August 2, 1936

Detroit News Quilt History Project; Michigan State University Museum; Harriet Clarke

Detroit, Michigan, United States

A General Direction Leaflet for the Mother Goose Quilt Series patterns.

The Detroit News
Public Service Bureau
Radio Station WWJ The Home Newspaper Interior Decoration
Mother Goose Quilt Series
General Direction Leaflet

There are 20 designs in this series of leaflets which will make a complete quilt for a child's bed.

Every leaflet will be just like meeting an old friend affording the opportunity to renew acquaintance with Mother Goose herself, who is to introduce the series.

Each block, finished, will measure eight by 10 inches and should be cut 8 1/2 by 10 1/2 to allow for quarter inch seams.

The quilt will be four blocks wide by five blocks long and there will be joining strips, cross-wise and lengthwise, which will be 2 1/2 inches wide, finished, so these should be cut three inches in width. Cut three strips, 60 1/2 inches long and three inches wide; and then cut four strips, 42 inches long and three inches wide.

Around the edge of the quilt there should be a nine-inch border of plain material to match the joining strips. This should make the quilt measure approximately 58x78 inches, making it suitable for a child's bed.

For crib size some of the designs may be omitted and the border made narrower.

One and one-half yards of 36-inch material is needed for the blocks, two yards for the strips and border and four yards for the back.

These may be traced by placing the design and tracing paper over the cloch block and holding against a window pane.

The figures may be etched in colored thread (usually red is sued for this) appliqued, or made in a combination of applique and embroidery.

Each leaflet will have special directions for the design on it, and you have a big treat in store for you. Each design symbolizes a Mother Goose in itself and is so amusing that it will be a genuine pleasure to work on it.

And, of course, the Old Woman who Lived in a Shoe is on one block and she certainly has so many children she doesn't know what to do.

And wait until you see My Son John who went to bed with his stockings on, one shoe off and one shoe on. Is he lazy? Why, you can just about hear him snore.

Jack and Jill are shown going for water and Little Tommy Tucker is singing very hard for his supper.

Tom, Tom the Piper's Son is running pell mell with that pig he stole under his arm.

Humpty-Dumpty will be found wearing a happy expression and how sorry the children are going to feel for him, for it won't be long before he will take that famous fall.
Mary, Mary Quite Contrary is included in the leaflet and she is working very hard in her garden. Her little pantlets may be made of ruffled lace edging.

Jack Spratt and his wife will be there, too, eating the fat and lean meat so as to lick the platter clean.

The Three Men in a Tuv are wearing very solemn expressions, but it is the degree of solemnity that has a little comic twist to it.

Every two weeks, three leaflets of this series will be published. This will allow faster progress with the quilt than if only one leaflet was accessible every week.

The drawings are so simple that children will be able to embroider them in an etching stitch. If the designs are pasted to a heavy piece of cardboard and allowed to dry thoroughly, there will be a good surface on which to use gay water colors. These may then be framed for wall decorations.

They may also be transferred by means of carbon paper to the wall about three or four feet from the floor, to form a border around the room. Then they may be painted.

Allow your children to select their favorite pictures. That will be difficult and so you will probably have to use every one of the 20 designs for decorative purposes.

The Completed Mother Goose Quilt will have 20 blocks 8x10 inches with 2 1/2-inch strips between and 9-inch border all around.

1643-ID80

Courtesy of The Detroit News Archives.

6119.82.19