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Hand-woven Coverlet Made in 1845 Won a Ribbon Award at Contest
January 06, 1934
Detroit News Quilt History Project; Michigan State University Museum; Susan Salser; Lynne Charlet; Harriet Clarke
Detroit, Michigan, United States
A Quilt Club Corner column including an advertisement for the Calico Nosegay Quilt pattern, a coupon for Quilt Club membership, and letters from Quilt Club Corner members.
Quilt Club Corner.
Hand-Woven Coverlet Made in 1845 Won a Ribbon Award at Contest
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.
THE weaving, by hand, of coverlets was on e of the occupations of the home-maker from about 1800 on and today there are many fine examples of these old bed coverings.
Some were woven in the homes by the women who grew the flax and prepared this and the wool and dyed it to the desired coloring. Some were very simple in design, but charming because of this very simplicity. Later on when itinerant professional weavers became prevalent throughout the colonies, the patterns showed more intricacy and flowers, birds, scrolls, etc., were brought into prominence.
The warp was usually a cotton or linen thread in white or natural coloring while the wool was red, brown, blue or black wool. Sometimes blue green is seen and this was said to have resulted from dipping sun burned wool in blue dye.
Usually the weaver’s name, date of making the coverlet and also the county in which it was made were woven in each corner and these are shown in the coverlet in the accompanying illustration.
This coverlet won a ribbon award at The Detroit News Quilt Contest and was entered by Mrs. H. Hildreth Root, 13202 Steel avenue. The date 1845 and the name of Ann Sawyer are in each corner.
Most of the looms were 30 inches wide, which made it necessary to make the coverlet in two sections and sew it together through the center. There were some looms, however, which allowed for a full width coverlet without seaming, but these were rarer than the narrow ones and therefore, coverlets from these are more difficult to find.
The coverlet as shown is in old red and white and the design a very beautiful conventional flower with a border of a stately building and trees.
How are you getting alone with your Nosegay quilt? One quilt-maker brought a completed block in to the General Motors Building office of The Detroit News. Even though she did not have leaflet No. 2 which will give directions for the leaves and bowknot she had figured the design out from the small illustration in the corner of the leaflet, for she simply could not wait a week for this leaflet. She is delighted with the pattern and says that it is not difficult to make—that it is really unusually fascinating. And because each bouquet is different, you are certainly not to be bored because of monotony in design.
Enjoyed Quilt Exhibit.
I surely enjoyed the Quilt Exhibit and I think I saw every quilt here. I could only be there on Friday, but was there several hours and I think it was wonderful. It represented a vast amount of work. I think I enjoyed the antiques most of all, as I am partial to antiques of all kinds. I did not meet many of the members, but I had a nice talk with Gran, and was so glad to see her. We have been exchanging letters for some time. She wrote me right after an illness I had, such a lovely letter, and I certainly needed it. She also sent me a nice roll of prints. Through her letters I have come to admire her very much, and I only hope that her recover from her accident will be rapid.
I hope we will have some new patterns now that I am ready to start on more quilts. I have completed a Double Wedding Ring top, and am working on a Flower Garden and a Dresden Plate. As the Dresden Plate is a friendship quilt, I wonder if there are any of the members who would like to exchange pieces. I have had some from members.
MRS. C. R. WHITE,
Goodrich, Mich.
Anyone who enjoys quilts as much as you do should have attended the Show two or three days; but living out of the city makes it impossible. However, I am so glad that you were able to be there on the opening day.
I agree with you on the subject of the antique quilts. There were surely some very interesting and beautiful ones entered and each is so charming because it has such a history.
Gran was delighted to meet you, I am sure; and I think her arm is coming along just fine, for a letter came in from her in her handwriting the other morning, so that is proof of the recovery.
There are always members and readers who want to exchange patches and I don’t imagine that it will be long before you will receive some letters with patches enclosed for your quilt. I think the Dresden Plate is an ideal pattern for a friendship quilt, because if you only have one piece of a certain material it is all right. In fact, the more different kinds you have for this quilt the prettier it is.
Finishes Scrap Book.
The new Corner is lovely, just like a real quilt club meeting every Tuesday and Thursday. I have finished my first scrap book and scrap book number two has many pages filled. I would like to fill a dozen books.
I noticed some celluloid finger protectors in the store and intend to get one when I quilt. You wear them on your left fingers. They are nicer than thimbles. I also noticed tracing sheets. I haven’t seen them in a long time.
JUDITH YOST.
13150 Wisconsin, Detroit, Mich.
You are the first to say that she has finished a scrap book and started a second one. I think they must both be very interesting.
I can see that you have been doing some serious shopping and will be ready for work on your quilts after the holidays.
Don’t forget that the Corner is in the paper on Saturdays as well as Tuesdays and Thursday. And do write again, please.
Wants to Be Member.
I spent two afternoons at the Quilt Show and enjoyed it very much. I would like to become a member of the Quilt Club Corner. I am making a Dresden Plate quilt from a Detroit News pattern.
MRS. C. JOHNSON.
