Century of Progress in Quilt Making
Wow…a World’s Fair held in Chicago during the Great Depression. Can you imagine people’s excitement at the prospect of visiting such a place.
The theme was Century of Progress with multi-colored buildings that would create a “Rainbow City” in stark contrast to the “White City” of the World’s Columbian Exposition that was held in 1893.
I acquired this booklet several years ago and there are many lovely patterns in it. During the fair Sears, Roebuck and Co. ran a National Quilting Contest. There were over 25,000 entries, many more than Sears ever expected.
The Unknown Star
Entrants were encouraged to use the theme of the fair to design their quilts, but the Grand Prize Winner used a common Feathered Star template.
The winning quilt’s name is Unknown Star. Margaret Rogers Caden of Lexington, Kentucky entered the quilt. It’s alleged seamstresses who sewed for hire did much of the work on her quilt. This was a violation of contest rules.
Ida Mae Stow
One woman, Ida Mae Stow, who had made a fair themed quilt, received an Honorable Mention. She protested the judging with a letter to Sears stating, none of the commemorative quilts received a major prize.
You can read her story and see her quilt entry here on the International Quilt Museum website.
Another beautiful quilt inspired by the fair but not entered, was the Star Arcturus designed and sewn by Mary Gasperik. The quilts she made during this period were some of her first.
Even though she was an excellent seamstress, she had not discovered the art of quilt making until this time. She made several quilts while the Chicago World’s Fair was going on.
Patchwork Souvenirs of the 1933 World’s Fair Book
Over several years of research, authors Merikay Waldvogel and Barbara Brackman wrote a book, Patchwork Souvenirs of the 1933 World’s Fair. It includes the story behind the contest with full color illustrations of the quilts.
It gives a great picture into quilt making in the early twentieth century. Plus goes into what happened when the art of quilt making collided with commercial opportunism.
All and all a very interesting time in quilting history.
If you like this post, be sure to share it with your friends. And like our Facebook Page to get updates every time we post new patterns.
Enjoy!
This post may contain affiliate links. If you make a purchase after clicking on these links, I will earn a small commission. This helps to keep the content free. Read my full disclosure policy.
Oh my goodness- a hurricane! I hope you didn’t suffer much damage… and yes the TV does play them up a bit doesn’t it? but it makes it all the more exciting! Debra I have been through a few hurricanes myself. During “Rita” in Houston TX I stayed put and I prepared for it, No one could make or receive calls on their cellphones but I had landline and it got through. FL has way scarier storms as they get the tremendous thunder and lightning, I will never forget one I experienced years ago.
The politics of the quilt entries wow- that’s a shame, I can imagine the beautiful ones entered- that era was really something for quiltmaking. Debra I won an online auction – Goodwill has an online shop, I paid almost nothing for a very old, but incredibly preserved (it looks and feels like new) WWI/or postwar linen patchwork quilt: https://flic.kr/p/2jFCgfT mind you, those are goodwill’s photos and not mine & not very good pics, it’s British obviously, and Ive seen the design somewhere, but I don’t remember where. I know nothing about it and there are no marks or anything identifyable on it. I saw something very similar to it on Victoria & Albert museum “post war textiles” website and wrote them, they said they sent my request to someone who might help identify it. It’s gorgeous, all linen and completely hand-sewn, the stitches are tiny and perfect. There is no machine stitching on it at all! it is huge. I think I paid 7.99 for it, which is amazing.
God bless and hopes all hurricanes in your life are harmless 🙂
oops- I meant to write WWII not WW1! sorry
All safe and sound here. Still many roads closed because of flooding but it’s nice and sunny today. So that’s a good thing.
You find such great vintage linens!