May 14, 1935

Detroit News Quilt History Project; Michigan State University Museum; Susan Salser

Detroit, Michigan, United States

A Beauty in the Home column including letters from Quilt Club members and an advertisement for the first Leaflet of the Laurel Wreath quilt pattern series.

Baby Quilt Has Design of Interest to Youngster

By Edith B. Crumb

Every time I hear of a quilt which I think is interesting or unusual, I make an attempt to have a picture taken of it so that I can show it to you in the column.

Well, at least Mrs. E. R. Albers, 2575 Richton avenue, was in the office and told about a quilt that had been sent to her six months old daughter, Celia Catherine. I asked Mrs. Alberta if she would bring it in Monday and have it photographed and she was kind enough to come down with it yesterday but it was not the kind of quilt that would photograph.

However, I will describe it to you. One side was of a lovely tint of blue silk and the other a delicate pink and instead of being of applique or piecework it was just quilted. This is a very charming kind of quilt to have but it does not photograph clearly.

Mts. Charles Webber, Jr. out in Syracuse, Neb., is Celia Catherine's aunt Eunice and she spent a great deal of time and patience in designing the quilt. She cut pictures of a boy and girl out of papers and magazines; The boy she calls Jim and the girl Sue and she has shown them making a garden.

All about these children are birds, butterflies, flowers, dogs, geese, rabbits, and there is even a big old owl perched on the branch of a tree.

The designs have been so placed to tell a fascinating story and I know that Celia Catherine is going to have lots of fun looking at this quilt and imagining many little tales which might be told about the various motifs.

The quilt is beautifully made and I only hope that Mrs. Webber will make another quilt some time and that it will be either piece work or applique so that we can have a picture taken of it and put it in the Quilt Club corner.

She Eats and Listens.
Dear Miss Crumb and Beatrice: I'll say we have to get up before breakfast to hear the radio meeting of our fast growing quilt club. This morning I ate my breakfast while listening to your broadcast. Well, it is a lot of fun, even if it is a little earlier than we have been accustomed to. I had a note from Mrs. Bottles of Basin, Montana telling to me change her address to Radersburg, Montana. I had a call from Mrs. Helen Batten last week and we had a lovely visit. We are going to start a neighborhood Quilt Club - something I have always wanted to have but there were no members near me so that I could go ahead with it, so I am hoping this will be a success. I know it will be lots of fun.
Mrs. Mary Strobilius
17457 Lumkin Avenue
Detroit, Michigan.

Of course it will be lots of fun and between you and Mrs. Batten I don't see why you can't get a good sized club. You both know lots of members and now that the names are being put in the paper it won't be so hard to locate those who live in your vicinity.

This department offers advice and suggestions about the furnishing and decoration of the home. If you have a problem about any one room in your house, write to the Beauty in the Home Editor and enclose a self-addressed, stamped envelope for a personal reply.

In order to ensure a prompt reply, limit the questions asking in any one letter to those pertaining to one room.

Put a teaspoon of borax into starch water. It will give a gloss to the starched things.



To remove iron rust from white washable materials, spread stained place over a vessel of actively boiling water and squeeze lemon juice on stain. After a few minutes rinse the fabric and repeat the process.

First Leaflet Ready for New Quilt Design

Every admirer of fine quilts, especially putting together the brilliant little scraps of piecework, will want to make a "Laurel Wreath Quilt." It is one of the loveliest daintiest quilts to be found. Creamy white forms the background, according to Edith B. Crumb, beauty in the home editor of the Detroit News, and amid the sprays of leaves and branches that intertwine and form wreaths are gay little birds and colorful flowers. The "Layout of the Laurel Wreath" and "Laurel Wreath Leaf Quilt-Leaflet No. 1 and No. 2" and ready.

Enclose a self-addressed, stamped envelope for mailing with your requests for these leaflets. Or call in person at The Detroit News Public Service Bureau in the Majestic Building or the General Motors Building.
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Courtesy of The Detroit News Archives.