The Patchwork Book 1931

I was searching for publication dates for the patchwork block Cracker a few weeks ago.  According to BlockBase it first appeared in 1931 in The Patchwork Book.  Serendipitously my watch list on eBay had a copy of The Patchwork Book and although the freight was three times as much as the book I managed to justify the purchase.  So here it is.

The Patchwork Book was published in Chicago by the Woman's World Service Library.  It is a catalogue of patterns that can be purchased by mail as well as some social commentary on quilt making. It is sixteen large pages, all in colour.

One of the most interesting things I found in The Patchwork Book is the naming of the patchwork blocks.  Names were not yet set in stone because not many quilt books had been published; patchwork designs still showed regional variation.

Cracker is in the bottom right hand corner.  The green block above it the Peek-Hole, now more commonly known as Necktie or Bowtie.  The blocks on the left hand side have similar unusual names; Dragon's Head (Churn Dash), Aeroplane (Monkey Wrench) and Signal Design (Goose Tracks).

And while you were stitching away you could reflect on these gems of wisdom from The Patchwork Book.

In Colonial times the art of patchwork quilt making reached a high perfection in America.  As our great-grandmothers were forbidden to wear bright colors, patchwork quilts became the medium of expression for their love of them, and into their fine stitches they wove their dreams, their aspirations.

Feminine fancy for this season decrees pillows - more pillows - and still more pillows.  When the demand is so unmistakable as this feminine, nation-wide interest in pillows, we feel we just have to do our part to make this sensible interest both an artistic and a practical adventure in home-making. 

These historic pillows which we present for your consideration on this page are as much a part of American life and tradition as is the American flag - for they show the spirit and patriotism of our home-making women during the last two hundred years. 

Better go make some pillows.

Condition Not Important - Part 2

Last post I shared my latest addition to the quilt collection. I initially thought that the quilt maker had taken her patterns from Ruby McKim's 1931 book One Hundred and One Patchwork Patterns.

As I was searching in cyberspace for Ruby McKim quilts I found a few sampler quilts with Ruby McKim blocks.  Here is a lovely example from blogger Lynn at Quilts - Vintage and Antique.

 And another from Barbara Brackman Material Culture.

I always thought of these quilts as Ruby McKim samplers (with a small 's').  What I hadn't realised was they were actually Ruby McKim Samplers (with a capital 'S'). These quilts were a weekly pattern first published in the Denver Post beginning in September 1931.  All the twenty-five original patterns are thoughtfully archived on the Denver Post blog.

The original layout was blocks set on point with negative space to show off quilting. Not all of the Samplers were made this way - not everyone follows directions.

What I realised now was that I was the new owner of a Ruby McKim Sampler quilt. As we say in Australia .... I was gobsmacked * (which is good).

My quilt is twenty-four blocks instead of twenty-five; Grandmother Cross is missing.  My quilt's maker had no desire to show off her quilting skill (which is probably why it is tied). My poor worn-out orphan now has a lineage.

I promise that you will hear more about this quilt.

*gobsmacked ˈɡɒbsmakt  adjective British informal
adjective: gobsmacked; adjective: gob-smacked 
utterly astonished; astounded.

Condition Not Important (well, maybe a little ...)

I have been on the lookout for a new quilt for my collection.  I had a birthday last month, and what could be nicer than a fresh quilt to research? I started looking online about six weeks before my birthday but could not find anything that was both interesting and within budget.  I had just about given up; but with only two days to go I found a candidate. Now, I always say that condition doesn't matter because I like to reproduce a quilt rather than restore it; but I was wondering if this one was too worn out even for me.

The quilt arrived earlier this week.  The seller's description was accurate.  It is a sad orphan.

There is no batting, just top and back.  It isn't quilted, it has been tied with thick yarn which explains all the dots in the photo.  Some fabric is faded to white (bottom right had corner), some pieces are unstitched (Grandmother's fan with black, bottom row) and some material has vanished.

Here's an example.  What was it? I started with BlockBase and after some detective work I found a name - it's Corn and Beans.  There are traces of a pretty yellow print, and the fugitive green is completed bleached.

This block is in better condition but I couldn't find it in Blockbase.

I had a look in 101 Patchwork Patterns by Ruby McKim and found it straight away.

I kept looking in 101 Patchwork Patterns and found all twenty-four blocks.  I thought it would take a fair bit longer to name them all but it was nice to identify each neglected block.

The maker must have used the 101 Patchwork Patterns to choose her blocks.

                        ... or ...

                                    ... is there more to this story? ...

                                                                         ... don't miss the next installment ...