Series quilts are most commonly associated with
newspapers in the late-teens and pre-WWII newspapers, whereby a block pattern
was published each week until the series was completed. You can see more on series quilts in my blog
post at http://quiltpapers.blogspot.com/2007/07/series-quilts-newspapers-and-magazines.html
In this case, 4 pre-printed blocks or perforated patterns
could be purchased at a time from the bi-monthly magazine Farm and Home. This series started on September 15, 1908 and
ran until November 15, 1908 with images posted in each issue as to which rhymes
were being represented.
I first became aware of these blocks many years ago, and
knew they had to be some sort of purchased pattern since I kept seeing the same
designs on several quilts – but was unable to determine the source. Several years later, I was able to purchase an
antique quilt made with this pattern.
Quilt historian Wilene Smith posted an article on Penny
Squares back in 2010 and there were some of the blocks – a source had been
found. In her posting she indicates the
pattern was published in November of 1909.
Link to her page: http://quilthistorytidbits--oldnewlydiscovered.yolasite.com/penny-squares.php
This version of the quilt came a year earlier, by the
same publisher - Phelps Publishing of Springfield, MA - in a different
magazine. Below is the key to the images
above and the text that accompanied each installment of the Mother Goose quilt
blocks. [Note: F & H used the spelling instalment.]
Image Key:
The clippings are from Farm and Home
and photos from the antique quilt in my collection.
Top Row: 1)
II – THE MOTHER GOOSE QUILT COMPLETE; 2a) IV – FOURTH INSTALMENT OF
MOTHER GOOSE QUILT BLOCKS; 2b) III – THIRD INSTALMENT OF
MOTHER GOOSE QUILT BLOCKS; 3a) “Ding dong bell, Pussy’s in
the Well”; 3b) “There was a little man and
he had a little gun”; 3c) “There was an Old Woman”; 4) Completed Mother Goose quilt
Middle Row: 1) II
– SECOND INSTALMENT OF MOTHER GOOSE QUILT BLOCKS; 2) I – FIRST SERIES OF MOTHER GOOSE QUILT BLOCKS; 3) FIFTH AND LAST
INSTALMENT OF MOTHER GOOSE QUILT BLOCKS
Bottom Row: 1) “Little
Red Riding Hood”; 2) “Higelty, Pigelty, My
Black Hen”; 3) “Barber, barber, shave a pig”; 4) “Little Bo-Peep”; 5) No 999 – A Pillow of the
“Den”
Farm and Home,
Western Edition - September 15, 1908 to November 15, 1908
9/15/1908, Page 25 (529)
For Nimble Fingers - A Mother Goose Quilt Block - Easy to
make, Pretty and InexpensiveEvery child will be interested in this new and novel Mother Goose quilt, designed specially for F & H. The complete quilt will consist of 20 blocks, each one illustrating a different Mother Goose rhyme. The designs are stamped on individual blocks 10x10 inches and are to be worked in simple outline stitch, after which are to be joined together with a strip and border of any preferred and suitable material, making the finished effect as shown in illustration 2 – that is, four blocks wide and five blocks long.
The first four blocks are shown in cut No 1, and illustrate the Mother Goose rhymes, “Barber, barber, shave a pig,” “Old Mother Hubbard,” “Jack and Jill,” and “Mary had a little lamb.” These will be followed in the next F & H by four more, and so on, until the quilt of 20 blocks is finished. This scheme will allow the needleworker ample time to work the four blocks between the semi-monthly issues of F & H, so that one set may be finished before the next four blocks appear. The outline work be so very simple, any little girl who is handy with the needle can easily accomplish it. It makes a good “pick-up” work, and the finished quilt would make an excellent Christmas gift.
The designs are stamped on a good quality of washable chambray – tan chambray worked with washable turkey red cotton, or delft blue worked with white cotton. Each block measures 10x10 inches, and the set of four blocks the ½ doz skeins of imported cotton to work, can be had for 25c by addressing the F & H Stamped Pattern Dept. Be sure to state whether you want the tan and red, or the blue and white combinations. If you do not care for either of these color schemes, you can but the four perforated paper patterns for 15c, and a cake of transferring pates and distributer for 10c.
We anticipate a great rush of orders for these beautiful F & H Mother Goose quilt blocks, and therefore if would be unwise to delay sending yours in before the next four designs are published. Order at once and address to F & H Stamped Pattern Dept.
