Handmade Quilt Block Making in 1933

In the spring of 1933 my great grandmother, Effiehue…the tulip may be made one of the most
Bernice Hunt, began a labor of love at her kitchencolorful in the quilt." Buff or black were the suggested
table: a 25 week-long handmade quilt making projectcolor choices for the basis of the handmade quilt
of 25 applique quilt blocks. Each handmade quilt blockblocks and I love how she chose black. The colors of
featured a different flower beloved in the Pacificthe flowers are so vivid and striking on this background
Northwest and ranged from the camellia, to thethat they literally jump out from the applique quilt.
gladiolus to bluebells. The patterns were publishedOn Sunday, June 25th, applique quilt block #5 was
weekly in the Sunday Oregonian newspaper. A full 60published: "The Nasturtium." It pictures two yellow
years later I assembled those fragile polished cotton,spurred blossoms with one head-on view and another
handmade quilt blocks into the gorgeous finishedviewed from the side. My favorite part of this
"Modernistic Flower Applique Quilt." Effie had veryhandmade quilt block are the three plump, round leaves
thoughtfully tucked the directions in among thewhich are so identifiable with the nasturtium plant. I
completed applique quilt blocks for the final quilthave grown these flowers for years because the
assembly. What a beautiful handmade quilt and portraitflowers are so delicious to eat in salads!
of the past she bequeathed to me!On Sunday, July 30th, applique quilt block #10 was
The family story goes that the heart or Effie'spublished: "The Bluebell." The quilter is advised to make
handmade quilt making operation, and she made manythe blue bells light in color for conspicuousness and to
applique quilts and patchwork quilts, was at the kitchenmake the stitching a darker blue. The stitching used to
table in front of her beloved, huge radio set stationedconnect the bells to the stem and to form the
smack in the middle of everything. My particularstamens is to be orange. For some reason Effie did
applique quilt was gradually given birth to over anot connect the bells to the stem with orange stitching
weekly basis beginning in the spring of 1933. While thebut left them free floating. Perhaps this was more
entire family's life revolved around that kitchenmodern to her eye?
"command center," my father remembers beingAlmost two months later on October 1, applique quilt
shooed out to play when his grandmother claimed herblock # 19 was published: "The Morning Glory." The
"alone time." The kitchen resolutely became off limitshandmade quilt designer wrote that this flower was
but for handmade quilt making and radio time!included "…to enable the user of the applique
Effie set aside this time daily to work on the weeklyquilt who retires with the poppy (handmade quilt block
handmade quilt block, to soak up her favorite radio# 16) to greet the day with the morning glory! Following
dramas and to listen to the world's breaking news. Shein Effie's footsteps and being a history buff myself, I
is remembered as being a history buff and a newscan imagine that while sewing this handmade quilt
junkie! Imagine some of the awareness sewn into myblock Effie could have been listening to news stories
handmade quilt: in 1933 Hitler became the Germanabout the repeal of prohibition -- what a contrast!
chancellor, the Nazi's began their reign of terror, FranklinAnd so, here is just a small historical vignette about my
D. Roosevelt was inaugurated as President of thegreat grandmother's personal context for the art of
United States and the New Deal was launched.handmade quilt making in the 1930's. What a wonderful
Postage for a letter then was only 3 cents too!gift and historical portrait Effie left behind. I feel so lucky
So, on May 28,1933 the Sunday newspaper publishedto daily gaze upon this beautiful "Modernistic Flower
the first weekly applique quilt block pattern: "The Tulip,"Applique Quilt" and to be reminded of her life and the
"associated with Holland and spring and brilliance ofworld as she knew it.