This is a minuscule illustration from my 1928 McCall’s Needlework Catalog which was scanned it at a very high resolution and traced in Photoshop. I had to take a few liberties with the lines where the quality was poor, but I hope the results are usable. Click images to enlarge.
Every one of these patterns needed to be completely redrawn. I enjoy the process but it’s slow — each design takes 30-45 minutes. Unfortunately, I only managed to get four done for this post, but the other three will appear next week. There are many other Sunbonnet patterns in earlier posts: Laura Wheeler 1509 and 1558 — Laura Wheeler 897 — Vogart 105 and Alice Brooks 7078.
These catalog illustrations are tiny, but hopefully they are simple enough, and I’ve scanned them at a high enough resolution, that you will be able to trace them.
Simple and attractive are the little picture motifs shown above for working in colored strand cottons. Flower girl in center is 3 1/8″ x 3 1/4 inches, 2 given. There are 6 umbrella girls, 4 of the boy-and-dog and 2 each of the 4 remaining motifs. A colored illustration like this in pattern serves as a working guide.
I’ve always loved this pattern, which appears in my May, 1929 catalog, McCall’s Designs for Needlework and Decorative Arts. People often refer to it as a circus quilt, and I can understand that, but there’s no circus reference in the catalog description.
My scaled drawings are copied from the catalog illustration. The illustrator eliminated some of the seams, so two sizes of rectangles were added to the squares and triangles. That’s also how I would have drafted the pattern — no need to create unnecessary bulky seams, which just make hand quilting more challenging. It does, however, mean that each block has to be sewn together differently — and in chunks rather than rows.
The description states that the quilt is 40″ x 57″, which helps in figuring out the block size. The original pattern would have included templates, which are not necessarily friendly measurements for rotary cutting, so I tried to come up with some easier numbers. If you made each finished square 1.75″, the block size would be 14″. To make the sashing about the same scale as it appears in the drawing, it would need to be about 2 1/2 squares wide, which is actually 4.375, but you could do either 4.25″ (quilt size 40.75″ x 59″) or 4.50″ (quilt size 41.5″ x 60″), depending upon how wide you like the sashing. Remember, I’m talking about finished sizes here, so you would need to cut strips 2.25″ wide to make your squares/rectangles.
Some old quilts I’ve seen in this pattern did not have embroidered details, but they are included here because I like them, although I had to sort of guess what they looked like from the fuzzy picture. The elephant didn’t appear to have an eye, so I added one.
Okay . . . it’s actually Tuesday and I’m late, but these transfers were in bad shape and had to be redrawn in Photoshop, which takes way longer than the usual clean up. They’re pretty cute, though, and I hope you enjoy them.
I made a quilt using these designs for a co-worker before I had a blog, so no pictures. Why didn’t I take pictures back then?!? I did the embroidery in pink, but used a different setting than indicated in the pattern. You’ll have to take my word for it that it turned out really cute.
I don’t have any templates for this pattern, or a pattern envelope — just the transfers and a scaled drawing. The construction is not too difficult, so I think you’ll be able to figure it out, or you could change it up like I did. Click images to enlarge.
Click on the image to view, download or print the instruction sheet and patterns for these cute appliquéd animals with embroidered details.
Turn dish drying into a rollicking show with glassware, dishes, pots and pans staging a gay outline-stitch revue on your dish towels. Here are saucy dancing girls (plates and teacups), an urbane vaudevillian with high hat and cane (the pot), a boy and girl dance team (glasses), the scatter-brained comic pair (skillets), and the sure-fire fat comedian (tea kettle). Work trims mainly in outline stitch in bright colors. Finish towel edges in fancy buttonhole stitch in a contrasting color.
These politically incorrect “squaw dresses” were a fad in the 50s, and my mother made elaborate versions for me and two of my sisters. This involved sewing yards of rick-rack on blouses and 3-tired skirts made with vibrantly colored wrinkly cottons marketed, of course, as “squaw cloth.” When I was growing up in Oklahoma, and living in a neighborhood where all the streets were named after Indian tribes, I didn’t realize that this was an offensive term. I still like the style, though.
McCall’s Kaumagraph Pattern 1287, DOW designs featuring Raggedy Ann.
Here are more quilting designs from my 1936 McCall’s Needlework catalog. I can’t believe they suggest using carbon paper to transfer the pattern to your quilt top. Do not do this! More McCall’s designs are available in an earlier post. Click images to enlarge.
No. 1980. Printed Pattern for Quilting Motifs. Prics, 40 cents. Here are some of the popular old favorites used in quilting that have been handed down from generation to generation. There’s the interesting old Anchor motif, and a design that will fit the squares of the popular Double Wedding Ring patch work quilt. There are also several variations of the old feather design, in a wide and narrow border, and in squares. You can trace them on your quilt by means of carbon paper, or else make a perforated pattern on the sewing machine following directions in the pattern. Women who make patch work quilts will appreciate these interesting old quilting designs.
I’m sorry about the quality of these images, but the original illustrations in my 1936 McCall’s Designs for Needlework catalogue are only 1″. They are scanned at a fairly high resolution, so hopefully you will be able to print and trace the designs to fit blocks up to 12 inches. The first block has a nice matching border. Click images to enlarge.
Even though it is not even mentioned in this catalog description from 1936, I think these feathers would also look wonderful on a quilt. I haven’t attempted trapunto quilting, but it’s on my bucket list. Click images to enlarge.
No. 306 – Transfer Design for Quilting. Price 30 cents. With scatter motifs in this graceful feather design, you can trim coats, dresses, bed jackets, negligees and boudoir pillow and bags most attractively. The work is Italian quilting. First stamp the design on cheesecloth and baste it on the wrong side of the material to be quilted, then sew along the lines of the design through both lining and material, and for the stuffed effect pull yarn through the paths thus formed. 8 cross feathers, from 3 1/4″ to 8″ to 6″ x 6 1/4″, 12 single motifs, about 2″ x 5″, 24 fronds and 3 1/2 yards of 4″ banding.
No. 65 – Transfer Design for Cross-Stitch and Outline Motifs. Blue. Price, 25¢
Military motifs, outlined in brave colors, and prim little figures in cross-stitch are gay for nursery linens and children’s garments. Simplicity of line and color is the charm of these motifs. Pattern includes 2 or 4 each of the motifs illustrated from 2 x 2 inches (girl) to 2 1/4 x 17 inches (farm scene border); 3 1/2 yards each of 2 bandings. Crosses are 10 to the inch.