2809 Howard, Detroit, Michigan.
Even though you spent two afternoons at the Quilt Show, I don’t believe that you felt as though you had seen everything. Did you? There were so many quilts there that it took hours and hours to examine all of them and then one so often wanted to go back and look at some the second time. Didn’t you feel that way about it?
I am sure you must enjoy making that Dresden Plate quilt. Are you going to do the quilting yourself?
Look for a membership coupon in the Quilt Club Corner, fill it out and send it in so that you may become a member.
Wants Embroidery Section.
I am glad that you are going to put out more new quilt patterns. I also agree with Mrs. Oline Skeen on an embroidery section at the next exhibit. I am sure that most of the quilts showed that lots of time and labor were spent on them, and I am positive there were a great many sore fingers from such beautiful work.
The antique quilts were beautiful; I believe we could take lessons from those quilts that our great-grandmothers made. They did not have the conveniences and all the things to work with that we have.
I am sure a great many quilt fans will agree with me that Marie Weismuller’s Trip Around the World quilt was beautiful. It must have taken a lot of time planning her color scheme.
Here’s my vote for the Quilt Club Corner to continue as it has in the past. I am sure that most of us get information on many a quilting problem. I wish you all the best of success.
Wasn’t Gran a dear old lady?
MRS. OSCAR A. MILLER,
21650 West Eleven Mile Road,
Birmingham, Mich.
Thank you for your very nice letter about the Quilt Club Corner and I am glad to know that you wish to have it continue.
Everybody was delighted with Gran and now that she is so much better the Corner readers will be seeing more letters from her.
Do let us hear from you again very soon, Mrs. Miller, for you know letters are what will keep this Quilt Club Corner going.
Save the Pieces for This Calico Nosegay Quilt
Even the little scraps and corners of bright prints will find places in the delightful new nosegay quilt pattern which is all ready for Detroit News Quilt club members. Write now and ask for the first leaflet which gives the first nosegay and full directions for making the new quilt. Address Quilt Club Corner, Detroit News, and enclose self-addressed, stamped envelope. The leaflet is free.
Copies may be called for at The Detroit News Public Service Bureau in the Majestic Building, the General Motors Building, and the Pontiac Bank Building, Pontiac.
Beauty in the Home Editor:
Please enter my name as a member of the Beauty in the Home Quilt Club.
Name………………
Street and number……………
City………………………State…………………
This enrollment in the Beauty in the Home Quilt Club entitles the member to enter her quilt in the exhibit which will be held after the completion of the series of Horoscope patterns. Date of announcement will be made later.
Anyone who has completed a quilt from any Detroit News pattern will be eligible to become a member and enter this contest.
Courtesy of The Detroit News Archives.
Hand-Woven Coverlet Made in 1845 Won a Ribbon Award at Contest
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.
THE weaving, by hand, of coverlets was on e of the occupations of the home-maker from about 1800 on and today there are many fine examples of these old bed coverings.
Some were woven in the homes by the women who grew the flax and prepared this and the wool and dyed it to the desired coloring. Some were very simple in design, but charming because of this very simplicity. Later on when itinerant professional weavers became prevalent throughout the colonies, the patterns showed more intricacy and flowers, birds, scrolls, etc., were brought into prominence.
The warp was usually a cotton or linen thread in white or natural coloring while the wool was red, brown, blue or black wool. Sometimes blue green is seen and this was said to have resulted from dipping sun burned wool in blue dye.
Usually the weaver’s name, date of making the coverlet and also the county in which it was made were woven in each corner and these are shown in the coverlet in the accompanying illustration.
This coverlet won a ribbon award at The Detroit News Quilt Contest and was entered by Mrs. H. Hildreth Root, 13202 Steel avenue. The date 1845 and the name of Ann Sawyer are in each corner.
Most of the looms were 30 inches wide, which made it necessary to make the coverlet in two sections and sew it together through the center. There were some looms, however, which allowed for a full width coverlet without seaming, but these were rarer than the narrow ones and therefore, coverlets from these are more difficult to find.
The coverlet as shown is in old red and white and the design a very beautiful conventional flower with a border of a stately building and trees.
How are you getting alone with your Nosegay quilt? One quilt-maker brought a completed block in to the General Motors Building office of The Detroit News. Even though she did not have leaflet No. 2 which will give directions for the leaves and bowknot she had figured the design out from the small illustration in the corner of the leaflet, for she simply could not wait a week for this leaflet. She is delighted with the pattern and says that it is not difficult to make—that it is really unusually fascinating. And because each bouquet is different, you are certainly not to be bored because of monotony in design.
Enjoyed Quilt Exhibit.
I surely enjoyed the Quilt Exhibit and I think I saw every quilt here. I could only be there on Friday, but was there several hours and I think it was wonderful. It represented a vast amount of work. I think I enjoyed the antiques most of all, as I am partial to antiques of all kinds. I did not meet many of the members, but I had a nice talk with Gran, and was so glad to see her. We have been exchanging letters for some time. She wrote me right after an illness I had, such a lovely letter, and I certainly needed it. She also sent me a nice roll of prints. Through her letters I have come to admire her very much, and I only hope that her recover from her accident will be rapid.
