Godey's Design for Patchwork - with Instructions

I came across this picture from the 1861 Godey's Ladies' Book.  I saved it a number of years ago but I don't think I have ever shared it.  The instructions are the interesting part.  We are so used to having scanners and photocopiers and laser printers that we forget that our great-grandmothers had to draft their own patterns.

"Our page compels us to reduce the size of the pattern; but, by a little attention, sections may easily be cut of any dimensions desired.  Take a piece of clean stout white paper, and fold it in all the parallel sloping lines seen in our engraving.  These may be at any distance from each other; only regular and equal.

"It will be seen that a line drawn exactly between every pair of parallels will take in the points.  Draw these lines with a pencil, to distinguish them from those caused by the folding, and the proper forms can be readily obtained.  Cut them out, and from them others in card-board, if for a large piece of work and you have all your sections ready, without the possibility of a misfit.  The two eight-pointed figures are differently arranged.  A may be filled up in eight pieces, while B should be composed of nine - a star of eight points to the center, and eight diamonds round it.  Or, if on a sufficiently large scale, the inner star may be of eight pieces.  Two very distinct shades of the same color will look better for A than many different tints.  B may have a dark centre and bright points, or vice versa. The intermediate figure, C, should be of such neutral tints or dark shades as may throw up the brilliant hues of which the star should be composed.

"We have said that this design may be applied to another purpose.  Worked on canvas, in wools, the outlines done in black, it would be both rich looking and easily worked.  Elderly people and children can often do a piece where they can count threads, where a painted pattern would puzzle them.  No. 14 or 16 canvas, and eight-thread wool should be used.  Orange, claret, blue (if good), and brilliant greens look well in such a pattern."

So its a good pattern for elderly puzzled people?  I better keep it close at hand.

Show and Tell - Happy New Year 1871

I selected my own Christmas present this year.  Can you guess what it is?

I now have my own Godey's Lady's Book.  It's 1871, all twelve months.  I found it at Abe Books; there were quite a few to choose from.  The price was reasonable but the postage was dearer than the book.  That comes from living in the Land Down Under.

However, just looking at the first colour foldout in the volume, you can tell it was meant to come to Australia.  That's a Major Mitchell Cockatoo as a tapestry chart.

Berlin wool work cockatoo

Feathered work cockatoo

All twelve fashion plates are attached with some wear and tear.  The colours are vivid.

March 1871 Spring

September 1871 Autumn

December 1871 Winter

Each month also has a foldout, front and back, with fashion ideas.

March foldout fashion

And most unusually, patchwork is mentioned!  You will know from reading this blog that patchwork does not rate very highly in the Godey's world. But I have already found two references.

Patchwork. No need to explain.

March issue - patchwork with instructions.

Design in Patchwork - In this design, the pieces of the same shape must be of the same color.  The best way to have the sections accurate in shape, is to have each separate part cut by a tinman.  The papers should then be cut out to the shapes; and finally, the pieces of silk or velvet should be carefully tacked to the papers previously to being neatly sewn together.

I think this is the beginning of a beautiful friendship.

The Godey's Lady's Best Bits Book

My newest e-book is live and ready to roll.

The Godey's Lady's Best Bits Book: March 1854

It's collection of some of the best bits of the Godey's magazine and demonstrates what it was like to be a woman of the 19th century.  

"This is the ‘Lady’s Book’ par excellence. We admire this work, for the plain and simple reason that, like refined, polished, and virtuous female society, it powerfully tends to improve the manners and mend the heart"

It's a Kindle book but you don't need a Kindle to download it - I download to my phone.

Prices are US $2.56 / Aust $3.53 / UK £1.96.  

And if you do get a copy, please let me know if you like it.

Ohio Stars

According to the experts the Ohio Star or Variable Star block has been around for a long time.  It was first published in Godey's Ladies Book in 1862.

Now, I have a copy of the 1862 Godey's Lady's book on CD-ROM.  I have been through all 1000+ pages, January to December, and I haven't found an Ohio star anywhere. There are many interesting pictures to look at - here's the latest fashions for January 1862.