I – FIRST SERIES OF MOTHER GOOSE QUILT BLOCKS
II – THE MOTHER GOOSE QUILT COMPLETE
10/1/1908, Page 30 (562)
The Mother Goose Quilt - Second Instalment of Four BlocksAs state in the Sept 15 F & H, we anticipated a rush of orders for the first instalment of Mother Goose quilt blocks, but they came in even greater numbers than we expected, and it was a case of working over time to fill all the orders promptly. It is certainly very delightful to have one’s pleasant anticipations more than realized, and especially when, as in this case, realization brings with it encouraging assurance that “the right nail has been hit squarely on the head” – or, in other words, that we are giving our appreciative F & H friends just exactly what they want.
So here is the second instalment of four blocks, illustrating “Little Red Riding Hood,” “A Dillar, a Dollar, a Ten-o’clock Scholar,” “Higelty, Pigelty, My Black Hen,” and “Peter, Peter, Pumpkin Eater.” As before stated, each block is 10x10 inches, and the set of four blocks can be had, with material to work, for 25c, by addressing the F & H Stamped Pattern Dept. You can have your choice of the patterns stamped on tan chambray with turkey red (washable) cotton to work, or stamped on delft blue, with white cotton to work. Be sure to state whether you want set No 1 (see Sept 15 F & H) of set No 2 (see illustrations herewith), and what is your choice of colors. Always remember this: We can’t possible know what you want, unless you tell us. Sign name and full address plainly.
II – SECOND INSTALMENT OF MOTHER GOOSE QUILT BLOCKS
[The first instalment of four blocks was printed in F & H Sept 15.]
10/15/1908, Page 22 (586)
FANCY WORK - A Hallowe’en PillowHere is a “horribly” beautiful pillow top – a good foil to the dainty rose of violet or daisy pillows – and withal fascinating enough to deserve a place for its own sake, and for the sake of variety. See the grinning and toothless old witch riding a broom, and a black cat, and an owl, and the pumpkin! Now imagine all this stamped in four colors on tan art cloth, and outlined with silk in colors to correspond. Finish it with a ribbon ruffling, and you have a “beauty” that would be just the then for a “den.”
We can let you have this pillow top, stamped in four colors on a tan art cloth, with a green art cloth back, and colored silk to outline the design, for 50c. If you want a pretty ribbon pillow ruffling to match – 4 ½ yards, with a drawstring for ruffling – you can have if for 45c additional, mailed to your address, all postage paid. Address F & H Stamped Pattern Dept.
No 999 – A Pillow of the “Den”
Here we have the third instalment of the Mother Goose quilt blocks. (The first two instalments of four blocks each appeared in F & H Sept 15 and Oct 1.) The four here represented are: “There was a man and he had naught,” “There was a little man and he had a little gun,” “Dr Foster went to Gloucester,” and “Tom, Tom, the Piper’s son.” The prices are the same as for the previous instalments – 25c for four blocks stamped on chambray (either tan of Delft blue), including cotton to work (red for the tan goods, and white for the blue chambray). The four perforated paper patterns can be had for 15c, and a cake of transferring paste for 10c. The complete set of 20 patterns can be had a once by sending $1.25 to the F & H Stamped Pattern Dept.
III – THIRD INSTALMENT OF MOTHER GOOSE QUILT BLOCKS
11/1/1908, Page 23 (635)
We now have
sixteen blocks for the Mother Goose quilt.
Illustrations of the other twelve were printed in instalments of four
blocks in F & H Sept 15 and Oct 1 and 15.
The last instalment of four blocks, making twenty in all, will appear in
F & H Nov 15. The four blocks here
shown represent the Mother Goose rhymes:
“Ding dong bell, Pussy’s in the Well,” “Three Blind Mice,” “Simple
Simon,” and “Little Boy Blue.” The
prices are the same as before, 25c for set of four blocks, stamped on chambray,
and cotton to work. The choice of colors
is Delft blue chambray, with white cotton, or tan chambray, with Turkey red
cotton. The set of four perforated paper
patterns can be had for 15c and a cake of transferring paste for 10c. The complete set of 20 blocks can be had at
once if desired. Address F & H
Stamped Pattern Dept.IV – FOURTH INSTALMENT OF MOTHER GOOSE QUILT BLOCKS
11/15/1908, Page 31 (675)
Here we have
the last four of the Mother Goose quilt blocks, making twenty blocks in all. The series began in the Sept 15 number of F
& H. The mother Goose rhymes here
represented are: “Old King Cole was a
Merry Old Soul,” “There was an Old Woman,” “Little Jack Horner,” and “Little
Bo-Peep.” The prices for these are the
same as for previous instalments – 25c for the set of four, stamped on tan or
Delft blue chambray, with material to work.
Address orders to F & H Stamped Pattern Dept.FIFTH AND LAST INSTALMENT OF MOTHER GOOSE QUILT BLOCKS
