May 11, 1935

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

Detroit, Michigan, United States

A Quilt Club Corner column including letters from Quilt Club members, a coupon for Quilt Club membership, and an announcement for the Laurel Leaf quilt pattern series.

Laurel Wreath Design for Your Summer Sewing
This quilt with a white or cream background, laurel wreaths of green and birds and flowers in gray colors promises to be just about the most attractive quilt you have ever seen. Be sure to see to it that you get your first three leaflets right away so that you can get a good start on this fascinating pattern.
Gay Birds, Flowers Will Come Out of Your Scrap Bag

By Edith B. Crumb

Well, here it is at last- the new quilt which you have been looking forward to for such a long time. Don't you like the idea of these gracefully trailing laurel vines which form wreaths in the center of which is a bird or flower. And if you will look carefully you will find that there are no two birds or flowers alike.

This is not a difficult quilt to make and in order that you may get along quickly with the design, do you know what I am going to do? I have decided to put out three leaflets a week. In this way you will be kept very busy, but I am sure that you will enjoy making this quilt better if you do not have to wait a whole week for a design.

The leaflets this week include the layout of the Laurel Wreath quilt (which will be a copy of the illustration you see here) and with it a chart showing the sizes of the various sections, as well as detailed directions for making it. The second and third leaflets give the patterns for the laurel wreath. This will be used more than any other. The green for the leaves should be purchased off the same piece, but the birds and flowers can probably find right in your own scrap basket. The yardages are given for the green of the leaves, the stems and the leaves for the flowers.

To receive the first three leaflets of the Laurel Wreath quilt just send a self-addressed, stamped envelope to the Quilt Club Corner with your request on it. I think it would be a good idea to send as large of an envelope as possible so as not to have your patterns folded many times, as they are perforated for a scrap book and will be so much neater.

Another Quilt Show.
Yesterday (Friday Afternoon) the Dorcas Society of Hope Evangelical Lutheran Church, West Chicago boulevard and Stoepel avenue, held and interesting quilt show.

There were 72 quilts displayed including all types and six crocheted spreads were also entered.

A prize was given for the oldest quilt which was won by a lovely old one of red and white in a Feather Edged Star Design. The owner of this should be proud to have it.

A group of 10 visitors came in from Roseville and brought six quilts. You will be delighted that these visitors were the 'stitch and Chatter Club" members. We have not heard from them for such a long time that I simply had to tell you about them.

Mrs. M. Marcotte, the president of the Dorcas's Society is responsible for the very successful quilt show and I am sure that everyone went home happy, especially Mrs. Paul Schmidt, wife of the pastor, for it was her birthday and therefore a double celebration.

Letter from Toledo.
Dear Friends: I have listened to your talks and would like to know if I may become a member and how. I have made four Dresden plates a Flower Garden, two baskets, and am finishing up a Butterfly; but I am very anxious for patterns I have heard you talk about. I want the Airplane for my little seven-year-old grandson.

Mrs. C. Miller Barnes
118 Penn Road, Toledo, Ohio

You certainly may become a member of our Quilt Club. I will put your name on the list right now for if you are only an air member you would not have a coupon to fill in. There must be a large circle of Quilt Club members in Toledo. We have lots of names on our lists and received a good many letters from there.

Had Helpful Advice.
Dear Miss Crumb: Well it has been a long time since I wrote to the Corner- longer than I intended, but I have been ill and also had illness in the family, so you must excuse me this time.

I am following your advice and am making a Dresden Plate quilt as my first attempt and I will say that it is one of the most fascinating forms of handwork I ever tried. I have six plates completed, ready to sew on the background and so far have had no trouble-thanks to all the helpful advice I received from other members of the Quilt Club who were kind enough to write for me.

I am sorry I haven't been able to answer them all personally as yet, but hope to do this as soon as possible. I cannot express, in words, the appreciate I feel towards these ladies for taking an interest in my attempt. The Quilt Club is also entitled to its share of thanks for making this possible.

Now here is one problem I have. I would like to exchange pieces with some of the other members, but I don't know how much of each material to send. Just how large a piece is it customary to give? I have several colors in prints of percale I would like to exchange for green, yellow, blue, or red small prints. The pieces I have are peach, various pink and rose prints, also orchid and purple tints and shades.
Mrs. George P. Lake
5852 Manistiqe Avenue
Detroit, Mich.

Well, I'll tell you, Mrs. Lake If anyone writes to ask for patches in exchange perhaps she will tell you what pattern she is making and then you will know how large a piece to send. Small pieces do for the Double Wedding Ring and Dresden Plate. Just use your own judgement as to the sizes. Just imagine you were to receive them and then decide if you could use the sizes which you send.

I am keeping your postscript to myself for I know it would not do any good to say anything about it. Thank you just the same for suggestion it. We feel Flattered-Beatrice and I.

Another Corner Friend.
Dear Miss Crumb and Beatrice: just a little note to say that I wrote to Mrs. Allen in Pensacola, Florida, and received a very delightful letter in return. I was surely more than pleased and now I know I've made another "Corner friend" Each day the corner n the News means more to me and I like the idea of putting in the names of the members. I am keeping all of them. A gay "hello" to one and all.

Mrs. Marian Ridler
7055 Senator Avenue
Detroit, Michigan

I would recognize your letter even if you had not signed your name. It is written in red ink and in the upper left hand corner is a little bouquet drawn in red and green ink. You must spend a lot of time making such lovely stationary. You do have a lot of fun, though I know I can tell by your letter that you are enjoying yourself every minute.

Three Quilts Alike.
Dear Miss Crumb: I am so glad for the longer broadcast period and really happy over the earlier hour, as I go out so much to spend the day and sometimes miss it; but now I always hear it before going out. I do enjoy making quilts and when one sees something beautiful coming out from under the needle just made from scraps, it is very worthwhile. I am working on my third top over the same pattern- a beautiful basket design. The first one a friend wanted for a bride, the second one another friend wanted for a new baby in New York City and now I hope to finish this one for myself. May I become a member of your Quilt Club of the Air?
Mrs. Wm. K. Poland
7428 De Soto Avenue
Detroit, Michigan

You certainly may be a member of the Quilt Club of the Air and also of the paper and everything else that has anything to do with quilting. Thank you for writing that nice letter and do write to us again soon. You must be rather tired of the same quilt pattern after making three alike, but how nice it was that you had them when your friends needed them so badly. Just think of one of your quilts being used in New York City!

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.

6119.43.19; 6119.43.20