Thursday, December 27, 2012

Woman's Day 1965 - The Met Quilt

October 1965 issue of Woman's Day magazine included an article about a beautiful "Baltimore Friendship Quilt." The article, by Roxa Wright, told how the quilt "was discovered in storage shelves of the Mount Vernon Ladies' Association of the Union, an organization which maintains George Washington's old home on the Potomac River." The quilt was "anonymous in every way."

"The Met Quilt," as we often refer to it today, was later donated to the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City. A nearly identical quilt resides in the Baltimore Museum of Art, often referred to as "The Sliver Quilt." Other quilts have since been discovered with similar patterns and some of the same fabrics, many with inscriptions and dates from the 1840-50 era. After much research by scholars and historians, the maker (or makers) remain unknown.

The quilt was reproduced and photographed for the article, and a pattern was offered by Woman's Day for $1.00. The pattern was printed half-size thus had to be enlarged 200% (by hand). Remember, that was 1965, long before enlarging photocopiers! When enlarged, the patterns are 32 inches square, 16x32, and 16 square.
In 2005, the Folsom Quilt Guild produced a raffle quilt from the same pattern, and sold copies for $50, but they do not offer it any more. It is obviously an ambitious quilt to make, but many quilts have since been created with the Woman's Day pattern.

I feel fortunate to have an original pattern from the Woman's Day offering - the poor thing is yellowed and falling apart at the folds - but well loved, and actually used to make quilts today.
 
 
Happy Stitching!
Barbara M. Burnham
(c) 2012 Barbara M. Burnham. All rights reserved. Reproduction of any kind is expressly prohibited without prior written authorization.


13 comments:

  1. how lucky you are to own such a treasure. I do love the photo of the patterns- beauties in their own right. Thank you for this informative blog entry.

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  2. Thanks for showing this. I had saved the magazine clipping, but alas did not have the requisite pennies to order the patterns at the time. This is a good good deed!

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  3. So jealous. I have been looking for that pattern for years with no success. Oh we'll, there are many other wonderful patterns available. Thanks for sharing the info on this one!

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  4. Its a beautiful quilt, I remember when the pattern came out by the Folsom Quilt Guild in California, right?
    I ordered it I have to go find that pattern, still not ready to make a quilt like this but maybe someday.
    Finally going to get back to working on my Mary Mannakee quilt , thats one of my 2013 goals and getting your book out too.
    Kathie

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  5. It would be so great if Woman's Day would re-publish this. It is such a beautiful quilt.

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  6. Love the baskets on that quilt - and great to hear the history of the pattern - thanks!
    Every Stitch

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  7. It is such a beautiful quilt. How wonderful that you have the pattern!

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  8. I shouldn't have come to this page!?!
    You have just reminded me that I have both the Women's Day and Folsom patterns. I must get working on this!?!

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  9. Oh how I would like to find a copy of the Baltimore Friendship quilt.

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    Replies
    1. Sent you a private message. Let me know, I will look into it.

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