Rabbitboro

 

Happy Wednesday!

On Christmas Eve and Christmas Day I posted antique postcards illustrated by Albertine Randall Wheelan.  She doesn't fall into my Storybook Stitches category because I've never seen her illustrations featured on a quilt.  

Albertine was an artist and also a costume designer.  But in the 1920s, she entered the homes of most people and was celebrated for her syndicated comic strip, Rabbitboro.

Although she depicted a variety of anthropomorphic characters, the Rabbitboro Sewing Circle was probably the most popular.  

It begs the question:  did folks (especially men) who didn't sew wonder what was going on when women assembled to sew?  I sometimes think that some men find this kind of women's get together threatening.  One exception is sewing circles affiliated with religious institutions.  Day to day life for women could be challenging.  I wonder--for some women was the sewing group the one thing they did for themselves?

 Albertine's sewing circle was depicted in a very benign way as gossips and snobs (in their own way).  I wonder how many folks wanted to think of a sewing group this way.

There wasn't a focus on sewing in these comics.  Although Albertine designed costumes, it is unclear if she herself did much sewing or even visited a sewing circle.  "Rabbitboro" remained a successful comic through the 1920s.  Later she wrote a book about the same characters called The Dumbbunnies.  She had a thriving career as an illustrator for children's magazines and books.

Anyway, the Rabbitboro maybe forgotten by many but I thought I would mention as something different.  

Have a safe and happy day!