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Star Shower Quilt Pattern
May 24, 1938
Detroit News Quilt History Project; Michigan State University Museum; Susan Salser
Detroit, Michigan, United States
A pattern for the Star Shower quilt.
The Detroit News
Public Service Bureau
Radio Station WWJ The Home Newspaper Interior Decoration
Star Shower Quilt Pattern
Here is a different design for a quilt, in which the familiar eight-pointed star is used. This pattern is simple but effective and may be arranged many ways to make attractive quilts. It is suggested that every block be the same and put together without alternating plain blocks or joining strips.
There are 24 patches in each block and they are easy to put together, though at first it might appear that there is a "catch" to it if the patch marked "A" is put in wrong. Not that only one corner of this patch is a true right-angled triangle, and that corner is the one which fits into the darker material that goes to make up the eight-pointed star. If this patch is put in wrong the whole block will be crooked and puckery and simply will not come out right.
For those who prefer plain colors, this quilt may be made up in greens. Either three tints of green, the lightest a very pale tint, of course, or two tints of green and white.
While greens have been suggested for this quilt, it is possible to use many other color combinations, some in contrast, such as Turkey red for the center star, bright green for the cornere ponts and yellow for the remainder.
Plain materials do not need to be used for there are many fine sprigged designs in percale that would work up beautifully in a quilt block of this type.
The old Turkey red, bright green and yellow scheme is such an old one which, if used today, gives a brand new quilt an aged effect and specially appropriate for use with maple and pine furniture.
For those who prefer to have yellow as the predominating color in their quilts, it is suggested that the large central star be of yellow ground percale or calico with a small sprigged design in black and bright red, the corner points and also those squares which join them may be dull green ground percale with a small black and yellow design and the remainder of the patches may be plain Turkey red.
Two shades or tints of any color and white or cream may be sued; but one should remember that while medium and light blue or the same tints of green are pleasing, two of red are not and this combination should be avoided.
One should be very sure that all materials are color fast, for it is not wise to put a great deal of time and craftsmanship on material which is not worthy of it. A quilt is for use and therefore must stand laundering without the result of colors running.
In cutting patches, one should cut on the dotted lines, and the sewing should be done on the straight lines or one-fourth an inch from the edge. All seams should be made with a very fine running stitch, using a small needle and fine thread. Instead of putting knots in the thread, the thread should be run in and out or made into a fine over-and-over stitch to start, and when finishing the same method may be used. Many old-time quilt-makers not only make this kind of seams but, in addition, they press these seams out flat and overcast them. Such a seam never comes out. This, of course, would require a great amount of time, and is not necessary if the seams are made with stitches which are close together.
If the quilt top is soiled, it should be laundered before it is quilted. But the material which is to be used on the back of the quilt should also be laundered, so that when the completed quilt is laundered, the front and back will wash with equal shrinkage, which should be very little the second time. If the top is laundered and the back is not, then when the quilt is laundered the back will shrink considerably more than the front and cause the latter to pucker.
In quilting this design, all that is necessary is to quilt around each block within an eighth or quarter of an inch of the seams. This will give a quilt pattern on the bank of the quilt which repeats that on the top.
The blocks are nine inches square, and if there are seven blocks across the quilt and eight down the length there will be 56 blocks in all and the quilt will measure approximately 63x72 inches. Then if a nine-inch bordr is added the completed quilt will measure approximately 81x90 inches.
Materials required are as follows:
2 1/2 yards dark green.
4 1/2 yards white.
3 1/2 yard light green.
3 yards for the border (this may be of lightest green or white).
7 1/2 yards for the back of the quilt.
For a quilt of all plain colors as suggested, it is interesting if the back of the quilt is made of harmonizing material in a tiny print.
The Completed Block Is Nine Inches Square
1936-ID73 (See other side)
Cut 4 Light Green
Cut 8 White
A-Cut 4 Light Green
Cut 8 Dark Green
Read "The Colonel's Lady and Others" By Judy O'Grady, Every Day In The Detroit News
Courtesy of The Detroit News Archives.
