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Antiques and Works of Beauty of Pioneer Times and Today Grace The News Quilt Show in Naval Armory
November 17, 1933
Detroit News Quilt History Project; Michigan State University Museum; Susan Salser
Detroit, Michigan, United States
An article about quilts on view at the Detroit News Quilt Contest.
Antiques and Works of Beauty of Pioneer Times and Today Grace The News Quilt Show in Naval Armory
THIS QUILT, made in Virginia in 1852, and entered in the exhibit by Mrs. P. A. Herbert, 3669 Collingwood avenue, attracted Geraldine Drake, 6610 Lafayette avenue east.
“PRETTY enough to be worn,” remarked Catherine Ulrich, 835 East Grand Boulevard, as she inspected one of the more spectacular quilts in The News show.
THE FINE NEEDLEWORK and design of one of the antique entries won the admiration of Mary Lou Noah, Mary Joe Schrage and Mary Lou Schrage, early visitors at The News’ quilt show in the Naval Armory.
ROW upon row of quilts, the work of both pioneer women and modern artists of needle and thread, are on exhibit at the show. Above, a group of early visitors.
Quilts of Every Design, Old and Modern on View
By GARNET WARFEL.
With more than 1,500 quilts of every known variety, stitch and design hung the length and several times the breadth of the Naval Armory, 7600 Jefferson avenue, the place has changed overnight from any semblance of what it might have been, to something that looks for all the world like wash day for the giants.
However, the bedding thus displayed belongs to no race of supermen. It is the set-up for The Detroit News Quilt contest and show, which opened at noon today. The show will be open from noon to 10 p.m. today, Saturday and Sunday.
Seventy huge racks, each with four rods, stand filled with quilts. It is unlike any other exhibit ever seen in the city, if not in the entire country, and from virtually every part of the country, and from many of the fine old treasure chests in the city, have come the splendid specimens that stand ready on parade for Detroit’s approval.
MRS. LINCOLN’S QUILT.
A quilt made by Mrs. Lincoln, one made by the grandmother of the late President McKinley; quilts made by 10 year-old boys and some made by blind women; quilts whose histories are associated with the covered wagon days and the perilous times of the Indian wars; quilts stitched with sentiment and bearing remnants of bridal finery and quilts so revered by the families that have had them for several generations they never before have been loaned—give some idea of the gigantic affair and its scope of entries.
There isn’t any doubt that Detroit has gone quilt conscious. For weeks and weeks needles have been flying in order that other pieces could be added to the show, and the result is little less than bewildering. Horoscope patterns, with the 12 signs of the zodiac pieced or appliqued; flower garden, Jacob’s ladder, peek-a-boo, winger square, prairie queen, Philadelphia pavement, Handy Andy and trip-around-the-world designs are hung all over the place.
These are the new quilts and are made from The Detroit News patterns. One whole section is for the antiques and still another for incompleted quilt tops, and hand woven coverlets.
INTERESTING HISTORIES.
There isn’t a quilt in the entire antique exhibit but what has an interesting history. It will take the women who like to quilt and who like to see other women’s quilts, hours and hours to get around. And then they’ll want to be back, and they’ll have the chance, as the show will be open until Sunday evening at 10 o’clock.
There’ll be a lot of talk about “the patience it must have taken,” when some of the antiques with their thousands of pieces, are viewed. But modern woman doesn’t lose sight of the fact that quilting was to grandma what the movies, bridge, the radio and automobiles are to you!
The show undoubtedly will revive a lot of forgotten ideas, and at least one old American custom. For all the women plan to bring pockets full of quilt patches to exchange with somebody else.
In fact, the show is going to be much more than just a show. It’s going to be a round-up of women who still love the fine old art of needlework, and it’s going to make a lot of people realize the beauty and charm in a hand-made quilt.
SOME CHOICE ENTRIES.
Just a few of the “plums” the visitors will want to see are:
The quilt entered by Mrs. H. Allwardt, 9831 Dundee avenue. It was made in 1848 by President McKinley’s grandmother.
The antique entered by James S. Wellsley, 3187 Benson street, and made by his grandmother in 1870 when she was blind.
The find antique made at Salem, S. D., in 1878 by one of the first white women to homestead in the state. It is entered by Ella L. Bartlett, 2001 Burlingame avenue.
The entry of Mrs. G. E. Rogers, 1154 McKinstry avenue, a quilt made in 1876 for the Philadelphia Center. It has 4, 560 blocks.
