September 17, 1933

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

Detroit, Michigan, United States

A Beauty in the Home column including letters from Quilt Club Corner members.

Beauty in Home Quilt Club Members Given More Time to Finish Patterns
Edith B. Crumb

Here is some real news - some good news and news that will be welcomed by every quilt-maker or owner! Due to the fact that so many have written in and asked for a little more time for the finishing of their quilts and saying that during the summer they did not have an opportunity to sew because of vacations, entertaining, etc., the Contest is to be postponed until some time in November.

And now, even though you have never joined the Quilt Club - have you a quilt that has been made from a Detroit News pattern? And, if so, don't you want to bring it to the Contest? If so, watch for the coupon which will appear in the Beauty in the Home column on Monday, Sept. 18. Fill it out, send it in and plan on bringing the quilt.

Another thing - don't you know that everybody is interested in old quilts? Well, if you have one 50 or more years old please exhibit it for the benefit of those who love old quilts and materials. Some have written in that they have them 75 years old, 100 years old, etc. and the antique department promises to be a very interesting one. So, even if you have never made a quilt from a News pattern, if you have an old quilt you will be welcome to exhibit.

I like to see quilts made up and then make my color scheme of different contrasting colors. My husband is interested and helps cut the pieces but he prefers blending similar colors and I like the contasting ones.

I started a quilt when the Corner began and have it nearly finished. I have sewed all the pieces by hand, believing I had a News pattern. Is it eligible? Is is a seven-pointed star pattern.

A friend of mine made the Trip Around the World and it was beautiful.

Our radio is not working and I miss the Quilt Club Corner. It seems more personal and closer that the letters. More power to the Corner!
Marion C. Ossowski
3427 Howard st., Detroit, Mich.

You are certain to have very original quilts if you work the schemes out carefully as you have suggested and I think that those which your husband plan must also be very attractive. It is quite a trick to use several shades and tints of one color and he must enjoy working these out.

The seven-point star pattern which you mention is not a News pattern and so I am sorry to say is not eligible for the Contest. Perhaps you will have time to make a Trip Around the World for this exhibit, though, for it has been postponed until some time in November. Why don't you try to do this?

Our radio has not been in working order these last two weeks and I have missed the meetings very much. I started my Trip quilt and I want to say that I think it is going to be the prettiest one I have ever made. I am on my seventeenth row and it gets prettier all the time. I am making the plain blocks in different colors and it looks real nice. Every one that has seen it so far thinks it lovely.

I am sorry that I will not have a quilt ready for the Contest but I will be there to see all the quilts and the members too.
Mrs. Mary Strobilius
17457 Lumkin,
Detroit, Mich.

Now you can finish that quilt for the Contest and enter the top even if you do not have time for the quilting. I know that you are de-
(Concluded on page 11.)

Quilt Contest Postponed
(Concluded from Page 9.)
lighted to know that it will not be happening until some time in November.

I've been so busy that I really have neglected the Corner itself, but not the people in it, I have been busy answering and enjoying the correspondence from 17 of the members.

I love every one of them and would certainly enjoy meeting them and hope to see all of you at the Contest. My! but you will have a variety of Wedding Rings, Friendship Dresdens, and enough Trips to satisfy everyone's travel hunger. It will be a sight to see and remember Mrs. ???, I expect you think I have forgotten you, but I am filling a box of patterns for you, as I go through files.

I have exchanged patterns with Mrs. Murphy, Lang. Andrews, Mc??? and others, and if any of you members would like anything I have ??? and live close to them, perhaps ??? would help you out. I know it would help me for my right arm is getting really tired sometimes.

I am entering my membership and I hope this makes me a full fledged member.

I certainly am glad to see and hear of the younger folks being quilt-minded, for by that, the art will not be lost.

There are several men here who have made and quilted some beautiful quilts. A lot of the ment do all the cutting out of blocks for their wives.

I am making a scrapbook of all the Corner letters (thanks to Constance Murphy, who sends them)., and I know that in after years when I sit if the chimney corner, I will read these lovely letters both, printed and written, and relive the time which I enjoyed such unseen popularity in Detroit. Won't that be fun?
Mrs. Harry C. Purcell
426 North Armstrong,
Kokomo, Indiana.

I certainly think you must be about the busiest quilt-maker that was ever heard of these days with your correspondence, your scrap book and patch-exchanging but you certainly seem to enjoy it and I hope that those with whom you are corresponding are having a great deal of pleasure out of it. Of course you are a full-fledged members and I trust that nothing will interfere with you coming to the contest. You know, of course, that it is being postponed until some time in November which will make it much better for al who are making quilts for it.