Public Service Bureau
Radio Station WWJ The Home Newspaper Interior Decoration
Star Shower Quilt Pattern
Here is a different design for a quilt, in which the familiar eight-pointed star is used. This pattern is simple but effective and may be arranged many ways to make attractive quilts. It is suggested that every block be the same and put together without alternating plain blocks or joining strips.
There are 24 patches in each block and they are easy to put together, though at first it might appear that there is a "catch" to it if the patch marked "A" is put in wrong. Not that only one corner of this patch is a true right-angled triangle, and that corner is the one which fits into the darker material that goes to make up the eight-pointed star. If this patch is put in wrong the whole block will be crooked and puckery and simply will not come out right.
For those who prefer plain colors, this quilt may be made up in greens. Either three tints of green, the lightest a very pale tint, of course, or two tints of green and white.
While greens have been suggested for this quilt, it is possible to use many other color combinations, some in contrast, such as Turkey red for the center star, bright green for the cornere ponts and yellow for the remainder.
Plain materials do not need to be used for there are many fine sprigged designs in percale that would work up beautifully in a quilt block of this type.
The old Turkey red, bright green and yellow scheme is such an old one which, if used today, gives a brand new quilt an aged effect and specially appropriate for use with maple and pine furniture.
For those who prefer to have yellow as the predominating color in their quilts, it is suggested that the large central star be of yellow ground percale or calico with a small sprigged design in black and bright red, the corner points and also those squares which join them may be dull green ground percale with a small black and yellow design and the remainder of the patches may be plain Turkey red.
Two shades or tints of any color and white or cream may be sued; but one should remember that while medium and light blue or the same tints of green are pleasing, two of red are not and this combination should be avoided.
One should be very sure that all materials are color fast, for it is not wise to put a great deal of time and craftsmanship on material which is not worthy of it. A quilt is for use and therefore must stand laundering without the result of colors running.
In cutting patches, one should cut on the dotted lines, and the sewing should be done on the straight lines or one-fourth an inch from the edge. All seams should be made with a very fine running stitch, using a small needle and fine thread. Instead of putting knots in the thread, the thread should be run in and out or made into a fine over-and-over stitch to start, and when finishing the same method may be used. Many old-time quilt-makers not only make this kind of seams but, in addition, they press these seams out flat and overcast them. Such a seam never comes out. This, of course, would require a great amount of time, and is not necessary if the seams are made with stitches which are close together.
If the quilt top is soiled, it should be laundered before it is quilted. But the material which is to be used on the back of the quilt should also be laundered, so that when the completed quilt is laundered, the front and back will wash with equal shrinkage, which should be very little the second time. If the top is laundered and the back is not, then when the quilt is laundered the back will shrink considerably more than the front and cause the latter to pucker.
In quilting this design, all that is necessary is to quilt around each block within an eighth or quarter of an inch of the seams. This will give a quilt pattern on the bank of the quilt which repeats that on the top.
The blocks are nine inches square, and if there are seven blocks across the quilt and eight down the length there will be 56 blocks in all and the quilt will measure approximately 63x72 inches. Then if a nine-inch bordr is added the completed quilt will measure approximately 81x90 inches.
Materials required are as follows:
2 1/2 yards dark green.
4 1/2 yards white.
3 1/2 yard light green.
3 yards for the border (this may be of lightest green or white).
7 1/2 yards for the back of the quilt.
For a quilt of all plain colors as suggested, it is interesting if the back of the quilt is made of harmonizing material in a tiny print.
The Completed Block Is Nine Inches Square
1936-ID73 (See other side)
Cut 4 Light Green
Cut 8 White
A-Cut 4 Light Green
Cut 8 Dark Green
Read "The Colonel's Lady and Others" By Judy O'Grady, Every Day In The Detroit News
Courtesy of The Detroit News Archives.
2016:5.74
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Legacy
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Quiltmaker
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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...
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