One of the oldest, a quilt made by Polly Thompson, at Braintree, Mass., 135 years ago. It was entered by Mrs. E. A. Ludden, 2174 Seminole avenue. Ruth Rocheleau, 18833 Hanna street, Melvindale, has entered a quilt made in 1847, the first one used in a log cabin on a farm 15 miles north of the trading post that is now Grand Rapids.
Mrs. Anne Ignastak, 6830 Townsend avenue, entered an antique made from some of the prints that were the first production of the southern cotton mills.
Because Mrs. Russell Fish only had the use of one hand when she made a quilt in 1865, this article, entered by Shirley N. Fisk, 3761 Wager avenue, will attract much interest.
Mrs. Violet Avey, of R. R. No. 2 Milan, Mich., entered a red and white quilt made by Mrs. Lincoln. It was given to Mrs. Lincoln’s friend at Springfield and in return the friend cooked the last meal Mrs. Lincoln ate in that city before going to the White House. The friend later gave the treasure to Mrs. Avey’s mother.
DYED SUGAR SACKS.
One new quilt was made entirely from dyed sugar sacks and Mrs. Charles Phelps, 12650 Coyle avenue, is exhibiting a quilt made of 13,394 pieces.
Mrs. Charles Pierson, of Kalamazoo, has entered a quilt made by the grand-daughter of Stephen Hopkins, of Rhode Island, a signer of the Declaration of Independence. Miss Hopkin’s fiancé was killed and she never finished the quilt, made from homespun material.
And who said men weren’t interested? Lieut. B. T. Morrow, 735 Lake Shore road, Grosse Pointe Shores, entered a quilt made in the South Carolina bills in 1784. The top and lining are homespun and home woven on a home-made loom. The warp and filling also are homespun and it is quilted with homespun thread.
One of the new quilts was made by a blind woman 80 years old. It was entered by Jennie Jambeau, 160 Emmons boulevard, Wyandotte.
Mrs. Kathleen Dittman, 10511 Bryden avenue, entered a quilt started during the great Indian mutiny of 1857. It was made from soldiers’ uniforms by disabled soldiers at Aldershot, England.
There are quilts from Texas, Oklahoma, New York, Ohio, and other states as well as from every part of Michigan.
No one ever saw so many quilts under one roof. You’ll just have to come out sometime—before Sunday night.
Courtesy of The Detroit News Archives.
THIS QUILT, made in Virginia in 1852, and entered in the exhibit by Mrs. P. A. Herbert, 3669 Collingwood avenue, attracted Geraldine Drake, 6610 Lafayette avenue east.
“PRETTY enough to be worn,” remarked Catherine Ulrich, 835 East Grand Boulevard, as she inspected one of the more spectacular quilts in The News show.
THE FINE NEEDLEWORK and design of one of the antique entries won the admiration of Mary Lou Noah, Mary Joe Schrage and Mary Lou Schrage, early visitors at The News’ quilt show in the Naval Armory.
ROW upon row of quilts, the work of both pioneer women and modern artists of needle and thread, are on exhibit at the show. Above, a group of early visitors.
Quilts of Every Design, Old and Modern on View
By GARNET WARFEL.
With more than 1,500 quilts of every known variety, stitch and design hung the length and several times the breadth of the Naval Armory, 7600 Jefferson avenue, the place has changed overnight from any semblance of what it might have been, to something that looks for all the world like wash day for the giants.
However, the bedding thus displayed belongs to no race of supermen. It is the set-up for The Detroit News Quilt contest and show, which opened at noon today. The show will be open from noon to 10 p.m. today, Saturday and Sunday.
Seventy huge racks, each with four rods, stand filled with quilts. It is unlike any other exhibit ever seen in the city, if not in the entire country, and from virtually every part of the country, and from many of the fine old treasure chests in the city, have come the splendid specimens that stand ready on parade for Detroit’s approval.
MRS. LINCOLN’S QUILT.
A quilt made by Mrs. Lincoln, one made by the grandmother of the late President McKinley; quilts made by 10 year-old boys and some made by blind women; quilts whose histories are associated with the covered wagon days and the perilous times of the Indian wars; quilts stitched with sentiment and bearing remnants of bridal finery and quilts so revered by the families that have had them for several generations they never before have been loaned—give some idea of the gigantic affair and its scope of entries.
