.S.

Some of those little fruit and flower sprays would be lovely for the quilted caters of the Dresden Plate don’t you think so, Mrs. S?

I enjoy your Quilt Club Corner so much. Always turn to that page the first thing.

I have three Prairie Queen quilts ot my credit and they are beautiful I made one for each of my sons.

I have a Dresden Plate nearly finished and all the patterns which have been published for the Horoscope quilt.

I was in Detroit on the 4th day of May and got my pattern which have been published for the Horoscope quilt.

I am starting to center and have eight blocks square, nearly finished and 200 green blocks cut. It takes over 500 green blocks. Mine is very pretty so far.

I hope this letter is not too long for the first one.
Mrs. Adams
New Boston, Mich.

It certainly isn’t too long Mrs. Adams and it is very interesting. Am so glad you like your Trip Around the World but it always seems to me that anyone who makes it around and around instead of strips is doing I the harder way. The cutting is the hardest part, I think. Don’t you?

I have my copy of the Trip Around the World and I ma so pleased with it.

I am getting along fine with my Horoscope quilt. It is beautiful although at first my stars were far from perfect, nut now I am doing better with them. In the border leaflet it tells of the color selections. Would you suggest that or work them in the same blue as the other white blocks have?

My application has been in a long time and I am going to try and enter a quilt in the Contest. I would be glad to exchange pieces with other Club members. These may either be cut for the Dresden Plate or not. I always buy the best material as it pays in the end. Have you any members here or near me? It would be lovely to hear from or call on them.

How much better our new radio time is for the Corner as before it was just at lunch time and there is no use listening when the children from school.

Please accept thanks for the great help you have given us.
Mrs. F Fobar
51 E Henry St
River Rouge, Mich.

I think the same blue as used on the other white blocks would be attractive for the border designs but this is something left to your own taste.

Yes, I am sure there are some other Rouge quilt makers and perhaps your letter will bring you some callers or offers for quilt patch exchange.

I have been reading the Quilt Club Corner for some time and I certainly enjoy it very much I just love to piece when I have lot made several quilts and am making a Dresden Plate but I don’t know whether I can get it finished for the contest as I have trouble with my eyes but I will try very hard and I hope you will have room for my name as a member.

I received the pattern or the Trip Around the World and I think it is very pretty. I am wondering if it would look better with a combination of colors or a hit and miss scheme. I will try and make it just as soon as I hear from some older quilt maker.
Mrs. B.H.
Dearborn, Mich.

Do try to finish your quilt for the contest. It will not be for some time yet, so I am sure if you only work a little while at a time you will get it finished.

The Trip Around the World is attractive with several rows of a plain color and the rest in small figured prints.

If you have not already sent in your membership blank, please do so the next time you write for a pattern.

Courtesy of The Detroit News Archives.