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Unusual Friendship Quilt for Indiana Member

January 7, 1935
Detroit News Quilt History Project; Michigan State University Museum; Susan Salser
Detroit, Michigan, United States
A Quilt Club Corner column including a coupon for Quilt Club membership and letters from Quilt Club members.
Unusual Friendship Quilt for Indiana Member
Insert shows Mrs. Harry Purcell with the Friendship quilts which she prizes so highly. There are 25 different blocks in this quilt, each in a different color scheme and design. The gift was a complete surprise to Mrs. Purcell and is being greatly cherished by her.
New Members Are Urged to Send Applications


By Edith B. Crumb

From the time that Mrs. Harry Purcell, 426 N Armstrong Street, Kokomo, Indiana first wrote to the Quilt Club Corner she began to make new friends and lasting ones. If you remember, Mrs. Purcell came to the first Quilt Show and there met many of those with whom she had corresponded and not long after that, at Christmas time, she received a package from Detroit and in it was this friendship quilt, each block being made by one of her new friends.

This year when Mrs. Purcell made her trip to the second Detroit news quilt show, she brought this friendship quilts with her. She wanted everyone to see it for she was so happy about it.

There are 25 blocks in it. Some you will recognize as being News patterns, and there are two that welcoming doorway in Nancy Brown Column House. Some are applique, some are piecework and there are bits of embroidery here and there on several. Each has the name of the giver embroidered with the date, which is December, 1933.

This quilt has an attractive assembly of colors and that it has become precious to Mrs. Purcell there can be no doubt. I wouldn't be surprised if she brought it up next year quilted.

It seems queer to see a block from Mrs. Fisher (which is the Horoscope design in the second row) without seeing one from Mrs. Galton right beside it. But I looked at the date and Mrs. Fishers block is dated December 10, 1983 and these sisters were not reunited until December 13.

I haven't said anything about membership for a long, long time, but now that the New Year has started and we are all back at quilt making I think that we ought to have many, many new members. The little coupon only has to be filled in and slipped in an envelope and mailed to the Quilt Club Corner or the Beauty in the Home Department.

Liked Radio Party.
Dear Miss Crumb: Now that was just the best kind of 'swishing"- I surely expected you to swish right in on me, and had my very best smile ready to welcome you and Miss Davis and was so sorry when your visit did not come west, but surely was glad that you had really found time to travel so fast and far, for you know you surely have a loyal following.

The musical part of your visit was a treat- I enjoyed it so much. I hope you will again find time to "turn a page in the air". I have just take one of my many quilts off the frame. It looks very nice, although I do not design to be a grand quilter.

I hope you received my last letter in which I told you how I missed the Corner while you were away- and right here I want to tell you since I really have become acquainted with your Quilt Corner and so many of the lovely women that go to make up its membership, I for one truly would miss if it ceased to exist, so if a letter now and then from me will help keep it going, I here and now promise to find some time to get it written even if you cannot find space for it.

I just read Grans letter. She's a dear. I owe here a letter and it is going out with yours. I am so glad she liked her quilts and I do think they were nice.

I'm getting ready to make the twin quilts of the little girl and little boy quilts. You see, I have two little grandchildren- Jo-Ann and Donald Jr., just past 1- I know they will enjoy such quilts. I would love to hear from any of the women quilters I met at the show. I will answer their letters. I have already heard from several and its fun exchanging ideas, likes and goodwill.

Mrs. Marian Areeta Ridler
7055 Senator avenue, Detroit, Michigan

That was a very breathtaking radio party, Mrs. Ridler, and it was impossible to visit every one in a few minutes no matter how fast we swished. I am glad you enjoyed the program and thank you for writing in to it.

Your grandchildren will be thrilled with the Brother-Sister quilts, I am sure.

The friends you met at the show will, no doubt, drop you a few lines and the first thing you know you will have a long line of correspondence but don't forget to write to the Corner, will you?

Beauty in the Home Editor:
Please enter my name as a member of the Beauty in the Home Quilt Club.

Name………………
Street and number……………
City………………………State…………………

Courtesy of The Detroit News Archives.

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