Patchwork does appear in the June issue and also in September.

And that's all you get.  No instructions, no templates, no handy hints.  Patchwork was menial work and not really worthy of notice by Godey's editorial staff.

For a 9 inch Ohio Star block cut 4 white squares 3.5 by 3.5 inches and one print square the same size.  Cut two white and two print squares 4.5 by 4.5 inches and cut diagonally twice to make 8 white triangles and 8 print triangles.  Join these to make for hour glass blocks.  They will need to be trimmed to 3.5 inches; I like to cut big triangles and then trim to size to make a neater block.

Godey's, Patchwork and Fashion

The Godey's Lady's Book was it and a bit for women in the 19th century.  This blog has a few posts on the famous magazine.

Godey's Lady's Book

Godey's Autograph Bedquilt - April 1864

The Worktable - Patchwork - April 1850

Patchwork doesn't get much attention in Godey's.  Patchwork was menial, like mending socks and hemming sheets.  The following entry is typical - one picture with no description.

Fashion, of course, was another matter.  The fashion plates and the current fashion news from the big cities was a feature of the magazine.  I do love these over the top drawings and was pondering about a blog of Godey's fashion plates or printing a set of postcards.  I ran the idea past my editorial staff.  They (daughters and sister) suggested I would need to add some captions to the pictures and offered a few suggestions.

Emily wondered if anyone would notice the excess baggage hidden under her skirt.

Emily hoped that by wearing all her clothes to the weight watchers weigh in they won't notice the extraordinary number of Easter eggs that she had consumed over the weekend.

If I don't move my husband will never find where I've hidden my fabric stash.

After 5 hours ironing her outfit Emily was too scared to move in case her skirt creased.

Emily hoped no-one would notice her clunky orthopedic shoes at the school sports day.

What do you think?

Godey's Autograph Bedquilt - April 1864

AUTOGRAPH BEDQUILT

The autograph bedquilt is made by obtaining the signatures of friends or relatives written upon pieces of white material.  These pieces may be square, octagon, round, diamond, or heart shaped, or indeed cut into any form to suit the taste of the maker.  After they are cut they should be strained tightly over a card, to make a smooth, even surface for the writing, which should be done in indelible ink.  Muslin, linen, or silk can be used, the silk being the handsomest, while the linen makes the best surface for the signature.  The cards may be sent by mail to friends at a distance.

After the names are written, the white pieces can be either sewed down upon, or set into, squares of colored material, and these squares, sewed together, form the quilt.

In quilting, select such a pattern as will leave the name free from the quilting stitches.

Smaller pieces of white silk (with the autographs written in miniature), alternated with colored silk, and made into a pincushion or sofa cushion make a very pretty album of affection.

Merry Christmas

Godey's Lady's Book December 1850

Godey's Lady's Book

The Godey's Lady's Book was a monthly magazine published in Philadelphia between 1830 and 1878.  Before the American Civil War it was the most widely circulated magazine in the United States.  The editor from 1837 to 1877 was Sarah Josepha Hale.  She also wrote "Mary Had a Little Lamb".
Godey's Lady's Book was best known for the fashion plates and patterns which became a useful source for women across the continent.  The magazine also published short stories, information about women's causes and employment, and sheet music; it never discussed political subjects.

So, I thought I would see if any Godey's Lady's Books were still in existence.  I found one on eBay from 1853 but the seller wouldn't ship overseas.  I can get a download on my Kindle... but I don't own a Kindle.  Then I just Googled 'Godey's Lady's Book' and found that there are free digitised copies for study purposes everywhere.  I started at http://onlinebooks.library.upenn.edu/webbin/serial?id=godeylady , but there at other sites as well.

The plate above is titled 'Taking Tea in the Arbor'  from January-June 1852 collection.  Mary Criswell was engaged in March 1852.  I wonder if she and her sisters and her mother studied this very picture to get ideas for her wedding dress?

Isn't the internet amazing?!