There isn’t any doubt that Detroit has gone quilt conscious. For weeks and weeks needles have been flying in order that other pieces could be added to the show, and the result is little less than bewildering. Horoscope patterns, with the 12 signs of the zodiac pieced or appliqued; flower garden, Jacob’s ladder, peek-a-boo, winger square, prairie queen, Philadelphia pavement, Handy Andy and trip-around-the-world designs are hung all over the place.
These are the new quilts and are made from The Detroit News patterns. One whole section is for the antiques and still another for incompleted quilt tops, and hand woven coverlets.
INTERESTING HISTORIES.
There isn’t a quilt in the entire antique exhibit but what has an interesting history. It will take the women who like to quilt and who like to see other women’s quilts, hours and hours to get around. And then they’ll want to be back, and they’ll have the chance, as the show will be open until Sunday evening at 10 o’clock.
There’ll be a lot of talk about “the patience it must have taken,” when some of the antiques with their thousands of pieces, are viewed. But modern woman doesn’t lose sight of the fact that quilting was to grandma what the movies, bridge, the radio and automobiles are to you!
The show undoubtedly will revive a lot of forgotten ideas, and at least one old American custom. For all the women plan to bring pockets full of quilt patches to exchange with somebody else.
In fact, the show is going to be much more than just a show. It’s going to be a round-up of women who still love the fine old art of needlework, and it’s going to make a lot of people realize the beauty and charm in a hand-made quilt.
SOME CHOICE ENTRIES.
Just a few of the “plums” the visitors will want to see are:
The quilt entered by Mrs. H. Allwardt, 9831 Dundee avenue. It was made in 1848 by President McKinley’s grandmother.
The antique entered by James S. Wellsley, 3187 Benson street, and made by his grandmother in 1870 when she was blind.
The find antique made at Salem, S. D., in 1878 by one of the first white women to homestead in the state. It is entered by Ella L. Bartlett, 2001 Burlingame avenue.
The entry of Mrs. G. E. Rogers, 1154 McKinstry avenue, a quilt made in 1876 for the Philadelphia Center. It has 4, 560 blocks.
One of the oldest, a quilt made by Polly Thompson, at Braintree, Mass., 135 years ago. It was entered by Mrs. E. A. Ludden, 2174 Seminole avenue. Ruth Rocheleau, 18833 Hanna street, Melvindale, has entered a quilt made in 1847, the first one used in a log cabin on a farm 15 miles north of the trading post that is now Grand Rapids.
Mrs. Anne Ignastak, 6830 Townsend avenue, entered an antique made from some of the prints that were the first production of the southern cotton mills.
Because Mrs. Russell Fish only had the use of one hand when she made a quilt in 1865, this article, entered by Shirley N. Fisk, 3761 Wager avenue, will attract much interest.
Mrs. Violet Avey, of R. R. No. 2 Milan, Mich., entered a red and white quilt made by Mrs. Lincoln. It was given to Mrs. Lincoln’s friend at Springfield and in return the friend cooked the last meal Mrs. Lincoln ate in that city before going to the White House. The friend later gave the treasure to Mrs. Avey’s mother.
DYED SUGAR SACKS.
One new quilt was made entirely from dyed sugar sacks and Mrs. Charles Phelps, 12650 Coyle avenue, is exhibiting a quilt made of 13,394 pieces.
Mrs. Charles Pierson, of Kalamazoo, has entered a quilt made by the grand-daughter of Stephen Hopkins, of Rhode Island, a signer of the Declaration of Independence. Miss Hopkin’s fiancé was killed and she never finished the quilt, made from homespun material.
And who said men weren’t interested? Lieut. B. T. Morrow, 735 Lake Shore road, Grosse Pointe Shores, entered a quilt made in the South Carolina bills in 1784. The top and lining are homespun and home woven on a home-made loom. The warp and filling also are homespun and it is quilted with homespun thread.
One of the new quilts was made by a blind woman 80 years old. It was entered by Jennie Jambeau, 160 Emmons boulevard, Wyandotte.
Mrs. Kathleen Dittman, 10511 Bryden avenue, entered a quilt started during the great Indian mutiny of 1857. It was made from soldiers’ uniforms by disabled soldiers at Aldershot, England.
There are quilts from Texas, Oklahoma, New York, Ohio, and other states as well as from every part of Michigan.
No one ever saw so many quilts under one roof. You’ll just have to come out sometime—before Sunday night.
Courtesy of The Detroit News Archives.
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