Your account of the men making quilts and cutting blocks is very interesting. Thank you for writing in about it. And you are right about the young people. They are certainly becoming quilt-minded and there are some very small children in the Club. Isn't that encouraging?

Here is another silent member of the Quilt Club but I am going to speak up before it is too late. I have been working on the Horoscope quilt ever since it started and I think it is the most interesting quilt I have ever seen. In spite of the fact that I have worked so gladly on it. I am afraid I wll not finish it in time for the Contest but I am trying hard. I have made many other quilts but all by machine so I think that is why this one goes rather slow.

I have a very dear friend (Mrs. E.B. Cooke), in Stanley, Conn., who is also making a Horoscope quilt and I have been sending her the patterns. She has been in the hospital for the last three months with a broken arm and leg, so has not been able to finish her quilt. She is 86 years old and coming here to the Contest to bring her quilt but had not sent in her membership as I am sending it in for her.
Harriet Moss Vogel
6456 Trumbull, Detroit, Mich.

You will be glad to know that the Contest has been postponed, Mrs. Vogel, for now I feel sure that you will have time to finish that Horoscope quilt. I am so glad that you find is such an attractive pattern.

I hope that your friend, Mrs. Cooke, will be able to attend the Contest and know that the postponement will be good news to her. Thank you for sending in her membership.

Just a line to let you know I am still listening in each Wednesday and enjoy the broadcasts and the Corner very much. I must have had a letter read over the radio while on my vacation as I received some lovely letters and was shown a lovely Horoscope quilt made by Mrs. Fobar.

I wish to thank everyone for all the help I have received. Our branch of the Corner meets every Thursday. I have my Trip on the frames to finish if for the Contest. My Trip is not like any I have seen so far, but I want so very much to enter it. This is my first attempt at quilting and there will be so many perfect ones. Do you think I should enter it?

I am working on the Four Leaf Cover, Double Wedding Ring, Dresden Plate and about a dozen other patterns which I have secured from members.

I have three antique pieced quilts over a hunder years old, and a silk quilt about 55 years. It is machine made, but it is very pretty and if permissble will enter it also.
Dorothy Sheets.

As far as I can see, you are coming into the Contest just loaded with quilts and tops. Even if you do not get all of your quilts you can bring the tops and do bring every one of those old, old quilts. They sound so interesting. Thank you for writing again.

I listened in to my first radio program last Wednesday, and was very glas to hear that there would be a corner for finished tops. I am working very hard to get my Horoscope top completed so that I may have it, and the Flower Garden and Dresden Plate ready for the Contest. Mrs. F.H.P., whom I met through the Column, called on me recently, and I enjoyed her visit very much. Her Horoscope is beautiful.

Would Mrs. Dochow, of Mt. Clemens, who wrote to the Column a couple of weeks ago, care to call om me? I would like to compare quilts with her.
Mrs. W.C.P., 130 Mill, Mt. Clemens, Michigan.

There should be no reason why you do not finish your Horoscope top now, with so much more time to work on it and I am so happy to know that you plan on entering it.

No doubt you will now hear from Mrs. Dochow and you will probably have a very pleasant time comparing quilts and patterns.

I am putting the designs for the border of the Horoscope quilt about 5 1/2" apart. It takes 32. I have 15 of them embroidered, so you see I have a lot to do before the middle of October. I am using the chain stitch.

I have no prints at all in my quilt. Have all plain white designs on the blue and plain percale in pastel tints for the star. It is very effective, and most unusual. I am working hard to have it completed for the Contest.

Everywhere I go I take my border and embroider all the time I am there. On one of the patterns it speaks of a three-inch strip that connects the border to the quilt. Is this strip blue?

This is the first quilt I ever made and I am very proud of it. I enjoy every minute I work on it. I am going to make the Flower Garden quilt next.
Mrs. Dixon.
Berkley, Mich.

That strip you mention may or may not be used but it would be a good idea to have it blue if your border is white and the binding blue.

You are certainly enjoying making your Horoscope quilt and by now you must have a lot of those little designs finished. Thank you so much for writing and do write again, please.

Mr. and Mrs. H. Robert Otis announce the engagement of their daughter Christine, to Francis J. Hock, son of Mrs. Margaret Hock. No date has been set for the wedding.

Courtesy of The Detroit News Archives.