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Crowd Surges to Exhibit of 1,857 Choice Quilts

April 17, 1937
Detroit News Quilt History Project; Michigan State University Museum; Susan Salser
Detroit, Michigan, United States
An article reviewing the 1937 Detroit News Quilt Show.
Violet Burton, 3293 Hogarth avenue, displays the grand prize winning quilt at The Detroit News fourth annual quilt show now being held at the United States Naval Armory. The quilt is handsome one of nosegay designs, made by Elizabeth Aellig, 5017 Meade avenue, Dearborn, and for the pretty nosegay Mrs. Aellig receives the top prize, $100.

Crowd Surges to Exhibit of 1,857 Choice Quilts
By Garnet Warfel

If the size of the crowd is any criterion it may safely be said that the mammoth display at The Detroit News fourth annual quilting exhibition is the five star extra show of the month.

For a long time, they had stood in line for the opening at the Naval Armory, Friday, women and men, and once the doors were opened the vast room filled as if by magic wand had been at work for with a sky of blue above, designed from thousands of yards of pale blue draperies, 1,857 yards of quilts dangled in gigantic plan display.

Eighty-four racks holding from 22 to 23 quilts each, were set up during the night, showing the quilt pick of the land. Virtually every state in the Union is represented and every kind of quilt anyone ever heard about is there.
Quilt Conscious
A few minutes at the show will convince the most skeptical that Detroit crowds are as quilt conscious as they are automobile minded.

... and all the rest of the familiar figures of rhyme and story.
Old and Modern
There are aviation quilts bearing quilted airplane parts and names of fliers; there are baseball quilts, hockey quilts in addition to every known quilt from those popular a century ago right up until now.

Mrs. Willis Lee Smith, 1006 Carmel avenue, was awarded the prize of $10 for the most interesting antique. It is a quilt of faded colors and is a pattern of a by gone day, but the needlework is lovely, and it was done partly by a man!

The quilt is a pumpkin blossom applique and is 97 years old. It was made in 1840 at Lebanon, O by Mary Frances Brown, assisted by her suitor, Anthony Wayne Musgrove, who was then studying ministry. He did some of the sewing and a great deal of the quilting and dying. Later the two were married Mr. Musgrove became an itinerant preacher, traveling by horse and buggy through Kentucky, Indiana, and Ohio. When there were no churches he held services in houses and fields and before the birth of their first child, Charles, he made a quilt by himself. Charles Musgrove was Mrs. Smith's first husband.

Touch of Drama
Many features crop up at a quilt show. No sooner were the door of the armory open Friday than someone thrust a letter into Miss Crumbs hand. A post card was enclosed, and Miss Crumb was asked to pin the card on a quilt entered by Oral Forth, 4439 Gladwin avenue, in the top that it will locate a party who disappeared 15 years ago.

There are many quilts in this, the greatest of all The News quilt exhibitions that would indicate this ever popular coverlet had gone high hat, and there are dozens of others to prove that they have not. At any rate they provide an interesting variety and go to make a show no one should overlook.

The public is invited and there is no admission fee. Today and Sundays hours will be from 10 a.m. until 10 p.m. and the show closes Sunday night.

The list of prize winner follows:
Grand Prize of $100 to Mrs. Elizabeth Aellig, 5017 Meade Avenue, Dearborn

Other Prizes
Complete Applique Class First prize of $50 was awarded to the Quilt Club Sisters, Mrs. Emmons Galton, 1165 Harvard Road and Mrs. Arthur Fisher 5063 Vancouver Avenue, Rose Medallion. Second Prize of $25 to Beatrice Nye, 1370 West Grand Boulevard (laurel wreath) Third prize of $15 to Mrs. Margaret Bowman 4421 Lillibridge avenue (nosegay)

Complete piece Work-First prize of $50 to Lillian Bratby, 117 North Avenue, Highland Park (trip around world) Second Prize, 825 to Mrs. E A. Odena 1860 Virginia Park (Mrs. Roosevelt's choice) Third prize, $15 to Mrs. Alice Rainer, New Baltimore (Lenox Plate)

Applique tops- First $25 Mrs. Edwin Motray, 123 Fulton Street, Petosky, Mich.; Second $15 Mrs. Anna Kegler 1019 Winchester Avenue, Lincoln Park, third $10 Mrs. Bernice White,132 Hubbell Street

Piecework top- First $25 Mrs. Marie Lewis, 6654 Holcomb Avenue; second $15 Mrs. Leona Kidd, 915 Pinegree Avenue; third $10 Mrs. W.S. Allen 505 West Oakbridge avenue, Ferndale

Other than News Patterns-First $50 Cecelia Knapp, 712 West Monroe Street, Monroe, Mich. (dogwood) Second- $25 Mrs. Ward E Reed Fletcher O, (conventional wreath) Third- $10 Mrs. Jane Howle 19151 Grandview avenue

Antique- Mrs. Willis Smith $10.

Children's Quilt, First- Eloise Roiser, New Baltimore, 16 years old, $10 (bowl of roses) Second- Leonard Park 14440 Greenfield Road $5 (Nursery pattern)

Most unusual crochet lace Coverlet-Mrs. C Valentine 12263 Rosemary Avenue $10.

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