I hope we will have some new patterns now that I am ready to start on more quilts. I have completed a Double Wedding Ring top, and am working on a Flower Garden and a Dresden Plate. As the Dresden Plate is a friendship quilt, I wonder if there are any of the members who would like to exchange pieces. I have had some from members.
MRS. C. R. WHITE,
Goodrich, Mich.
Anyone who enjoys quilts as much as you do should have attended the Show two or three days; but living out of the city makes it impossible. However, I am so glad that you were able to be there on the opening day.
I agree with you on the subject of the antique quilts. There were surely some very interesting and beautiful ones entered and each is so charming because it has such a history.
Gran was delighted to meet you, I am sure; and I think her arm is coming along just fine, for a letter came in from her in her handwriting the other morning, so that is proof of the recovery.
There are always members and readers who want to exchange patches and I don’t imagine that it will be long before you will receive some letters with patches enclosed for your quilt. I think the Dresden Plate is an ideal pattern for a friendship quilt, because if you only have one piece of a certain material it is all right. In fact, the more different kinds you have for this quilt the prettier it is.
Finishes Scrap Book.
The new Corner is lovely, just like a real quilt club meeting every Tuesday and Thursday. I have finished my first scrap book and scrap book number two has many pages filled. I would like to fill a dozen books.
I noticed some celluloid finger protectors in the store and intend to get one when I quilt. You wear them on your left fingers. They are nicer than thimbles. I also noticed tracing sheets. I haven’t seen them in a long time.
JUDITH YOST.
13150 Wisconsin, Detroit, Mich.
You are the first to say that she has finished a scrap book and started a second one. I think they must both be very interesting.
I can see that you have been doing some serious shopping and will be ready for work on your quilts after the holidays.
Don’t forget that the Corner is in the paper on Saturdays as well as Tuesdays and Thursday. And do write again, please.
Wants to Be Member.
I spent two afternoons at the Quilt Show and enjoyed it very much. I would like to become a member of the Quilt Club Corner. I am making a Dresden Plate quilt from a Detroit News pattern.
MRS. C. JOHNSON.
2809 Howard, Detroit, Michigan.
Even though you spent two afternoons at the Quilt Show, I don’t believe that you felt as though you had seen everything. Did you? There were so many quilts there that it took hours and hours to examine all of them and then one so often wanted to go back and look at some the second time. Didn’t you feel that way about it?
I am sure you must enjoy making that Dresden Plate quilt. Are you going to do the quilting yourself?
Look for a membership coupon in the Quilt Club Corner, fill it out and send it in so that you may become a member.
Wants Embroidery Section.
I am glad that you are going to put out more new quilt patterns. I also agree with Mrs. Oline Skeen on an embroidery section at the next exhibit. I am sure that most of the quilts showed that lots of time and labor were spent on them, and I am positive there were a great many sore fingers from such beautiful work.
The antique quilts were beautiful; I believe we could take lessons from those quilts that our great-grandmothers made. They did not have the conveniences and all the things to work with that we have.
I am sure a great many quilt fans will agree with me that Marie Weismuller’s Trip Around the World quilt was beautiful. It must have taken a lot of time planning her color scheme.
Here’s my vote for the Quilt Club Corner to continue as it has in the past. I am sure that most of us get information on many a quilting problem. I wish you all the best of success.
Wasn’t Gran a dear old lady?
MRS. OSCAR A. MILLER,
21650 West Eleven Mile Road,
Birmingham, Mich.
Thank you for your very nice letter about the Quilt Club Corner and I am glad to know that you wish to have it continue.
Everybody was delighted with Gran and now that she is so much better the Corner readers will be seeing more letters from her.
Do let us hear from you again very soon, Mrs. Miller, for you know letters are what will keep this Quilt Club Corner going.
Save the Pieces for This Calico Nosegay Quilt
Even the little scraps and corners of bright prints will find places in the delightful new nosegay quilt pattern which is all ready for Detroit News Quilt club members. Write now and ask for the first leaflet which gives the first nosegay and full directions for making the new quilt. Address Quilt Club Corner, Detroit News, and enclose self-addressed, stamped envelope. The leaflet is free.
Copies may be called for at The Detroit News Public Service Bureau in the Majestic Building, the General Motors Building, and the Pontiac Bank Building, Pontiac.
Beauty in the Home Editor:
Please enter my name as a member of the Beauty in the Home Quilt Club.
Name………………
Street and number……………
City………………………State…………………
This enrollment in the Beauty in the Home Quilt Club entitles the member to enter her quilt in the exhibit which will be held after the completion of the series of Horoscope patterns. Date of announcement will be made later.
Anyone who has completed a quilt from any Detroit News pattern will be eligible to become a member and enter this contest.
Courtesy of The Detroit News Archives.
6119.43.41; 6268.1.40
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Legacy
Gasperik Legacy Project, Mary -
Quiltmaker
Gasperik, Mary Mary Gasperik Legacy Project
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Museum
Michigan State University Museum Michigan Quilt Project
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Collection
Detroit News Quilt History Project
Salser, Susan
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Essay
Mary Gasperik and the Detroit...
Salser, Susan
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Collection
Clarke Family Quilt Collection
Michigan State University Museum
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