Quail and Poppies For California from
Aunt Martha
During the Bicentennial Celebration of 1976 the blocks were embroidered by her mother Lucy Smith
who was born in Australia and came to the U.S. after marrying a soldier in World War II.
A lot of embroidery stitches in the backgrounds
Roseanne who'd made two quilts back then volunteered to put it together. A group in their hometown Phillipsburg, Kansas quilted it and didn't complain about hand quilting through the sheet.
I volunteered to find the pattern source. Is there an index to embroidered state birds, flowers, etc.?
There is now. My best reference was Rose Marie Werner's article in AQSG's Blanket Statements newsletter #95.
See a PDF here:
The INDEX
ALICE BROOKS: (1970s) For the Bicentennial anniversary in the mid 1970s
birds & flowers in a curved ribbon.
ANNE CABOT: (After 1959) New states Alaska & Hawaii in border
AUNT MARTHA/Colonial Patterns: (1930s) Scroll behind flowers and birds.
CAPPER'S/ KATE MARCHBANKS : (1970s) From this Topeka, Kansas source---rectangular blocks with much information and a U.S. map along with other patterns for birds and flowers. The 50-State
Educational Quilt seems to be where Lucy Smith found her patterns.
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Roseanne's mother lived a couple of hundred miles northwest of Topeka where she would have had access to the Capper's needlework designs either with her own subscriptions to their publications or she may have received clippings from her many nursing patients.
LAURA WHEELER (Old Chelsea Station): (1960s)
Shield with flowers and the state name
Do note different florals at the top of the shield---some 3; some 1.
MCKIM: Ruby McKim's designs are easily recognized
by stylized initials for the state name.
UPDATE: OMAHA WORLD HERALD:
Louise Tiemann added a 1938 series from the Omaha newspaper's columns under the byline
Nadine Bradley who was "Director of Household Arts." Rectangular pattern drawings were signed M. Lieb for Merriam Lieb, the paper's artist.
RAINBOW: Both Flowers & Birds with
old state abbreviations of 4 letters.
VER MEHREN: Hubert Ver Mehren's flower design with his
signature innovative modern border
Rose Marie wondered if this bird series is also from his Des Moines studio.
VOGART: Rose Marie did not include information
about this company that went bankrupt in 1990.
Florals & Birds captioned with the state's full name in capitals.
WORKBASKET: This spinoff from Aunt Martha/Colonial Patterns labeled the blocks with a rather elaborate floral scroll.
UNKNOWN: Did not find a source for this state flowers design with a crinkly ribbon. Must be after 1959 as Hawaii is included.
From the Arizona Project
Indiana Project & the Quilt Index
By Vera VanHorn Castor
Oregon Project & The Quilt Index
Westside Community Club
The McKim design was a newspaper series. We have a quilt made from these designs in the New England Quilt Museum collection. https://quiltindex.org//view/?type=fullrec&kid=11-37-3379
ReplyDeleteOmaha world herald did a series in the Nadine Bradley column, but staff artist Marriam Lieb in 1938. Cheers, Louise flowers and birds
ReplyDeleteFascinating to see all the different sets in one place. Thanks for all you share. Love learning from your posts.
ReplyDeleteAmy in NJ
I like the layouts that include star blocks. 50 blocks seems to be difficult to find a nice layout otherwise. Maybe add blocks for the territories? The octagon blocks are a nice variation too.
ReplyDeleteI have only seen a few such quilts. I always admire the tenacity of the women (or men) who made them. I’m afraid that I’d run out of steam on this project by the time I got to the “Ms”! They are beautiful. Such a beautiful way to show the greatness of the USA.
ReplyDelete