August 17, 1942

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

Detroit, Michigan, United States

A Needles for Defense column featuring a new sewing group.

News Quilt Club Members Form Own Sewing Group

By Edith B. Crumb

When the Detroit News Needles for Defense Club was started, Mrs. Eva Schaub realized that there were many East Side members od the old Quilt Club who wanted to meet together regularly for a combination sewing session of quilts and defense sewing or knitting, so she gathered around her a group of women and arranged for weekly meetings at the Bradley Recreation center.

Any one who wished to join was welcome and before she realized it she was promoting a lot of work for Needles for Defense.

The club even had a name right away - The Flying Needles - and the members certainly lived up to their name.

Yesterday Mrs. Schaub came into my office with a suitcase and I don't know why the sides did not burst - it was so full of garments. There were 23 slips, 23 pairs of panties and 23 little hankies.

All the material was furnished by members of the club and work was done by all of them. Mrs. Sylvia Carlen furnished the handkerchiefs and the women crocheted around them. Mrs. Carlen also sent in a little flannel kimono finished in rose feather-stitching.

For this group of women to hand in 69 articles was very gratifying to us - for we know how they liked to work on quilts - and we are happy that they turned their efforts to making these little things for us to pass on to those who are greatly in need of them.

There are all kinds of trimming on the garments. Some have crocheted edges, others are trimmed with colored or white rick-rack braid, some are bound and even lace has been used for many. All are matched in sets and each little slip has a hankie pinned to it.

You will recognize many quilt-makers in the list of the Flying Needles Club; Mrs. Lea Fletcher, Mrs. Elise Kansier, Mrs. Sylvia Carlen, Mrs. Velma Righi, Mrs. Inez Wilson?, Mrs. Nellie Brichta, Mrs. Lottie Barnes, Mrs. Gabrielle Baecheroot (who reports that she received heaps of greeting cards on her birthday from Quilt Club members), Mrs. Catherine Mau, Mrs. Emma Pantle, Mrs. John O'Keefe, Mrs. Henry C. Reinhold and Mrs. Eva Schaub.

And speaking of the Quilt Club, Mrs. Arthur Miller, 12251 St. Marys avenue, who has belonged to the Quilt Club for years, sent her daughter Marjorie in to show me a dress which had just been completed for her.

Marjorie's mother used the Hearts and Flowers quilt pattern in silk materials for a border around the skirt of a white dress and small hearts and flowers to match on the yoke.

The dress was white and the hearts two-toned rose. Every bit of the decorative work was by hand.

Patriotic Pins for News Club
Needles for Defense pins - in gay red, white and blue enamel on gold - are ready for all workers who have earned at least 25 hours credit.

If you have done any knitting or sewing for The Detroit News Needles for Defense Club, you'll be proud to wear a pin and show that you have helped with a worthwhile volunteer porject for war refugees and soldiers.

These are not Red Cross pins. Our pins are only for Needles for Defense workers and can be purchased in The News Building.

To get yours, call at The News Woman's Department or order by mail. Pins are 36 cents each. When ordering by mail add two or three cents for postage according to your mailing zone.​

​Courtesy of The Detroit News Archives.