The Career of a Crazy Quilt - The Motifs

Sources of the Motifs used in Godey's 1884 Crazy Quilt Design

The motifs used in Heloise and Marie’s Crazy Quilt can be found in both the 1883 and 1886 versions of “The Ladies Manual of Fancy Work.”  The 1883 version has 400 Illustrations and cost fifty cents.  The 1886 version boasts 700 Illustrations and is available on google books.  Both were published by A.L. Bert, New York publisher with a preface by Jenny June.  The page information below has the 1883, followed by the 1886 pages in parenthesis.  Other sources for the same designs are also listed.

1) A Blossom in Kensington Embroidery Primrose (Pg 7/Pg 55)

2) Little Chocolate Girl (Pg 87/Pg 79) – this motif is probably a nod to Walter’s Baker’s Chocolate trademark (see trade card image).  It is part of a set entitled “When George the Third was King” published in the February 1881 issue of “The Art Amateur,” Plate LXXXV. – Designs for outline embroidery.  Suitable, also for Etching on linen and China Painting. 

3) Conventional Design which may be used for the center of cushions, chair covers, worked with crewels, also for handkerchief corners in linen, floss of colored floss or cotton. (Pg 9/Pg 57)

4) Cute Little Dog (Pg 24/Pg 72) – Kate Greenaway design, published in Jan 1882 of Harper’s Bazar.

 5) Bugs/Bees this motif is not what is in the CQ image – but a bug found in the 1886 version (Pg 37) – used to represent types of bug motifs used in CQs but not the exact motif used – original source?

6) Little Girl Sitting in a Fence (Pg 24 and Front Cover/Pg 72), also in the Jan 1884 issue of Godey’s (Pg 28) – Identified as a “Figure for etching and doilies in colored silks or crewels” on Pg 86, but not attributed to Kate Greenaway.  However, it is from her 1879 book “Under the Window.”  Also published in Jan 1882 Harper’s Bazar as outline designs for doyleys by Kate Greenaway.

7) Designs for Outline Work … The floral designs, although simple, are very effective, worked on felt in crewels and filoselle.  (Pg13 and Front Cover/Pg 61) – Probably the Sunflower done in filoselle reference.

8) Moth/Butterfly (Pg 25/Pg 73) – Kate Greenaway (on pages with her other designs).

9) Little Boy (Pg 25/Pg 73) – Kate Greenaway’s 1879 book “Under the Window.”