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Members of the Oldest Protestant Church in Michigan

March 22, 1938
Detroit News Quilt History Project; Michigan State University Museum; Susan Salser
Detroit, Michigan, United States
A portion of a Quilt Club Corner Column including the description of a quilt club held in the oldest protestant church in the state. It also includes information about a quilt club in Ontario.
Members of the Oldest Protestant Church in Michigan

Here are a few members of the Quilt Club of the Central Methodist Church. The club is only three years old but the Women's Guild, of which the club is a member, was organized in 1804 when Michigan was still part of the Northwest Territory. The members are standing left to right. Mrs. Mildred Clifford Mrs. Cora Manley (chairman) Mrs. Ella Sharpe Brown. Seated they are left to right, Mrs. Grace Bennett, Mrs. Rose Johnson Mrs. Rose Wilson and Mrs. Lydia England.

News Quilt Club on Air Next Thursday Morning
By Edith B. Crumb
Quilt Club Corner Editor, The Detroit News

Summer, winter, rain or shine the members of the Quilt Club of the Women's Guilds of the Central Methodist Church meet every Tuesday, and Wednesday for all day quilting bees.

While the Quilt Club itself is only three years old the Women's Guild was organized in 1804 when Michigan was a part of the Northwestern territory. This church is the oldest Protestant church in Michigan, having been opened n 184 organized in 1810 and incorporated in 182.

The money which is earned buy the Quilt Club is given to church maintenance and now some is being given to help refurnish the fourth floor of the church.

Besides the two regular weekly meetings there is an extra meeting once a month att eh home of one of the members. At that time no quilting is done, but blocks are pieced and it is a change to catch up with chatting and pot luck lunch is included. The full membership of the club is 15.

At the extreme right is the illustration is Mrs. Ella Sharpe Brown, wearing a lounging coat which was made by Mrs. Cora Manley for her daughter, Helen Manley. This coat is made entirely of silk, satin, and velvet pieces put together in crazy quilt style with a zipper the full length of the front.

On the frames is a Trip Around the World quilt which is being finished, and hanging at the back is a Rose Medallion quilt which is almost ready to be put on the frames. This is of plain rose with a rose print for the upper part of the petals.

By working two days a week a great deal is accomplished by the members of this club.

Here is news. The Quilt Club will go on the air over station W8XWJ with a weekly program beginning next Thursday, March 24 at 9:30 a.m. Be sure to listen in and let us hear from you just as we did in the old time when I broadcast over WWJ.

Last Friday Mrs. Hector Weir handed me a card she had received from J.H Montaudon 419 E 15th St Tulsa, Oklahoma. Mrs. Montaudon says that she wishes she could be here and enjoy the Quilt Club. She received birthday greetings from some of the members.

Mrs. Edna Planck says that next Monday, March 28 is the fifth birthday of the Grand River Quilt Club. She wrote a little card to say they were glad to greet us once more and say hello to their old friends and make new ones. There are 12 members in the club now and they have made a great many quilts in these five years but are still eager for new patterns. They will celebrate their birthday this year by going to the Flower Show together some day this week.

Mrs. Minnie J Wyly of Ouzinkie, Alaska has also written to us. She simply does not know how to thank all of you for the lovely birthday greetings sent to her. She is so grateful for these kind thoughts.

Mrs. Wyly wishes she could see each writer and thank her personally for her kindness to a stranger who lives so far away. To one who is more or less isolated the arrival of the mail is an exciting time. The day that the Quilt Club letters arrived she was so thrilled that her work was practically at a standstill.

Mrs. Wyly said again what pleasure it was to attend one of our meetings. She was in Detroit last summer you'll remember.

Mrs. Rose Calleja 5213 French Road, Detroit has just finished a Dresden Plate and Sunbonnet Girl quilt top and wonders if some of you would give her your ideas for finishing and quilting these. I am sure she will appreciate any suggestions you may have and will be glad to hear from you.

Another letter from the Sutherland sisters, R.R. No. 2 Paris, Ont. Tells that there are three sisters, Elizabeth, Margaret, and Dorrien. They have a young girls club there, which is called the Three H Girls. The names mean Health, Hobbies, and Handicraft and they always like to read what other clubs are doing.

Mrs. Alive Wyman Box 37 Berville, Mich. has written to us saying she has been absent from the column for some time so thought she would drop in for a minute. She has made three quilts this year, the Crazy Star, the Log Cabin, and the Trip Around the World. She would be very glad to exchange patches with any one.

Courtesy of The Detroit News Archives.

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