BACK TO PUBLICATIONS

50,000 Visitors Attended News Quilt Club Exhibit

December 03, 1933
Detroit News Quilt History Project; Michigan State University Museum; Susan Salser
Detroit, Michigan, United States
Article discussing the amount of visitors who attended The Detroit News Quilt Contest and Show. There is also a poem about quilts sent in by a Quilt Club Corner member.
50,000 Visitors Attended News Quilt Club Exhibit
By EDITH B. CRUMB.

THERE have been so many letters asking how many attended the exhibit that I thought you would like to know that there were almost 50,000 in the three days. This was asked by a good many upstate, out-of-state and Canadian readers who were unable to attend. And now, “out-of-towners,” don’t you wish that you could have been among those interested visitors?

Everyone seemed to find the array of colors fascinating, the stitches interesting, and I heard a good many remark that they intended to start a quilt right away—even those who had never made one before getting the fever. Fifty thousand people can’t be wrong, and if that many are interested to the art. Try your hand at it and there will be no cure for you. One quilt does not satisfy you, for you will go on making quilts and quilts and quilts. You will not only be making one, but have several cut and basted so that there will be no monotony about your occupation.

Another question that several have asked is “How many Double Wedding Rings, Dresden Plates, Horoscopes and Trips Around the World quilts were in the exhibit?” So, between now and next Sunday, when it is nice and quiet in my office, I will sit down with my records and count off these patterns that were entered and let you know which was the most popular one. You guess and see if you are right.

Did you look at the exhibit from the balcony? That was a good location to get a general view of the entire show and made you feel as if you were looking down on a huge flower garden.

And now for the letters from the Quilt Club readers! The first is a poem from Mrs. Purcell, of Kokomo, and I am sure you will enjoy it, for it is just full of the names of old-time quilt patterns.

PATCHWORK THOUGHTS.
Daniel Webster says a quilt is just a covering for a bed,
But I don’t agree one bit with what Mr. Webster said.
To me, a quilt is like a gorgeous fairy dream,
With memories interwoven, like a sparkling, winding stream.
Gay colors, odd-shaped pieces, set all in a row
Takes one cross the years to names of long ago.
“Mother’s Dream” of lovely “Pine Trees,” “Weeping Willows,” “Roses” red.
And the dear “Old-Fashioned Nosegay” father gave her when they wed.
“Double Wedding Ring” and “Bridal Stairway,” “Bride’s Bouquet” and “Diamond Ring.”
At “The Village Church,” wed by “Jack-in-the-Pulpit,” how the choir did chant and sing!
On the “Road to California” they in search of “Gold Bricks” went.
“The Wagon Wheel” and “Broken Saw,” on which many hours were spent.
All along “The Mohawk Trail,” out to the land of the “Navago,”
“The Chief,” and many others, at the hour of “Sunset” glow.
Many are the names and happenings of our history through the years.
Many pains and laughter, bringing
(Concluded on Next Page)

(Concluded From Preceding Page)
“Sunshine” through the tears.
When “Aunt Malvina’s Chain” was stolen, ‘twas a “Puzzle” to find whom
The guilty party was, especially when he hid in old “Grant’s Tomb.”
When the “Virginia Reel” was danced in the “Cabin in the Cotton,”
When the folks in the “Old Homestead” didn’t want to be forgotten,
“Honeymoon Cottage,” “The House Upon the Hill,”
And the “Little Red School House”—every one are standing still.
In “The Melon Patch” the boys would hide, until way late at night.
Fearing that the “Twisted Rope” would get them, to the “Crossroads” they would run,
Laughing, joking, staying hidden from “Starlight” to “Setting Sun.”
The “Dresden Plate,” “The Cup and Saucer,” “Sugar Bowl” and “Pickle Dish,”
Ready to set on a table and hold “Four Frogs” and a “Fish,”
Oh, the “Easy Way” to “Memory,” going by the “Patchwork” route.
Hardly anything is missing, not a happening left out.
Watching as the “Hour Glass,” slowly sifts its grains of sand.
In an “Endless Chain” the years roll by, toward the promised land.
The “Star of the East” still guides us, as it did the Three Wise Men.
And upon “The Road to Damascus” we would like our way to wend;
Where the glad cry of “Hosanna” will be heard from sky to ground,
Where the many peoples gather there to join “All Hands Around.”
So while I am at home and by the fireside stay,
With my pieces and my patterns, I will while the hours away.
FRANCES PURCELL.

Thank you Mrs. Purcell, for writing in that interesting poem. To the old time quilt-makers it will bring back many forgotten patterns and to the new ones it will be fascinating to know of the many odd names. I hope that you will continue to write to the Corner.

JUST a few lines to tell you how much I enjoyed visiting the Quilt Exhibition. It was such a beautiful sight and the antique quilts, weren’t they simply beautiful? I spent two days at the Contest and was sorry that I couldn’t spend more. I can’t believe I will ever forget all the lovely quilts I saw there.

I hope we will be able to have another show next year. I am in favor of having an embroidery section, too.

It was so much fun meeting some of the members. And a lot of fun exchanging patches. I brought such pretty patches home, although I did not get a chance to exchange with Beatrice or Miss Crumb.

I would love to have one of the silhouettes you mentioned Tuesday over the radio. How may we obtain them?

Wasn’t it nice of Gran to come to the exhibit so that we all could meet her. She was a sweet person I am going to start making my quilts for the next exhibit and we hope that there will be an entry from Miss Crumb and Mrs. Mishler.

Come on, members, let’s make the Corner bigger and keep the fires burning. May the next year bring a lot of new members to the Corner, the more the merrier. So come on, members, let us all do our part for the Corner.

I want to congratulate the prize winners and thank The Detroit News for giving us something that will take a long time to forget, The Detroit News Quilt Exhibit.
MRS. MARY STROBILIUS,
17457 Lumpkin,
Detroit, Mich.

I am so happy to know that you had such an enjoyable time at the exhibit and liked it well enough to attend two days. Now I am wondering what pattern you will use for the quilt you intend to make with the patches you have exchanged.

If you will send a self-addressed, stamped envelope measuring about 5x6 inches. I will be only too glad to send you a silhouette of the little patchwork lady. I should think that every Quilt Club Corner member would want to have one framed for her home.

Yes, Gran seemed to have a good time and I am so glad that it was possible for her to attend. In spite of the weather she attended two days (Friday and Sunday) and said that she would be willing to be (word unclear) just as much again if she could have such a good time.

Your suggestions about having a section for embroidery is very good and something to think over for next year. I realize that there are a good many sewers who like to embroider, but do not care to make quilts (just because they have never started one, of course, but judging from the thousands of Wonder Packages that have been sold I should think that there would be a large embroidery display. Thank you for the suggestion; and I know that you will write often to the Corner.

Courtesy of The Detroit News Archives.
6268.1.8

Load More

img