Designs Still Worth Doing: Blazing Trails

 

Happy Wednesday!

We continue our frolic through McKim's designs today!

Peter Pan was featured in the Kansas City Star as a series pattern in 1926.  The maker of the vintage quilt I have chose to embroider on a thin muslin and then applique it onto pink fabric.

And because of the sheer quality of the muslin, the pink shows through on the pink and black embroidery :(

I chose to use just one of the designs to make a baby quilt or nursery wall hanging.  A lot of the young generation seemed crazy about fairies, elves, and mushrooms.  This is a close-up of the finished embroidery.  I embellished the pattern with different designs to make the character and the mushrooms stand out:

Then I added a few of McKim's "beggar blocks" from the 101 Quilt Pattern book.  I thought they looked like butterflies.

💥I have often wondered if McKim had "come into her own" with her designs.  She already had developed the first (known) series quilt published in a paper and patterns like the Roly Polys had exhibited her diversity.  She created new themes and in 1926 we see her development as an artist.💥

For quilters who love(d) Americana or who are simply interested in sparking a love of history in children, McKim offered a different design.  In 1926, the Sunday Plain Dealer featured the "Colonial Life" quilt series.

This piece is comprised from old blocks that I had found.  A few weren't finished (I completed them).  Still I didn't include all the blocks in the new quilt because I needed it a bit smaller for lectures.  Luckily for me, the original ad was included in the old plastic bag:

The ad appeared to be torn from a religious magazine of some sort.  It is a great reminder that McKim sold her designs to a multitude of publishers.

This appears to be a new concept in quilt design.  Years later in the early 1930s, a similar themed quilt called "All American" was featured in newspapers (designer unknown).  The pattern featured historical themed patterns that weren't just colonial but featured other historical aspects of our country.

Later in the 1930s, a quilt pattern called "Covered Wagon States" relayed the history of 5 western states.  Again, designer unknown.

In 1927, "Bible History" was presented by McKim.  Although there had always  been quilts that reflected a Biblical theme, this is the first time that a quilt pattern was offered that actually offered a variety of stories from the Bible that makers could use.  Better still, the quilt featured aspects of the Old Testament; the pattern was appropriate for Christian or Jewish quilters.

I had found an old top with these blocks.  The sashing was in terrible shape and I took the piece apart to make this piece and snowballed the blocks.  Again, I made the piece smaller for travelling lectures.  One of the most interesting aspects was that the maker signed it:

I'm just not sure why H. L. S. chose the Tower of Babel for her signature.😮

The designs inspired a new set of religious themed embroidered quilts.  Here's one Numo Transfers offered in 1937:

The theme remains popular.  I was surprised a few years ago when I was at a fabric store and saw that Aunt Martha still offers the New Testament pattern:

McKim created enduring themes.  And then...well you have to wait until next week.

Have a safe and happy day!