January 04, 1934

Detroit News Quilt History Project; Michigan State University Museum; Susan Salser; Lynne Charlet; Harriet Clarke

Detroit, Michigan, United States

Article discussing a quilt from The Detroit News Quilt Contest and Exhibit. Additionally, there are letters from Quilt Club Corner members, a membership blank to join the Quilt Club, and an advertisement for the first leaflet in the Old-Fashioned Nosegay quilt pattern.

Quilt Club Corner.
Unusually Fine Stitches Enchance Quilt Beauty
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.

PATIENCE time and the most careful planning went into the making of the quilt shown in the accompanying illustration. This was one of the ribbon award quilts at The Detroit News Quilt Contest and was entered by Mrs. L. Lutton, 1297 Newport avenue, Detroit. It was made by Jane Lutton who was born in 1803 and is an example of very fine needlework.

Old red and brown calicos combined with white go to make the pattern in this quilt and the tiny triangles and squares must have required considerable time in assembling.

Every corner is true and precision has been carried on throughout the quilt, making the whole an unusually fine piece of craftsmanship.

Not only has the piecing been beautifully done, but the quilting stands out equally well executed. There are squares of quilting on the white blocks, made by lines not more than half an inch apart and anyone who has had any experience in quilting will realize that this style, while simple, is difficult to achieve for it must be kept very even throughout.

The border is quilted in a diamond pattern, this being a pleasing contrast with the squares.

Often when one examines a quilt there is evidence of more than one quilter having worked on it for there will be as many styles of stitches as there are needlewomen, but because this is the same throughout. Jane Lutton must have done it alone and reveled in her accomplishment for in her day it must have stood out among quilts as it does in this generation.

In the Sunday Quilt Club Corner you will find a list of five of the popular quilts at the Contest. It will tell you how many Dresden Plate, Flower Garden, Double Wedding Ring, Trip Around the World and Horoscope quilts there were entered. So many have wanted to know and between now and Sunday you might guess how many there were of each of these and see how nearly correct you are. Every pattern was represented, of course, but these were the most popular.

There are many, many new members in the Quilt Club and thousands of the new Nosegay Quilt patterns are being sent out so I know that there will be a great many busy quilt-makers in the next few months. How do you think you are going to like the new design?

Sees Cousin’s Letter.
I had such a cold that I did not get in to enter my quilts but hope for better luck next time. Please keep our corner going. We all enjoy it so much. I saw a letter from a cousin in Kentucky that I haven’t seen in 30 years, a Mrs. Una Chipman.
MRS. JAMES MOONEY.
Mt. Clemens, Mich.

If there is a Contest next year, Mrs. Mooney, I hope that nothing prevents your entering a quilt.

We will do everything possible to keep the corner going; but it is really up to the quilt-makers, for nothing but letters will “feed” this hungry space in the paper and I hope that you will send in a note or letter occasionally.

Did you write to your cousin in Kentucky? If so, she must have been surprised to find out how you learned of her.

Thinks Choice Difficult.
I just have to write and let you know what an enjoyable evening I spent at the quilt Exhibit. I thought the quilts were beautiful and I am afraid that it would be a very difficult task to select the prettiest one from among so many. What a busy time you must have had arranging them in their places.
MRS. RUSSELL.
219 N. Grinnell, Detroit, Mich.

Thank you for writing and telling about enjoying the Exhibit and I think, as you did, that I must have been very difficult to select the prize winners. The arranging of the quilts certainly kept seven of us busy for many hours.

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.

Courtesy of The Detroit News Archives.

6119.43.43; 6268.1.10