August 30, 1934

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, an advertisement for the Calico Butterfly quilt pattern leaflet, and letters from Quilt Club Corner members.

Signatures of Governors on This State Quilt
Inset shows Mrs. Stein, who designed and made this quilt sending a patch to the Governor of each state to be autographed. Oklahoma is the only without a signature.
States Are in All Colors; Names Are Chainstitched

By Edith B. Crumb.

At last here is one of those states quilts about which you have been hearing so much about. And it is surely an original pattern.

Not many of us would have the perseverance to make one if we had to go to the trouble that Mrs. Florence Stein, 708 Lewerenz avenue, Detroit, did.

Mrs. Stein does not call hers a State quilt, but a Governors quilt, and it is a combination of both.

Each block is in the shape of a different state appliqued to a white square. In the center row of the quilt are the territories of the United States- Alaska, Puerto Rico, Hawaii, and the Philippine Island, with the United States right in the center.

Now to make the quilt especially interesting, Mrs. Stein sent a piece of the material which was to be made for a certain state to the governor of that state, requesting that he write his name on it.

It took just one year to gather material and make this quilt. The only signature Mrs. Stein was not able to obtain was that of Governor Murray, of Oklahoma. She sent him six blocks and he returned one, a red block. He did not like the color, and would not sign his name on it.

She also has a number of letters from governors and has saved all the envelopes that were sent to her. As Mrs. Stein says, there sure is a lot of history in this quilt, the patches traveling long ways. It took her two months to get Gov. Frank Murphy’s signature.

The names of the governors and the states are embroidered in the chain stich and the blocks are set together with a three-inch green border and a three-inch white square at the intersections.

This top was quilted on hoops as Mrs. Stein likes the hooks much better than the large frames.

She enjoys the Quilt Club Corner and is planning on entering this Governors quilts in the Contest, so here is another one for you to look forward to seeing.

The blocks are in various colors which makes it more interesting than it would have been with the same color used throughout for every state.

Exchange Blocks.
It has been quite a while since I wrote to the Corner but I have been busy. I am working hard on mt top and hope to have it finished for the Contest.

I have been kept very busy making friendship blocks for the ladies of the Corner, but enjoy making them and hope they all will like the blocks I send them.

I am collecting blocks for one which I am planning to make after the contest. I received one from Florida this week.

I will be glad to exchange friendship blocks with any of the ladies that care to and I would like mine on white.

I am looking forward to the Contest and saving all my pieces to exchange at the show. Last year I had such fun exchanging pieces but this year I hope to be better prepared.
Mrs. Mary Strobilius.
17457 Lumkin Ave., Detroit, Mich.

The way those friendship blocks are flying around makes us wonder if we are going to have a section large enough to accommodate them. But, don’t worry, every quilt will get in the contest and the more there are the better the show will be and I am glad you are planning to do your part, Mrs. Stobilius.

The exchange corner will be much better equipped this year, so you should enjoy it even more than last year when there was so little space.

Offers Small Pieces.
I would like to thank all the ladies for the nice letters and pieces they have exchanged with me. I will still exchange with anyone who wants pieces. I also have quite a few pretty, very small pieces, and will be glad to give some to anyone needing very small ones.
Mrs. Annie Zemlicka.
3336 Roosevelt Ave., Detroit.

I am sure that more than one quilt maker will take advantage of your generous offer, Mrs. Zemlicka, and it is very kind of you to make it.

No doubt, you will have other opportunities for exchange pieces also.

Quilt Marking.
I wish to submit my suggestion for marking a quilt for quilting. I have just finished a Dresden Plate quilt which I marked with a little steel tracing wheel as used to mark patterns for dresses.

By placing a solid table (such a s a card table) under the quilting frame and building it up to reach this quilt ( I used two large booths and a large molding board) it can be marked very evenly and the marking is plain and easy to follow when quilting.

The table underneath may be moved along as the marking is finished.

When the quilt is finished, it was spotlessly clean and no pen marks to be erased and worried about.
Edythe M. Cline.
161 Highland ave.,
Highland Park, Mich.

Thank you so much, Miss Cline for writing in that very helpful suggestion. The marking of quilting decision has been a stumbling block for many quilt makers.

Make a Butterfly Quilt for Detroit News Show
Here are complete directions and a pattern for making an appliqued butterfly quilt on the Quilt Club Editors new leaflet, “Pattern for the Calico Butterfly.”

Made up in variegated prints or harmonizing pastels, the butterfly quilt is sure to rival in popularity old favorites such as the Dresden Plate. You still have time to make and enter the butterfly in the Detroit News Quilt Show October 12, 13 and 14.

Send a self-addressed, stamped envelope to Quilt Club Editor for this leaflet, or call for it at the Detroit News Public Service Bureau in the Majestic Building or the General Motors Building.

QUILT CLUB CORNER:—
Please enter my name as a member of The Detroit News Quilt Club.

Name……………
Address………………
City…………… State…………

Courtesy of The Detroit News Archives.